On to February.

Goodbye, January, Hello February! We are just moving right along through 2011 :)

One of our family goals for this year is to attempt (keyword) a container garden in our backyard. The idea of fresh produce straight out of our yard is mouthwatering to me, as well as teaching Jimmy about fruits and vegetables and how things grow.

So a couple weeks ago, we started researching about container gardening checking out books from the library, reading online, etc. - there are so many options of what to do and how to do it. We are finalizing a plan and adding up how much up-front cost there will be. We will be buying a few seedlings, seed starting mix, and of course seeds here in the next couple weeks (you have to start seedlings inside in February here). We also plan to make a compost bin to start making our own compost (the process of how organic matter breaks down and returns to dirt is so fascinating and completely amazes me that everything does in fact, return to dust!).When planting time comes (early to mid-April), we will be buying potting soil and wood to make large rectangular containers.

We've made a list of what we would like to grow - tomatoes, onions, snap peas, carrots and a few more. We are trying to start small so that we do not get overwhelmed, but it's hard to not get super excited and want to plant every.possible.vegetable. we can think of :)
I made a "Vegetable Planning Binder" to house all of our plans and to have different sections of what needs to be done for each plant and when. There is SO much information to take in and so much planning when starting out as a novice like us :)

I took apart a skirt I had found at a thrift shop that was perfectly fit for a garden/plant/green binder, and then sewed some green fabric to make it fit over a used binder. I used super strong spray adhesive to adhere it to the binder, and while it's not my best craftsmanship ever, I'm happy with it. :)
I checked out some books from our local library that have been a huge help and plan on ordering a few of them from amazon to keep as a reference.

Some of my faves:
You Grow Girl by Gayla Trail
The Everything Grow Your Own Vegetables by Catherine Abbott
Bountiful Container by Mcgee and Stuckey
Little Herb Gardens by Georgeanne Brennan and Mimi Luebbermann

Do you garden? Any tips for a beginner? Any book or website recommendations?