I have the tiller reserved for tommorrow and I'm rearranging the den

[NMDemDist2]

to put a table under the south window to start seeds

:bounce:

the old owners had a 12x20 garden patch amended that I'm going to till and put down black plastic to kill off the weeds etc.

the average for the last frost around here is April 15th so that's my target date......

Ok now the real question, I have saved 4 cardboard egg cartons, they'll work ok for seedlings eh?

any suggestions for this enthusiastic newbie?

edit to add, my Chia Herb garden is doing great, I transplanted the Chives and Basil today and the parsley is ready to move into a bigger pot also. the Sweet marojam is leggy and looking sad, but it's still growing :shrug:

[sazemisery]

1. Cut the marjoram back and re-pot it, it will come back fuller.

The egg cartons will do for a start but they will disintegrate quickly and your seedlings will grow out of them. I have quite a collection from years past of plastic pots from greenhouses. I use these every year to start my seedlings and then clean them up and store for next year. My favorite size is 5" diameter. With us home gardeners it is better to start your seedling in a larger pot so you don't have to transplant more than once. Makes for better root structure.

You probably need to think about drip irrigation for your vegetable garden. My water bill decreased greatly after I installed mine. You will waste a lot of water trying to water by hand. Drip systems are simple to set up and connect to the faucet.

[NMDemDist2]

2. I am looking at how to water the patch, luckily I have a spigot right there

it may be a 'fall work' kinda deal this year, cash it tight right now but will be better in fall.

i may even be able to swing it early summer, we'll see..... we had one in PHX and they are a breeze to install so it's definitely on the list, but I need a cart or wheelbarrow and 25 cubic feet of soil first....

as for the seedlings, it's more to make sure the seeds are still viable, I'm hoping to move them quickly outside. planting sprouts will work won't it, i was hoping to put the carton and all in the ground......

[murray hill farm]

3. What is a drip system?

Last year was my first year on sq. ft garden. I had everything in....and then had to leave for a couple of weeks. Not wanting to leave my garden without watering, I bought a soaker hose and put it in the garden and set the flow as low as possible. When I returned, there was amazing growth...and i was ever so pleased until I got my water bill..ha! It was $135.00 for the month...yikes. It usually is about $20. so....is a drip system something different?

[Kolesar]

4. Many gardeners put a timer on the drip system or the soaker hose

The timer is plugged into an AC outlet and then connected to the outdoor faucet and the hose to the garden. You would probably be happy with the water only on for two hours a day!

Drip systems are these soda straw sized plastic pipes with various tees and elbows and drip heads.

[NMDemDist2]

5. they are really quite slick and you can buy 'starter kits' that have most everything you need for a

small garden. with a timer on them you can leave them for a couple weeks no problem usually

here's a pic of the basic system, you just put the small hoses with the bubblers ('emmiters') at the end where ever you need them or you can put them directly in the main hose but the small hoses give you pin point placement for the water and it's very low flow. you can buy different emmiters with different flow rates so you can customize them for each plant's needs

http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/dripguide.htm






looks like a decent kit here, or go to Home Depot http://www.berryhilldrip.com/AntelcoKit.htm

[NMDemDist2]

6. UPDATE

well the dirt is gorgeous and dark, I tilled it down as far as the tiller would take it (about 8") and on the second pass (of three) I tilled in a bunch of the compost I'd been working on all year

laid a thick piece of black plastic down and now it's set to go in April, I'll just have to make my beds/rows and plant

:woohoo:

hubby (the boy who was raised on a farm) said it was great looking soil for this desert, he was impressed

[Gormy Cuss]

7. Good dirt -- nice start.

napi21 posted a newspaper starter pot idea, BTW. It's a cheap way to get some more starter pots that are larger than the egg carton spots, and that would be good for big seeded stuff like tomatoes.

[NMDemDist2]

8. i saw that thread

guess I'll have to buy a newspaper :crazy:

[sazemisery]

9. Also one using toilet paper rolls

cut slits in the end and fold up to make a bottom, fill with soil and plant. Plant directly into ground or compost cardboard.