1. Tilled up the dirt in a 12 x 5 ft. rectangle
*I kept an eye on my yard for a day or two to see where the sun hit a majority of the day. I chose a spot with at least 6+ hours of full sun
2. Sprayed Round-Up to kill any weeds and grass in the area
*I was told to wait a week before planting so the Round-Up didn't kill our plants but we didn't bc we are too impatient. This could be major mistake #1
3. My husband built a cedar boarder to contain the garden
*With a friend's help it was built in an hour. The guys at Lowes can help you get all the supplies you need.
4. Began with a layer of mulch. Mixed in 4 bags cow manure compost, 4 bags mushroom compost, 10 bags topsoil, and 1 bag peat moss.
5. We went ahead and planted some things that can withstand the colder weather right now: iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, cilantro, strawberries, and onions. There were a lot of other herbs and leafy vegetables that are ok to plant right now as well.
6. I am watering twice a day (actually my son is doing this part and loves it!)
Next up...
1. Plant tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, and jalapenos. I will also plant some marigolds because I heard they keep away insects and pests. I am also going to plant zinnias because they are good cutting flowers. Now I will have my own fruits, veggies, and flowers!
We won't begin the next phase for a couple of weeks to let the temperature warm up a little more.
My sweet little gardeners...