Mixing edibles with ornamentals in your urban garden

One of the best ways I have learned to grow edibles (veggies, fruits and herbs) in my garden is to mix them with ornamentals like flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees. I didn't come up with this idea on my own; rather, I fell upon a wonderful book titled Designing and Maintaining your Edible Landscape by Robert Kourik.  In spite of its first publishing being a few decades back (1986), the book has become more popular in the recent years, as urban gardening surges.  Rosalind Creasy has written the forward to the book, a notable and prolific edible gardening author in her own right as well.  

Nasturtiums can also be eaten.

Among my favorite chapters in the book, is the chapter on beneficial insects and insectary plants (a term used in the book). It's a surefire method of gardening know-how since adept design should involve both functionality and beauty.  For instance, Kourik identifies nasturtiums as nurse plants because they offer places for beneficial insects like ladybird beetles to lay eggs; and in turn, the aphids which are already present on the leaves, will serve as a source of food for the young when they hatch.  Then the cycle will continue and the beetles will go about eradicating insect pests from your yard and beyond (probably more likely in your neighbors, unfortunately). 

Echinacea or coneflower is great choice for pollinators.

There are many more beneficial insects listed in the book besides the well known ladybird beetle (aka ladybug), which I won't mention here because this blog post is about edibles and ornamentals.  The main idea that is taught in the book is to plant nurse plants and plants with a high pollen count within the confines of the yard.  Nurse plants tend to go around the perimeter of the garden (to prevent aphids and such from infesting prized crops) and flowering plants for pollinators are intermingled between veggies and fruits to improve yields.  As a rule of thumb, wild flowers and herbs are the best choices for pollinators in the garden.  

A bee on an allium, a flowering bulb related to the onion.

Companion planting was another important concept that I learned from the book.  This is the idea of planting particular plants with one another for the benefits they provide to each other.  For example, marigolds are known to be insect repelling plants (the smell is averse) so it is recommended that you plant them around vegetables like tomatoes.  Herbs can be used in the same way, as they are pungent and ward off pests, even deer. 

Marigolds and lettuce are planted together in a window box.

There is also the type of companion planting whereby you can plant some vegetables together to maximize planting area based on the size of your crops and when they are harvested; such as many gardeners do when they plant radishes, carrots or onions (radishes on top, carrots on bottom).  That's another blog topic for another time...

Creating a garden with edibles and ornamentals combined is not only fun, but it provides an asethically pleasing "punch" to the senses.  The neighbors will definitely notice your curb appeal, and you can sneak in a few of your veggies into the front yard without the Homeowner's Association getting after you (Sadly, some cities have ordinances against food being planted in the front yard).  In other words, gone are the days of planting crops and fruit trees only in rows.  You can get creative and work with the design principles of scale, color, or texture; or you plant freestyle and just throw flowering seed bombs around your food crops and trim out any interfering ones later.   

The ease of having a garden of this type is one of its perks.  For example, only one trip out to the yard will be necessary to prepare for a nice evening meal at home.  All one has to do is gather some cut flowers (Dahlias are super) for the table, pick off some tomatoes and lettuce for the salad, and snip some select herbs for the main entree; eliminating trips to the various markets and also allowing for the yard to still look like a mesh mash of loveliness (no gaping holes when intermingling veggies and flowers).

Can you find the edibles?

Some favorites of mine:

Collect some seeds from the sunflower and flowers for the table.

Among my favorite vegetables to plant with in containers with ornamentals is chard. Chard is easy to grow from seed and the large leaves come in an assortment of colors, making it an excellent choice for adding height to potted arrangements.

Herbs are another standard for me when combining edibles with ornamentals.  Many herbs have delicate leaves and pretty flowers available in many shades.  Some trail and others tower, but I like to stick with the more compact varieties such as basil, oregano, sage, chives and cilantro.

Strawberries are another favorite choice of mine when mixing edibles with flowers.  Strawberries trail in a delightful way and the sweet berry smell is a bonus.   

To conclude...

If you didn't know about this type of gardening, I hope that I inspired you just a little to try it out.  You can learn much more about edible landscaping by reading the book I made mention of, which I highly recommend.  Enjoy the dirt and sunshine my fellow (urban) gardeners; and remember, the more interesting you make your designs, the more others will say "Now, there's someone with a green thumb." 

  

The best vegetable varieties for patios, balconies and terraces

Spring's foot is almost here and that means gardeners are getting anxious to put their green thumbs into some dirt and start planting. To prepare my fellow urban gardeners for this season of renewal, I have sifted through a number of excellent seed catalogs for the best of the patio vegetable and fruit varieties. This list is not comprehensive, but it does identify what is currently available for container loving hybrids and heirlooms.

I am well aware that some gardeners are not fans of hybrids, as these are breakthrough breeds of vegetables and fruits; but I find them fascinating because they offer new ventures for gardeners with improved performance or optimized flavor.  For those of you who do not know, it is important to note that hybrid does not mean GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms.)  On the contrary, I am not a supporter of the new GMO seeds and I refuse to support companies that offer them.  The newest hybrid variety this year that is of particular curiosity to me is a grafted TomTato called "Ketchup 'n' Fries."  Additionally, to my surprise a watermelon variety called Sugar Pot has been developed to fit into a container as well as a corn breed called On Deck. 

In regard to heirlooms, they are equally as enticing as the hybrids because of the myriad of options, especially since most supermarkets don't sell every God given heirloom out there. Heirlooms tend to be colorful, full of rich flavor, great for cooking; and because they have been around a long time, they have proven themselves to be hardy against disease as well.

Beans for bursting

Pencil Pod Golden Wax is a bush bean that has been a favorite of gardeners since 1900.  The pods are 6" long, stringless, slim like a pencil, yellow and edible.  With just 60 days to maturity, the beans are highly versatile and can be cooked, canned, or frozen.  The gardener also favors this plant because it is highly disease resistant too.  

Blueberries for biting 

Blueberries may take a couple years to produce a bountiful harvest but it's definitely worth the wait because they offer a punch of nutrition and add so much to baked recipes.  The best container types are self pollinating.  Top Hat is a dwarf variety with blueberries the size of peas.  It grows only 2' tall and 12" in diameter and works well in zones 5-7.  Patriot is a little bigger at 4' in both directions and the fruits are large, working well in zones 3-7.

Carrots for cooking 

When I think of carrots, I think of France for some reason; maybe because many of the tastiest heirloom varieties are used in French cooking.  Smaller varieties of carrots are harder to find in stores, but they exist and are quite cute.  Oxheart is a very old Chantenay heirloom type that grows in a heart shaped formation, reaching 5-6".  Paris Market is a 19th century heirloom with round reddish orange carrots that are 1-2" in diameter.  This variety is coveted by gourmet restaurants.  Tonda di Parigi is another 19th century heirloom, but from Italy.  The carrots are short and round, so it's perfect for shallow containers.

Corn for cracking

The first ever sweet corn bred for containers is exclusively sold by Burpee.  On Deck is a hybrid that grows to just 5' in height and produces bicolor corn that reaches 8" in length.  Each corn stalk produces approximately 1-2 ears. 

Cucumbers for crunching 

Cucumber plants can get pretty large, but they are a must for salads and sandwiches; so it's great that there are container varieties for sale. Patio Snacker has been tested in field trials and seems to stay within a 3' radius.  It's a vigorous producing plant with 7" long cukes.  Mini Munch cucumbers are just 4" long and can be trellised and also tolerate lower temperatures.  Spacemaster is a very compact bushy plant that works well for pickling.  Then there is the All-American Selections Winner, Salad Bush Hybrid, which grows 8" long cucumbers in just 57 days.

Eggplant for eating

Eggplant is a must for vegetarians and vegans because it makes for a great meat substitute.  I have personally grown Japanese eggplant in a container and it worked quite well as the fruit is long and thin and I got multiple yields throughout the summer season.  Patio Baby is an All American Selections Winner that also works great in a container because it only grows to be no more than 24" tall.  These eggplants yield 3" long, egg shaped fruit that are almost black in color. 

Peas for popping

Peas are super healthy, supplying our bodies with omega-3 fatty acids.  They are easy to grow in cooler weather too.  Little Snowpea Purple is a dwarf snow pea that grows 24" tall and has showy purple flowers.  Little SnapPea Crunch has self supporting vines and grows up to 32" in height.  Half Pint, also called Tom Thumb, is a rare heirloom dating back to 1850 from England.  This shelling pea only grows to be up to 8" tall so it does not need to be staked, but it still produces full sized pods.  Lastly, Burpee exclusively sells Peas in a Pot, which grows to be 10" high.

Peppers for pickling

Habanero Peach is the Seed Savers Exchange's favorite container variety.  It is unique because of its peach color; but just like regular Habanero peppers, these are very hot.  Rooster Spur peppers are 2" long peppers that grow on plants that reach 2' high.  These are rare and are traditionally used to make hot Rooster Pepper Sausage.  McMahon's Texas Bird pepper looks a lot like cranberries on a 12" bush.  These peppers are native to Texas and are medium hot. Perhaps, what's the most interesting about these seeds is how they were originally given to Bernard McMahon from Thomas Jefferson.  

If you are looking for a pepper that is more ornamental than culinary for a container then Chinese Ornamental, Candlelight or Medusa are great choices. Sweet Sunshine is also ornamental, but it's not as fiery hot as ornamental's tend to be so it's the edible ornamental that you could plant in a hanging basket. 

As far as sweet peppers go for containers, ODA is perfect for pots. This heirloom pepper is also ready in early summer.  The fruit is a cute bell shape and is a pretty plum purple at first that later turns red-brown when ripe.  

Strawberries for slicing

Strawberries look divine in containers and who doesn't want to walk out onto their veranda and pop a sweet berry into their mouth?  Moreover, strawberries that truly are fresh are hard to find in the stores so it's better to grow your own.  I think the prettiest of the container varieties for strawberries is a hybrid called Rainbow Treasure because it bears white, pink, and deep rose colored flowers.  Other container types of strawberries include the Mara Des Bois, an everbearing French variety that will only spread up to 2'; and Sweet Kiss, which is also an everbearing variety that grows on plants that reach just 12" with white blooms.  

Tomatoes for tasting

Fortunately, there are many types of tomatoes to choose for a small space, but the best rule to adhere to is to buy determinate types rather than indeterminate types.  This year I am growing a tomato called Red Robin, which is a very compact variety with potato like leaves that may work well in a window box.  The other years before, I grew a sweet tasting cherry tomato hybrid that I recommend called Sun Gold.  

Cherry and grape tomatoes are especially convenient for patios and balconies, but some get overly tall so it's better to stick with shorter varieties such as Sweetheart of the Patio, Tumbling Tom Yellow, Sweet Pea, and Lizzano.  Other hybrid tomatoes that grow well in containers include Patio Princess, Patio Paste, and Better Bush.  

The company known as Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds has selected Geranium Kiss as its top choice for container growing.  The tomato is an early producer with round fruits that have pointed ends about the size of a golf ball.  The company also sells a very tiny tomato plant that only reaches a foot in height called Minibel. Territorial Seed Company and The Seed Savers Exchange sell the smallest tomato I've seen with fruit that is only 1/4" called Sweet Pea.

Watermelon for whacking 

Would you believe watermelon can now be grown in a container? Sugar Pot is the first of its kind, spreading no further than 18" of the pot that you plant it in.  Mature in about 82 days, the fruit is approximately 8-10 pounds with red flesh.  

Zucchini for zzz-delight

Patio Star was bred to fit into a container and is about half the size of a standard zucchini plant; yet, it produces full size fruit.  The plant is spineless with silver speckled leaves and is mature in just 50 days.


Now that I've done the work for you, go out there and purchase some container varieties that will look great on your patio, balcony or terrace.  Fresh food is never underrated and planting edibles can look terrific when planted with flowers too.  Happy planting!

Progressive design for small space gardeners

Urban garden design has taken off in Europe

As a balcony gardener, I like to look for aesthetically pleasing and innovative containers or mediums to grow both flowers and vegetables in that also don't take up a lot of space. Urban gardeners often don't have big yards to grow plants so it is absolutely essential that they have a means to grow food and flowers in.

I have been studying what is both chic and functional for anyone with limited space.  Consequently, I have discovered that the Europeans seem to be on the cutting edge of progressive urban garden design and I would love for the Americans to catch up with not just a trend, but a productive lifestyle.

Outside the "box" container gardening is more common than you think 

There is an unorthodox gardening trend that the "earthier type" has popularized in the last few years. For example, items that are completely unrelated to gardening are being used as plant containers with upcycling and reuse in mind, especially if that item is broken. Shoe organizers are often used to plant herbs in, colanders are used to grow strawberries, pallets work well for veggies, burlap bags can grow potatoes, tires make petunias look edgy, tin cans are cool for succulents, and pansies are cute in the tops of boots.  As you can gather, the possibilities are endless if the urban gardener has an imagination and isn't afraid of what the neighbors might think.  I have even seen items such as baby carriages, shopping carts, bath tubs, VW Beetles; and dare I mention, toilets being used as planters.

Then there is hay bale gardening, which is a great option if you aren't keen on having a lot of soil to contend with. Hay bales are fairly easy to transport and carry so these can work great; but again, this type of planting medium is not for the "traditional" city type gardener.

Sustainable wood makes for fine looking planters

If flea market gardening isn't your style, there are less unorthodox methods for small space garden design while still adhering to what's environmentally conscientious.  Reclaimed wood businesses are on the increase in the urban gardening market.  Cedar wood is particularly good for containers. I personally like http://cedarcraft.com/ products, which uses Western Red Cedar from mills that normally would toss the scrap material. Besides the benefits of recycling ceder, it also naturally resists rot, fungus, and insects too.  

There are also companies that make wood planters from sustainable tree plantation sources such as http://www.vegtrug.com/.  VegTrug is a portable raised planter with a deep V-shaped bed that allows for a range of soil depths to accommodate different plants' needs. Being that the planter is off the ground, its ergonomic design prevents the gardener from having to bend over, meanwhile safeguarding plants from pets and pests. Additionally, when weather takes a turn for the best you can move it to take advantage of a microclimate; and inversely, if the weather takes a turn for the worst, it is easily moved out of the way of frost.

Vertical gardens maximize space 

Perhaps the most modern and stylish of all urban garden design is vertical gardening.  Metropolitan areas have caught on to its appeal, while seeing its benefits.  In fact, the ParkRoyal Hotel on Pickering in Singapore won the award for best green urban design in November 2015 by the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) for its vertical gardens. The architects not only sought to replace the lost greenery in constructing the hotel, but aimed to multiply it.  To be exact, foliage cover encompasses more than 200% of the structure's total land area.

The basic concept of vertical gardening is like that of what a skyscraper does: use the upward space because ground space is limited.  Balconies, patios, and terraces tend to be small and if the the urban gardener fills up the horizontal space with pottery and hanging baskets galore, this only adds to what may look more like hoarding than lovely and functional.  

Vertical gardening can vary in its methods of supplying plants with their basic needs. Some gardeners put together living walls with soil hidden in the frame, but many designs involve either aeroponic or hydroponic design.  These methods differ from other small space gardening methods because unlike the containers that use soil to grow plants, they use water and/or air exclusively. Consequently, aeroponic and hydroponic gardening is quite clean, which can be helpful in keeping an outdoor space tidy. These methods are also more hands-off because of their automation, which works for busy urban lifestyles.

One of the pioneers in aeroponic vertical gardening is http://www.towergarden.com/.  Aeroponic design is similar to hydroponic design, but it uses a lot less water and involves oxygenation in its process.  The company sells towers made of UV stabilized, food grade plastic that work using a system that pushes a water and mineral based nutrient solution up through a central hose to the top of a tower.  The solution then drips back down over the plant roots and becomes oxygenated as it returns to the main reservoir. Their system can enable the gardener to grow up to 28 flower, vegetable or herb plants in one tower and save on water expenditure too.  Moreover, NASA research suggests that aeroponic growing takes about half the time of conventional growing methods.

Roof top gardens solve space issues for urban dwellers

Small space gardening can also include roof top gardens, and this is a great solution to obtaining space when land is sold at a premium in urban areas. Roof top gardens are basically garden beds that are set up on a roof area utilizing a protective membrane, however, it is a delicate process that should involve engineers. Some gardeners plant sedums and mosses, while others aim to grow food up high where it gets lots of sunlight.  I particularly like the design of the Mill Valley Cabins in San Francisco because their rooftop design is integrated into the surrounding environment so it doesn't look like an eyesore (http://www.designboom.com/architecture/feldman-architecture-mill-valley-cabins-in-san-francisco/).

Cityscapes should no longer be gray but green

With all these options for small space gardeners, we all can say "good-bye" to the concrete jungle.  More and more studies are finding how plants not only improve the air quality and cool temperatures of our surroundings, but our health is greatly improved when we are surrounded by nature.  So, it's time to move forward and seek a more green space and watch your plants grow along with your happiness.  

   
   

Portland (Oregon) let's build a bee highway, too.

Norway leads the way in bee highway implementation

I like how Oslo, Norway is building the world's first bee highway. I live in Oregon and I would love for Portland to start up a bee highway that could potentially go down the I-5 corridor through Salem, Albany/Corvallis, Eugene; and perhaps, all the way down to Roseburg. The concept of a bee highway isn't a major feat, as all it really involves is getting people together for the common good of planting bee friendly plants down a route that facilitates bee traffic and encourages their populations. Bees are in greater need of protection than ever, especially with the rise of chemical use in the agriculture sector and increases in urban sprawl, so bee highways may be a positive addition to urban land use by providing the bees with hospitable environments.

Summer losses outweigh winter losses 

According to a recent survey by the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, there were greater losses in bee populations in the summer of 2014 than in the winter of 2014-2015. Of the 6,000 beekeepers that responded across the 50 states to the survey, approximately 42.1 percent of their colonies were killed off over the course of the year.  Summer losses for 2014 were at 27.4 percent whereas 23.1 percent of honey bee colonies were lost during the winter of 2014-2015. This is an increase from the summer of 2013 at 19.8 percent while it is a slight decrease for the winter of 2013-2014 at 23.7 percent.   

Colony Collaspe Disorder may be blamed 

Why so many bees dying during the warm weather months?  This strange occurrence may point out that something was introduced to the environment that is lethal to the bees. Colony Collaspe Disorder (CCD) is a phenomena that is killing off bees and leaving hives without workers. It is connected to various sources, but pesticide use is the leading concern. Experts will claim that this phenomena is not visibly apparent to the recent bee die offs, but I would beg to differ. Granted, varroa mites take a good percentage of bees each year, however we also know that one of the primary culprits for commerical die offs are neonicotinoids. Their use has become so rampant for wheat, corn and soy products along with vegetables and fruits that I don't see how bees are able avoid these pesticides' paralyzing affects. 

Mankinds' future is linked to the bees'  

So we may not be able to stop the perpetrators (as of yet) from poisoning the bees in our nation's crop fields, but we can lure the bees to more harmonious sites filled with nectar rich flowers. A bee highway utilizes the best flowers, herbs and weeds (bees love flowering weeds). Instead of chopping down all the grasses along highways and eradicating all the flowering weeds, government agencies should see to it that bee habitats be protected for the sake of not only the bees' future, but also for mankind's. Much of our food is dependent on bee pollination, which means that without the bees we will not be eating the foods we love that are also healthy. 

Sichuan, China is a great example of what happens when you don't protect the habitats of living things. A non profit called BioProfit did a study and found that over-extensive farming contributed to the loss of natural bee habitat in the area. Consequently, commercial bees were sent to the fruit farms to fill in for the indigenous bees, but the pesticide use killed them. So each year, thousands of villagers come to pollinate each and every blossom on the fruit trees by hand using chicken feathers, an arduous process that must be done within less than a week's time.

Build it and they will come

According to the Bee Conservancy, bees love single flower tops over double flower tops, as these make it easier for bees to reach the pollen. Moreover, hybrid types don't always provide enough pollen for bees. They also recommend planting at least three different types of flowers that will offer a constant food source for bees through the seasons.

• Crocus, hyacinth, borage, calendula, and wild lilac = spring
• Bee balm, cosmos, echinacea, snapdragons, foxglove, and hosta = summer
• Zinnias, sedum, asters, witch hazel, goldenrod = fall                                             

Flowering restaurants can be anywhere

It doesn't take much construction to build a bee highway. Rather, a bee highway is built upon the interconnections of locales that provide "flowering restaurants" for bees.  These feeding stations can include rooftop gardens on top of hotels and corporate buildings, balcony container gardens of apartment and condo dwellers, flowering yards in suburban neighborhoods, community gardens that incorporate pollinator plants, and all the other places in between...

Bybi, an urban bee conservation group is helping Oslo, Norway with their bee highway by offering an online map that indicates where more bee plants are needed. This ingenious method of bringing a community together for a common good should be encouraging to other cities around the world. It is my hope that America will create bee highways for not only our beloved honey bees, but for all the other pollinators as well; such as our bumble bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds too.

   

New Year's resolutions are easy for a gardener

Gardening yields more than plants

Well, it's that time of year to begin thinking about resolutions. Many people will occupy themselves with aspirations that they have each and every year; but often fail to achieve, especially those regarding diet and fitness. These typical resolutions are goals that the gardener doesn't need to worry about. The gardener already has considered living by a healthy diet because planting organic vegetables and fruits works hand in hand with preparing healthy meals.  Moreover, the gardener also gets plenty of exercise in setting up and maintaining a fertile and productive garden bed, all the while never visiting a gym. In the end, the hard work that it takes to be a gardener isn't even seen as a restrictive goal that you look back on and say "Darn, maybe next year." Instead, it is a way of life that you adopt and relish because it connects you directly with a fundamental of life: care for your body, and thereby, your well being. The connection to your food and where it comes from is absolutely key. 

Stay away from mystery vegetables and fruits

More and more grocery stores are providing healthier produce than what was previously marketed with organic choices and hydroponics; however, there are some equally dangerous opportunities for buying fruits and vegetables. Pesticide and herbicide companies have made it difficult for you to visibly see what they have sprayed or even injected into the DNA of the plants, so you may feel that it is safer to eat than it really is. The other thing to consider is how chemicals can be insidious in how you may be fine now, but later down the road, you may have physical manifestations. With this in mind, I encourage more of us to withdraw from the ease of walking down the store aisle, picking out mystery vegetables when walking out to your kitchen garden and picking out exactly what you want is much easier and safer.

Make your own decisions about what to eat

Grocery stores only provide a small percentage of the thousands of vegetable varieties out there, which essentially means that the farmers and stores have dictated what you should eat. You can go along with this or you can choose for yourself what you would like to feed you and your family! How can one choose what they want for edibles? After all, garden centers aren't always catering to the needs of the public and variety can be quite limited.  Well, ordering from seed catalogs is a good start. 

Seed catalogs offer many more options than a garden center

If you go online there are hundreds of seed companies to choose from and these catalogs are often free to mail order. Inside you will discover vegetables and fruits that are new to you and sometimes very surprising! You will be able to choose whether you want hybrids, organics, Non-GMO, heirlooms, etc. You will feel empowered and motivated to eat well, and perhaps, creatively. 

Choose from the best seed companies online

 When choosing catalogs to order from, you may consider getting several and then comparing what each has to offer. You also may choose to order from a regional company, which may sell seeds that do well in your growing zone.  For instance, I live in the Pacific Northwest, so I am interested in seeing what Territorial Seed Company has for my home garden in Oregon. 

Below is a list of seed companies that are reputable and offer Non-GMO seeds. A few companies offer their catalogs* for download for easy access and most will mail you a current catalog. 

Happy seed shopping

• Johnny's Selected Seeds* - Winslow, Maine.  http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog.aspx 
• Seed Saver's Exchange - Decorah, Iowa.         http://www.seedsavers.org/catalog
• Burpee - Warminster, Pennsylvania. http://www.burpee.com/about/catalogrequest.jsp
• Territorial Seed Company - Cottage Grove, Oregon.  http://www.territorialseed.com/catalog_request
• Nichols Garden Nursery* - Albany, Oregon. https://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/store/avactis-images/u/2016Online.pdf
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - Mansfield, Missouri. http://www.rareseeds.com/request-catalog/
• Botanical Interests - Broomsfield, Colorado. https://www.botanicalinterests.com/heirloom-seeds-catalogs
• Renee's Garden* - Felton, California. http://www.reneesgarden.com/seeds/seeds-hm/seeds.html
• Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply*- Grass Valley, California.           https://www.groworganic.com/garden-catalog.html
• Seeds of Change - Rancho Dominguez, California. http://www.seedsofchange.com/catalog_request.aspx