1. We'd dig up the ivy and other ground cover in the bed closest to the entrance/elevator. (I can't remember the number and can't find the map. Can someone help me out?) Do people think that will get enough sun? With the sun being much higher in the sky during the summer, I am betting yes. We could move the ground cover and shrubs that are there to the curb strip along East 18th Street, which we should try to revive.
2. We'd probably need to put some sort of chicken wire around it to keep animals out.
3. We'd need to figure out a way to determining who could be a part of the veggie club. I recommend this: if you volunteer to move some of that ground cover and prepare the soil both on East 18th and in the garden plot, you get a few square feet to plant. (The size of the individual plots will be determined by the number of participants.) We could do this over two weekends and make allowances for anyone who really wanted to partake but couldn't make either date.
4. The exchange of ground cover for vegetables would be ideal from a cost perspective: we wouldn't need to buy much, or any, ground cover for East 18th ... and vegetable seeds are cheap. Plus, if the ivy is left where it is, I am worried it will burn from the excess sunlight.
Another idea: let's plant another tree on the East 18th Street curb strip ... perhaps move the bush that's there and put it there, to the south of the lamp post? Another tree would provide more shade for that section of the strip, preventing the new ground cover from burning.
What do you think? Chime in on comments below.
I like the idea. Not sure if if that bed would get enough sun to grow veggies (perhaps only 1/3 gets enough) - we could start measuring sun on bed hours in March.
ReplyDeleteI'd bypass the formality of a 'club' as it's not a bed big enough to subdivide easily, there are very few people participating with labor in garden, and I don't mind if other people eat some of the tomatoes I might plant. We could collect a little money from whoever participates to buy fertilizer and starter plants.
I like the tree planting idea.
I would be interested! (Nora, FA1)
ReplyDeleteI'm posting this for Stephen, whom I asked for input:
ReplyDeleteThat section of the garden doesn't get enough sun for veggies I think the best spot is the second half of the the center garden. The bamboo would have to be dug out and put in to pots. Now that the tree is dead it should be easier to dig into that area. As for the strip. Anything we put there will need to be monitored carefully to establish and will die if walked on even after establishment. I have clover that will grow on the strip but that also requires maintenance and soil prep. Lastly I would have the soil tested before proceeding to be sure it's okay for veggies! I could go on but maybe I will wait to hear back from you.
About growing veggies. Thank you Matthew for the idea, that I find appealing, but I don't feel inclined to go along with it because:
ReplyDelete- the area specified in the first post (Bed#2) is not going to get enough sun
- soil testing would be a must, and it's rather expensive
- veggies should be protected from squirrels, cats and racoon and that's more time/money consuming than what we'd get out of all the work
As for Bed#1, digging the bamboo roots out is becoming necessary, otherwise we won't be able to have anything else but that. Yet, I'd like to keep flowers and decorative plants there.
There is a good looking dirt spot at the corner with the gate on E18th, but it only gets sun from sunrise till just after noon/1:00 pm. About three years ago Sam and I planted some tomato plants there; it was a disappointing failure.
So, in the end, I believe that growing our own veggies is possible, but in planters that can be strategically put in the sunniest spot in our garden.