Trying to cultivate a condo garden? These container gardening tips should sow the seeds of contentment in frustrated patio farmers.
By JOHN A. STARNES JR.
Published October 16, 2004
[Photo by: John A. Starnes Jr.]
The recipe allows you to use leaves or mulch.
Many folks enjoy the conveniences of condominium living but miss the simple joy of gardening. Remember Mr. Douglas in Green Acres trying to grow corn on his penthouse balcony only to end up with tragic-looking stalks? If you identify with this frustration after having bought countless potted plants only to watch them die, there is something you can try. It's called "container farming," and it is based on using bigger pots (2- to 10-gallon capacity) filled with fertile homemade soil.
Many gardening failures stem from using fluffy, lifeless potting soils that either dry out in the blink of an eye or go sour after packing.
Another frustration for balcony gardeners is that their pots weigh a ton, which makes moving them a chore. Here's a tip to lighten the load: fill the bottom 1/3 of each pot with chipped wood mulch (a tree trimming company may have a surplus because of the storm damage, so it might not cost anything). This bottom layer displaces heavy, wet soil while improving drainage and air flow to the roots. Bagged bark nuggets are an expensive substitute.
Give your potted plants a fighting chance by enriching that bland potting soil with this homemade recipe that will lay the groundwork for a fabulous container farm.
Potting soil
1/3 potting soil
1/3 bagged compost
1/3 chipped wood mulch (you can substitute leaves for mulch)
A few handfuls of dolomitic limestone (you can substitute eggshells or seashells for the limestone) to help keep the soil sweet and to supply calcium and other minerals. (If you are growing acid-loving plants such as gardenias or azaleas or potatoes, skip the limestone.)
Toss in a few handfuls of inexpensive dry dog or cat food nuggets; as the nuggets decay, they help feed your plants.
Mix all the ingredients together. Use a plastic tub or garbage can if you are making a big batch. Dampen it slightly and let it ripen in the open air for two to three weeks.
Fill the bottom third of each pot with chipped mulch, then fill with the soil mix, leaving a 2-inch gap at the rim. Plant your plant or sow your seeds; water, then arrange the pots to allow for easy access for watering, feeding and harvesting. Once a month give each pot a good drenching with diluted fish emulsion (1 tablespoon to each gallon of water) to ensure steady and complete nutrition.
With the right soil, any "Mr. Douglas" wanna-be can grow roses, veggies and herbs, plus an array of tropical foliage and flowering perennials. Just imagine harvesting perfumed blooms and crisp heads of broccoli from your 10-story container farm.
John A. Starnes Jr., born in Key West, is an avid organic gardener and rosarian who studies, collects, cultivates and hybridizes roses for Florida. He can be reached at johnastarnes@msn.com
