Green Thumb

Growing up on an organic vegetable farm, I used to be able to eat veggies immediately after picking them. Then, we moved away, I went to college, got married, blah blah blah, and here I am finally getting myself a garden growing again.

A few months ago I knew that I wanted to have some sort of patio garden this summer but I wasn't too sure how to make that happen. Because we're renting, I'm not about to dig up the backyard to plant flowers and veggies - I just put everything in some sort of container so it's easier to move when the time comes. My mom happens to be a Master Gardener so I picked her brain for some ideas on the best ways to grow vegetables myself. 

We took an afternoon to buy some large containers and she also lent me longer flower pots. We picked out a galvanized trough and a black rubbery container that I think is meant to go into fields and barnyards for food and water for animals. They look a little out of place next to each other but I was more going for 'useful' than I was 'cute'.  After drilling holes in the bottom of the large containers for drainage we filled 'em up with soil and planted the seeds (we used whatever my mom had on hand from her own garden, but I recommend Johnny Seeds or [if you're in Wisconsin] Jung Seeds - they both have quality seeds and have a TON of variety!).

I chose to plant a container each of carrots, onions, bush cucumbers, and lettuce. Plus, we committed the black tub to bush peas and beans. Also, the galvanized container got a couple of tomato plants that my mom had started from seed in her greenhouse.

After just a couple of days things started popping up and now a few weeks later it looks like this:

Wanna know what's where in the picture on the left?! 

Back to front, left to right: tomatoes, bush cucumbers, bush beans and peas,

carrots, lettuce, onions 

(and a spider plant that I took from the kitchen to the patio to get some fresh air)

Trevor built me a simple wood and chicken wire structure to go around the plants because I was afraid the neighborhood bunnies would enjoy my lettuce before I would! It's pretty awesome because I can open up any of the sides if I want to get in and water/harvest/weed but they latch shut when I'm done.

I can't wait for my tomatoes to be ready to pick. The lettuce is going to be ready soon and I'm excited to have a few salads straight from the back patio! More than anything else, I am PUMPED to eat some of those peas off the vine. It'll totally take me back to my childhood - spending hours in the field eating sugar snap peas as fast as I could pick them.

What about you? Do you have a garden this year or wish you did?

Linking up to Funky Junk's SNS, TaterTots & Jello's Weekend Wrap Up, 504 Main's Tickled Pink Friday, You Are Talking Too Much's Linky Party, Nifty Thrifty Things, Family Ever After, DIY Showoff's Project Parade, Simply Creations Link Party, Homemaker in Heels' Weekend Craft Soiree, My 1929 Charmer, Serendipity and Spice, DIY Home Sweet Home, Sweet Little Gals, A Pinch of Joy, and I {heart} naptime's Sunday Scoop Party!

Update: This post is featured here at TaterTots & Jello!