This past winter I was on a journey to find ways to relieve stress. I was finding that my "free time" was spent working...or at least thinking about work. A friend of mine suggested that I start a garden. Despite the fact that I can hardly keep our indoor plants alive, I headed out to the local hardware store on a blustery day to pick up my organic seeds and starter dirt pods. I planted my crops under a grow light for two months. The florescent light shining at night from our 2nd floor may have caused suspicion with our neighbors!
We live in South Minneapolis so saying that our yard is tiny may be an understatement. I found fancy garden boxes to place on our patio but couldn't justify the expensive knowing that there was a likely chance that my harvest may not be bountiful. My husband and incredibly sweet father-in-law rose to the challenge and built their own prototype with only $100 each in supplies. Our boxes are TWICE as large, built of cedar and at a fraction of the cost. Here is a step-by-step guide for building your own.
Four months later it looks as though I may have my own mini farmers market right on our patio! There is nothing more rewarding than picking fresh basil or grabbing a head of lettuce for your Mediterranean salad right from your garden. Now I just need to figure out a way to convince my husband to build two more for next spring!
