Hi Everyone- I’m home from my vacation and ready to garden!

First off, Hawaii was beautiful. Here are a couple photos from the Big Island:

Dat Foliage: Waipi'o Valley

Back to Business!

While I was gone, my boyfriend was kind enough to take care of my plants and keep everything alive! Everything grew beautifully and nothing died, so I’m very impressed. Upon my return, the boyfriend had even built planters for our patio! You can see them here:

Flowers & Kale: Just look at that planter box! They’re built out of some leftover wood from another project, so the cost to us was minimal (~$30). We used Cedar, but you could probably use Pine or another cheaper wood, too. We stained the planters with Linseed Oil and lined them with garbage bags (my inner trailer park surfaces), which we scored on the bottom to allow for some drainage. I’ve transplanted my Kale and Flowers into the long planter, and plan to transplant the Tomatoes into the bigger planter tomorrow.

Materials for Building Your Own Planter Box:

Wood - like I mentioned, we used some wood we had laying around, so our costs weren’t too high. Using a cheaper wood (like Pine) is an option to keep costs down. A quick browse of Craigslist seemed to reveal hidden gems like old wooden wine crates and containers of various sizes.

- like I mentioned, we used some wood we had laying around, so our costs weren’t too high. Using a cheaper wood (like Pine) is an option to keep costs down. A quick browse of Craigslist seemed to reveal hidden gems like old wooden wine crates and containers of various sizes. Saw - we used our power saw to make the cuts we needed. Some Home Depots and Lowe’s will cut the wood for you, so if you don’t have a saw available, you still have options. Disclaimer: Don’t forget dust masks and goggles if you’re using your own saw. Sawdust is the glitter of woodworking. It. Goes. Everywhere.

- we used our power saw to make the cuts we needed. Some Home Depots and Lowe’s will cut the wood for you, so if you don’t have a saw available, you still have options. Disclaimer: Don’t forget dust masks and goggles if you’re using your own saw. Sawdust is the glitter of woodworking. It. Goes. Everywhere. Sander- prep the wood for stain by sanding it down and taking off the dirt on the outermost layer.

prep the wood for stain by sanding it down and taking off the dirt on the outermost layer. Stain/Oil- We bought Linseed Oil because it is non-toxic. I figured if I’m eating stuff out of this garden, I probably shouldn’t cover it in chemicals.

We bought Linseed Oil because it is non-toxic. I figured if I’m eating stuff out of this garden, I probably shouldn’t cover it in chemicals. Screws/Nails

How to build it:

Ask someone else to do it. If they say no, have a drink. When you’re about to work with power tools, the first thing you want to do is involve alcohol. Once you’re liquored up, measure the pieces of wood to length. Cut. Realize you miscalculated a cut and now you need to go back to Home Depot to get another piece of wood. Realize you’ve been drinking and can’t drive there. Walk to Home Depot. Buy a 10 ft piece of wood and stumble home with it, uttering hushed swears at the people who give you a double take because it’s 10 AM on a Tuesday and you’re clearly drunk in public wielding a 10 foot weapon down the sidewalk. Return home. Ensure your cuts are correct. Screw pieces together. Box is now built. Sand Sides down. Get an old t-shirt, dip it in the oil and wipe it on the wood. Ta-DA! You’ve built yourself a planter box.

If these directions are unclear, you can YouTube how-to videos which can help you along.

Here are a few more pictures of the garden:

Basil: ready to transplant

Oregano: round three?

Tomatoes: flourishing and ready to transplant

And there you have it. Perhaps I’ll post a how-to on transplanting when I move my Tomatoes over tomorrow. It’s also time to plant my peas!

Thanks guys, Happy Planting!