Outdoor Season

I had the first indication that outdoor season will be ending very soon for me. I got a mosquito bite and smashed another. We have downright sever mosquito problems in the summer. I've been taking advantage of the beautiful weather and working hard outside. Every time I go shopping I come home with another plant. This is causing a problem. I have several vegetable plants and nowhere to put them... Our yard is very shady. Not one place could be described as "full sun." Unfortunately (and much to husband's chagrin) the best sun happens on the patio. Today I built myself a little raised bed for my patio.

Plants I've purchased...

Citronella Geraniums, Rosemary, Lavender

Plant Sale Plants from QACHS. The Ag department grows seedlings every year to raise money. They had a boatload of plants they need to sell. I spent $3 on the tray below.

My little cucumber plant- 50 cents.

Cherry Tomato- 50 cents

6 green pepper plants- $2

7 leggy zucchini plants. The Ag teacher gave them to me for free because they might not make it. Hopefully if I bury the stems they'll pull through.

Today's acquisition, a mint plant. I planted it in one of our per-existing pots and it looks all fancy now
 

My parents have been building/planning raised beds for a month now. My Dad is making precise measurements, they're using cedar boards, I mean, these babies are nice. Mine aren't meant to be a permanent fixture. Hopefully when the holly tree gets cut down we'll have a real in-ground garden, but I have zucchini plants that need to go in now if they have a chance of making it.

I bought 6 1x12x4 boards. Then I cut 2 of them to three feet and attached the remaining 4 ft boards to make 2 8 foot boards. Why didn't I just buy 8 foot boards? Oh, it's because the Fit is too small to carry them. Then I made a box. Jeremy wanted me to put a wood bottom on the box. Wood seemed expensive. I made an executive decision to use a tarp for the bottom instead. I figured that these are temporary (just for this summer) and even with wood bottoms we couldn't move it with the dirt in it anyway. I lined the bottom with the tarp, poked some holes for drainage, and started filling with dirt.

I'm going to nicely fold the tarp inside and put a little dirt on top to hide it when I finish.

The double-dirt color is the mix between our soil and the "garden soil" they sell at the store to fill around your vegetables when you plant them in the garden.

I currently have this aboooouuuttt half filled with dirt. Because this is not a Jeremy-sanctioned project I, personally, have been digging up places in the back backyard, filling the wheelbarrow, and emptying it into the bed. I'm going to be crazy sore tomorrow. Good thing we're going to celebrate Mother's Day with Jeremy's Mom :-p so I'll have a break. Mom  I don't want to hear the flaws you see in my planning here.

Also, I'm making orange vinegar for cleaning purposes.. It involves peeling an orange, putting it in a jar of vinegar for two weeks. Looks pretty cute for future cleaning solution.