It's just the beginning...

Let me catch you up: Graduation date, and last official day of another college career of classes, December 19, 2010. It took me a few weeks, possibly only a couple, until I was completely bored out of my mind. No more homework, way less time spent thinking. Oh how the boredom had set in. After an unordinary search through a large book bin at the local grocery store, I found a book of backyard projects. And as it was, the book was 1/2 price, what a deal! To say the least, it came home with me, and I started thinking, not about classes and due dates, but what I can now build.

In an effort to enhance my gardening experiences on a yearly basis, it only made sense to start my first backyard project by building an herb planter to help offset all the herbs and lettuces I buy at the Co-op. I set out to build an off the ground planter so the usual suspects that might nibble on the yummy treats cannot reach the growing plants.

So, the building began. I built a 3x5 ft, three section planter. In Bisbee, where I live, if something is by the dumpster it is for the taking. One person's trash... A friend found six legs that were once on a table, and are now (four of them anyhow) legs to a planter. How fancy!

A total of nine rows of plants, three in each section, containing two rows of lettuce and parsley in the first, dill, second generation basil, and onion in the second, and (planted two weeks later) cilantro, mesclun mix of lettuce and mustard, and spinach. Is your mouth watering yet?

With trying to do such a thing with minimal costs, bubble wrap from a friend's move has been stapled to the frame for a warmth giving blanket for the cold mountain nights. And with bubble wrap to the rescue, the newly sprouted lettuce (the first riser!) lived through the snow we endured last weekend. Way to go bubble wrap.

With each day I will watch this little planter grow, and since finishing building and planting, many other seeds have made it to soil. My plan of attack now includes finding pots in which to grow plants, or find materials that can be used as make-shift planters.

Let's watch this little newly build and re-used garden grow!