Let Us Experiment

 This is a story of finding uses for unwanted items or "trash". My future Grandfather-in-law's neighbor gets large wooden boxes used to ship equipment. I saw one in his driveway on a visit and commented on how I thought they were cool and useful. So unknown to me, Dara's Grandfather Ron asked his neighbor what he did with them. Apparently he just gets rid of them, so Ron asked him to save them for me. I have picked up three so far and more are to come.

 

 I drilled a bunch of holes in the bottom of two of the boxes to use as planters.I am not sure what was shipped in these containers but the wood is not pressure treated and they are well built. I may make one into a sandbox for my nephew.

I laid a layer of newspaper down to keep the soil from clogging up the holes I drilled. I made a mixture of composted manure and peat moss. Normally I put sand in my soil mixes but I don't want sand on what I am growing. I filled the boxes with about two inches of soil.

Dara picked a mix of lettuce seed that does well in the summer heat and mixed them up together. We always have trouble growing lettuce in the main garden. It always gets bitter and goes to bolt too fast. I wanted to see how it does on our deck under our large oak trees. It will get some sun, but mostly it will be in shade and dappled light.

Dara sprinkle the two boxes with the lettuce seed. I put a thin layer of soil on after that and watered it in really good. We plan on eating the lettuce when it is really young so it doesn't have a chance to get bitter in the heat. As soon as we harvest a part of a box we will replant it.

Spring mix is so expensive and lettuce seed is so cheap, we need to find a way to grow our own that is not bitter. We eat a lot of salads so, I hope the lettuce does well in this location. If this doesn't work out, at least the beds will be ready to plant in the fall. I will be able to put some plastic over these to extend the growing season into the winter.

Another use for the boxes. Turned upside down, this box is the perfect size to hold our canoe off the ground. I am sure I will find more uses for these as I get more. I may do an outdoor worm bin that I can harvest in the fall before the freeze comes.