GROW YOUR OWN FOOD!!

Growing your own food is the most powerful voice of sustainability that human beings have.  Agribusiness degrades our planet under the premise that "farmers feed America" while we sit by and rely on them for everyday sustenance.

NO MORE!!  A small apartment patio can grow an amazing supply of food using creative strategies of garden design.  Find freedom through food!

Contact us today for more information!

PLANT SEEDS! A diverse selection of food plants creates a polyculture garden that is far more productive and pest resistant than monoculture farming. Get seed now and begin planting indoors or start outdoors in a coldframe or greenhouse.

 

Plant snow peas now! For small spaces people often use a medium size pot with a teepee of stakes and string wrapped around to allow tendrils to climb up. A few plants will provide ample food for early spring harvesting. YUM!

If starting broccoli seed outdoors protect them from frost using clear plastic over the top of containers or ground. Once germinated keep the covering on at night and hold the plastic away from plants using skewers into to sides of the pot and upsidedown yogurt cups to protect plastic from tears. 

Start potatoes either in the ground or grow them UP by planting in a tall container always using high quality compost and heavy mulch. Start "eyes" in the bottom layer then as they grow keep covering them til the container is full. When greenery dies back take apart and harvest!!!

Mustard, lettuce, arugula, endive, even chinese cabbage are fantastic for planting outdoors now. Keep protected as described earlier. Plant more seed every 10-14 days for an endless supply of leafy greens. Once the heat sets in keep protected with shade plants grown around lettuce beds.

Perrennial vegetables are easily grown in our temperate climate. Vegetables such as chard, sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes -eaten like a potato), rhubarb, asparagus, horseradish, chives and winter onions.

Pineapple guava or the Feijoa shrub is an old-time favorite we should see a lot more of in the future. The many uses include its edibility (both flowers and fruit can be eaten and are super sweet), ability to provide shade as well as fruit in part shade and habitat for birds and insects. 

Apricots are a favorite for many. One semi-dwarf tree can provide two people with plenty to eat fresh, preserve or share with friends. Fruit trees take time to mature so if you want to have one in your gardens or on your patio (use a dwarf tree) plant them bareroot NOW!!! 

Go vertical! Grow tomatoes up arbors and trellises made from reused materials (an old awning frame shown here). In the background is a Scarlett runner bean, grown for its showy flowers many people don't realize you can eat the beans as well as the root (a tuberish root eaten like a potato)