Before and After

....I mean, who doesn't love a before and after? huh? Nobody doesn't like a before and after, that's who!  So here is the BEFORE!  Check it...

The DPR and I realized early on that we had some real challenges with making a garden on the balcony. First and foremost...it needed to be cheap!...as in almost free...(is that to much to ask?)  2nd-It is a really small place and I mean small!  and the other thing we had to figure out is that our future downstairs neighbors' patio is right below us, so we couldn't really have water dripping down from any planters on their stuff all the time...hardly the way to make new friends...ya know?  So we went to work trying to figure out how to container garden, and we literally found a plethora (must be said with a spanish accent) of information on youtube about it.  Here is what we did:

 You can kinda see from the pics...it's basically just making a chamber in the bottom of the container that holds extra water and then you make a wicking system that draws that water up into the soil.  We even did it in the flower boxes with pvc pipe...

Speaking of cheap...we found a wood box in the dumpster to make the flower box out of, and the plastic bins were 5 bucks at Walmart so not bad.  We found  a lot of plants on clearance at Home Depot for 50 cents! (score)  but we did have to buy dirt...Oh lovely dirt. (sigh)  I feel better.

OK  So here it is....the AFTER!  (prepare to be dazzled...I mean like with Jazz hands, and everything...)


BEHOLD....The Garden....

 

I even have an herb garden....we made the containers out of soy milk containers for....wait for it....FREE!.
(what can I say...recycling is where it's at!)

 

These are the radish seeds that I threw into one of the flower boxes...they are growing like crazy!

 

 These pansies were 50 cents...now they are taking over!

I am having such a good time gardening!  It is amazing what a few flowers and veggies can do for your spirits.  Everyday, I look out my window to the beautiful flowers, instead of bare naked balcony.

Life is good.

:

Dirt Envy

A couple of weeks ago, the DPR and I squeezed in a fast trip home to get a "grandkids-fix"...for real.  What I mean is that we really didn't need to go for any other reason...just went for a much needed hug fest with all the sweets!   (Oh ya....it was also nice to see our children, too....) 

 I don't know what it is....but there is definetly an uncanny connection between us, and the McNuggets.  Seriously cannot get enough! (sorry, no picture of the "E" boy....he was running too fast!)

Anyway, when we got back, I was looking out my window (and into my over-the-fence neighbors yard as I am prone to do.) and saw this:

 

Oh man!....they are already ready to plant?!  What the.....? How did they pull it together?  I mean one little weekend of sunshine and these guys pull out the tractor.  Ok, so you could say I'm a little fixated on our neighbors yard.  I do obsess a bit about what they ARE or Are NOT doing to my...I mean, THEIR garden.  please don't judge me...I have a case of DIRT ENVY!  To make it worse I looked down to our below neighbors and...tsk, tsk....weeds!  all weeds!

wait a minute....THEY MOVED!  as in vamoosed!  My mind  went burserk thinking about all the wonderful things I could do with the downstairs yard/garden that was just waiting to happen!  I had plans for vegetables and herbs and outdoor seating and maybe a mini golf  green (if there is room in my 10x 15yard)...
I immediantly sent the DPR to inquire about moving downstairs, while I got started drawing up the plans!  Would there be room for an extensive flower bed?  The pirate came home with the sad news, it was already rented....signed even before the other family was out.....whatever.
Oh well, I've decided that my dirt envy cannot go unheeded so, the dread pirate and I are off on our own gardening adventure.  We are going to make our balcony into a garden....yes, I know its very small....but we are going to try. I will keep you posted on the progress.

As for now, I'm going to go look up "vamoose" to see if it is a real word.....