Urban Gardening

As the weather turns warmer (even if it's just for a day or two at a time), I've been thinking a lot about doing an urban garden. We have a modest backyard that we share with our neighbors. Though it's mostly concrete, we do have bits of greenery and lots of sunlight. When I was a kid, my dad had a big garden in our backyard and I loved helping him with every aspect of it. In my adult life, I've grown herbs and flowers, but urban gardening seems to present a new set of challenges.

You're probably thinking, why even bother? Well, having a garden is in line with several of my food goals this year: eat healthier, save money and eat more seasonal/local/organic foods. Gardening will help me with each of those goals, so today I got my start. I'm not sure how successful I'll be, but I've decided to log my process here so others may be inspired to do a bit of gardening (urban or otherwise).

I got started with some supplies from Home Depot, but I imagine any home goods store like that will have what you need. I bought a 72-plant starter kit which has 72 little dehydrated peat pockets and a green-house dome to keep the moisture in. I planted the seeds today and after they've sprouted and the last of the cold weather is gone, I'll slowly transition them to outside. I planted basil, oregano, tomatoes, onions, carrots, zuchhini, peppers, and lettuce. Hopefully this will be a success and I'll have a summer filled with fresh food from my backyard!

In order to see how lucrative this endeavor is, I've also decided to keep track of the costs compared to the fruits (and vegetables) of my labor.

seed start-up supplies (seeds, organic feed, and seed starter kit): $27

What about you? Have you done any urband gardening before? Any tips for an amateur?