**Winner Announced** Spring Garden Giveaway Contest

[queenofthehivemomof5]

I don't know everyone else but I am really ready for spring!!!!

To get us all in the spring mindset, Organicgrocerydeals is hosting a fun spring garden giveaway contest open to all Organicgrocerydeals members!

Steps To Enter:

1. You must be a Organicgrocerydeals member, if you are not already a member register a FREE account!

2. Post ONE of the following to this thread

• Post pictures of your garden, and tell us a little bit about your garden, or plans for your garden this year.
  
• Post pictures of your compost bin, and tell us a little bit about your compost bin, how you created it, etc.
  
• Post 5 of your favorite organic gardening stores for buying organic gardening plants, seeds or supplies - can be brick & mortar stores or online and give us some details about what you like about these stores.
  
• Post 5 of your favorite organic gardening books and/or magazines and tell us a bit about what you like about these reading resources.

3. Go to Organicgrocerydeals Amazon.com store and pick your prize should you win this contest. Find some organic gardening books, magazines, seeds, plants, tools, or other organic gardening related items totaling $50.00 and post your organic gardening wish list. And post that $50 wish list here in this thread. Should you be chosen as a winner, Organicgrocerydeals will buy your $50 wish list and have it delivered to you!

4. Click the following link Spring Garden Giveaway Contest Form to submit your mailing info so that we have it on file should you win!

BONUS Entries:

To earn a bonus entry into this contest, spread the word about this contest by telling a friend, posting about it on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, other forums, blogs, or other places on the internet where it would be allowed. And then get your bonus entry in by posting the link to where you shared this contest in this thread. Bonus entries are unlimited, so increase your chances of winning by spreading the word!

Contest Rules:

1. Must be a member of Organicgrocerydeals.com to enter.
2. Each member may enter once.
   
3. Contest ends May 15th, 2009 At 12:00 Midnite PST.
4. Winner will be announced by May 20th, 2009
5. Each qualifying post will be counted by the post number in this thread (example this first post of this thread is post #1) and a random number generator will be used to pick a winner.
6. Winner will be sent a Private Message here at Organicgrocerydeals letting them know that they have won the contest and the contest winner will also be announced in this thread.
   
7. Winner will have 5 days to respond to Private Message or an alternate winner will be chosen.

[aclowers]

Wow! This is exciting. I don't have pictures of where I plan to put my garden as my camera is broke, thanks to dear children. This will be my first year in a long time to plant a garden. I have been unable physically to care for one, but have missed it terribly. I grew up working gardens ours and others. There is nothing quite like working the soil with your hands and watching your efforts blossom into plants and food.



This year, I will start off easy with; green beans, tomatoes, squash, okra, cucumbers, peppers (bell & jalapeno), turnip greens, carrots and potatoes. Oh yeah, can't forget the watermelon. Mmm..sounds so good. Thankfully, I have three very healthy children that I homeschool, so this will be a great learning experience for them. I can't wait to get started.

Here's my wishlist;

Straight Eight Cucumber 400 Seeds - Plus Pack Savings! Buy new: $1.99

Sugar Snap Peas 125+ Seeds -Super Sweet - Plus Pack Buy new: $1.99

Beefsteak Tomato Certified Organic Heirloom Seeds 50 Seeds Buy new: $1.75

Peaches & Cream Sweet Corn 120 Seeds - PLUS PACK Buy new: $1.99
Delicious Strawberry 400 Seeds Buy new: $1.89

Blue Lake Pole Beans 100+Seeds-Plus Pack $1.99

Honey Rock Cantaloupe 200 Seeds $.99

Evergreen Bunching Onion 200 Seeds $1.29

Jalapeno Chili Pepper 100 Seeds $1.49

Early Straight Neck Squash 50 Seeds $.99

Garden Soy Vegetable Soybeans 100 Seeds $2.99

English Watercress Seeds 3000 Seeds $2.79

Organic Baby Sweet Corn 100+ Seeds $2.89

Organic Louisiana Green Velvet Okra 50 Seeds $2.89

Dwarf Long Pod Okra 150 Seeds $.99

Imperial Black Beauty Eggplant 50 Seeds $2.99

Organic Early Dell Celery 150 Seeds $2.89

Kleckley Sweet Watermelon 60 Seeds $1.19

Bonsai Dwarf Red Cherry Tomato 35 Seeds - Hybrid $2.99

Baby Romaine Lettuce 500 Seeds - GARDEN FRESH PACK! $1.69

Miniature Roses 25 Seeds $2.79

Tulip Mixed Color $5.98

[aclowers]

I posted a link in my HCW siggy. Hot Coupon World

[snissa@hotmail.com]

We just got done growing the sugar snap peas you see pictured below... We had SO many and enjoyed them SO much!! They were great in stir fry. The other picture is a couple other of our beds. We have brussel sprouts, spaghetti squash, cilantro, dill and rhubarb growing there! This weekend we are going to plan our watermelons and pumpkins...WOW, and last weekend we planted sunflowers and cucumbers. We are finallyg etting into seasonally planting things.
my wish list




Kids Garden Tool Set
From Toysmith


Price: $24.99


Organic Housekeeping: In Which the Non-Toxic Avenger Shows You How to Improve Your Health and That of Your Family, While You Save Time, Money, and, Perhaps, Your Sanity
By Ellen Sandbeck


List Price: $30.00Price: $19.80 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details Everbearing Picnic Strawberry 40 Seeds/Seed
Buy new: $2.99
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Edamame Green Soybean Seeds 50 Seeds
Buy new: $2.99
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Picotee Blue Morning Glory 10 Seeds
Buy new: $3.99
Usually ships in 1-2 business daysStraight Eight Cucumber 400 Seeds - Plus Pack Savings!
Buy new: $1.99
Usually ships in 1-2 business daysRainbow Heirloom Mix Tomato 50 Seeds
Buy new: $2.49
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Sugar Snap Peas 125+ Seeds -Super Sweet - Plus Pack
Buy new: $1.99
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Beefsteak Tomato Certified Organic Heirloom Seeds 50 Seeds
Buy new: $1.75
Usually ships in 1-2 business daysWatermelon Beefsteak Tomato 25 Seeds
Buy new: $2.99
Usually ships in 1-2 business daysStrawberries Alpine Mignonette Heirloom Seeds 250 Seeds
Buy new: $2.79
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Peaches & Cream Sweet Corn 120 Seeds - PLUS PACK
Buy new: $1.99
Usually ships in 1-2 business daysDelicious Strawberry 400 Seeds
Buy new: $1.89
Usually ships in 1-2 business days

[queenofthehivemomof5]

How fun to get this contest started!

Don't forget to complete all the steps 1-4 to enter the contest. So far only snissa has a qualifying entry!

[Saveinapenny18]

Lauren's 2009 Garden


My plans for my 2009 Garden are to grow:
Garlic: You can already see that it has peaked out of the dirt in the botton left corner of the picture. The garlic will be used in my cooking and to give to family.

Soral: My husbands family likes to take the leaves and make it into a soup. At first it looks really bad and yucky however it's supper yummy!
Romaine Lettuce: To use for our salads for lunch and dinners.

Beets: My husband like to eat a polish beet salad and also used in soup. I don't like beets but my hubby loves them so I'm growing them for him.

Dill: Great to garnish mashed potatoes, carrots and used in a Polish sour cream & cucumber salad. Freezes good in Mason jars and used all year round.

Leek: Use insted of onion in making fresh homemade soup. We Polish tend to eat soup even when its 100 outside. lol

Carrots: Will wash and chop them up for use in the winter months.

Green Beans: These are my fav and would eat them every day, I can never have enough.

Green Onions: They are are used in an Asian dish that I make as well as used in our salads.
Cilantro: Growing so I can make home made salsa and jar it for the winter.
Cucumbers: Used in Salads and to make lot and lots of Pickles
Zucchini: Great Grilled or Baked into Bread

Yellow Onions: Onions are used in just about everything in this house to grilled,
sautéed to raw.


Red Potatoes: What Polish family dosen't eat potatoes? Need I say more?

Peppers: I like to use them in my eggs at breakfast to grilled on the dinner plate.

Tomatoes: I'm canning this year for Fresh Tomatoe Soup, Salsa, Sauces and Chili.

Corn: I'm going to try for the first time to growing corn in the heartland at the request of my 3 year nephew. He loves his corn.

Lauren's Compost Bin


Creating my Compost Bin
At first all I had on had was the pallet left over from the sod that my husband and I had ordered from our June landscape project. In October our community had what is called an Amnesty Garbage Day. This is when you can take your whole years worth of unwanted garbage and put it at the curb so the trash man can take it to the landfill all for Free. Well I needed the wood to make the sides and top of my compost bin so I was on a mission to find some. Well it turns out that down the street from our house a family was throwing away the Children’s play set. They had most of it already cut into pieces and sitting by the curb. So I gathered my tools that I would need in order to get the materials home. I grabbed my saw, drill and hammer and jump in my Ford Mustang and drive down the street to my treasured wood pile. I had been trying to get the screws out of the wood for some time and I just couldn’t do it because they where stripped and not going to corporate with me. It was getting dark and I needed help. I left my treasured find and drove home to to my husband to help. After trying to break the material down further in order to get the material home my husband just grabbed the blanket that was in my truck and we loaded the wood on top of the Mustang drove home with both of us with our hand out the window holding the material down so it wouldn’t fall off. Good thing it was only a short drive home. You should have seen us it was sooooo funny. The next day I cut the wood to size from the child’s play set and made my compost bin. I reused the lattice from a silly looking deck that the old owners of our house had by the front door.


The McDonald Farm - Naperville,Illinois
This farm offers CSA Vegetable Shares, Organic Vegetable Seedlings and Native Landscape Plants. The best part is that they are not that from my house.


Seeds of Change
I like to order those hard to find seeds and seedlings from Seeds of Change. They always ship there product when it right for my Zone.

Illinois Farm Direct
If you are looking for a Farmers Market, CSA, Direct Source for Local Food and you are located in Illinois or close to Illinois you should check out this web site.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by BarbaraKingsolver
About the Book

Released May 2007 tells the story of how our family was changed by one year of deliberately eating food produced in the place where we live. Barbara wrote the central narrative; Steven's sidebars dig deeper into various aspects of food-production science and industry; Camille's brief essays offer a nineteen-year-old's perspective on the local-food project, plus nutritional information, meal plans and recipes.

I've enjoyed this book because it's truly gets you to think about where your food comes from. It also gets you thinking about what you can do to better yourself and family as well as the earth in which we live on.

If I'm lucky enough to win the below would be my wish list

Lodge Logic 12- Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet


Kids Garden Tools


Toy Smith Kids Hand Tool Set


Fiskars Traditional Bypass Pruning Shears


Link to this page posted in my HCW Signature

[kristen.c]

Lauren, your garden looks absolutely amazing!

[Saveinapenny18]

Originally Posted by kristen.c

Lauren, your garden looks absolutely amazing!

Thank you, Don't tell anyone but I just did it today!

I took a vacation day today to get a long weekend and plant some of my things in my garden as well as try and turn the compost. You should have seen me standing in it with my rain boots on with a pitch fork turning it. Everyone must have thought I was nuts if they saw me. Now I smell like a barn yard animal thant needs to shower.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Looks great Lauren, and your post...wow you did more than the requirement! But I love seeing and hearing about folks gardens and compost bins.

We have a a similar day like your Amnesty day but it is a week long event held twice a year and I am SO into looking for treasures in what other folks put on the curb. My husband and I tour the neighborhoods looking for goodies. We have found matching parts for our weed wacker, pots for the garden, a cool little outdoor chair that now sits on our front porch, lawn edging, and all sorts of goodies. I love free stuff like that.

Our compost bin is made of out pallets too. I will try and take a pic tomorrow and post (can't enter the contest)

[Saveinapenny18]

Originally Posted by queenofthehivemomof5

Looks great Lauren, and your post...wow you did more than the requirement! But I love seeing and hearing about folks gardens and compost bins.

We have a a similar day like your Amnesty day but it is a week long event held twice a year and I am SO into looking for treasures in what other folks put on the curb. My husband and I tour the neighborhoods looking for goodies. We have found matching parts for our weed wacker, pots for the garden, a cool little outdoor chair that now sits on our front porch, lawn edging, and all sorts of goodies. I love free stuff like that.

Our compost bin is made of out pallets too. I will try and take a pic tomorrow and post (can't enter the contest)

I would like to see a picture of your compost bin and garden even though your not a part of the contest. I think it was from you that I got the idea of a pallet compost bin in the first place.

[jujubee]

I love all the pictures! Keep the entries coming!

[anthonysmama]

1)Organic Gardening for Dummies- easy to read, great beginner book
2)Organic Gardener Magazine- has readers tips and learn from their mistakes and winning ideas
3)Perennials for Every Purpose: Choose the Right Plants for Your Conditions, Your Garden, and Your Taste- since I live in the Midwest, this book provides tips for every weather conditions
4)Lasagna Gardening for Small Spaces: A Layering System for Big Results in Small Gardens and Container - we live in the burbs now, but this book is great if you have a townhouse, condo, or small space in an urban setting
5)Natural Enemies Handbook: The Illustrated Guide to Biological Pest Control- live pesticide free! find out natural ways (like ladybugs!) to kill plant harming bugs!


wish list:
OXO Good Grips Indoor Pour & Store Watering Can 3.17-quart, Green $14.99

Step2 5A0000 Garden Hopper Mobile Garden Stool and Storage $24.62

Felknor Ventures 82506 Topsy Turvy Upside-Down Tomato Planter $13.99


Thanks and good luck to all!

[OHeather]

Here is a picture of my 2 compost bins. There are flaws with both of them. I am hoping that once they get moved to a more sunny location, the bins will do a better job of breaking things down into usable compost.

The first composter that I got was from Terracycle. It is a used whiskey or wine barrel. From the beginning we had problems with it, and even now it seems to fall apart. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, but maybe we just got a bum "bucket." The one thing that I do like about it is that it's on casters, so rolling the contents around inside is easy as pie. I'm not sure how much they get mixed up though. I need to take the contents out now and check to see how everything has decomposed. Hopefully I'll be able to add it to my vegetable garden this year.

The second composter was made through a joint effort with DH and myself. The bottom was initially open to the ground, but with various critters (large, like raccoons) getting into the bin almost daily I ended up nailing boards across the whole bottom. I hope the the airation is still okay, but this will be the 1st spring it sees. We've also had to change the top screening already, since the 1st thing we used was chicken wire. It didn't hold up with the weight of the critters, and several birds found their way in this Spring to collect canatlope seeds and more! All of the boards were salvaged from various other projects. At one time I gathered a bunch of boards from a freecycler, so some of the boards came from that. We did buy the wire mesh brand new though.

Here is my Amazon wish list:
Compost Aerator, From Rittenhouse, $25.62

CowPots 15 Pk, From Cowpots, $10.95

Sea Energy Agriculture, By Maynard Murray, $10.68

Organic Red Stalk Celery 250 Seeds-Heirloom- Veggie, From Hirt's Gardens $2.46


for the chance!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Thanks for entering guys! So much fun! OHeather your pics of your compost bin did not show up. LMK if you need some help!

[jujubee]

Bump!

[OHeather]

OK, the picture is up now. I don't know what happened before.

[kristen.c]

As an admin I'm not entering, but I wanted to support the contest, and share some container gardening for those who might think they aren't able to have a garden because of no yard.

We did all of our planting (except herbs) this weekend. Herbs we'll get later in May from the Baltimore Herb Festival.

Here's what we're growing:
Tomatoes (1 each)- Mr. Stripey heirloom, Golden Jubilee, Napa grape hybrid, Lemon Boy, and Sweet 100 cherry
2 bush cucumbers
2 yellow straight-neck squash
1 arugula
1 Quinalt strawberry
1 hybrid cabbage
from seed- yellow wax and green beans (I need to check the packets for the exact variety of these.)

These are the main containers:



In the square pots, each has a larger tomato plant, a smaller tomato plant, and one has 2 cucumbers and the other 2 squash. The smaller round pot has a single large tomato plant, and the larger round pot has the green bean and wax bean seeds. When the plants start to grow, we'll put a wire tomato cage in the center of each of the larger pots. This worked really well for us last year- the cucumbers and beans had something to grow onto and the tomato plants had just enough support.

I've got some smaller pots for the other items. I haven't grown these before, so I'm not sure how they'll fare:




We use some of the pots as pedestals to raise the stuff off of the ground so the groundhogs can't get into them- these will be moved to the table in a few weeks when we have more direct sunlight.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

yeah great contest entries! don't forget that you can earn bonus entries in the contest to boost your chances of winning by telling other folks about the contest.

[Saveinapenny18]

Kristen your Garden looks Great! I think container gardens are great for those who don't have enough room for a large garden, live in rentals or even planting for one person and don't want to be wasteful.

[ocean_brez]

Thanks for sharing your pics Kristen. I need to figure out a way to raise my pots up where the snails can't get them so that I can repot my seedlings. Nasty snails. I think that I am going to buy some copper wiring and run it around the bases of the pots a couple times to deter them. Here's hoping. :)

[kristen.c]

Originally Posted by ocean_brez

Thanks for sharing your pics Kristen. I need to figure out a way to raise my pots up where the snails can't get them so that I can repot my seedlings. Nasty snails. I think that I am going to buy some copper wiring and run it around the bases of the pots a couple times to deter them. Here's hoping. :)

Can you sprinkle Epsom salt around the base of the pots? You'd have to reapply regularly, but that should work. You can get a decent-sized back of it at Walmart for a few dollars.

[ocean_brez]

Originally Posted by kristen.c

Can you sprinkle Epsom salt around the base of the pots? You'd have to reapply regularly, but that should work. You can get a decent-sized back of it at Walmart for a few dollars.

Never thought about Epsom Salt. Doh! That would definitely be more cost effective than copper wiring. LOL! Thanks for the suggestion!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

I dunno..copper wiring is not all that expensive (also look for copper tape) the better thing about the copper, is that you don't have to re-apply it.

Ok totally taking that off topic

[OHeather]

Bump!

[IFALLSMICHELLE]

What a nice idea. Here are my five favorite sources for Organic/Green Gardening Seeds and Supplies.

1. My absolute favorite is Seed Savers Exchange. I am growing mostly vegetables and flowers I purchase here. Note that not all the seeds are certified organic. The link I am providing is for their organic seeds.

We visited this farm in August 2008, it was awesome!!! My kids had the best time in their apple orchard.

Since 1975, Seed Savers Exchange members have passed on approximately one million samples of rare garden seeds to other gardeners. We are a non-profit organization of gardeners dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds.

http://www.seedsavers.org/Items.aspx?search=organic

2. Seeds of Change has a nice variety of organic seeds, in the past I have ordered from them and been very happy.
Seeds of Change Homepage

3. Gardeners Supply has a nice selection of "green" and environmentally friendly gardening products.
Gardeners Supply Company | Garden Supplies and Gardening Tips for Home Gardeners

4. Gardens Alive for all natural fertilizer.
Environmentally Responsible Gardening Products that Work – GardensAlive.com

5. Menards Stores - they carry organic potting soil and some organic seeds. This is the only store in my town that carries organic potting soil.

I have enjoyed reading the other posts for this contest!!!

[jujubee]

Great info, Ifallsmichelle! Don't forget to go to our amazon store and choose your prizes should you win!

3. Go to Organicgrocerydeals Amazon.com store and pick your prize should you win this contest. Find some organic gardening books, magazines, seeds, plants, tools, or other organic gardening related items totaling $50.00 and post your organic gardening wish list. And post that $50 wish list here in this thread. Should you be chosen as a winner, Organicgrocerydeals will buy your $50 wish list and have it delivered to you!

4. Click the following link Spring Garden Giveaway Contest Form to submit your mailing info so that we have it on file should you win!

[IFALLSMICHELLE]

I forgot to add this to my previous post, If I were to win the contest, here is what I would choose:

Norpro GRIP-EZ Stainless-Steel Composter Keeper with 2-pc. Replacement Filter Set
From Norpro


Price: $39.95Organicgrocerydeals Amazon Store - Norpro GRIP-EZ Stainless-Steel Composter Keeper with 2-pc. Replacement Filter Set


2-pc. Replacement Filter Set for Stainless Steel Compost Keeper
From Select Brands


List Price: $4.99Price: $3.99

Organicgrocerydeals Amazon Store - 2-pc. Replacement Filter Set for Stainless Steel Compost Keeper

Jobe's Organic Vegetable Fertilizer Food Spikes - 50 Pack #6028
From Jobe's


List Price: $9.26Price: $4.15

Organicgrocerydeals Amazon Store - Jobe's Organic Vegetable Fertilizer Food Spikes - 50 Pack #6028

Thank you for the chance to win!

[IFALLSMICHELLE]

I hope more people enter the contest, this is fun to see what everyone shares.

[kristen.c]

Michelle, thanks for your entry and the great informative links you posted!

[socsay36]

So far we have planted Romaine lettuce, head lettuce, jalapeno, bell pepper, peas, potatoes, watermelon, strawberry, radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, cantelope, corn, carrots, broccoli and onions. The blueberries trees are about 10 years old, they were planted by my father in law and the strawberries my husband and I planted last year.

Last year was are first year gardening. We started with the two raised beds, but this year we decided to go bigger.

The radishes and onions have already been harvested. The lettuces have been harvested twice now, going for a third. I also just picked my first broccoli today. Suprisely things are going good considering not much has been added to the soil.

Can someone tell me how to post pictures?

[jennspen]

Here is a picture of our garden this year. This is the first garden we have had together as we lived in a garden house before last year with no yard! I'm so excited about the veggies that we have planted.




Here are the things I wish for:
Meyer Lemon Tree - One Gallon - $32.98

[Berkley69]

We just moved here and this was all grass, we're starting from SCRATCH! Today I planted Daikon radishes and carrots. Much more to come!
OK I just remembered (just like with HCW) I do not know how to post a pic!

Originally Posted by Berkley69

We just moved here and this was all grass, we're starting from SCRATCH! Today I planted Daikon radishes and carrots. Much more to come!
OK I just remembered (just like with HCW) I do not know how to post a pic!

I apologize for posting 3 times in this thread but I can't edit my original post. Here's my wishlist:
1. Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden And Your Neighborhood into a Community
By Heather Coburn Flores


List Price: $25.00Price: $16.50

2. Plastair SpringHose Deluxe PUW850B94H-AMZ 50-Foot 1/2-Inch Polyurethane Coil Garden Hose - Green
From Plastair
Price: $32.99

Thanks and nice gardens everyone!

[kristen.c]

Originally Posted by Berkley69

We just moved here and this was all grass, we're starting from SCRATCH! Today I planted Daikon radishes and carrots. Much more to come!
OK I just remembered (just like with HCW) I do not know how to post a pic!

To post an image you can either:

Upload the image directly to the site from your computer: Go to the advanced reply option. Click the paperclip icon in the post-reply box, and you'll get a pop-up window that says Manage attachments. You'll want to click the "browse" button to find the file on your computer, highlight the file, and then choose open. The file name/location should then show up in the attachment window. Click upload. Once your image has uploaded, you'll see the file under "current attachments." Close the attachment window, then come back to your reply window and click the paperclip again. You should get a drop-down box with the file name. Click on the file name and it will insert a code that looks like this [ATTACH][/ATTACH] with a number in the middle. When you preview your post, you should be able to see the actual image.

Capture the image from a link on another website: If you have your photos stores on a personal website, photobucket, or flickr account, you can post the image directly from there. To do this, click the icon in the post-reply window that looks like a post card. When the dialog box opens, paste the URL (address) of the image, then click ok. Your image should then appear in the posting window.

Hope that helps!

[socsay36]

Originally Posted by kristen.c

To post an image you can either:

Upload the image directly to the site from your computer: Click the paperclip icon in the post-reply box, and you'll get a pop-up window that says Manage attachments. You'll want to click the "browse" button to find the file on your computer, highlight the file, and then choose open. The file name/location should then show up in the attachment window. Click upload. Once your image has uploaded, you'll see the file under "current attachments." Close the attachment window, then come back to your reply window and click the paperclip again. You should get a drop-down box with the file name. Click on the file name and it will insert a code that looks like this [ATTACH][/ATTACH] with a number in the middle. When you preview your post, you should be able to see the actual image.

Capture the image from a link on another website: If you have your photos stores on a personal website, photobucket, or flickr account, you can post the image directly from there. To do this, click the icon in the post-reply window that looks like a post card. When the dialog box opens, paste the URL (address) of the image, then click ok. Your image should then appear in the posting window.

Hope that helps!

I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing the paperclip icon.

[socsay36]

Oh, nevermind, I just saw the rules about posting and since I'm new I can't post attachments. Does anyone know about how many posts I have to make before I can post an attachment?

[frogmama]

UNDER CONSTRUCTION:

---------------------------------------------------------

I enjoy challenges. Since a hobby farm/acreage was not an option for us, we chose a house with a larger city lot (66x165) that had a berm(a man-made hill, usually for sound-deadening purposes) on the back of the lot. Instead of “wasting” our limited flat area with a garden, I took advantage of the berm and built a terraced garden on it. When I plant, I take into consideration the amount of time I’ll spend picking that particular plant and plant those (peas, beans, tomatoes, strawberries) close to the edge so I can stand on the lower tier to pick those at a more comfortable height.


last year we had too much dirt! ---- Our little girls playing in front of the staked-out garden in 2007.

This is our third year with this garden and each of the 5 beds is 5x12, for a total of 25x12 feet. Because space is at such a premium, this year I am starting many seeds inside so that I know that everything I’m planting is at least viable, thus making better use of the space.
my punkins
We choose what to plant based on what costs us most in stores(tomatoes, herbs, etc), whether by the quantity of it we consume or the price/pound. We also plant what peaks the kids’ interest and involve them in the process. For example we use a bed to plant carving pumpkins each year. Even though they take over everything, we save $30 a year by not buying them somewhere in the fall. We actually make money on them because there is always extras and the kids sell them to the neighbors. They also get to watch their chosen pumpkin(s) growing and turning orange. My older daughter learned at school that crushing eggshells and adding them to plants is good for them, so she has been busy crushing them all winter and using them in our seedlings and windowsill garden and we will be using them in the garden as well. I love involving them and in turn learning something about gardening I didn’t even know from them!!

I mostly like to experiment with gardening. Last year we attempted eggplant (DD liked the idea of an egg growing, lol) but the critters got to it before we did. We also picked up a peanut plant at a favorite nursery of ours to try out. I tried canning for the first time - pizza sauce and home-made catsup. And made loads of fresh bruschetta - yum!

Over the winter, I made a windowsill garden out of a piece of aluminum gutter and tried to grow lettuce in it just to see if I could. I think it was still too cold by the window with the sub-zero temps on the other side of the glass. I am brainstorming some sort of low heating mechanism for next winter. Right now I have peas growing in it – and they are actually forming pods! I have them strung up with a dental floss “trellis” in front of my window.

See the little pea pod on the right?



This past early spring, I also decided to start garlic in a pot. I am using a pot because according to my research, garlic needs loose, sandy dirt to grow (which I don’t have) and didn’t want to make a dedicated bed in my yard for it. They seem to be doing well. I currently have 5 growing, mostly 4-6 inches tall now.

Some future projects I want to try is hydroponic gardening and mushrooms, just for the fun of it. And I plan to try growing mung bean sprouts this summer as well.

If you want a fun book about gardening experiments with kids, check out “Linnea’s Windowsill Garden” – its out of print but you can find it used on Amazon, usually.

We also have a little Golden book that is called “Two Little Gardeners” that the kids like during gardening season as well.

It wont be time to plant my garden for at least 2 more weeks, so I have some pictures from last year. (we had too much dirt delivered last year so we couldn’t use that bottom bed. Not that the pumpkins minded, though!)


The plan for this year:



If I am lucky enough to win, this is what I would like (assuming the pan is ok)
Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Combo Cooker$40.44
Organic Baby Sweet Corn 100+ Seeds - Zea mays - 2" ears - SALE*$2.99
Organic Mung Sprouting Bean 500 Seeds$2.89

Subtotal: $52.20

[angelau]

Okay here goes!LOL My garden contains the following items this year: corn,green beans,okra,sugar snap peas,potatoes,onions,zucchini,squash,cabbage,brocc oli,pepper,tomatoes,lettuce,
garlic, and sunflowers. We don't have a compost pile due to having goats and chickens (they get all veggie leftovers!) We get our fertilizer from them too.
Below is pics of my garden.

My wish list:


Natural Goat Care by Pat Coleby
Buy new: $16.50 / Used from: $17.41
Usually ships in 24 hours








Kids Garden Tool Set
From Toysmith


Price: $29.80 & eligible for FREE

[frogmama]

Ok - I posted at

1. my EasyStreet: Portland Oregon Internet, Managed Services, Data Center, Colocation, Hosting
2. My facebook profile
3. Dirty Ladies Gardening Group on Facebook

So is that 3 additional valid entries? I can PM the links for the 2 & 3 to whoever is validating the links. Hopefully I'll revise my garden post above today by creating a new post (didn't realize you cant edit on this version of message board software)

[frogmama]

(revised post)-- mods please edit if links are not ok

I enjoy challenges. Since a hobby farm/acreage was not an option for us, we chose a house with a larger city lot (66x165) that had a berm(a man-made hill, usually for sound-deadening purposes) on the back of the lot. Instead of “wasting” our limited flat area with a garden, I took advantage of the berm and built a terraced garden on it. When I plant, I take into consideration the amount of time I’ll spend picking that particular plant and plant those (peas, beans, tomatoes, strawberries) close to the edge so I can stand on the lower tier to pick those at a more comfortable height.


last year we had too much dirt! ---- Our little girls playing in front of the staked-out garden in 2007. -- I also linked this pictures to their original location if they don't work again.

This is our third year with this garden and each of the 5 beds is 5x12, for a total of 25x12 feet. Because space is at such a premium, this year I am starting many seeds inside so that I know that everything I’m planting is at least viable, thus making better use of the space.
my punkins
We choose what to plant based on what costs us most in stores(tomatoes, herbs, etc), whether by the quantity of it we consume or the price/pound. We also plant what peaks the kids’ interest and involve them in the process. For example we use a bed to plant carving pumpkins each year. Even though they take over everything, we save $30 a year by not buying them somewhere in the fall. We actually make money on them because there is always extras and the kids sell them to the neighbors. They also get to watch their chosen pumpkin(s) growing and turning orange. My older daughter learned at school that crushing eggshells and adding them to plants is good for them, so she has been busy crushing them all winter and using them in our seedlings and windowsill garden and we will be using them in the garden as well. I love involving them and in turn learning something about gardening I didn’t even know from them!!

I mostly like to experiment with gardening. Last year we attempted eggplant (DD liked the idea of an egg growing, lol) but the critters got to it before we did. We also picked up a peanut plant at a favorite nursery of ours to try out. I tried canning for the first time - pizza sauce and home-made catsup. And made loads of fresh bruschetta - yum!

Over the winter, I made a windowsill garden out of a piece of aluminum gutter and tried to grow lettuce in it just to see if I could. I think it was still too cold by the window with the sub-zero temps on the other side of the glass. I am brainstorming some sort of low heating mechanism for next winter. Right now I have peas growing in it – and they are actually forming pods! I have them strung up with a dental floss “trellis” in front of my window.

See the little pea pod on the right?

This past early spring, I also decided to start garlic in a pot. I am using a pot because according to my research, garlic needs loose, sandy dirt to grow (which I don’t have) and didn’t want to make a dedicated bed in my yard for it. They seem to be doing well. I currently have 5 growing, mostly 4-6 inches tall now.

Some future projects I want to try is hydroponic gardening and mushrooms, just for the fun of it. We just had our first stir-fry with home-sprouted mung beans too!

(picture is linked to OGD Amazon search)

If you want a fun book about gardening experiments with kids, check out “Linnea’s Windowsill Garden” – its out of print but you can find it used on Amazon, usually.

(also linked)
We also have a little Golden book that is called “Two Little Gardeners” that the kids like during gardening season as well.

I just planted last weekend and I did seed-taping - wow there are so many benefits to planting that way! (I posted recently about it on my EasyStreet: Portland Oregon Internet, Managed Services, Data Center, Colocation, Hosting - garden posts are all tagged on right)

The plan for this year:


I found a neat planning tool online that I used to revise my hand-drawn plan above (if its ok to share, it was Plangarden Vegetable Garden Plan - Design Software ) -



If I am lucky enough to win, this is what I would like:

ItemQuantityPrice Healing Foods: Cooking for Celiacs, Colitis, Crohn's and IBS$19.47 Organic Baby Sweet Corn 100+ Seeds - Zea mays - 2" ears - SALE*$2.99 Putting Food By (Plume)$11.05 Kitchen Crop Sprouter - 3 Tray$16.95 Subtotal: $50.46

[jujubee]

Thanks for all of the great submissions! I've enjoyed seeing everyone's plans and pictures of their gardens. Stay tuned for the winner to be announced soon!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Sorry for not announcing the winner on the 15th as promised. The weekend took on a life of its own and we were caught up in spring gardening and yard work.

The winner is....Saveinapenny18!

Thank you to everyone for entering. I have really enjoyed seeing everyones entries and pictures of the gardens. Keep it up and keep us informed on how your garden is is growing in our gardening forum!

Heidi

[frogmama]

Yay! Congrats Savinapenny! Hope the kids enjoy the cute garden tools :)

[Saveinapenny18]

Thanks everyone I've enjoyed reading about everyone’s gardens and have gotten some ideas for my own.
This is truly my first garden other than growing tomatoes.
My nephew and I will have a great time in the garden with the prizes I've picked.

[kristen.c]

Congratulations!

[ocean_brez]

Congrats Saveinapenny18! And to everyone else who posted pics of their gardens and plans. I really enjoyed seeing/reading about them and hope to be able to use some of your ideas when I have the room to plant a much bigger and bettter garden of my own.