Update: The $25 Victory Garden
By Vanessa Richins
Earlier this year I wrote about how Joe Lamp’l, author and star of Tv gardening shows, started up a project where he vowed to create an organic victory garden for $25 or less.
As the main gardening season draws to a close, I thought I would give an update on how the project has gone.
He made greenhouses using empty plastic bakery cake boxes. Inspired by his example, I noticed that the 2 pound strawberry boxes I was buying at the grocery store would be perfect to use as urban garden-sized greenhouses.
Four or five wait patiently in my pantry now. I’ll be planting some pea seeds in there soon as I prepare to plant up my Earthbox.
Many people donated seeds to the project so he wouldn’t have to spend any of his $25 fund. I know I’ve gotten seeds a few times myself through Freecycle, so you don’t have to be a famous garden pro to have people send you seeds (though it doesn’t hurt!). One person on Twitter even sent him hand-painted signs.
There was a bit of a rough start as it didn’t seem like it would ever stop raining for the first part of spring. (It was the same way in my area!). The seedlings that had been planted outside suffered from too much water and too little sun.
The weather improved and the garden blossomed. As I write this, his blog proudly proclaims that he has gathered over 105 pounds of produce, and he’s only spent $15.05 doing it!
This project is a good example that gardening doesn’t have to be expensive. With a little creativity, hard work and help from free sites like Freecycle, you can grow your own food too.
