My first product out of my own mini garden!!!
I was so proud earlier this week I was actually able to eat something that was homegrown on my own porch. I created food and its going to save me cash! Look at my little miniature garden here
Yeah, I know, its not big and all that. But you have to start somewhere, and I do not have a whole garden. So, instead we built a big box recycled from plyerwood which we used for covering our windows during the hurricane. Read more about this in my old blog called 'The Plyerwood recycle sessions'
Let me walk you through on how this all started. Here we had just planted the first seeds. All structured and nice in line.
I live in the Caribbean so the temperature for growing stuff is actually perfect, but getting the plants to have enough water of often challenging. Also the breeze tends to dry out the soil way faster than you would expect. I have to water these plants literally EVERY day with almost 2 liters of water
We planted cherrytomato, parsley, lettuce, and after that also leek and red pepper
The pepper was planted quite recent after a small time sprouting on cotton pads. Yeah you know those ones to remove your makeup with, it worked like a charm. After sprouting, we were able to transfer them into the ground without the cotton
Also this leek you see here is a recycled one. We just cut off the piece of the leek with the roots and put it in a glass of water at first. After two days it also went into the ground. Initially I thought we did not plant it deep enough, because it grew so fast and started drying out, but a new long sprout is coming out of the middle now. Coooool.
Some parsley immediately started to grow, and every now and then I cut of some leaves for over some food. This stuff really want to grow.
And just look at this lettuce! Almost out of control right? It is growing so fast, but initially it didnt have much flavor. Now it is tasting better and I even used it on a steak and cheese sandwich earlier in the week.
Did you see the post on the Steak and Cheese sandwich?? Also recycling food and using leftovers in a useful way. With a bit of homegrown salad on top it was the bomb!
The cherrytomatoes are growing steadily but I do not see any tomatoes developing as yet, so we just have to give this some time and some love.
I applaud you! How cool is it to grow your own stuff?!
I would recommend trying sage and rocket salad... they grow on everything and everywhere and once growing are almost impossible to kill ;-)
Apart from the fact that both have beneficial effects, like helping you sleep and cleansing (sage), and reducing the need for oxigene during exercise (diving in your case?) and lowering blood pressure (rocket salad).
Grow on!
Whatttttt I didnt know all these things man! Oke oke, on the to do list :D
Both of those things are never a bad thing to be honest! Thx man :)))))
A reduced need for oxygen? Sounds handy!
Doesn't it? :-)
Really Great, you should add mulch to cover the soil it will help keep the water longer.
I had to google actually what mulch is, but 'an organic natural cover' doesnt sound too bad at all!
Let me see if I can play this out in some kind of way, thx for the idea!!
Congratulations! You have caught the gardening bug! Once you taste those little cherry tomatoes, you will be looking for more places to grow them. It is very gratifying to grow your own food. At least you know they are organic and have no chemicals, right?
Super gratifying actually! I didnt expect to have so much fun every time seeing the development.
And yeah no spray, not frozen, and cheap. All plusses right !(a box of cherry tomatoes will cost around $8 here, and is often frozen for transport, so spoils super fast)
I wouldn't be eating too many cherry tomatoes at $8 a box!
Exactly, its super dis-encouraging! But I do like them a lot hahahaha, so this will be a good solution for it (maybe with the amount of water I have to give them it will also end up with costing me $8 hahahah)
It is awesome that you are growing your own food! This should be a lot more common the World over than it currently is.
And I'm not one who owns a green thumb... ¬_¬
That being said, have you considered putting a layer of something on top of the soil? Such as bamboo or other wooden shavings (substantial enough not to be windblown but not heavy enough to compact or otherwise suffocate the soil).
Such would help the soil stay moist for longer as well as protect it against soil erosion and baking sun.
Awesome little crate garden. ^_^
Well we put it in a specific location where the full sun never reaches. The sun would burn everything to death in an hour I guess.
I was thinking also to maybe put some of that see through foil over it to protect it from the wind, but them Im using a lot of foil again which is stupid. Also knowing myself, I would get more lazy in watering every day because I have to take the foil of hahahahah.
Now I just put two big chairs in front of it to protect it from the wind mostly, it does help I must say!
I also like the fact that the crate is homemade as well after using it for so many things already now it has a sustainable destination at least haha
Now in the Netherlands There are de moestuintjes vd AH again I dont know how long you have been away but they do this every two years I believe the kids love it !
I saw a lot of these through other social media feeds indeed, but I left Holland already when they first started introducing them. I LOVE the idea to be honest! Give the stuff for free, give the kids a chance on growing skills. Super smart marketing move!
It is so cool! I do it in my garden in France (here in the Netherlands I have only a balcony). It is fun and it tastes so good to eat something you have homegrown.
Exactly! I was already enjoying the salad leaves and the parsley, it feels so rewarding having something you made yourself.!
We also only have a porch, thats why we made it in such a big basket thingy. You dont need THAT much space for it and thats good. I can imagine that in France your climate is also perfect for growing stuff
Gardening is so much fun! Last year I also planted some herbs, and it's so gratifying to use them i dishes after all the time and love you put into growing them. Your little garden looks really cool! :)
I didnt think it would be so gratifying to be honest, Ive eaten now a couple times out of my own garden and it gives you a sense of pride, to be honest.
Herbs is also a good one, and it looks cool in the house as well! Thx man for the compliment!
That is so cool! Your veggies are growing great. Our weather is so weird right now that we have to wait another month before we start planting. Excellent job!!
To early to do it now right? Still possibility of frost to kill the seeds?
We dont have that here ofcourse, heat will most likely be the showstopper here!
Yes - this Monday and Tuesday, we were at 11 degrees Celsius. By Friday, we will be up to 25 degrees Celsius. Then it will rain and go back down to 11 degrees Celsius.
We are up and down in temperature so much right now it is just too soon. 😊
Wow, what a great looking yield! Just goes to show homesteading is a mindset and you can do it anywhere if you have the intention. Congrats on your beautiful tiny garden. The yellow box makes it look even more vibrant.
Its cool right!
Apple green actually ;) Giving some freshness to the porch! I really find it super gratifying to see the progress every day, and I cant wait to pluck some home grown cherry tomatoes :)