Rain Barrel Research

So, I've been researching Rainbarrels....because it'd be a nice enviromentally friendly way to water the garden this summer.
Some of the better links are listed below....

Of course, as much as I really WANT rainbarrels, the priority is a bigger/better garden FENCE. Since I have enough seedlings and seeds sto plant 2-3X the amount of space I currently have a fence around..........oh well, dreams are good to have :)

http://www.rainwatersolutions.com/rainbarrels.html
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/33galrainbar.html
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/publications/files/rain_barrels_guide.pdf
http://www.aquabarrel.com/product_rain_barrel_complete_55gal.php
http://www.epcontainers.net/id10.html - These guys are in Idaho and have the BEST prices by far. But shipping might be an issue
http://www.geocities.com/pmm1018/rain_barrel1.html - Using a rain barrel to “feed” a toilet - interesting concept!!

If anyone has any experience with rainbarrels they'd like to share I'd be really grateful!

Growing Challenge: Crocuses are UP &Peas are in!


These are just some of the bulbs I planted last autumn....they're all popping up all over the yard!
YAY! I just LOVE Crocus - it makes me feel like spring is really on it's way!



I got my peas in by Paddy's Day - as my friend DRS always reminds me! But this is the first year I've had enough of an act together to follow that advice! So - we may actually get to eat garden fresh peas this year - or as my kids call them "green candy"!
YUMM!!!

Last week I found a couple of garden challenge websites and decided to try and participate in several....
The challenges are listed in the sidebar and I encourage everybody to participate in them!

Growing Challenge asks you to grow just one new thing...to produce just a little more of your own food...
My intent is to do much more than that, but PEAS is definitely one of my new crops this year.

As I get going with the other challenges I'll write more about them as well.

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Seed Starting 08

And then there were two.
For last year's seed starting, three of us got together....

Friend K who has the most green thumb of all and plants an enormous garden....she hosted the get-together, supplied the knowledge and some of the equipment....

Friend D and I who wanted to get stared in the gardening arena, but with far more modest plots.

This year...K, D and I got together for seed selection night, but since then, D found out that her well water is contaminated with arsenic and that there's a good chance her soil is as well...which leaves her with needing to haul in lots of soil to make raised beds and figuring out ways to water not involving her well...

I found seed-starter kits at the local Lowes that are window box size, so I bought a few of those to put in the kitchen windows - the only windows in the house which are not glazed, low-e.
The rest of the stars will go in the basement under a grow light.

We started all 9 varieties of tomato - the seeds we ordered and two I found at a local shop...
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Cabbage, Leeks, Sweet and Hot Peppers, Herbs - basil (5 varieties) Cilantro, Parsley, Fennel and Dill, and some flowers - Marigolds, & 4 o'Clocks.

I'll be starting additional flowers at home over the next few weeks.