I think the difference in price is relevant. I might pay 25% more for convenience, friendly service, a good return policy, etc. I wouldn't pay more than double.

I have the same problem. This year I'm limiting myself to just a few plants. I've also found a very thick layer of mulch to do wonders (this is probably only financially feasible if you can chip up a tree rather than buy it by the bag) and that irrigation tubing or a sprinkler are a must. Some evenings, all I have…

Although I grow just a few plants and am pretty monogamous with my dixie cup-Jiffy pellet-plastic wrap method, I think this would work nicely for direct seeding. I like that it uses toilet paper, which falls apart when wet. A lot of things (like the mesh around peat pellets, and peat pots), purportedly can be planted,…

There's no consensus on this. Some people say they get the best yield from three plants in the same hole, other people like one per hole. My experience with tomatoes has been that it's best to give each plant a three foot radius, otherwise I end up with a tangled mess of plants that pull each other to the ground, are…

When all else fails, Velcro it to the wall.

I'm curious whether you could stud-mount some big dowels and use them like spools to wrap the fabric around. Maybe angle the lower ones upward and have the higher ones coming straight out of the wall. I think closet rod kits might do the job.

I am a fan of the fast soak! I've done it this way and with a pressure cooker, and both seem to work well. It's easier to dissolve salt in boiling water, so you can season the beans from the start.

I'm with you on cars, because they depreciate so fast, and laptops/tablets/smartphones, because they're easy to lose or break, so they need to be replaceable. But I'm not sure about houses. They say that the neighborhood equalizes the home value- the nicest house in a neighborhood is worth less than it should be, and…

The original poster asked for a simple explanation of how compound interest works, as it pertains to credit cards. You seem to be talking about something else.

If I borrow $1000 at a 10% interest rate with no compounded interest, I owe $1100 after a year, and $1200 at the end of two years. If the interest is "compounded", then I'm also paying interest on the interest. If I borrow $1000 at a 10% a year interest rate, and, at the end of the year, I owe $1100, then, the next…

I like it!

Dang. I have a rain barrel with a hose, which is sufficient for most plants. I wonder if you could rig up a smaller version. Maybe cut the top off one of those 5 gal water dispensers with a spout, and bungee it to the railing. I think I bought a cheapy one at WalMart that had a round plastic lid. That would be nice,…

I guess it's not ideal, but both my yard and my community garden plot are right on the road. I ain't dead yet (like I said, not scientific, just experiential).

I don't have a scientific answer, but my experiential answer is 'meh, it'll be fine'

will it be anywhere near the raingutter?

I'd recommend trying to find some outdoor space. If there's no deck or fire escape, can you rig something to hang out a window?

Agreed, rosemary and sage don't need much water, and neither does thyme. They can survive an impressive amount of neglect. Potting mix should be fine for herbs. Just to be safe, if you've been using the same bag for years, I'd pick up a new one. I have a strong preference for regular Miracle Grow potting soil (not the…

We have a truly staggering number of rats, and I haven't had any trouble either. I did break myself of my suburban habit of eating tomatoes straight off the vine.

You can. I seem slightly more likely to actually do it with a rack, and the rods sort of tilt the boots against the wall so they don't fall over, but mostly I just like having somewhere to put them when I sweep the floor. In a tiny place, you end up moving stuff back and forth constantly, so using the walls is good.

If making a salad with a vegetable peeler saves you time, you desperately need to sharpen your knife or buy a new one.