One good tip I learned (from trial & error, then much research) is to plant and harvest things at the proper time for your growing zone- even in places like california where people might tell you "oh you can grow anything there all year round"... not true! some plants are warm season, some are cool season, some like to overwinter, some are annual, some are perennial, some are biennial, etc. Research each plant, and also don't assume plants that seem similar will have the same needs, for example peas and beans both come in bush and vining varieties and grow in pods, but peas like cool weather while beans like it hot- except for a few certain beans that actually do prefer it cool... Also, potatoes can tolerate cool weather while sweet potatoes don't. Kale & lettuces grow best in cool weather while chard seems to do fine in hot or cool. You get the idea. If you plant things at the wrong time you'll be wasting your time and the seeds- I tried lettuce when it was too late to be planting it and in the heat of summer it went straight to bolt. I've planted zucchini and tomatoes when it was too cold for them and they grew poorly and didn't produce fruit. Harvest times are just as important as planting times- I planted radishes once and they didn't seem to get big enough by harvesting time so I thought I could just let them keep growing for a while longer- but found out that if you leave them in the ground too long they get tough and too spicy and shrivel up instead of getting bigger! Also it may be tempting to let a zucchini get huge, thinking it will just provide more food when you let a fruit get 2 feet long... No! Harvest them young & tender and about the size they sell them in the grocery store (or smaller), any larger and you get a hard shell, lots of seeds, and very little (and quite tasteless) flesh. Moral of these stories is to research each fruit or veggie you want to grow & follow the "directions", it will mean the difference between success & failure! Also- healthy soil is #1 important thing for plants - no chemical fertilizer! Compost is your best friend. Mulch is your other best friend- use what is available & free- leaves & pine needles are what I use. Good luck!!!

Putting a paver brick edging around my front beds and one bed in the back is a major project for me this summer so IÂm dealing with some of the same questions that you are. IÂve always liked the look of brick edging but have avoided doing it previously because of fear of grass growing though the gaps  plus itÂs easier to change the shape of a bed if when the beds are just trench edged. My front beds are (I hope!) finally pretty much in a shape I figure I can live with for a while. That plus physical signs that it is time to think about reducing garden chores has made this the summer of the edge. To eliminate the grass worry, IÂm using the Curve-rite aluminum edging (the more flexible one  there was two different types at the supplier) between the grass and the bricks. The bricks are set on a couple of inches of screenings, compacted with a rubber mallet. IÂm also using the screenings to fill the gaps between the bricks  although I suspect I need to be using concrete sand or something like that. I will probably have to add sand as the screenings settle. The edging and the bricks are set ½" or so above the grass roots. Hopefully that is high enough to be a barrier to the grass but low enough so the lawnmower can easily run over it without the blade hitting it. My bricks werenÂt free unfortunately :-) But itÂs the aluminum strips that are the pricy part. Here they are $20 CDN for an 8 strip with 5 support spikes. The paver bricks for an equivalent 8 are only a few dollars. So far it looks good and I like the look better than the trench edge. It is certainly easier for the lawnmower  and you donÂt have to be as careful walking because thereÂs no risk of falling into the trench! IÂm going to backfill behind the bricks with pine bark mulch in one area but just slope the soil in the bed to the back of the bricks in most areas. I plant very densely with a Âno bare ground philosophy so I donÂt have a problem with erosion . I generally donÂt mulch my garden beds. The plants are my mulch! Some of my filler plants (particularly feverfew) get cut down during the summer and are left on the ground to compost in place. In most places, the plants will overhang the brick edging to soften it and deflect some of the force of heavier rains. Since I leave the previous year's growth standing until new growth starts in spring, that should, I think, help reduce erosion issues in the bare seasons. We'll see next year I guess!

Hello all Nice to see everyone like rocks,but if for some reason they won't suit the place l'd like to make a suggestion. I found out that at anyones local concrete manufactor when they do a new batch they never get it right,This being said "rejecks".They say people want perfect or nothing.They usally stack them way way back at the yard. They call them seconds of different grades.Example of the size I picked up 17x7x4 , .50cents each,(or by the half load or better yet full load,same price)but these were perfect(no chiped corners).You can really bartar on price if your not picking on getting a mix instead.They were crayon grey with pink granet swirls through them.I thought they were prefect!Now if you can get a few people together for a full dump truck load,you can get it delivered.Don't forget to tell them that "your"helping them free up valuable yard space!The whole truck load for about 75.00. Also if you tell them that it is just for fill it's even cheaper,Mind you it's mixed and there alot broken.My brother builds the foundation of his farm roads with the stuff.But picture this ,all types all colors,shapes and sizes.You can do mosaic patterns.Thought I'd give ya food for thought so go out there and brush up on you smooshing skills. Now-go get a deal! Purple

I am in awe of the progress and the difference, kdw72697 !!! And your Little Helpers are just toooo precious! Let us know as soon as you decide what you are going to do with the track lighting, and any other changes, of course! :) THIS is my kind of Topic....anything to do with the words "Super-Cheap", and I'm there. Fantastic Suggestions throughout this topic and I'm so grateful you all posted them! Everyone who posted pics....THANK YOU! I am always on the look-out for new ideas, inspiration, anything "budget-minded" to freshen up my own home. The colors you've used, the kitchen set-up...all ideas that motivate and inspire me! Igloochic, Your home....always an inspiration at every turn...especially since I use paint and paint techniques to create something a little nicer than the norm (the 'norm' that I can't even afford!) ....I've used your home pics more than once to get me motivated. Here's my latest budget project...maybe someone else can benefit from it in their own budget-minded kitchen. Real Travertine Tile Trim was NOT in the budget but the discounted/discontinued tiles we purchased looked so nekkid without something on top (the discontinued tiles didn't have bull-nose or anything close to matching). A length of cheapy wood chair rail molding, some left-over stucco in the bag from an earlier window re-do and my paints and some good sealer..... (I DID resize these pics to make them smaller...I hope it worked!)