Sprinklers would be nice, but we don’t even have a pipe in the backyard! We need to get one put in. Only a pipe in the front.

We got a few plants from friends. Our biggest problem is the soil and the wanting sod down.

I think it’s a fun hobby Abagail. You have to see the backyard to understand the tilling.

Unfortunately, Meg is right. You really don’t need to go to all that trouble. But at least you don’t have to worry about too many weeds lingering around.

In the meantime, look at it as not just a frugal endeavor, but a cheap hobby. It’s nice to see the fruits of your labor (no pun intended… okay, a little intended). You have visible results. And fresh veggies are WONDERFUL

Perhaps a bit too late now, but you don’t need to till. That kills the worms you want in your garden and breaks apart the soil ecosystem. The best method, or so I’ve heard, is to just keep adding soil on top. Of course, that can get expensive if you’re buying soil, but you can make your own through composting for free. It just takes time and patience. You have to start small.

Sprinkler system? We have a hose and a sprinkler, but no “system”. A timer on the hose helps if you forget about it like I do.

Rakes are helpful when gathering brown material (i.e. leaves) for the compost, but you don’t need a lot of fancy tools. Only things I use a lot is my small shovel and a good pair of small clippers. You can get both at discount stores like Big Lots — along with lots of other gardening supplies.

Check into companion planting and other organic methods before you spend a lot on pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, etc. You’d be surprised what can you do with stuff you already have and good compost.

For plants, get to know other gardeners in the area. They’re usually happy to give away plants when they have too many seedlings and need to thin things out. Check Freecycle for plants and seeds. Even see if you have wild plants in the neighborhood that you can try out. I have herbs like purslane, dandelions, plantain, sorrel, oxalis, spiderwort, etc. etc. etc. that I’ve transplanted from the neighborhood — and they do well because they’re used to being neglected.

Do at least listen in on a local gardening group online. You will learn so much — and won’t waste money on stuff that’s not suitable to the area (or plant stuff at the wrong time).

Good luck!