Urban Gardens in NYC and Los Angeles

Hey, this is Alex You are doing great! You have amazing projects and crazy ideas! Who knew you could turn a fire escape into a garden!

hiya , michelle from ireland here ! im a design student and i came across your blog while researching , im currently doing a project about creating urban gardens and areas were communities can grow fruit and veg together in urban environment , just to say i found you blog really helpful , and think what your doing is awesom !! keep it up ! !

Keep at it and thanks for the info! im making some self watering containers for 2011. already sourced some buckets from the chinese joint around the corner. I saw this cool plant that Im ordering, check it out. Chinese Mountain Yam…perrenial vine, hardy to zone 5! grows small edible TUBERS…yes TUBERS on the vine. seems pretty cool to be able to pick tiny potatos from a vine throughout spring summer and fall.

Thank you for putting your solutions up on the net.

Found you via the forum called Survival Monkey.

On the page called Green Patch is a link to two european teens who
have created a project called Two Buckets.
They are now morphing their system into using
the cheap/free shopping bags that so many stores are selling instead of using
disposable plastic bags.

Keep up the good work, young man.

Appreciate the comment and kind words.

Thanks Skip. I’ll let my girlfriend know that you said she’s lucky. Keep me updated on your garden.

Thanks. That fire escape was lots of fun.

So when you going to start growing your own food?

Thanks. Much appreciated.

Gotta love the LA growing seasons too. What kind of sunlight do you have? I have like 4 hours or so.

Thanks Lori. Anything is possible if you want to make it happen.

Nice. Glad you liked and checked out the vids. We did the Grand Canyon hardcore style

I’ve never had a mosquito problem. You can likely cover up the hole with a mesh screen of some sort. The backyard project here in LA fell through.

The community gardens have a crazy waiting list. It’s just my balcony farm for now.

Glad I could be there for ya. So when you getting started?

Cool. Keep me updated. Hope to have some land one day.

Green is all I really got with the limited space and lack of direct sun. All good though.

Hahha. Luckily you have such nice children that will share the space with you. Glad that we could connect.

That definitely makes all kids of sense.

I’m excited to see you have an east facing balcony. We have the same and I was a little frustrated with the results last year, since I am used to gardening with much more sun. Want to try again, but not sure about the best way to make it work well. I’ll be paying close attention to see what works for you! Thanks.

We’ve made self watering containers from buckets & storage bins and both work great. We have plenty of room, but living in FLA, out soil is awful, so containers have been the answer to years of soil improvement. I’m even using garden soil bags this year and will recycle the dirt. I’m definitly going to make some hanging containers from juice bottles – great idea.

Nice. Glad that you are finding the info useful. Keep me updated on your progress.

Thanks for the info. Those are certainly options as well.

Nice Genevieve. There really is no best way to start. Though some plants do work better as a starter plant. If you are going to do the hanging plants, using the starters might be best. I’ve had success with mint, basil, oregano and tarragon. 

Keep me updated. 

I hear ya man. I’m sure there are sites that have that specific info. I don’t know of any off-hand, but they have to exist. You looking to grow indoors under growlights or anything like that? 

 Kristin – Good for you for taking your health back into your own hands. For your first time, I’d recommend starting small and simple something like lettuces or some kind of greens. They are relatively simple and you know what to do them with them. Plus we can all eat more greens. As for an organic spray or solution to ward off deer or rabbits….not sure on that one as I haven’t had problems with them in LA or NYC I’ll ask some heads and see what they say.

Also the biggest thing is to not get discouraged if things don’t work out perfectly and there are some slip-ups. It’s gonna happen. Embrace em and enjoy the journey.

Keep me updated.

Anything is possible. This site is all the research you need bro.

Thanks for the recipe. I’ll make it for dinner tonight

What question is that?

Hi Mike,
Thanks for your detailed and passionate site. I live in Singapore where 90% live in high rice apartments. We have shared corridor spaces with our neighbours, a tropical asian climate all year, and my apartment is a north-south facing which means we get little direct sun. Any special tips for me? Thank you so much
Tania

They special tip for you is to get started. Plant something and see what works.

Keep me updated.

I have never attempted to grow zucchini in containers, but am pretty sure that you can. Keep me updated.

I have not done beets, but did carrots once. You can certainly grow them in containers. To get a decent amount, I’d recommend a container that’s larger than the 5-gallon ones that I’ve been using.

Word. Glad you have found them useful.

Hi Mike, Carey from Cali.  I too organic garden, my whole front yard.  Was bermuda, now is as pictures show.  Re: containers other than plastic, my local hydroponic/organic grow company here in Fresno, California, Roots Grow Supply, has these really cool heavy duty felt pots.  I have some tarragon growing in one and its doing great.  The theory is that they breathe better, have natural root control so your plants don’t go berzerk and take over the whole town, and are very cheap!  They are biodegradable and come in many sizes from very small to humongous, tree sized ones.  So, check out the net, they are out there.  Totally reusable and recyclable also.   So, that’s my tidbit.  I only grow herbs in pots but have heard of some peeps who do the zucchini in pots,  say it works great.  That’s all I got, latr

I grow zucchini sqash and melons every year in containers it works very well if you use big containers

Nice. You should take some pics of it.

i have a north facing balcony in oregon.  i barely get any sun…except maybe a couple of hours in the evening.  i’m on the lookout for more veggies to put out there.  it’s a decent size but almost fully shaded.

Dude, definetly trying the 5-gallon self watering set up.  Recent divorce moved me from my house with a 11×22 raised bed garden to an apartment.  The apartment has a good sized deck and mad sunlight.  Started with a 32″x32″ self-watering set up I bought at Home Depot and it works pretty good, although I think I overplanted it!  Got grean beans, tomatoes, jalapenos and bell peppers growing, and it’s been pretty productive so far.  Making some self watering containers now (1 out of 2 window boxes and some more out of buckets) to add sugar snap peas, turnips, and mustard greens.  Hopefully these grow well here too.  Have two smaller pots that I’m starting basil and chives in for some seasoning for all those veggies!

Great web-site bro, and you’re doing a good thing here.  If people could only understand how much better for them and the environment local produce is (especially as local as their back-yard/patio!!). 

Do you do any canning/preserving to keep your veggies through the winter?  May not be an issue in LA?

Sorry to hear bro, but glad that you are making the most of it.

I have never grown enough to do canning and preserving, but really want to start to.

Thanks for the tip.

Glad we could connect.

Thanks. Doing my best.

I attempted cauliflower once…and failed.

Hello Mike!
Just wanted to say that I LOVE this website! I started a littel garden with just tomatos and strawberries on my balcony this year. Now I was searching the internet for some inspiration for next summer. I live in Germany and over here gardening stuff is mostly on sale right now, since the “garden season” is almost over. So of course I wanted to take advantage of that. I couldn’t find any website in German that is even nearly as good as yours!!!! I will definitly try your selfwatering containers!  Thanks for making this website!!!!!

This is a great resource.  I’m not growing food in my container, just my favorite houseplant–a 20-year old ficus tree that needs a better watering system than just splashing the water on top.  Your videos are great, and I’m heading out now to get my supplies.

BTW, since my planter is quite large (23″ d), I’m using three cuts of pvc pipe, 4 inches tall,  instead of a deli container.  The weight of the dirt and plant would be too much for the deli container.  I’m going to drill three holes in my planting container for the pvc, and drill 1/4 inch holes in the pvc.  In effect, I’ll have 3 wicking baskets.  Any thoughts?

See if it works. Keep me updated. Good stuff.

Hey, hey, Mike:

Great inspiring and informative site.  With food prices going up, quality going down, and packaging getting smaller, too, but charging us more, I finally got the garden bug.  

This is my first year of having a great garden on the side of my house that had been just dirt and a bother keeping weeds under control for 20 years.

I’d been craving good-quality fresh-tasting yellow corn every summer for the past 2 or 3 years, but….  NO ONE SELLS EARS OF YELLOW CORN ANYMORE!!  Grrrrr.   

 Frozen just don’t get it, so this past spring I dug up this side yard space I have and worked in all kinds of organic matter and soil enrichments and planted yellow corn as well as green beans, tomatoes, strawberries and bell peppers and 1 pumpkin. 

The harvest was awesome this past summer  and the flavor was unmatched any anything in the stores.  The 1 pumpkin won’t be ready for Halloween, but it will be for Thanksgiving for pumpkin pie, and that will be a first for me, too. 

 Now I’m  turned on about real organically-grown crops at home and  ready to experience doing fall and winter crops.

Keep the inspiration and information going, man. 

Nice. That’s what’s up! Good luck and keep me updated!

That’s what’s up! Keep me updated on how it goes.

Thanks.

Give it another shot. Tomatoes won’t do well with that limited sun. Start with some greens – kales, lettuces, spinaches, chard…they will do much better. Keep me updated.

Mike, Love your site.  I Love to read about people of all ages, from all over, involved in growing things..no matter how much space there is… couldn’t  live without growing something myself….great site..
Still in NY on the Island…

Thanks Jane. Glad to connect.

I love the book farm city! Ur cute mike. u remind me of tom morello. Best to u. Lisa

Hi Mike! You amaze me! Why? I can’t imagine myself gardening the way you do… but you’re absolutely doing great! Your way is very efficient… or so I think… because my garden is four (4) hectares but you seem to grow more herbs than I…
Am really glad to know there are amazing gardeners as you! Good luck to your endeavors and may your tribe increase!

2012 is my urban gardening year too, I’m starting out with container gardening, working my way up to raised beds to permaculture in the long run! Thanks for being a connector for my beginning journey!

Nice web site MIke.  I like the way you show all types of blacony gardens.  I call it tote gardening at my house same principle

Keep up the great work! Your making a difference to many of us, and it shows that you truly enjoy what you do.  I’m a self taught rose master, and now you have me talked into growing fresh veggies with my soil.  Fortunately I have more space than you do, but still same principles you teach others I’m applying to my own needs. How wonderful would it be to replace canned veggies at my local food banks with fresh organic ones?  Keep on being the way you are brother!

Thanks for the web site, your knowledge, help, tips and so much more!

Hi Mike, you are an inspiration!  

Years ago I grew container vegetables on the balconies and patios of various apartments in the CA Bay Area, so your endeavors bring back fond memories.  I live on a small acreage in the PNW now, but still do a lot of container gardening because it works so well.  

Have you tried growing potatoes in sacks?  I just threw a bunch of sprouting organic red, Yukon Gold, and regular ol’ Irish spuds into empty feed bags filled with compost and hay.  As the foliage appears you’re supposed to keep piling more hay, straw, compost, or soil on top (the “hilling” technique) so the potatoes don’t see light and develop toxic green skins.  I’m excited to see if it works!

Wishing you continued success in your projects!

Your garden looks awesome!!!! Kudos to you!!!! Do you drill holes in the buckets for drainage.