I have loved gardening since I was a kid. When I was about 12, I babysat two boys before and after school and made $1 an hour (one dollar!!!). I’d show up at 6am every morning (sometimes on Saturdays by accident, oops!), go to school, then race back to get the boys to watch until 6pm. And with my $1 per hour, I’d buy flowers to grow in my parents’ garden. I also joined a garden club in middle school. A garden club! My English teacher who was in her 60s was one of the members, along with all her friends. 🤣 I got an A in her class that year, by the way, in no small part to us being garden buddies!
So now that you know that embarrassing background, maybe you can better appreciate my love of gardening because it hasn’t diminished from those pre-pubescent days!
I was talking with my husband just yesterday about why I fell in love with this house when we first saw it about a year ago, and the answer is the yard space. We have a little over an acre which is rare in our neighborhood, and I could easily imagine a lush vegetable garden at the back of the yard.
I have plans for hardscaping, a greenhouse, stepping stones interspersed among creeping thyme. I’ve got so many plans! But, I’m trying to be patient and do this in stages because really the best gardens are not made overnight. Or even in one season. They mature and grow over time.
This year I’m starting with a basic garden with 4 cedar raised beds. I priced out building my own vs. buying a kit and the kit won by a landslide. Below are some of the items that I’m buying (or have bought) for my garden. I hope it helps you if you’re looking to start your own garden this year.
Vegetable Garden Inspiration
Sources
- Compost Tumbler: Compost is one of the best things you can add to soil to grow bountiful vegetable plants. This one is compact but still makes a lot of compost for a small to medium sized garden. And it got great reviews!
- Square Foot Gardening Book: This is a must-have for any vegetable gardener! I’ve learned so much about gardening in the most efficient way possible by reading this book and I turn to it year after year as a resource.
- Garden Trellis: If you grow peas, cucumbers, squash, or even tomatoes, you need a trellis. A trellis allows you to grow vertically which saves so much space especially in a small garden.
- Small Garden Bed: Both garden beds listed are made from cedar and should last 10-15 years before you need to replace them. This one is 8 feet long and 2 feet wide which is perfect for a small garden.
- Large Garden Bed: This bed is the same as the smaller one but it’s 4 feet wide giving you 36 square feet of garden space. I bought 4 of these beds as they got great reviews!
- Vegetable Markers: These are made from bamboo and are very durable. I don’t like using plastic in general but certainly not near my vegetable plants because of the uptake of micro plastics in vegetable roots so these are my preferred markers to use.
- Garden Tools: These tools are really all you need for a vegetable garden and are made with thick steel to last a lifetime if you treat them right.
And that’s it! My garden basics in a nutshell. Happy gardening this season!
