January...

First I built this grow light set-up. It was inexpensive to build and does the job very well. I have four types of tomato seeds, 6 types of chili seeds, and three types of melon seeds sprouting in vermiculite. They are doing well. Mary talks to them each day. Sometimes she even sings to them. In a couple of days I will transfer them to Mel's mix to continue their growth. About the first of March I will move them to the cold frame I have outside to harden them off. Our date for planting is March 15....if the weather cooperates with us. The SFG is prepared and ready to go. I've put a heating pad under the single box on the right and just a towel under the two trays on the left. The heating pad (on low) seems to be doing the trick. Besides it is cheaper to use Mary's heating pad than it is to pay $50+ for one from the plant catalog.

November & December 2009...

I rotilled the old garden plot to loosen up the soil. I then measured off the area that will soon be filled with 4x4 boxes. The next thing I did was install a lot of 1/2 inch PVC pipe that will later be used for my drip system. (you can double click on each picture to enlarge)

The garden really started to take shape when the boxes were built and put in. I used 2x6 redwood lumber for the boxes and used 4 inch galvanized screws to hold everything together. The real investment was when I bought 28 cubic of vermiculite, 28 cubic feet of peat moss, and 28 cubic feet of a compost blend. I bought the vermiculite and peat moss at Curtis Landscape here in Safford. I bought several different kinds of compost at Home Depot and mixed all the types of compost together. We used a bucket to measure everything. It is a little bigger task than it first appeared. It took most of the day to mix that much and get it into the boxes. I had a good helper...my son Tad.


We followed Mel's instructions and used a tarp to mix the soil. That is by far the easiest way. No only did it mix well but it was a good way to move the mix to each box.



All that was left to do was smooth the soil mix out in each box and install the grids. I have to thank Dorothy for the suggestion of Home Depot nylon binding. I looked in the trash bins and couldn't find any...so I went in the lumber yard and told them what I was looking for and asked if they could save me some. The man went to the strapping machine and gave me all I needed. So many thanks to the Home Depot in Thatcher. Notice the water valves at each box. I'll soon be installing the drip system...so "stay tuned...more to follow."