You'll be busy settling in, but you could do spend some time gathering compost/mulch materials then sheet mulching in an afternoon.

Veg. starts are $1.49 at McLendons right now with 4 or more in a pack: lettuces, kale, swiss chard, & broccoli are good for this season of planting. Onion sets become green onions this time of year (bulbing happens in summer), stagger the planting times & you'll have a steady supply until hard freezes.

You need to wait until next year for squash, green beans, & peas. Purchase them at a farmer's market now for fresh eating. More squash available in fall.

I had a lot of volunteer squash this year from the ones I fed the goats & chickens, so I let them grow on. All appear to be what we fed them, not crosses. I've done little care of them, so that might be an option for your kids to "plant" the innards of squash this year by tossing out where you want squash to grow next year. Just remember where you did it... perhaps a circle of sticks upright? I even mulched over the seeds, so was surprised how many sprouted.

We've also had volunteer black oil sunflowers from animal bedding that had uneaten seeds.

Smother the area with cardboard, then top with 4-6" compost. Depending on what you use the garden will be ready to plant that day or in a few weeks. You might want to start just a 4x4 area so that you can maintain it. Then expand, so by spring you'll have several easy to reach plantable areas. I prefer raised beds for vegetables except squash since they take over so much space anyway & don't need tending once planted.

I've done sheet mulching many times including an ornamental front yard garden on Monday.

Freebie materials: feed store straw sweepings, barnyard manures, coffee shop used grounds, household tissues/napkins/junk mail, grass clippings (without weedNfeed), leaves, wood chips from chipping companies.

Free plants:
Green Elephant plant swap 1st Sat. November... more several times a year. See other posts on this forum.

Free edible garden plans:
just use the free parts: http://www.mysquarefootgarden.net/design-garden-beds/

My favorite is the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: practical SFG

Buy some humic acid that you can add to your soils when you plant. You'll need it for soils in the Pacific Northwest. The rain washes away the metals and minerals that are necessary for proper soil and plant development.

Pumpkinmommy,

You are invited to the spring Green Elephant Plant Swap. Saturday, March 7, 10 AM to Noon in Redmond.

Lots of free stuff.

Details through the link.

Best Regards,
Jim Eichner

Here is a link that might be useful: Green Elephant Plant Swap