CityDiggity
A green space for urban gardenersArchive for April, 2009
Four dollars and a dream: is a windowsill lettuce crop possible?
Here's hoping this leaf lettuce will survive and thrive on the windowsill of my Chicago condo.
We’ve talked about growing heirloom tomatoes as an entree into recession gardening, well, now dare we dream of cultivating a companion crop of lettuce, too?
I recently read somewhere in cyberspace that it was relatively easy to grow lettuce on your windowsill — and to keep it going! And while I always assumed lettuce required lots of space, who am I to argue with the Worldwide Web.
So today, when glancing at the plant offerings on flats outside my local grocery store I stopped and took notice of the lovely cell packs of lettuce and thought: I have an empty windowsill, so why not Read the rest of this entry »
Seeds of time: a couple of fast starters for slowpoke gardeners
Nasturtium seeds sprout quickly, so they'll make up the time lost if you procrastinate.
Winter blew out of Chicago a few nights ago with thunderous exultation. And the rain rained down. The next day temperatures reached 80. Of course it’s cooled off a bit since, but there is the definite feeling that the worm has turned (yes, a pun for you in-ground gardeners).
Even Burpee is on board. Three of the plants I ordered from them arrived on the very day that temperatures soared. So, container gardeners start your engines… we’re just three short weeks or so away from the time when we can introduce our plants to the great outdoors.
If you haven’t started any seeds yet and are lamenting the fact that because you’ve procrastinated you’ll have to spend more money and buy all your plants from a nursery, fear not… Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve got the blues… hope it’s not too much of a good thing
Three shades of blue in a past garden. Even more blue varieties will abound this year, punctuated with yellow, green and orange.
In my mind’s eye, the idea of a monochromatic garden is very intriguing, entrancing even. All-white gardens are quite the rage in certain circles, and, with my adoration of blue flowers, I’ve been oh-so tempted to create an all-blue fantasy.
But I think the reality would be far less satisfying than the dream. Recently, a fellow gardener who shares my love of blue said that if she had her druthers, some day she’d plant a garden of blues Read the rest of this entry »
The good earth: last season’s soil may be right for reuse
Even though this soil has been subjected to the elements, healthy sprouts are popping up.
I love getting my hands dirty. In fact when I open those big bags of rich, fluffy potting soil mix I don’t even bother to wear gloves — despite my manicured fingernails. It is one of those joyful rituals that mark the start of what will hopefully be another rewarding season of container gardening.
But hold on, what about the soil left in the pots from last year? Isn’t it wasteful to just dump all that dirt? Is there any way to recycle it for this season’s planters? These are questions a curious city gardener posed to me recently. And Earth Day Read the rest of this entry »
The color of water and other splashy container gardening secrets revealed
A little water is a wonderful thing. But don't depend on raindrops alone to nourish plants.
Armchair sleuth that I am, I jumped at the chance to gather intel when I saw a crew making its way down one of our city streets attending to the splendid hanging baskets Chicago adorns its lamp posts with during summer.
As the magic wand was extended over the baskets I made a discovery that changed the way I would maintain my container plants in the years to come: the water he used … it was, well, BLUE! Maybe that was the secret to success.
From that point forward every other watering lavished on my plants had just the slightest tinge Read the rest of this entry »
In the urban jungle we take our green space where we find it
Vividly planted sidewalkscapes like this bring touches of nature to the city's concrete jungle.
My obsession with urban gardening is no doubt a manifestation of my own need to get back to nature. It is a need apparently shared by countless city dwellers.
Chicagoans who can afford it buy weekend getaway homes in the country, others squeeze gardens onto terraces, rooftops, porches or, like me, a small condo balcony.
And our city — in league with our pastoral proclivities — plants ginko trees in grates along Read the rest of this entry »
The circle of life goes on and more seeds come out
Heirloom tomato seeds sprouted quickly.
The tax man notwithstanding, mid-April brings with it many a happy harbinger of spring: Tomorrow’s weather forecast puts Chicago in the 70s, we’ve had a couple of days of fitful April showers, the heirloom tomato seeds I planted just last week have sprouted and now, in their new sunny location, are bowing their heads in deference to heliotropism.
Life goes on.
And so does my planting. I’m about to start a second wave — this one just for flowers — and pulling out the 72 peat pellet tray for the occasion. I realize that if you’re a first-timer it’s hard to imagine that these slight seedlings will become strong, fully developed plants, baring flowers and Read the rest of this entry »
A quest for true blue? Prepare for shades of gray along the way
Even though this hydrangea is a vibrant blue, some of its petals display hints of purple.
It may not be up there with the search for the grail, but gardeners’ quest for “true blue” flowers can be equally elusive.
For a couple years now, blue has been the object of my garden affection. I’ve built my color scheme around blue and hunted for seeds and plants of that hue.
That passion took hold of me at the grocery store Read the rest of this entry »
It’s showtime: pellets and seeds today, tomatoes tomorrow
Peat pellets expand in minutes, so it's not quite like watching paint dry. (See slideshow below.)
They don’t look like much right now, but the small peat purses I’ve tucked safely away in a mini-greenhouse will, with a few seeds and a little luck, produce a bounty of heirloom tomatoes by mid-summer.
I finally chose four seed varieties to join my two stars (black plum and sun-sugar hybrid) in this year’s garden. Yes, I know I said I was only planting four or five heirlooms total, but I was so intrigued by my options that I decided to try and squeeze in an extra pot. So, drum roll please . . . Read the rest of this entry »
Herbs bring on the freshness – and everyone has a favorite
I get a little crazy when it comes to my basil (note the pot of the purple variety, top).
I once extended a hand in greeting when making an acquaintance, only to be rebuked by the suspect non sequitur, “Sorry, I have pickle juice on my hand.” Well, it turns out it wasn’t a case of closeted O.C.D., it was just that the gent in question was serious about his dill. He actually made his own pickles, and, indeed, had pickle juice on his hands!
And while I plant dill for use in salads, dips and, of course, to season salmon, I don’t quite share his level of affection for the herb. Basil, however, is Read the rest of this entry »
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