...with three kids under three (twins are 2.5 & # three is 1 month old.) I worry I won't have enough time. Working full time & helping out with the kids is pretty much a full time job too. But I told my wife the new guy's first solid food would be from our own garden and I'm determined to make it so.

Got a bunch of seeds started yesterday: peppers, green onion, spinach, salad greens, kale, eggplant (ichiban & 'regular') chard, pak choi, broccoli and a few other veggies I can't recall (Don't have garden journal w/me @ work) Also some annual flowers, marigold, zinnia etc.
Picked up 2x4' shop light for $5 @ Lowes, got 1 cool & 1 'plant light' tube in them. Need to find a timer that accepts grounded plug but otherwise I'm set.

Should be able to pull it off this year. I built beds* & bought then ammended soil last year so most of the heavy work is done. I may be too ambitous for the space I have but I want a lot of variety. Might sharecrop with my Mother-in-law. She's got a lot of space for just herself and I'll be helping put in a rabbit fence for her soon. May put stuff needing more space at her place.

DD
Northern IL

* Anyone considering using recycled composite material, be aware of the cheap stuff. It works well but is tough to work with. I used 8' logs that were on sale for ~$3 each. Stacked 2 high I used 6 for each 4'x8' bed, I made three of them. Now that they are in place I'm happy. But that stuff is HEAVY and very difficult to cut/drill. This is not the pricey stuff now used for decking. This is pretty raw & has hunks of metal in it. Went through a few bits & recipricating saw blades getting it all done. Now that it's done they look good & will last forever I'm sure. Price-wise IIRC it was about the same as treated lumber & a lot less than cedar.


Message was edited by: DannyD

Congratulations on getting your seeds started!

Sounds like you have you hands full. Perhaps the toddlers can follow you around or you can put them in a sand box to dig and delve while you dig and delve.

Congratulations on #3. That guy's getting off to a GOOD start. Keep it up. Be interesting to keep a journal, and see how he compares (physically) with other kids in the area over the years. Who gets sick? With what? For how long? etc. Jackie

I'm looking forward to when they can help out. Last year I fenced in the beds but didn't leave any 'buffer' around them. My guys were able to reach in & pick leaves & fruit so I need to set back the fence a little bit. The worst was when one reached through and grabbed an habanero and took a bite! They don't yet understand the difference between weeding & harvesting, they want to help but I need to keep them where they can't harm too much. Although I think my marigolds did so well because they were constantly pulling off blooms causing more to grow. And they'd throw them back into the garden so I still got the pest deterrant effect from them.

We've planted sunflowers, pumpkins & other fun stuff to watch grow to get them involved. This year summer be a fun one.

DD

Congratulations, it feels good to get those first seeds started each year. My first peppers popped their heads up yesterday and thus earned a little note in my garden journal -- "1st seeds up!".

I started gardening when my kids were real small. It was hard at first, but after a couple years they will want to "help", which is a pain at times, but also hilarious in many ways. Now, with kids 15 and 13, the youngest is a pretty good helper. I can count on her to help with things like hilling potatoes (she gives me coupons for various jobs in the garden for Christmas! ), or helping friends who drop by to pick "whatever" find what they need out there. She also brings my quirky vegetables to school in her lunch and her friends think that is pretty cool (school color is purple, so purple carrots and purple potatoes are a hit!).

In short, the time you spend now on gardening while the kids are little gives you a decent chance at having a healthy kid and maybe some bonuses beyond that!