Our Beginning

My son, Julian, in the jungle that was our side yard when we moved in.

When we moved from a small apartment with no green space, to a shared duplex with a small front and backyard off of Colley Ave, I was thrilled to get permission from the owners to do what I wished with it.  We started the biggest project, clearing and cleaning the backyard in May. Years of neglect meant weeks of pulling out monstrous ivy, hours of weeding, hacking, and chopping at a jungle of a backyard. We were cleaning up a space that had not been used in ages and desperately needed it. Thirty-five yard waste bags of ivy, sticks, and other noncompostable materials later (treasures found included one ceramic frog, several forks, an antique green glass bottle, and a buried welcome mat) the yard was cleared.

There was not much of a structured plan that first year, but by June we were ready to start putting plants in the ground to see what would happen. For the vegetable gardening we used mostly transplants, as well as a few seeds to see if we could keep them alive and producing. We designated a corner of the backyard to compost, loosely layering our kitchen waste with greens and browns collected from the yard as well as the house in a pile, and closing it in with a bit of wire mesh. I also picked up a few perennials on sale here and there at various nurseries along the way to help attract beneficial bees and butterflies for pollination.

Getting Started

View of entire yard, include raised bed used for more shade tolerant plants.

Plugging them in around the yard was easy, and we learned a lot that first season about what different varieties of plants need in terms of sun and water, how to deal with pests, how to fertilize them, etc. For instance, tomatoes in containers need to be monitored closely to make sure the soil stays damp. Over-watering followed by drying out can lead to Blossom End Rot which is easily remedied but even easier to avoid. Cucumbers need way more trellising than I realized so this year they will get more space. Squash needs help pollinating sometimes; Q-tips or a small paintbrush are the perfect way to transfer pollen between the male and female flowers. Birds really like berries so netting was necessary to cover the strawberries in order for any of the fruit to ripen. Most of this we learned trial-by-error style, but any good website or garden book from the library will be able to give you tips and hints to help make the most of what you decide to plant.

The End Result

Project Garden Summer 2009 really took off and almost nothing died. It felt like a real accomplishment for this black thumb! We were able to start harvesting some of our plants in July, and by summer’s end we had harvested a couple hundred tomatoes, bunches and bunches of basil, along with zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, peppers galore, green beans, parsley, and a handful of strawberries. We made sure to pick varieties of tomatoes, beans, peppers, eggplants, etc that can be continuously harvest rather than varieties that produce all at once. This information is easily found on the back of seed packets or with a quick Google search. Dinner was often straight from the backyard, and it was more colorful and tastier than anything you could get in a grocery store.

Our DIY compost bin.

At the end of that first season, our first batch of compost was ready to harvest as well. This meant we could move on to phase two of the plan. After ripping up a few more feet of weedy yard to expand the sunniest plot, we reduced the side garden with some edging to make best use of the space and sun we have. We gently worked in all of that glorious, rich, black, earthy smelling compost we had created over the summer throughout the improved plot and threw in some cold crops to see how we faired for a fall season. Things didn’t grow as well but I’ll be ready to try again next year, starting earlier.

Keeping the Momentum Going

We all know the green movement is in full swing. If you are the person who has already changed out all of their old school light bulbs for CFLs, uses reusable bags, cleans using nontoxic cleaners, and recycles, but can’t afford solar panels and doesn’t have time for a whole house overhaul, gardening is an incredibly rewarding next step. I’m doing it for my health and the health of my family, and for a little personal empowerment over our available food chain and the waste we create. I do it so my son knows what it is to play in the dirt, to work in the sun and fresh air, to watch something grow from a tiny speck to a full grown plant producing something he can eat right then and there.  Most of all, I do it because it feels good to get down in the dirt, to work with my hands, and to see great rewards at the end of the season and less trash at the curb every week.

Plus it’s good for the earth. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Something for Everyone

Don’t worry apartment dwellers! There are options and opportunities for all living situations. You may have to get a little more creative but anyone can grow their own food and start reducing their imprint. If you’re lucky enough to have more space–go big! Invite friends and neighbors to join in with their own plants or additions to your compost pile.

For the Apartment Dwellers

With limited to no outdoor space your focus may have to stay on reducing the waste coming out of your home while working with indoor light, or maybe a fire escape or stoop you have access to. You can easily grow herbs, sprouts, greens or small vegetables that are known to do well indoors.

The first step to reducing your waste output is composting. If you know you are going to be a long-term small space dweller I would recommend an indoor composting setup like this one from Nature Mill. A bit pricey on the front end but something you can use for years to come. If you know you’ll be moving again, a compromise would be a vermicomposting setup like this one you can get at Green Alternatives. Vermicomposting works indoors as well as outdoors making it an easy option for almost any living arrangement. It also allows you to produce compost tea, a great way to naturally fertilize your plants both inside and out.

Your next step would be figuring out how many plants you can accommodate in your home. If you have good sun exposure you might be able to have a few Earthboxes on window sills, fire escapes, or balconies. This would give you a wide range of planting options; tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, beans, etc. Additional containers of herbs are easily scattered about your living space where you get good sunlight, and you’re well on your way. Throw in some sprouts and you’ll be making salads in no time! They are incredibly easy, often require no light, and have a quick turnaround time.

For the Renters and Owners

September 2009, tomatoes were still producing and kole crops, lettuces, and onions are in the ground.

If you rent and there is green space available, your first step would be to inquire with your landlord about your options making, sure to highlight the improvements that are to their benefit. Then you might think about installing a rain barrel–they are a great way to save money and resources as well. Plus they are easy to install and use. Renters and owners alike should try Square Foot Gardening to take advantage of small spaces or just to keep things organized and easy. It’s very easy to regrow grass when it’s time for new tenants or you decide to take your yard in a different direction. Your landlord may even be open to letting you plant in existing beds.

A compost tumbler could easily be tucked in the corner of the yard or trash bin area and is easy to take with you if you move. If you do decide on a tumbler or compost plot in the yard you’ll also need a kitchen collection container. Something like: this, this, or this depending on your price point and how much waste your family creates on a daily basis. Composting allows you to reduce your waste as well as improve the soil you are growing your plants in.

If you own your home and are lucky enough to have yard space you can implement any and all of the above suggestions and then some. You can put in fruit and nut trees, have more SFG plots, maybe even take out the front yard you aren’t using and put in edibles and perennial herbs like this guy.

Happy Gardening!

Don’t try and do everything in your first season. Take it easy and pick a few key things to focus on so that you don’t risk becoming overwhelmed–you will be more inclined to stick with it that way. Outline a plan that best suits your living situation and dig in! Remember, no matter how it goes this first season you’re learning all the time and you’ll be more prepared for next year.

Now that we’ve weathered one summer season in this rental we’re ready to plow ahead. We’re hoping to double our plantings this coming summer using the Square Foot Garden method so that we are able to preserve more for the winter season. There are also two rain barrels out back waiting to be hooked up, and we can’t wait to see the effect this has on the water bill. With the help of our new neighbor we’re building up the compost bins with lumber for better containment and adding a vermicomposting setup to help balance out our fertilizers.

Small steps, a few changes here and there. Just enough to keep us moving towards a greener future.