Urban Gardening - Spread the Word

It's possible, and sometimes even highly productive.

I've been doing it for the last three years now, and in many situations you have to do containers, pots, or limited land area.

It is possible to have a wonderful garden filled with flowers, herbs, and even veggies when living on a plot smaller than a quarter acre.

Let's share our stories.

I sub-urban garden. Our lot is 3/4 of an acre, but most of that is deeply shaded or a thicket of trees. I have three raised vegetable beds. two are 5'x10' and one is 5'x5'. I am currently growing carrots, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, corn, pole beans, and okra in these beds. In pots and containers, I have:strawberries, herbs, blueberries, sweet potatoes, and potatoes.

We live in an older neighborhood with less than a half acre of yard. Last year was our first attempt at gardening. We built raised beds, but also amended a small area (4' x 4') of earth and planted a few things. That area did far better than the raised beds, so we went to all in the dirt with amendments this year. So far, so good! I'm currently growing cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, dill, bush beans, black-eyed peas, okra, strawberries, more tomatoes, and cantaloupe. We also have 3 blackberry plants and several herbs in pots. I have some borage growing with my strawberries and 3 different types of basil growing among my tomatoes.

We've already harvested carrots, potatoes, and onions.

Part of our backyard is shaded by the trees in the neighbor's backyard and we have a big oak tree on one side of our backyard. I told DH we needed a garden the entire size of our backyard minus the 5' area from our back fence! However, the tree would have to come down and I'm not too keen on that idea.

I've done a fair amount of container growing and have had success with all kinds of hot peppers, cucumbers, watermelon (sugar baby), squash, carrots, basil, oregano, parsely, chives, onions, tomatoes, cilantro/corriander, and a couple years ago I even got 2 ears of corn out of a 3 gallon container.

If you look around it's not uncommon to find "suited for containers" on the seed packets of cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, etc.

If you have room for a bucket, you have room to grow a vegetable. Some plants may not reach their full potential when limited by container size so you may not get a bumper crop of giant produce but that doesn't make them any less tasty or satisfying to grow.

I am telling everyone I know about the fun and wonder about growing your own food. Many of the people I know prefer organic food, but they run to the local Wh... Foods store to plunk their cash down for veggies that we can grow ourselves. The movie Food, Inc. changed my life, I think. Before this year, I only cared about "landscape" kind of gardening, azaleas, perfect grass, etc..Now, I am learning about this whole new world of veggie gardening! I am looking forward to having a bigger yard to build a moveable chicken coop and keep some rabbits too. I am learning from other threads that rabbit poop is the best natural manure!
Love this website!

I live in Hyde Park, MA--technically Boston. An advantage to being in the city is we don't have so many bugs, and certainly fewer critters to go after our crops! We bought this house 10 years ago, and the previous owners had raised beds in the front yard. They were so excited to hear that I wasn't going to rip them out for a lawn that they put in their summer crops for us before they moved. I've since had to redo the beds, and expanded them to 9 4'x4" beds, and added a 2'x6' herb garden and a strawberry pyramid with 50 plants; we also have 3 blueberry bushes that were already here. I experiment with some different things every year, but always do lettuce, arugula, peas, pole beans, basil, tomatoes, cukes, squash of some sort....oh, and lots of other things. I just love it, and I've learned so much from this site. We also have 2 boys that we adopted through social services (which means trauma history), and there is something so healing about a garden. When you're trying desperately to teach kids how to regulate their behaviors and SETTLE, it's nice to see them learning to get excited about home-grown, heirloom tomatoes, or cukes, or purple beans, or homemade pickles...you get the idea. And the garden is my sanity-saver.

I haven't had a veggie garden in several years so the small beds I had before became mostly self-seeded perennial beds. This year my young neighbors, who will share in the bounty, helped me dig six 12' rows and today I started creating a lasagna bed. So far I have 3 kinds of potatoes, bush and pole beans, red cabbage, brocolli, cauliflower, squash, radishes, green onions, cucumber, and lettuce. In large containers I have tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers and spring mix lettuces. I have an herb garden with rosemary, sage, thyme, chives, oregano, lavender and fennel. This is all in my sunny approx. 60' X 40' back yard, bordered with flower beds on two sides. My goal is to replace all the grass with veggies. On my wish list are blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and mushrooms. In the fall I'll plant garlic and shallots. While at Home Depot today to pick up peat moss for my lasagna beds, I noticed a lot of veggie starts specifically for containers. Two of my neighbors also have small veggie plots.

My next door neighbor wants a veggie bed so badly, but her backyard is so small and almost all shade. She's going to build a nice potager garden in her front yard, though. She plans on starting this fall with her lasagna beds and then plant in the spring.

Stephanie, my neighbors have the same problem as yours: little space & lots of shade. That's why we came up with solution of using my space and their labor, especially for the heavy work. It pays to have strong, energetic young people next door. So far it's worked out pretty well, though I'm going to have to introduce them to the concept of weeding pretty soon. :) Interestingly enough, before this came about another neighbor asked if he could make a small bed for some tomatoes and peppers. That, too, would have been fine but he later decided to go with large containers for his itsy-bitsy but sunny yard. I think urban gardening is one of the most sensible, healthy trends to come around in a long time and after several years of not being able to garden, I'm thrilled to be back at it. Now, if we could only convince our stodgy city council to allow keeping a small number of hens within the city limits and I could find the $$, I'd be even happier.

I've been very lucky in the last two places that I've lived within the city that I actually had some ground rather than just a sunny spot and some containers.

I keep hearing everyone singing the praises of raised beds, and maybe one day I'll build one....every day after thirty years old it seems like the back hurts more bending over for weeding and what not.

Is this a trend of which Americans can take hold? It's that vague aesthetic....so much of the 'near burbs' try for is a lawn of well mown grass.

New Orleans is a bit different than many other metropolitan areas in that we realy aren't that dense. Sure there are some apartment complexes that are over two stories, but not that many over all. Most folks live on the ground floor below sea-level here.

Shade is certainly a big deal in any city or metro area. When your house is only fifteen feet or less from the house next door you need to take that into consideration.

In my case I would do more in the front yard, BUT.....there is a wonderful 200 plus year old cypress tree that shades not only most of my front lawn, but the neighbors front yard (the ones to the east of us, next door).

For folks with raised beds, no mater what metro area: Have your neighbors generally been positive about it?

Is that the trend and way to go?

Even though I'm technically in a city my actual location feels rural so nobody cares about raised beds. Immediately next to us is a cul de sac with several new homes, with the typical prim and proper lawns and landscaping. The next door neighbor has a gigantic newly built home, guest house, 4 car garage, huge lawn and landscaping etc. but last year he built a small greenhouse and put in a couple of raised beds and nobody complains. Within a quarter mile of me someone has their entire yard growing chili and corn... no grass... no flowers... just food.

In one not-so-nice part of the city full of low rent high crime apartments someone bought an apartment block and offered all new (and existing probably) tenants a free cold frame to grow their own stuff in. That was several years ago and just a few days ago I was driving through and noticed cold frames and raised beds in front of quite a few of the houses and apartments. The neighborhood even has a small community garden now. Clearly if enough people complained the city would do something but that hasn't happened and the neighborhood seems a little more peaceful now than it did just a few years ago.

When we were looking for our latest home, I chose one that had a large open space big enough for a vegetable garden. Most houses around here are surrounded by mature trees, which is lovely, but as we gardeners know, is not suitable for vegetable growing.

Some of the newer neighborhoods outright ban the growing of vegetables within sight of their neighbors!

I was a bit nervous that the neighbors would object, albeit quietly, about my front yard garden (although it is hidden behind hedges). Or that new visitors to the house would find it very eccentric. But over the years I've gotten nothing but compliments--the fellow gardeners are either envious of the space, or just happy to see another gardener. Those that don't garden may think I'm odd, but when they realize what I'm picking out of my yard, I think they get a bit envious, too. Even if you don't like to garden, who doesn't like (relatively cheap) fresh produce?

When I've finished with the back yard, I plan to start on the front. I have a strip next to my driveway that gets full sun and looks perfect to grow sweet potatoes. Vardeman has nice purple leaves, and I doubt if anyone would know it was anything but a "ground cover" unless they really knew the difference.

When I lived in south Florida, I grew cherry tomatoes behind the flowers in the front garden. You couldn't even see them from the street. It was so nice to step out of the car and pop a tomato in my my mouth on the way into the house.

Last year, i grew a pumpkin plant in the front flower bed by the driveway of my house near the curb. No one was the wiser!

That's a great idea, honeybee. The vardeman leaves look very attractive.

I live in the suburbs of Houston and have a 3/4 acre lot. I currently have a mix of raised beds (6) and pots in which I grow various veggies, flowers, and herbs. My raised beds are toward the back of the yard because at the time I thought it would be better to have them "out of the way." Of course, now I realize that watering everything is becoming a pain in the neck so I am strongly considering other plans.

Like many of you, gardening has become an obsession. So, to that end, I think I might just blow-up my backyard and till-away all the grass in a big 30' x 15' (or so) plot and quit all of this one-bed-here-one-bed-there nonsense. I'll be like Richard Dreyfus in that movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" when he became obsessed with a vision and built that mountain inside his home. All his neighbors came out and just starred at him...

Hmm, pumpkins in the front flowerbed sound pretty awesome...I have run out of space in the back....

Could you get away with that Sapphire? Not sure what part of Pearland you are in but it's mostly developed neighborhoods, right? Or are there some rural areas?

I think it would be cool, but I'll bet I would violate some obscure deed restriction and the HOA peeps would send me a nasty letter ASAP.

I don't live in a developed subdivision. No homeowners association. According to the post office, we are actually in a rural area. Can do anything I darn well please, and with the jungle my neighbors next door have, no one had better complain about my pumpkins. :D

If I did live in an HOA, well, I'm a rebel and I'd figure out how to hide them as ground cover under bigger shrubs.

The leaves do get HUGE and the vines get very LONG, so be prepared!

I would never want to live in an area that had a HOA....not so much here, but I know of two cases of friends back in Mobile, AL that couldn't take it anymore and sold - not at a loss both were several years ago before the housing market went kaput.

One thing we have going on for us since that storm is the vacant lot situation:
It seems to maaaaybe be catching on - the idea of you have an empty lot, and you've moved on somewhere else or bought another property but for the people who are back in the neighborhood that land can be used for something. And I know this is different from most 'sub-urban' 'almost-urban' areas, but I'd really like to hear from someone in another shrinking city, say Detroit comes to mind first....also if maybe you're in an area like Arizona, Nevada, Florida where there have been so many forclosures....would banks be agreable to the neighbors using that space in a constructive way.

I dunno, sorta rambling but I hope ya'll get the idea.

Honeybee- I think it's absolutely terrible to say that veggies can't be grown in the front yard....again, HOA & city ordinances that don't make any REAL sense but they try to pass them because they think it's going to be good for the realestate market (that's the best I can figure).

JohnC- I'd be the guy that saw the mountain and said "coooool....but what the heck is it (for)?" Really need to watch that movie again, must be ten years now since I saw it last. Don't even remember any of the characters names.

As far as raised beds go.....in another post I wrote about how most of the driveway isn't used; this is a type that can be common in older neighborhoods back in Mobile and many areas here in N.O., concrete with grass or more often weeds growing in the middle section. 3/4ths of the driveway is never used, so I dug up the weeds, turned over the dirt, added compost and fertilizer and WOW, the cukes and melons are going crazy.

Something like this I think could be a great place to do a raised bed.
I don't think the neighbors would mind....seeing how in another month my plants are going to be totally crawling into their side yard.

I've enjoyed reading everyones posts so far and I do hope this is a trend that more people will pick up on.

Last side note:

Dork- you're in ABQ, I haven't been there in 15 years now, how is it as a city these days? I have fond memories but those are all childhood and teenage years and my grand-folks didn't live in a bad neighborhood. I love the tv show Breaking Bad but I can't immagine all of Albuquerque has been overrun with meth cartels....

Peace ya'll.

stephanietx, I know. I have butternuts in the backyard and they are attempting to take over the world. I had to lift them while hubby edged around that bed. However the bed is weed free and they are attractive vines. Plus, think of how cool that would look in the fall?!

I don't think I would want to move into an HOA either, but we may not have a choice if there are no decent rural properties available when we buy this fall. I want to stay in the school district I'm in, because both of the other local ones are crap!

Most of ya'll know I'm relegated to growing on the "fringe" of the DH's St. Augustine grass. Consequently, most of my "urban" gardening is done in eBuckets, EBs and two small raised beds.

I currently have okra growing in one raised bed; bell peppers in eBuckets; tomatoes in the patented EBs; and the last of the potatoes growing in 20-gallon SmartPots and washing machine tubs.

This is a great thread. I've been thinking how I want to configure the small, sunny backyard of my retirement property for when I get ready to move back there. I'm truly considering hiring a professional landscaper to show me possibilities for maximizing my growing space for veggie gardening.

The design would need to include extras like a rain barrel, portable hoop house, convertible trellis systems, and a drip irrigation system. All, esthetically pleasing and configured to maximize growing space.

John - maybe you could run an extention from your current water pipe to the back of your lot and attach a hose to it.

That's a good idea Honeybee. I need to seriously research this a bit more because I don't know exactly what I need. I am only moderately "handy", so I should prolly just go to Lowes or Home Depot and see what they have.

I gave you the idea because I thought of doing it myself so hubby doesn't have to drag two hoses around. I'm not even "moderately handy." Let me know what you find at Lowes or Home Depot.

Hmmm, Gymgirl's Purple Sage Mustard looks like a beautiful and tasty prospect for a front yard plant. I am also thinking about onions and garlic.

I need to re-landscape our front yard because it is so bland and I think these plants will go nicely. Most people will be none-the-wiser about the onions and garlic, right?

Of course, I don't plan on re-doing the landscape any time soon, I'm just brainstorming right now. No matter what, I would like to work in some vegetables and edible plants.

John,
That's Osaka Purple Mustard. And growing veggies within your front landscape would be cool. The only thing you wouldn't be able to hide is the smell of onions and garlic!

I'm offering the last of the OPMs so LMK soon.

A nice rainbow mix of swiss chard is also great for a front yard situation where some neighbors may not like the look of raised beds or rows.

The combination of greens, whites, yellows, reds, and purples is decorative and edible. As a note for other deep south folks...while my lettuce bolted a month ago, the chard is still hanging in there other than being eaten by the bugs.

Gymgirl- Osaka Purple Mustard? Clue me in please...do you have a photo of it and what is it used for....sounds interesting.

I'm not a fan of lettuce, but I grew some the first season I was here. When they bolted some of them had the most beautiful blue flowers which would look stunning in a front yard setting.

I've decided I only like Arugula, and now it self-seeds and grows everywhere!

Check this out Honeybee. I'm not sure how this works because wouldn't you have to leave the main faucet open all the time??

http://www.faucetstretcher.com/index.html#

I've got a mix of rainbow swiss chard in my backyard and it is still going strong. We love it. I also had some "regular" swiss chard that was sowed last fall and it bolted in April. But yes, the rainbow mix would also work well in a front yard landscape.

Hey Linda- when do you plant garlic? What about onions? P.S., watch your d-mail RE: the mustard seeds.

NOLADude,
There're links to the OPM plant offer on the vegetable gardens, heirloom gardens, and beginner vegetables garden threads.

John - that's similar to what I had in mind, but I would prefer something that sticks in the ground. I think it's called a "stand pipe" - you'd think I would know all these terms seeing as I work for a builder ^_^

I just looked up "stand pipe" and that's not what I thought it was!

This message was edited Jun 21, 2010 11:34 AM

Lol, I think I know what you mean. I've seen a couple of products that have some sort of stake for the extension faucet so one would not have to bend over so much.

That's it! If you find out what it's called, please let me know. Wish I could take a photo of the picture of it in my mind - hmm - wonder if future genertions will be able to do that?

Something like this?

http://www.harrietcarter.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/_/Faucet-Extender/productID/f2d4e77c-02b2-4ada-95be-f3273de4c482/categoryID/1575d078-cd84-48b7-9af4-99f6a19a2959/

Or, this?

http://www.google.com/products?q=FAUCET+EXTENSION+STAKE&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&oe=UTF-8&safe=active&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=15IfTOCfMNS6nAffjaznAw&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQrQQwAA

John, I plant garlic in late September-early October. Onions you can start from seed in October up here, but sets don't go in the ground until February.

Steph,
Is your Zone 8a comparable to my Zone 9a? We're averaging temps in the mid-90s all this week, with just about full sunshine. Heat index somewhere from 99-101.

Are you rooting any cuttings for a fall tomato plantout?