I found an ad the other day, that bugged me greatly.

No Garden Space? No Problem With Our Square Foot Success Kit!

"Packed all the best features of our self-watering planters into a new compact size that’s perfect for deck, patio or even a tiny balcony. Grow tomatoes, peppers, greens and herbs—or fill it with colorful flowering annuals. The 30" steel trellis clamps securely to the pot to support a tomato plant or flowering vine. We include Planter, Trellis, 20 quarts of Container Mix and 1 pound of our organic 5-5-5 All-Purpose Fertilizer. Kit includes everything but the plants."

YUCK! Do It Yourself and Save

Let me explain how easy it is to do this yourself and the kids have fun in the process. Turns out this kit is like $45, and you still have to buy the seed, or plant. Yuck.

I priced this out a nice cheap 12" Terra Cotta Roll Rim Planter, $4.97 or 15" x 13 1/2" Green Deck Planter, $10.97.

Get yourself some Miracle-Gro 1 Cu. Ft. Organic Choice Garden Soil, $4.77, or something like it, just as cheap. This is 100% organic ingredients, all natural fertilizer provides both starting and slow release feeding for up to 3 months derived from dehydrated poultry litter. That is a good basis, but I do not like to use all of one kind for anything.

I would mix this would two other kinds of soil amendments such as some steer manure, composted Peat Humus, and even some sand.

• Garden Plus 1 Cu. Ft. Steer Manure at $1.86. Conditions soil & promotes root growth, made from 100% Steer manure & compost.

• Earth's Finest Compost Peat Humus at $2.06. Made of 100% organic blend of composted Peat Humus, which improves aeration, drainage, and moisture retention.

• basic 50 Lb. bag of Play Sand for like $5.08.

Empty out your recycle bin, the one for the milk jugs, glass jars, tin & soda cans, and mix the dirt’s together in this and then plant your planters.

Since we decided to buy 2 bags of soil, and a bag of composted manure and composted humus and a bag of sand, we can fill four to five planters with great soil, and still only be paying around $45. Who wants to buy a Trellis when you can cut your own from bamboo, or tree suckers? You know, the sucker shoots that sprout up from the sides of trees in the spring, that you trim back. Cut those and let them dry, and then you have great Trellis making material. Use cotton kitchen string, or jute twine to tie it. Natural string breaks down in your compost pile at the end of the season and is organic, so even if you your throw it away, you can feel comfortable in knowing you did not add to the growing plastics problem.

Lets sum this up. Buy four or five cheap plastic planters. Buy a couple of bags of soil and soil amendments, and mix them together. Kids love doing this, from as early as age 3, up to my 13 year olds. Spread the dirt around to the planters and plant your plants.