We bought a garden.
Yes, that is a play on “We Bought a Zoo” and I realize it doesn’t have quite the same effect. What I should really say is “We bought Costco,” or “We bought the farmer’s market,” because – just wait – we’ll soon be growing in an abundance that puts places like these to shame.
Ok, not really. But one of the goals with our new garden is to grow our own vegetables (and herbs and fruit) so that we don’t have to buy them at the store anymore. With the way our families go through produce, we might actually save enough to buy our Costco…but I digress. Simply put, we’re looking forward to being able to head out back to the garden to “shop” for our produce.
So that explains “why” we bought a garden. I bet you’re wondering “what” we actually bought…
We bought an Eco Garden (< look them up)! Yes, I’ll explain. The elevator pitch is that our Eco Garden is a raised container garden of mammoth proportion. But the longer, more technical version touting the many features and benefits reveals that it’s so much more than a “container.”
Here you go:
The container itself is 4-feet by 6-feet and stands 3-feet tall. That’s right, no having to kneel down or bend over to garden! This garden saves knees. It’s the bee’s knees (which, if bees actually have knees, they won’t be needing them because, again, no kneeling necessary in this garden).
The garden uses advanced “air gap technology,” that helps aerate the plant’s roots. This is exactly what it sounds like – there is a “gap” filled with air in the container.
Quick logistical note: The bottom of the container has a reservoir which is filled with water, and above this is a space – the “air gap” – and above this is a black food-safe plastic barrier. The soil material sits on top of this barrier.
OK so this “air gap” between the water reservoir and the soil layer and helps to oxygenate the soil from below. And assuming we orient the plants correctly, the roots will grow down into the oxygenated soil causing them to become aerated. This aeration results in happier plants, which results in a faster time to maturity and greater proliferation. This is all just a fancy way of saying that our garden will produce MORE VEGETABLES FASTER! Which is good, because despite my mother’s best efforts, I’m still not a very patient person.
I realize I sound like an infomercial – too good to be true! We’ll see, the proof will be in the pudding – or rather the produce. Either way, stay tuned. If nothing else, the written account of this journey should be entertaining…
Our Eco Garden arrives on Friday. I can’t wait to get growing!
