The beginning

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells,
And pretty little maids in a row.....

What the heck is a cockle shell anyway? I am pretty sure I will not be growing those in my garden!

So, the gardening adventure must begin. It actually began last year with several containers and a small bed. It was the year for learning, trial and lots of error, and failures. I just jumped in and planted stuff. I didn't read anything! That includes the potting soil I bought that says specifically on the bag, "not for container gardening".

This year I am doing my homework. Checked out books. Reading websites. I plan to have 2 beds of square foot gardening. That is 32 square yards of garden that will include tomatoes, sunflowers, broccoli, snow peas, lettuce varieties, spinach, peppers, marigolds and much more.......

All good gardens must start with good dirt, so I have also been researching how to compost. I even started my very own compost pile. I never thought I'd be so excited about putting trash in a pile, but I am really digging this. It will be even better when it makes some rich soil for my veggies to grow in!

So, now I just wait. I should not even begin to start planting seeds indoors until around Feb. 15th according to the Farmers Almanac. For now, I will be content to add to and turn my compost pile. Soon, it will be time to get dirt under my fingernails, but for now I can only dream of fresh salads from my back yard and home grown salsa.........neither of which will have cockle shells in them!