Monday, August 15

Dirt Digging

I decided this week to go ahead with trying to start a square foot garden. I have wanted to for some time now, but I missed the spring planting and so thought I had missed my chance this year. But then I thought, the temperatures in the fall are pretty comparable to the temperatures in the spring...can't be too different, right? This is Florida, afterall.

Now, I know that there are several fruits and vegetables that are planted in late Summer/Fall, but I might try for a few that are not just to test my Spring/Fall temperature comparison theory.

I did a lot of reading last week on vegetable gardening, particularly Square Foot Gardening which is a concept that was popularized by Mel Bartholomew in the early 1980's. The idea is that this form of gardening is great for urban areas or places that do not have great soil bc you can plant a small space but plant it intensively, with a different type of plant in each square foot, and depending on the size, several of those plants in its space.

The concept is also great for beginners, (me...) as you can easily reach all of your plants for easy tending and harvesting. And as I not only rent my apartment, but rent a garage apartment in a backyard which I share with the renters of the house, I think this is a better idea than digging and tilling in the backyard. I am also going to make it a raised-bed garden so that Atticus won't be able to get to any of the crops before I do.

SO, yesterday I went to my local gardening store and purchased seeds! I also decided to buy these seed starter pots. Once the plants are ready to be planted in the garden you can plant the whole thing in the soil...the pots are biodegradable and that way you avoid shocking the plants' roots. (I got a 23-pack for $3)



I didn't start all of the seeds inside...but I did start carrots, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and soybeans.



I wrote down all of information from the seed packets, just in case I lose track of the extra seeds and the packet information...and because I will use any excuse to use scrapbook paper.



I bought the only organic soil I could find at my gardening store, Foxfarm organic soil. I like it because it says it is ready to plant and great for vegetables. They also have organic fertilizers for vegetables that I will look at once I get the seeds going.



So, here they are! You wet down the soil and the seed starters with warm water, then use a pencil to make the hole in the soil for the seeds.



I'll keep you updated...hopefully they'll sprout soon! I think I'm going to wait until mid-September to plant when the weather outside is at least tolerable.
Until then.

This is George, he supervised.


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