Saturday's expedition to find containers turned out to be informative, but ultimately unproductive. I scoped out, on the tail end of a walk through the nearby bird sanctuary, a few multi-residences near my house which have large dumpsters. Not ready to commit to any particular container, I didn't venture into these, but made mental notes of their whereabouts, and plan to return. I realized that I also don't really have space to keep containers, and am not interested in watching them get buried under the 5-10 inches of snow we are currently being delivered. So, container procurement will have to wait until another day.
As i've been mulling over the gardening possibilities, I've realized that I'm going to have to diversify the geography of this project. My backyard is spacious and just dying for some planting, but its really the front of the house that gets the most sun. If I remember right, in early August the backyard got good sunshine until about 3:30 or 4pm, whereas the front gets pretty much all they daylight there is. Unfortunately, the front of the house is also a parking lot, hogged most of the time by our neighbors behemoth vehicles. There is a small patch of soil though, and the plants which currently occupy the space only vaguely resemble something that was once living. Perhaps my landlord won't mind if I put in some attractive containers of herbs in to "liven" things up a bit. (ha).
Speaking of herbs, I spent some time trolling the internet today to figure out what in the heck I'm actually going to plant. I don't want to be too overzealous, since according to the totally unofficial but extremely helpful "gardening 101" website (written by some bored man in Oregon) a small kitchen garden needs about 30 minutes of attention each day. That seems manageable, and I expect since I'll be doing a lot of things for the first time, it may be more than that.
I read that this region of the country is a 5B Hardiness Zone according to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map which has all sorts of implications for crop production. It seems like herbs, which apparently are obedient and do whatever you say, are great beginner plants, and will work in most climates. I'm going to go with thyme, rosemary, and sage to begin, and possibly add in basil and oregano later. The latter seem more finicky, especially since oregano sounds like the rabbit of the plant kingdom-- multiplies like crazy.
I also hope to plant onions and garlic. For vegetables I want to try: tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, snap beans, summer squash, and beets. And there is a variety of strawberry called Allstar that seems to do well in containers in the northeast. I'd love to have another fruit or two in the mix, but am not sure of other options without planting trees. Any suggestions?
Anyway, I'm beginning to get a better sense of what I can & can't do. I'm also beginning to get excited for (the idea of) tomatoes, which I only encounter these days when they've grudgingly slopped out of a marinara jar. Oh, sigh. That will all change, in time, in time!!
Many thanks to everyone for commenting, becoming "followers", and giving positive feedback so far! I continue to receive useful suggestions and ideas, and welcome yours.
Sara
p.s. Deb Talan, Cherry Tree
Sara!
ReplyDeleteNice blog so far. I hope it grows into an edible landscape. I have a few bits of advice from my own research (first hand and from the net/books).
Although it is cold and still not suitable for planting, winter is a great time to start to condition your soil. Healthy soil = bountiful garden. You can start collecting organic matter and sheet mulching (google it and you will find some nice methods). Collect cardboard, newspaper, leaves and straw. Sheet mulch is great because it creates healthy soil without having to dig up grass. Craigslist will help you find other FREE materials that might help you: wood for building planter boxes, soil, compost, manure, plant starts, bricks, etc. If you find any straw bales, grab them. Straw is great for ground cover after your planting. Straw helps keep the moisture in the soil on hot days and it also keeps the weeds and grasses out of your veggie garden (and as a bonus, provides habitat for a variety of bugs). A good compliment for straw mulch is coffee grounds (which will help keep the slugs and snails out of your garden).
Another tip, because of your climate and the ambition of a bountiful harvest so early in the growing season, you can start your tomatoes and other veggies indoors about 4-6 weeks before the first true spring day. Start the sprouts in starter trays and then put them into those smallish pots (like the ones you buy starts in nurseries). Keep them in full sun, plenty of water (not drowning) and some organic fertilizer. After the thaw, you can start to plant. Tomatoes are tropical, but there are varieties that are bred to be early bloomers and more cold tolerant - you should be able to find these seeds in a garden shop or food co-op.
Speaking of fertilizer...you will get a better yield if your soil is more fertile (duh!). My suggestion to you is to make a worm bin. A worm bin not only allows you to create beautiful and healthy compost in your house, but it will also give you a nice compost tea (an odorless brown liquid that you mix with water to water your plants). AND, as if that weren't enough, your worms will reproduce so fast that you will have surplus to put in your garden (worms do a lot of useful work for you like aerating the soil, depositing their poop/casting, and breaking down organic matter for you).
Winter time is also a good time to do research and garden design. I would suggest researching complimentary plantings (think three sisters - corn, squash and beans). ALSO, mushrooms are a great addition to any meal and SUPER EASY to grow. if you have a shady spot in your yard (or under a back deck) you can get some mushroom starts and you will have so many more than you can eat that you'll be giving them away by the bucket. Google it. Speaking of mushrooms, keep ALL of your coffee and tea grounds. You can grow mushrooms directly in coffee grounds, and coffee is great for your garden - just sprinkle it around your plants and it will keep slugs away (already mentioned, but worth mentioning again). Keep egg shells as well and if you are eating meat in your home, break and bury bones where you intend to plant.
And if this weren't enough to think about, one last bit of advice. Pee in your garden. The green that we see in plants comes primarily from nitrogen, which is abundant in your urine! Urine is especially good for tomatoes (google it).
i don't mean to burst your bubble, or be a cynic, or be the annoying brother (but then what else would i be), but i have to point out that tomatoes do grow on trees.
ReplyDeletegoogle: tomate de arbol
i ate this in Ecuador and drank its juice - mmm, mmm, mmmmmmm