Now that I think about it it probably wasn't my wisest shopping. But I live in the city and to get to a gardening center would take a few hours by bus or metro.
But these are sunk costs, you only need to by seeds once, you only need to pots once, a big bag of soil costs almost the same as a small bag and can last a while. If this little experiment works out I will have learned a lot from the experience and have the required material.
But I'd never spend $11,000 on the first run. That's a really expensive education. If anything the guy proves that "his" urban farm is unsustainable.
Did you get a box (or whatever) to make compost in? I guess even now you have lots of kitchen waste, that will make for great soil. I heard used coffee powder is good for most potted plants.
A worm compost is fun, but other methods work as well. You can compost not only food wastes, but also most kinds of paper.
If you want to go really crazy, go the humanure route (http://weblife.org/humanure/default.html). Needs a bucket and some saw dust and a compost heap. Make sure you separate the phases.
By the way, what's the advantage of organic soil over just taking a shovel and digging up some dirt?
I'm not composting this year. If things work out I'll probably start a little later. My last heap turned to kindling since I never watered it, it was in a remote part of a farm and I forgot about it.
The city did send me a flyer saying they are starting a composting project and asking for interested citizens to respond.
The reason I went with organic soil instead of sticking plants in the ground is because our building is from the 1960. Lots of things were fashionable then like lead paint and asbestos. I already have a sealed ventilation shaft that has asbestos on my property. The dirt itself could contain anything. I've already picked out broken glass, garbage, rags. All of this is in the dirt. Like the Obamas, I don't want to find out my lawn has high traces of lead.
Going with my own soil I have control of what's in it and what, eventually, goes into me. BTW, my mints and basil have started to pop up. 2 fresh ingredients I no longer need from the store.
Handtools : $25
Garden hose : $20
Garden hose attachments : $18
Seed packets $4 x 8 : $32
Various pots : $70
Primer and varnish : $40
Now that I think about it it probably wasn't my wisest shopping. But I live in the city and to get to a gardening center would take a few hours by bus or metro.
But these are sunk costs, you only need to by seeds once, you only need to pots once, a big bag of soil costs almost the same as a small bag and can last a while. If this little experiment works out I will have learned a lot from the experience and have the required material.
But I'd never spend $11,000 on the first run. That's a really expensive education. If anything the guy proves that "his" urban farm is unsustainable.