I am soooo anxious get started planting! Since Sweetwater is in Zone 4, the safe date for planting annuals is May 15th…..more than 3 weeks away!

One solution is to use a cold frame! That seems like a great idea….but it also seems like too big a project for the few herbs and vegetables we grow.

Besides….the vegetables have to grow on the deck to keep them away from the “critters” here at Sweetwater!  Giving up the space for a cold frame on the deck isn’t practical!

Here is the solution that we devised!
This is a classic “Sweetwater Style Use What You Have” project!

We have two of these Planter Pyramids on the deck.

You can buy them at Home Depot!

Cedar Planter at Home Depot

Yeah….they are kind of spendy….but we love the look and the compact way that they allow us to have lettuce and herbs right on the deck safely away from the deer and bunnies!

 We have a bunch of long plastic planter inserts we used in our wooden boxes on the deck.  These got dismantled last year and the inserts were just laying around.
We have a nice solid bench on the deck we use for sitting on when it finally gets warm enough for parties out there.

We have dirt!  Lots of great dirt from the compost pile!

Mr. S has access to some heavy weight plastic sheeting! This was the end of a roll at work.

We have some clothespins and some bricks!
We have some 2  x 4s!

We just needed to buy some seeds to get this project under way!

Now…..it may not be very decorative…..but those little seeds are now getting nice and warm under the plastic!

After just a few days…..
they are actually sprouting!

 So no worries about cold nights!

These little seedlings are getting a nice start on the growing season!

The other advantage is that the birds and squirrels that visit the deck will not be able to eat the seeds before they are plants!

In just a few weeks, these Lazy Lady cold frames can be folded up and put away!
The plastic will also be great for covering the planters when the weather turns chilly in the fall! (I REALLY don’t want to think about THAT!)

While I don’t like the bunnies munching vegetables in the yard….I do think that bunnies are super cute!