“I
get by with a little help from my friends" – no one learns
anything when things are good.
I
have never planted a garden before. I thought it would be too much
work, unsure how long I would be in said apartment rental...let's
call it what it was...commitment issue. I was inspired by my friends
and learning more about worm tubes or "vermiculture”, garden
sitting for my friend who said she never liked
harvesting anyway and to take what I wanted.
Within a few weeks of discussion with the present and inspiring roommate – we settled on two beds 3' by 3' primarily made from recycled wood pallets, spare nails, and a quick few hours we were ready to lay down our first soil beds. Our worms were Red Wigglers from a farm in Upland CA. The tubes are about 6” in the ground and then covered by the bed starter so another 1' – PVC pipe from general store, and drilled holes in the sides to allow the worms to the soil, then back to the tube to feast on our kitchen scraps for compost.
It
took all of maybe 4 – 6 hours (over many weeks)...really that is
it, and on September 1 Labor Day we planted mostly seedlings, and the
rest was seed: cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, beets, fava beans,
lettuce mixes, pole beans, okra, and spaghetti squash (monster plant
and quite happy in its new home).
While
we were at it we decided to reseed a bit of grassy area to brighten
the yard from the harsh drought – since we were watering the garden
anyway. It is now called The Meadow, with no defined lines and
various grass types to make up the soft bed for laying away the
afternoons.
The
excitement of looking at our beds an knowing it was all in the ground
and there was nothing to do but wait...each day has brought a
continuous discovery of resilience and patience. The garden has
brought so much to this time in my life to celebrate small
challenges, and be creative with projects that take time and live
outside your 9 – 5.
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