The Garden Starter

Have you always wanted an organic vegetable garden in your own back yard, but haven't had the time (or the confidence) to start one?

Do you long for fresh-off-the vine tomatoes and cucumbers and/or would you like to have all your cooking herbs growing right outside your back door?

Here's your chance to have the garden of your dreams!

 I, Pamela (a.k.a. "The Garden Starter"), aim to make starting and maintaining an organic vegetable, herb or flower garden easy and do-able for everyone who has a sunny spot in their yard (or even on their deck!)

How can you know if you're a good candidate?

 You live in Mountain View, Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Los Altos, Atherton or Redwood City (or somewhat near one of these places)
 You love fresh herbs, vegetables and flowers

 You have an area in your yard (front or back) that gets 6-8 hours of sun each day (your area can be a deck or patio - I do container gardens as well!)

You have 5 minutes a day to water, check for bugs, harvest and/or pull an occasional weed

What will it cost?

That depends on how large and what type of garden you want and how many different vegetables and herbs you'd like to grow.  Listed below are a couple "starter gardens" I recommend for beginning gardeners - a 4' x 10' garden that contains 4-8 edibles of your choice ($250), a 10' x 10' garden that contains 8-12 edibles of your choice ($450) and a 6-8 container vegetable/herb/flower garden ($200).  The prices  for the larger in-ground gardens include all the compost and seedlings needed for the gardens.  The container garden price includes a basic drip irrigation system install.
For those of you who have a specific-shaped garden spot in mind, I am happy install "designed-to-order" vegetable/herb/flower gardens as well.  In general, my rate is $30 per hour, but I love my work and am known to throw in some "specialty services" for simply the cost of the materials.

Along with the base-price of getting your in-ground garden started, you can "spruce things up" with any of the below "specialty services":

* a soaker hose system with or without a timer (you must have a nearby outdoor hose connection) ($50-85)
* redwood raised "boxes" around your garden(s) to make them look extra neat and pretty ($55-75 per bed)
* a redwood-chipped path around your garden ($35)
* weed blocker fabric installed in your garden, covered with organic straw (no weeding-yay!) ($45)
* specialty vegetables - you order/purchase the seeds (from a catalog or store) and I'll grow and plant the seedlings in your garden ($5 per specialty seedling and you must order in time for a 2-3 month growing time)
* flowers! - a section of your garden can include 3 cutting flowers of your choice (usually $30, but may depend on what flowers you choose)

STARTER GARDEN OPTION #1

Garden Size - 4 foot by 10 foot
Vegetables and Herbs - (For example - you'll pick from a list I'll provide) 1 Brandywine Tomato Plant, 1 "Sweet 100" Cherry Tomato Plant, 1 Lemon Cucumber Vine, 1 Summer Squash Plant, Italian Basil, Oregano, Sage, Lemon Thyme and Rosemary.
Cost - $250 (includes seedlings,  compost needed to amend your soil and 2 email or phone consultations answering questions you might have about your new garden).

STARTER GARDEN OPTION #2

Garden Size - 10 foot by 10 foot (includes a chipped 2 foot walking path between two 4 foot by 10 foot gardens)
Vegetables and Herbs - (For example - you'll pick from a list I'll provide) 2 Early Girl Tomato Plants, 1 "Sweet 100" Cherry Tomato Plant, 2 "Sunshine Gold" Tomato Plants, 1 "Mr. Stripey"  Tomato Plant, 1 Armenian Cucumber Vine, 1 Butternut Squash Plant, 1 Artichoke Plant, Baby Greens Mixed Lettuce, Blue Lake Bush Beans, Italian Basil, Oregano  and Rosemary.
Cost - $450 (includes seedlings, the compost needed to amend your soil, and 3 email or phone consultations answering questions you might have about your new garden).

STARTER GARDEN OPTION #3

Garden Size - 6-8 containers of your choice
Vegetables/Herbs/Flowers - (you purchase these, or you give me a budget of what you'd like to spend, and I'll purchase them) For example, you may choose to plant  Italian Basil, Oregano, Rosemary and Sage, along with Mixed Baby Greens, Pansies (edible petals), Cosmos and Alyssum.
Cost - $200 - This price does not include the pots or the soil needed (I can purchase those for you as well, if you provide me with a budget), but does include a basic drip irrigation system (as long as you have a hose-connection nearby), and 1 email or phone consultation to answer questions you might have about your new garden.

How can you get started?

Call or email me to talk about your ideas, hopes and dreams for a garden in your very own yard!
Pamela Chesavage** - (650) 504-1811
The_Garden_Starter@chesavage.com

** Stanford University graduate, 13+ years biointensive, organic gardening experience, regular volunteer and class hostess at Common Ground Garden Supply, and manager of  The Almost Eden Garden Project.