This week provided a few brief days to do some outside work and planting. But our time working full-time jobs and the weather did not align. Our garden area remains wet and the forecast for this week looks wet as well. Thankfully, we had some alternatives to get some plants growing: pallet gardens, pots and a new raised bed garden.
Below is a glimpse of what is “growing on.” In addition, we had a request for directions to making newspaper pots.
All of these steps involve the family. Sam told Steve this week after scooping the soil into the new raised bed, “Dad, boy am I tired. We worked so hard today.”
The smiles on their faces when they see their plants growing and when they see the results of their efforts is priceless. Hopefully, all of these things are teaching them lessons to laugh a lifetime.
Sam is showing us the lettuce that has sprouted and is growing in our pallet gardens.
Keith planted radishes, spinach, and lettuce in the pallet gardens.
Sam and I were busy planting again. He made holes for the seeds with his fingers and dropped the seeds into the holes and gently covered them up. We planted a few varieties of pumpkins, peppers, kohlrabi, cauliflower and broccoli.
Sam is holding a pumpkin seed (white oval) and cauliflower seed (small black seed).
Science Experiment
Our first science project is in the garden. We covered the cold crops last fall with a floating row cover which was covered by snow throughout the winter. When we uncovered it about three weeks ago, we were surprised to see the spinach was still alive.
Sam wanted to experiment and recycle a donut container to try to grow seeds in this year. We poked holes in the top, and Sam planted Connecticut Field pumpkins.
The boys brought in our newly planted seeds and gently watered them. Now the waiting for germination begins. Even thought the plants can be a challenge to get around. It is so fun to see the boys’ excitement when they begin to see the plants emerge.
A week later, our pumpkins, kohlrabi, cauliflower and broccoli are growing.
Building Project
We had to move our propane tank last fall. So we decided to transition that area into a carrot garden since our soil seems a bit challenged to grow good carrots.
The boys worked hard and framed it up last weekend. And filled it with composted soil last week.
Yesterday, Keith, Sam and I planted a variety of cold season crops in this new raised bed garden. It is sure a good thing we have this to plant in as our garden has been to wet to plant. We are hopeful that next weekend will be a drier weekend to get into the garden.
Newspaper Pots
A friend asked me for the step by step instructions for making the pots. Steve told me there is a gadget you can buy to make them, but this is how we construct them at no cost.
Start with a regular newspaper cut the newspaper when it is folded out into three sections.
Cut each section to 7 3/4 inches long.
This will leave you with three sections.
Once they are cut, fold over about 2 inches, lengthwise.
Our gadget to make the pots with is the bottom of a caulk tube which is clamped onto a sawhorse.
The part that is folded over is the section you wrap around the tube. This will give you stronger support as your pot.
Once it is wrapped around your tube, twist the access and push/fold down into the bottom of the caulk tube.
Then we use an old baby food container that fits into the bottom of the caulk tube and push it down to firm up the bottom of the pot.
Lift it up, and you have your finished pot. Since the news paper is biodegradable (made from trees), I transplant them into the garden in their newspaper pots and open up the bottom to help the roots take hold of their new surroundings.
So sweet!! 🙂
Thank you. Appreciate your interest.
You are welcome! 🙂