HerbsSo it turns out I'm better at home gardening than I am at updating this blog! (Photos below...)

We planted five earth boxes, plus a whole bunch of other plants in regular planters. I've never had so many tomatoes and basil in my life! The spinach, lettuce and carrots didn't work so well - grew enough for one salad and that's about it - but the herbs and tomatoes were amazing. Right now, in mid-October, I still have basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage, tarragon, jalapenos, and tomatoes. (I also have a crazy butternut squash plant taking over the entire yard, but that doesn't have to do with earth boxes - it's just an overachieving squash that endures being walked on (and probably peed on) by the dog.) Tomatoes - Cherry

The beauty of the boxes with the water reservoir in the bottom is that they don't need to be watered daily, even when it's super hot out. I think this is why I was successful, as I only remember to water the plants a couple times each week, and all my other regular potted plants dried out too much and got very fussy, refusing to grow as big or as beautiful.

We definitely ate more veggies this summer, simply because I couldn't stand the thought of our work in the garden going to waste. We have about 10 cups of frozen pesto in the freezer for the winter, and will move two of the earth boxes inside when the weather gets cold so that we can have fresh herbs when we want them. Also, my 3-year-old will only eat vegetables that we grow, so I guess this is a way to get her to eat something nutritious until she learns to be less picky.Tomatoes - Plums

Tomatoes Beef SteakI realize I'm lucky to have a yard in which to do this, but I wanted to point out that one earth box can hold up to 6 different plants, so you could get one and put it in your house. "But what about when my cats try to use the planter as a litter box?" you ask... Do not fear! They come with these handy little black plastic covers (shown in some of the photos). Or you could just cut some cardboard to cover the top, with holes for the plants to stick out. "What about when the dog tries to eat the herbs?" you inquire. Let her - it's good for her, too! (Except for if the leaves make her throw up on the bed. Yuck. Not sure what to say about that, except it stinks, literally and figuratively.)

Overall, home gardening = super cool! I totally recommend it!

Newly planted - April 2024Jalepenos

 Basil gone wild