Summer Kickoff - Herb Garden

For the inaugural post of my summer blog I have started with one of my DIY projects, a quickie herb garden.  I largely lack all gardening skills, my sister and mother would love to tell you all about the plants I killed in my college dorm room including bamboo and a cactus, (yup a cactus).  Somehow I have managed a small herb garden for the past two summers and wanted one this summer.

The summer begins

The Plants

From the right to the left, Basil, Cilantro, Sage, Oregano, and Thyme.  I paid $3 a piece for them at the Farmer's Market which was lots of fun to pick them out. 

Supplies

The top soil I got for $1.50 at the supermarket and the pots were an impulse buy from IKEA for $2 dollars a piece.

Not as roomy as I planned

Tools - Snuools

In hindsight two plants per pot were a little tight, and if you were keeping track that leaves an odd plant out.  

I had already spent as much as I wanted to on this project so I improvised a third pot.

Making it work

I found this Ocean Spray bottle discarded in the little breeze way between apartments outside so I am guessing no one will miss it (upcycling and picking up litter - double win). I washed it out, removed the label and cut the top half off with kitchen scissors.  The plastic was surprisingly hard to pierce and involved a surprisingly satisfying  Pysco inspired moment of stabbing away at with the only knife we have (a large butcher knife.) But finally success.

Again not as roomy as hoped

Since my apartment doesn't have a porch or any outside space, we are technically below ground.  I set up my garden on the stairs leading outside to my neighbor's patio.  I think this will work just fine except for the fact I will have to climb a flight of stairs to retrieve a little basil for my morning omelet. All the plants said "well draining soil" and none of my pots have holes in the bottom so I am a litte concerned about over watering them.

Happy Herbs

Summery:

Cost:

              Plants       $15.00

              Supplies     $5.50

             Total         $20.50

Time: 2 hours  (a hour picking out the plants & a hour potting)       

Average : $10/hr entertainment

Perks: 

 I now have fresh herbs for the rest of the summer or as long as they are alive and I choice four herbs I use a lot in cooking. Their dried counter parts would have cost me $5 a bottle  so I like to think I saved $2.50.  I also need to keep my garden healthy so I will spend about 5 minutes a day watering and pruning it so I am getting a squeezing a bit more time out of this project.