Good Morning!
Yesterday I planted about 80% of my garden from seed! I've had a "few"seedling trays growing in the house for a couple weeks as well!

Cost
I thought I would give some quick tips on starting your own in-ground garden at home. The cost will depend on your size, but my 8x8 was around $50 in lumber, the tools about $8 for the spade bit... rebar is about $30 if you do 3 per 8 feet, and all the soil (which you should definitely get when they have sales).. manure is about $2 per bag and garden soil is about $4 a bag. 20 bags of garden soil and 5-10 bags of manure(yum) to start the garden. I would budget for at a minimum of $200. If you want to fence in the garden which I highly recommend, that fencing can be pricey so I went with chicken wire. You will want the 3' roll or taller - 20$. Overall I spent around $250 for an 8x8 garden.
1. Clear the grass from the area of your choosing. (This is obvious but make sure you clear extra space because it will become a hassle to weed-whack around in the summer....which I have to do.) Personally I started with a 4x8 garden and expanded to a 8x8 the following year.
2. Choose your lumber - https://www.homedepot.com/p/8-ft-Landscape-Timber-288731/301802514
I chose the landscaping lumber, and bought enough to make three layers (this raises the bed up about a foot or so.) Feel free to use whatever weather-treated wood you can find or already have. NOTE: while at the store make sure your wood is not warped

3. Choose your steel rebar. They hide them in the weirdest spot at home depot so just ask someone...
NOTE: You can use whatever metal stakes you want, the rebar was just cheap and sturdy.

4. Grab a drill bit (spade bit) large enough to ream a hole to fit the rebar in. NOTE: Make sure you get the super long bit, you will see why later on. I took it over to the tool department and eyeballed it. (I would guess you have an actual drill ;) if NOT.. I would recommend the starter kit that DEWALT has for $100.


5. Go home find a partner and get to work!
Framing:
Lay 3 pieces of wood on top of each other, have a friend hold them tight.. and drill through all three pieces. If you do a 4x4 garden I would use 2 rebar per side, or 3 for the 8x8 garden. NOTE: It will be HARD so PUSH down and it will go through all the way. NOTE: This WILL drain your drill battery quickly.. ha ha.

Fencing:
Position the wood where you want it and pound down the steel rebar into the ground. NOTE: A hammer is going to be super loud, try a mallet to save your hearing!
I know I am listing these options, although after getting fed up with the metal stakes, we went ahead and made our own wood posts and hooked the fence to that... which is easy if you'd rather go that route.

Finale:
Find those sales at your home improvement store and buy your manure and garden soil! NOTE: Depending on what you are growing you might need to add other types of soil, etc.
Viola, Easy-Peasy!
Chelsea's Garden 2019 - and her 26th birthday pool party.
(This will be happening again this year on May 31st - weather permitting)

Video for fun: 2018 when Scooby was a puppy and the fence was necessary :)
Chelsea Failure 2018
I also thought it would be funny to mention how much time and care is needed to grow seedlings.. picture from my first time trying :)

Thanks for reading guys!

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