Monday, April 13, 2009

Good Times in Novice Gardening #2

Ok, so this is the second post because this was number one. After I whined about my issue with wanting raised garden boxes to a few friends, Malcolm, the husband of my kind friend Aileen, offered to help me. Really!! Bless his handy heart (and hands). When Richard had a few moments before leaving town on Saturday, he helped me shop for all the things I needed according to Better Homes and Gardens, and the Square Foot Gardening website, thanks to Jodee.


I have such knowledgeable and good friends.

We then did what we could to clear the areas of overgrown "decorative" grasses, and regular icky grass.

The quest for flat ground on our little property then began. Where to put them?? Where do we actually get sun on those flat pieces of God's earth?

We decided on the side of the house...

...and right in front of our driveway.


Yes, a garden box will now replace the abandoned basketball hoop. I wanted to paint them- you know, so they look GOOD... but it rained and rained and I couldn't. Malcolm was scheduled to come on Saturday, but it rained and rained and so he couldn't.

So, tonight, he came. Armed with many tools on a chilly Maryland April evening, he quickly made the boxes.... and then helped m
e with the uneven ground which took a while. He pretty much knows how to do everything I think. While he was working on that, I began my mix of peat moss, compost, and vermiculite. And.... well, then it rained. And stopped. And rained. I covered it with a tarp in an attempt to no longer tempt the rain gods for the evening to ensure that Malcolm could finish.

It got darker and darker, but Malcolm finished. Bless his heart.
THANK YOU, LANES!!!

Oh yea, and I checked the weather for the next three days. It will..... rain and rain. It will stop on the day I leave town to visit my daughter. (Yes, I should probably own a house in Utah since I am there every other day it seems). So, I will now have very puddly empty unpainted garden boxes crying out for the special mix they need to grow things for me. Hmmm... maybe it will NOT rain next week so I can finish?

Guess I'll have to wait a little while....

5 comments:

  1. Wow! What a great man - I can't believe Malcolm finished them all in one night. I can't wait to see the finish, painted project - perhaps it will inspire me to get moving on my own garden.

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  2. Yay for handy friends! my dad is making mine for my birthday this month, yay for handy dads too! Keep posting your progress, I would love to know how things go, tips, do's, dont's etc... as you start your gardening journey!

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  3. I wish I knew how to garden. That is number one on my "I want to learn next" list. Maybe we can come for a visit and you can teach me all your tricks you have learned :)

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  4. I'm looking forward to reading more about your journey and maybe it'll even inspire me to look for creative ways to overcome our difficult yard issues too. I have a lot of learning to do about gardening.

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  5. My sweetheart made raised garden boxes for my last spring...I love them!

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A little note from you? Thanks!