Shopping List
Everything we need to get the garden planted by Saturday-Sunday May 16-17.
Budget at a glance
Items marked confirmed have known prices. Items marked estimate are based on typical retail and may shift ±20% at the register.
Pre-shop call (Wednesday morning)
Before driving out, give Round Rock Nursery a call to confirm:
- Prime-Ark Freedom thornless blackberry in stock at $41 (Taylor knows this price; just confirming availability)
- Basil (sweet/Genovese), Italian flat-leaf parsley, French marigolds, nasturtium pricing
Backup if Prime-Ark Freedom is out: Calloway's (DFW; ships), Texas Tree Farms, or Community Gardens Bastrop. Travis County Master Gardener line is also available for advice at 512-710-7098.
Stop 1 — Round Rock Nursery
Plants are the priority here. Round Rock plants tend to be premium quality and locally adapted; well worth the extra dollar over big-box prices.
| Item | Qty | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime-Ark Freedom thornless primocane blackberry | 1 | $41 confirmed | First-year fruit + thornless + Texas-adapted |
| Sweet basil (Genovese), 4" pot | 3-4 | $15-32 estimate | Tomato disease-indicator + Sam priority |
| Italian flat-leaf parsley, 4" pot | 2 | $10-16 estimate | Tomato companion (dog-safe substitute for chives) |
| French marigold, 4" pot or 6-pack | 4-6 plants | $8-18 estimate | Hornworm + nematode deterrent |
| Nasturtium, seed packet or 4" plants | 1 packet OR 2-3 plants | $3-15 estimate | Aphid trap + edible flowers |
| Subtotal | $78-127 | ||
Stop 2 — Tractor Supply (Pflugerville)
Cattle panel + T-posts are noticeably cheaper here than Home Depot for the same items.
| Item | Qty | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| OKBrand Max 50 Feedlot panel, 16' × 50" galvanized | 1 | $22-25 estimate | View at Tractor Supply |
| 6-foot heavy-duty T-post | 4 | $24-32 estimate | (in-store) |
| Subtotal | $46-57 | ||
Hauling note: The 16-foot cattle panel flexes enough to fit in a pickup bed with the tailgate down and a ratchet strap. Or bow it into a curve and tie it.
Stop 3 — Home Depot
Everything else. Most items are estimates; final prices captured at the register.
Soil + amendments
| Item | Qty | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kellogg Garden Organics Raised Bed and Potting Mix, 2 cu ft, OMRI listed organic | 9 bags | $8.00/bag = $72 confirmed | View at Home Depot |
| General potting mix, 1 cu ft | 3 bags | $15-30 estimate | For blackberry barrel + 2 surplus tomato bags |
| Elemental sulfur, small bag | 1 | $8-12 estimate | Acidify blackberry container mix |
| Soil pH test kit or strips | 1 | $8-15 estimate | Verify mix pH at planting |
Trellis + sun protection
| Item | Qty | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agfabric 30% knit shade cloth | 1 piece | $25-40 estimate | 6'×12' 30% (smaller) OR 10'×20' 30% (right size) OR 6'×20' 40% (denser but right shape) |
| PVC pipe, 1" × 10' Schedule 40 | 4 | $20-28 estimate | Bow over the bed for shade frame |
| PVC connectors (3-way, 4-way, end caps) | ~10 fittings | $10-15 estimate | For shade frame assembly |
| UV-rated zip ties or clips | 1 pack | $5-8 estimate | Attach cloth to PVC frame |
Watering
| Item | Qty | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soaker hose, 25' or 50' | 1 | $15-25 estimate | Drip-style irrigation under mulch |
| Hose Y-splitter | 1 | $5-10 estimate | Branch to box + blackberry barrel |
Mulch + fertilizer
| Item | Qty | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Blend Shredded Mulch, 2 cu ft | 4-5 bags | $5.47/bag = $22-27 confirmed | View at Home Depot |
| Espoma Garden-Tone 8 lb organic 3-4-4 | 1 bag | $15-25 estimate | View at Home Depot |
| Espoma Berry-tone (optional, for blackberry) | 1 small bag | $12-18 estimate | Optional — Garden-tone works for both |
Surplus tomato containers
| Item | Qty | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabric grow bag, 10-15 gallon | 2 | $16-24 estimate | For 2 surplus Cherokee Purple sproutlings (rest gifted) |
Free if you can scavenge
Backs of Home Depot, Tractor Supply, or grocery stores often have free pallets in their loading/recycling area — ask before taking. Four pallets stand up to make a simple square compost bin. Free is best, but if pallets aren't available, a $15-25 wire fencing roll from Home Depot is the fallback.
What we deliberately are NOT buying this trip
- Chives — Allium toxicity to Lulee (see Plant Guide)
- Cilantro — bolts in Central Texas heat; fall planting in the shadier yard area instead
- Onions for tomato companion — also Allium family, same dog constraint
- 2nd blackberry — saved for fall budget (assuming another $500 then)
- Tomato cages — cattle panel is superior for indeterminate Cherokee Purple vines
- Full drip irrigation kit — soaker hose is a budget-friendly equivalent at this scale per AgriLife