Mary, Mary, quite contrary....

We are planting a garden this year

     After five years without a garden, we are planting one this summer.
     It will be a raised garden.  When you get old like us it is hard to bend over, so we are creating a raised garden.   It will be about 24 inches high...so Jackie and I can sit on my little garden scooter and weed without stressing our backs.  (Not at the same time, it's not that big a scooter.)
      We bought a raised garden "kit" from an on line company.
      We bought four corners and two side brackets.  The concept is you place a board in the slots for the end pieces, then the middle, then the end and you have a garden that stays together in one place.
       Those are not expensive.
       Oh, I will need some soil.  And peat moss.  And compost.  And fertilizer.  And seed.  And tomato cages.
       I figure this puppy is going to bring us $200 tomatoes.  But they will be sweet and juicy, not the massed produced ones you buy in the store.
      Actually, we could have bought a lifetime supply at a farmer's market, but we want to grow our own tomatoes and peas, and beans, and cucumbers.
     No carrots.  I planted carrots several years and got nada, zilch, nothing.  Who can't grow carrots?
     And no zucchini.  On general principal, there are enough people in the world giving it away, why pay for it?  (If that argument sounds familiar.....never mind.)
     An broccoli is out too.  We grew it once, but it got little worms.  Jackie did not eating it with the little worms.  Yes, they came off when you  boiled it, but she did not like the idea of little worms living on the broccoli.
     No Brussel sprouts.  I don't like them.
      Green peppers....a couple of plants.  We used to freeze the peppers, and have stuffed peppers, so that is fine.
     No watermelon, cantaloupe, or sweetcorn.   Not enough space for pumpkins.
     Our last garden fizzled.  When I planted it, there were no trees.  After 17 years, trees grew and shaded it out.  This garden will be in full sun.
     I am making a lasagna garden.  My friend Chris told me about them, and it sounds like it will result in a great soil bed.  I build it with layers....as the layers break down, the soil becomes loamy and never needs tilling.....plus the worms love the mixture.
      All I need is some top soil, or black dirt.  Maybe some leaves.  A little horse manure......
      I forgot gardening is a lot of work.....but it's my goal this week to get it going!
      Feel free to stop out and lend a hand.....and if I happen to be napping, just go ahead without me.  The tomatoes won't care.