There are lots of reasons I decided to garden this year -it's a fun hobby, makes the outside of the house look more homey, provides endless opportunities to take pictures and post them here... But ultimately, I'm gardening so we can EAT some fresh veggies.

It's been MONTHS since I planted my first seed indoors, and weeks and weeks since they were moved outside. So it came with great delight when it was time to start harvesting and eating some of the veggies.

First up, KALE.

Beautiful Kale, I love you. As I've mentioned, kale was one of two leafy greens to replace lettuce this year. I was a little nervous because lettuce was the only thing that grew well last year, but boy, am I happy with my decision. Not only has it been a hardier, healthier and heat-resistant plant, it is more versatile in the kitchen. Lettuce = salads, or maybe throw some on a sandwich. Kale is soup, and fritters, and stir-fry, and hummus, and hot dips, and all sorts of lovely things.

What's your favorite KALE RECIPE?

PLANTS NEED WATER. Lots of it. Last year, one of the things that limited my garden was the lack of an easily accessible water source. There is no outdoor hose or hose connection at our apartment, so all the water has to be lugged down from the second floor. 

Container gardens dry out faster than traditional gardens because there is less soil to store water for when the plants are thirsty. 

And sometimes I get lazy in the morning and just can't make another trip upstairs.

Needless to say, you get what you give, and vegetable plants that are thirsty produce less food than those that are properly hydrated.

I did a lot of research over the winter. Luckily container gardens (usually discussed along with "urban gardening") are very popular and there are a lot of resources. I specifically looked for ways to help with my water problem that didn't require a lot of tools (which I didn't have) or money (which I didn't want to spend). The best project I found was in the book The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible. I first took it out from the library, and then I got a copy from Rob's brother as a Christmas present. You can also see the step-by-step instructions here.

The basic idea is you use the cover of a storage container to create a false bottom, under which is a sizable reservoir that you fill with water. This water is wicked up through PVC pipes that are tightly packed with dirt, and the plant's roots draw the water up through the potting mix when it needs a drink.

Several gallons of water can be stored in the reservoir at a time, and only need to be topped off as needed. MUCH easier than carrying 6-8 gallons down the stairs every single morning.

Fast-dry caulk keeps the PVC pipes in place.

This picture was taken right after I transplanted everything. Look at how LITTLE everything is!  Look at the tub on the left...

This is what it looked like only two weeks after transplanting! Plant-splosion!

So far, I'm very happy with my two containers. If all goes well, I will probably make two more next year. I still have caulk, and all I would need are the storage bins ($5 each at Target) and more potting mix.

GARDENING IS ADDICTING. Hopefully I get a couple of tomatoes and a zucchini out of all this!

The addition of some shelving (thanks mom!) and a couple of inexpensive fluorescent grow lights (thanks amazon!) gave my plants a healthier head start than the ones I grew last year, and you can already see the difference.

My 2013 garden taught me a lot, and I did quite a bit of research over the (long, cold, dark) winter . The two biggest changes I made were my watering system and my choice of plant varieties.

Here are my two self-watering containers that I made. The design comes from the book, The Vegetable Gardner's Container Bible, but you can find all sorts of plans for making self-watering containers online. All of these plants were started from seed, indoors, under grow lights. Since being transplanted outside in these containers, they've gotten so BIG!

Last year, I had trouble supplying enough water to the containers. We do not have a hose or faucet outside, so I had to fill containers and drag them outside to water everything each morning. It was a lot of work, and even with all that, they still tended to dry out, which stunted the plants growth. These containers have a reservoir in the bottom that I fill with a few gallons of water each, and the plants suck it up as they need it. That, coupled with a few convenient rain showers, has kept these guys nice and hydrated. Next year I think I will make two more of these and replace some of the little pots.

Here are the ones that I just planted earlier this week. I could have started most of these inside, like the others, but I just didn't have enough room under the grow lights. I will be asking for more lights for Christmas this year so I can start these all earlier in the season. Rob is very excited for the radishes - they should be ready to eat in 3-4 weeks. I'm looking forward to the cucumbers - they are called "Boston Picklers" - we can make homemade dill pickles this fall!

Beautiful Kale. The only thing I had success with last year was a mixed variety of lettuce. Most gardening resources suggest that new gardeners start out by growing herbs and leafy greens because they are relatively easy. After much consideration, I decided to ditch the lettuce this year (which takes up a lot of room, and can't tolerate heat) and replace it with Kale and Swiss Chard. These two varieties are much more heat and cold resistant, so I should be able to grow multiple crops throughout the summer and fall. Also, lettuce was really only good for salad, while Kale/Chard can be used in salads, soups, sautes, pasta dishes...

I was very worried about my Swiss chard babies a few weeks ago. Although the other plants did great inside with the grow lights, these guys always looked flimsy and hungry for more light and space. I didn't think they'd survive the transplant. As you can see, they are taking very well to being outside, and are getting big and strong. Look at those red stems! They are the only color in the garden right now besides green. 

Baby bell pepper spotted! There were a couple of these on the biggest of the pepper plants. If all goes well, we should be swimming in peppers before we know it!

How's your 2014 Garden Adventure going?

It's been a long, cold winter here in New England. With another storm on the horizon, what better time to begin planning for spring!?

Last year, I decided that I wanted to grow vegetables. My dream of gardening was not without challenges. One, we rent, and we don't have any space for a traditional garden. Luckily, container gardens are very popular and there are tons of resources for having a successful crop. Second, I am not a garden-person. I don't know anything about growing plants. I am crazy afraid of bugs. And by "afraid" I mean spider-on-ceiling-stare-at-ceiling-until-someone-finds-me-and-deals-with-spider kind of crazy. 

But my head was filled with images of leafy greens, plump tomatoes, and that fresh earthy scent of soil.

Read enough garden books and blogs, and one message is loud and clear - you learn something new every year. I wouldn't say my first garden was a failure, but it was far from the lush jungle that I pictured. I'm making a lot of adjustments to my garden this year - everything from the containers, to the types of veggies.

Over the next few months, I'll be sharing with you my Garden Adventure 2.0. I'll highlight my favorite resources, my DIY attempts, and (hopefully) my lush and delicious harvest!

Until then, here's a review of my "Test Garden: 2013"

Challenges
Space, water source, containers, inexperience, sunlight, animals & pests

Mistakes
Inside too long - leggy and weak, not enough water, not adequate light for some plants, no pest control, half soil/half potting mix

Improvement plan for 2014
Research, self watering container, companion planting, different crops, better location for light.

Looking back, my porch garden seemed so big, but really it was just a few pots and bags. You'll notice the make-shift cages over several of the plants. The birds and squirrels kept eating my little plants!

I'm totally excited to see my first green bean growing.

My carrot harvest. Enough said.

Our huge yield bean plants. We didn't get many, but the ones we got were delicious.

Our cut and come again lettuce (a gourmet blend) actually did quite well. We got several salads out of it!