The Container Garden Experiment

The long range plan for our family involves leaving the expensive area we live in currently and moving to the more affordable area that we spend summers in. The move itself is a long way off (between 5 and 12 years) but the preparations we make now will ultimately make the transition smoother. This is how the container garden experiment came about.

When the move north occurs, it will coincide with my husband's retirement and we will likely be on a tighter budget. I want to see what can be grown in the cooler, shadier environment that we have up north now while we are not depending on the outcome.

Last year I tried tomatoes. The spot was too shady and the season was just too short. This year I'm trying plants that like cooler weather like peas and green beans. I'm also trying that favorite prolific standby, zucchini. I even planted canteloupe. I figured what the heck, I have the seeds. I'm hoping to plant a few more this weekend.

So far everything is sprouting nicely. One of the books I read recently suggested using the water from soaking beans to water plants. We eat a lot of beans and the plants seem to be enjoying the bean water. The only flaw is, they stink! My clothesline is right next to the container plants. The other day while hanging laundry, I kept accusing my six year old of passing gas until my husband pointed out that it stank whether or not my son was out there. I'm not sure how long the bean water portion of the experiment will be allowed to continue based on the stench.

Moving day for the plants will be the last week of June. I'm hoping they have a nice head start by then. Like the small garden in our backyard, anything this container experiment produces is a bonus. The added benefit of the container experiment is it allows me to try different locations in my yard. The yard itself is quite small and the long range plan is to make the landscaping edible.

I'll keep you posted on any additional plantings and the progress of it all.

Tomorrow's post will be late in the day but will include the recipe for Peanut Noodles and Baked Donuts. Happy Friday to all!