My yard is a work in progress. No, it will never win the prize for "House Beautiful" largely because I wouldn't have a clue as how to get it there. I love the flowers I have, but they are randomly distributed wherever an empty spot opens up. I guess you could call me an opportunistic gardener.
That goes for my garden structures as well. I've been using rainwater for my gardening needs for about a year and have found that the garbage cans I bought leak. They will be put to other purposes now...maybe I can grow worms in those or store extra compost. My solution to storing watershowed up on Craigslist. The above barrel cost $10 and took about 20 minutes to modify it so as to make it workable for my needs. I felt a little like a blacksmith as I hammered out the top of the barrel to create a fitted lid and felt a good bit more respect for those people as my biceps and wrists started complaining. The top of the barrel gave itself up easily to my reciprocating saw though the steel ate the saw blades at roughly one blade to 3 barrels. Still, it's a cheap, er, a , frugal way to store water.
The potting bench functioned as a bunkbed just 2 days ago. My neighbor left the wood pieces on the curb for the garbage men to pick up and I beat them to it! It went together as if someone had cut the pieces to fit and the only cost was that of the screws I used to secure it.
I 'adopted' the pallets behind the potting bench from the side of the road. Much easier to handle than stock fencing, it also provides a little bit of a screening though I'm not too concerned about that.
I like getting my supplies for nothing. Yes, I can be a little cheap and I won't deny that. I also really like the idea of second and third uses for everything. Newspapers make great ground cover bases for my raised beds. Baling string works well for trellis netting. Manure is out there for the asking and sure beats petrochemicals for conditioning the soil for long term success and nutrient rich crops. And in just a month or so, Central Florida trees will give up their leaves and I'll start collecting them too.
Come to think of it...tomorrow is yard waste pickup day. Maybe I'll just take my little utility trailer out and see what we can come home with !
2 comments:
I am glad you started updating again--you truly crack me up! Who cares how pretty your yard is, when it gives you yummy food!
I love the yard. We can't wait to see it this week. You're going to have to show me what the sideways bunk bed is used for. Is it your new bench? It looks cool reguardless. I hope you have tomatoes ripening!
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