Urban & Small Space Gardens 2009 - Container, Balcony, Patio, Indoors - Page 3

[beansricerevolt]

Originally Posted by mistymama

No, I don't use the topsy turvy .. I think it's ugly. :

I use a regular wire/metal hanging basket with the coca liner. I cut an "x" in the bottom of the coca basket and pull the plant through it. Place dirt on top & plant herbs. Very simple & very easy.

I am so going to try this this year! I wonder if Ill have any luck indoors?

[beansricerevolt]

Originally Posted by Indigo73

I actually have had very little human tampering... My side yard is open to an extremely heavy foot traffic area (local laundromat and easy parking lot to "cut" through.)

I just might chance it this year. We live right across the street from a school and during the summer its a teen hang out. Normally that would be ok but the group that hangs out there is involved in drug activity, tagging up the school, gang stuff... We live in a "hard" neighborhood and our block and the few next to us are notorious for gang activity. Not just ghetto as in not nice looking but I truly mean ghetto as in not very safe at times. During the day, its fine but as soon as night approaches, the activity starts. Our building isn't fenced in like every other building on our block. Actually, our building is one of maybe 3 buildings that are not fenced in. It would be so much easier if they could fence in our building.

[kittywitty]

Originally Posted by mistymama

No, I don't use the topsy turvy .. I think it's ugly. :

I use a regular wire/metal hanging basket with the coca liner. I cut an "x" in the bottom of the coca basket and pull the plant through it. Place dirt on top & plant herbs. Very simple & very easy.

How big does the basket have to be? I have 10" x 6" deep ones that I got pretty cheap.

[futurmama8]

Originally Posted by beansricerevolt

Could you set the containers out in the shared side yard? I might be doing that this year. Getting up every morning and dragging the buckets out front and pulling them back each night. Of course that will limit what I can grow. So plants need more space than others and those buckets can get heavy!
I would just leave them out there but we live in a semi ghetto neighborhood with vandalizing teens. The plants would be ripped out in no time. Heck, someone ripped off my DS bird feeder. It was hanging there on the window (garden apartment) and we found it trashed on the ground. Obviously done by human hands

Thanks for your response!! I live in a big apartment community so its many buildings with lots of apartments. I can only work on my balconey. I won't have any problems with vandalism, maybe just cats and squirrels.

I really just want to know if I have enough light or is it a lost cause?

[violets8]

buckets

What have you all grown in 5 gallon buckets? I have several and I am trying to decide what I should plant? I know tomatoes for sure. Do you think I kould put 2-3 cucumber plants in a bucket?

[beansricerevolt]

Originally Posted by futurmama8

Thanks for your response!! I live in a big apartment community so its many buildings with lots of apartments. I can only work on my balconey. I won't have any problems with vandalism, maybe just cats and squirrels.

I really just want to know if I have enough light or is it a lost cause?

You can plant low light veggies like lettuce. I would time and track the sun on your balcony. In my experience, you will want at least 4 hours of light. If all else fails, you can have an indoor garden and place containers next to the windows. This is what I have to do.

[Indigo73]

Originally Posted by violets8

What have you all grown in 5 gallon buckets? I have several and I am trying to decide what I should plant? I know tomatoes for sure. Do you think I kould put 2-3 cucumber plants in a bucket?

I had 3 plants of squash & cukes in each 5 gallon bucket. Tomatoes, 1 plant per bucket. Beans, a few plants per bucket. I did 2 pepper per bucket, but I don't think I am going to do that again, unless I have 2 of the same variety. Telling the green peppers from the red (until they ripened) was near impossible.

[kittywitty]

Originally Posted by violets8

What have you all grown in 5 gallon buckets? I have several and I am trying to decide what I should plant? I know tomatoes for sure. Do you think I kould put 2-3 cucumber plants in a bucket?

I have 4 pea plants per bucket (probably too much, but allowing for me failing some ) and 1 tomato per bucket and once the peas are done, I add the beans and tomatoes. I was going to plant some flowers maybe on the outside.

[Indigo73]

I had to put off putting in my seed order again. Ugh, tires or seeds, well you know what won. I just hope I don't get them too late. Hoping to order this weekend or next and cross my fingers that come in fast. I may just have to see if I can pick them up. The company is less than an hour away.

[katie9143]

Originally Posted by slsurface

: Great thread!

We bought our house a year and a half ago. We spent all last summer just fixing the back yard, which was filled with 15 years of bark mulch and nothing else <ick!>. Anyways, we built some patios and started herb and perennial gardens. (some pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/archymo...7608688239541/)

This summer I have plans to start the veg garden. I've been composting for the past year and I have some great new "soil" to get my veg garden started! My only issue is that I grew up in a warmer climate, so I'm feeling pretty unsure about when to start my seeds. I am currently near the border between zones 4 and 5. I have the following veg planned for the year...

From seed:
several heirloom lettuce varieties
kale
scarlet runner beans
sugar snap peas
sweet yellow peppers

From plants:
tomato
green pepper
hungarian peppers
cucumbers

I have the seeds already, but haven't started anything yet. I would like to purchase a few other veg as plants, just because I'm unsure about starting them from seeds in this climate. I'd also like to obtain some blueberry bushes...can these be planted in the spring or should I wait till fall?

Eventually, once I get things going, I'd like to grow onions, carrots, and potatoes...but I figure it's better start slowly and work up to growing that many different vegetables. I can't wait to see what everyone else is doing and I hope to get some good advice.

great yard! after seeing your pics im thinking that maybe i belong here! our property is about .12 acres and then there is our house, garage and driveway! so the backyard is pretty meager! i have tons of seedlings started and am going to try and squeeze them in around the backyard in 4 foot deep beds along the fence. hopefully i can get my squash plants to grow up the fence saving lots of space. i want to make sure there is still enough room for dd to play (she has a playhouse we just got second hand, a small slide and hopefully a sand and water table to come). i also really want to build a little patio area like yours! did you just rake or loosen the old grass/dirt underneath and then put the pavers down and let them settle or is there more to it than that? they make it look so easy on hgtv

im planning on putting my fruit in the fron yard, dh is still in the process of digging up the roots from the hedges he cut down last fall. i am planning strawberries, blueberries, a couple raspberry bushes and then im gonna try some watermelons and cantaloupe to grow up the old front picket fence.

[futurmama8]

I just got some huge pretty wicker baskets at the thrift store for 2 dollars. Someone told me I need to line them with plastic before I plant but I thought I didn't have to since the opening are so small and some oxygen will get through. What do you guys think?

[deditus]

New here, but not to gardening! I was a professional gardener in my previous life. We just moved to a lovely rehabbed 1909 duplex with a decent sized yard for this city and our landlords want to split a 10 by 15 ft garden area. I already signed up for a csa, so I am trying to decide what will be the best value for me to grow.

[Indigo73]

Originally Posted by deditus

New here, but not to gardening! I was a professional gardener in my previous life. We just moved to a lovely rehabbed 1909 duplex with a decent sized yard for this city and our landlords want to split a 10 by 15 ft garden area. I already signed up for a csa, so I am trying to decide what will be the best value for me to grow.

I'd say grow what you eat the most of... We are doing a CSA too, but I know we can each a pound of spinach a day, plus herbs, tomatoes for canning and other odds and ends that we can't get enough of.

It was hard to choose though. So I feel your pain.

[Indigo73]

Originally Posted by futurmama8

I just got some huge pretty wicker baskets at the thrift store for 2 dollars. Someone told me I need to line them with plastic before I plant but I thought I didn't have to since the opening are so small and some oxygen will get through. What do you guys think?

I think the plastic lining is more to 1) protect the wicker and 2) to help retain more water. Without a lining, I think the soil would dry out faster.

[illumini]

So I finally got most of the big planter finished. I still need to go get 2 more bags of soil and then I can get all my seedlings actually in the "ground". I have the peasin right now (actually they have been in for a couple of days). And they seem to be doing good. So I should have broccoli, sage, lettuce and some more things my preggo brain is forgetting, in the ground tomorrow.

How is everyone's gardens growing?

[ursusarctos]

Subbing.
Didn't have a chance to read the whole thread yet, but it looks extremely helpful! I have a small south-facing balcony in a country where it never gets completely dark in summer so I'd have to be way lazier than I want to think I am to pass up on this opportunity to try out growing some veggies

[Indigo73]

bumping...

Twiddling my thumbs while I wait for my seeds and making lists of things to do.

[violets8]

I was going to do strawberries last weekend but we have had 2 snowy days in a row with temps in teh 20's. I spoke to the lead farmer of our CSA and he said to hold off so I am thinking we are going to get them in the ground this weekend!

[Indigo73]

I saw strawberry plants while I was out scouting containers & materials this past weekend. I am seriously considering a plant or three.

[notjustmamie]

We bought seeds and a seed tray this week! I also signed us up for a plot in a community garden. It's 8' x 20'. I have no idea how much I can fit in it, but I guess we'll see.