I love getting dirty, and I love manual labor. Perhaps that is why I find such joy in gardening. And perhaps that is why I feel that yesterday was a day well spent. Tiffani, Tyler and I spent the morning getting wood and other supplies for our square foot gardens. Ignoring the 100 degree/95% humidity weather, we slaved away - with sweat dripping down our faces - to make our boxes and grids. We sorely underestimated the amount of soil we would need, so we made repeated trips to the local nursery. But, we finally got our compost, peat moss, vermiculite and pearlite all set, and we were able to plant 16 square feet of vegetables. (Can you imagine anything more fantastic?) We've got tomatoes, squash, zucchini, bell peppers, carrots, lettuce, and cucumbers. I can't wait to harvest. But, until then, I'm content just looking at the garden. I catch myself gazing out my bay window at the beautiful garden. And, I - like a toddler needing confirmation - drag every visitor out back to experience the magnificence of the square foot garden. I might need to be more careful about who I drag out there, lest the word get around and people stop visiting us.
I highly recommend everybody start a square foot garden, especially if you get anywhere near the same sort of satisfaction I do out of being outdoors and getting your hands dirty. Here are some of the perks:
- Requires less water than an average garden
- Requires less weeding
- Reduces seed waste
- It's pesticide/herbicide free
- Easy to do with limited space - you can even make them on a patio or deck
- Maximizes space (better than planting in rows)
May the fingernail dirt gods be with you in your ventures. Namaste.
3 comments:
That does sound like a lot of fun! I will have to look into it. Scott has planter spices in a pot in our kitchen. He's so funny!
so so so cool and amen to the joy=dirt under your nails! mine are real dirty these days (thank you birch creek). i'm so sad I missed you in DC. i am a lousy wretch. it was a short stay. i love you though. lots and lots.
oh! i totally wanted to do that and then i realized that we get zero sunlight on our porch. nothing better than garden-grown tomatoes. you'll have to keep us updated on your progress -- someday when i get a space to do it you can give me tips.
i have a blog now so you should come visit. joseph just turned 1!
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