In It for the Long Haul

So the garden is up and running. Phew.

I’m too tired to even type about it. Really.

There was a point last month when I was debating about whether to follow the easy gardening path (i.e., the square-foot gardening method). I didn’t realize that the “easy” gardening path would be so damn hard.

Matt and I pretty much devoted an entire day to constructing those boxes. Yes, power tools are fun, but they are more fun if you actually know how to use them. Fortunately for us, our super-friendly landlord was hanging out on the premises, fixing a few odds and ends. He was able to solve major conundrums in an instant: “Um, Sara and Matt, the reason you can’t get the drill to work is because you’re using the wrong drill bit.”

Who knew that the deck screws we used to build the raised beds would actually come with their own drill bit? Why aren’t these things taught in school?

And, stupid me, I followed my typical pattern of ignoring advice from experts. He recommended that we pre-drill holes in the wood before drilling in the screws. That’s exactly what Mel said in the All New Square-Foot Gardening book. But the deck screw package said that no pre-drilling was required!

Alas, pre-drilling prevents cheap wood from splitting.

And, if you do try this at home, please wear protective foot ware (e.g., no flip flops). Matt managed to drop one of those cumbersome beams right on my toe.