Aardvark

Hi again. :)

1. Good tools. They'll make you want to fo the work, rather than dread it. Wheelbarrow, shovel, pitchfork, hoe, metal rake, hand trowel, couple buckets, gloves. 2. Good soil amendments. A truckload of compost probably. 3. Wood for raised beds. Make really nice raised beds and you'll have an easier time weeding, keeping bugs under control, and planning the use of garden space.

Wonderful. Living in a house of 9. Will be perfect for a division of cost and labor. I'm setting Team Alpha up for vermicelli composting acquisitions. Team Bravo up for raised bed construction.

Oh yeah worm bin!! You guys will rock it!

I would encourage you to try raised bed gardening, if you aren't already thinking about doing this. It is a little more time and money investment up front than planting in the ground, but it is much easier for a first time gardener, and you will have much less trouble with pests, plant diseases, drainage, etc. Building your own raised beds is really easy and pretty cheap if you can find used lumber. Here is a link to building plans: http://www.goodgrub.org/index.php/page/show/build1 I would also recommend getting a book or two with information about when to plant each vegetable/fruit that you are interested in growing and how much room they will need. I have really enjoyed the book Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew- it is a little cheesy, but if you follow his advice you will be able to grow a lot of produce in a very small space. Also, hooking up with a community gardening program can help you gain a lot of knowledge quickly. Here is a link to a program in Portland that offers inexpensive community classes: http://www.growing-gardens.org/portland-gardening-resources/workshops.php If you have questions about growing specific crops let me know- I love vegetable gardening! And if you make mistakes, don't get discouraged. I made many mistakes the first year I planted my garden, and even though it is annoying, you learn a lot in your first season. Good luck!

Cool. Thanks!