New York City Fire Escape Garden

Hello

I'm interested in looking for a small raised bed for my new York city fire escape, as being that I live on a small 4 story building and live I on the top floor as I do share the fire escape with the tenant next to my apartment.

The fire escape in this image is similar but much the one on my end is much longer.
http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images/encyclopediaimages/f/fi/fire_escape_soho.jpg

And yes...I know its against fire code for NYC tenants to have any items on the fire escape, but some building management do enforce this law and some don't, not sure if mine's will.

Any suggestions on how I can build a small raised bed or buy one that is suitable to to place upon a fire escape?

I dunno. Raised beds could be pretty dangerous on the fire escape, but I'm sure that you could find some shipping pallets to take apart and make into a raised garden bed.

okay....what about garden baskets in this image:http://edenmakersblog.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_48371.JPG or square pots, like the ones you have in you have in your third pic from the top, that's located on the left of this page. My question would be on what would be the minimum height. For examples have come across baskets that are 6.5 " - 9" - 11" - ect ect in height.. What do you suggest ?

Not sure I'm understanding. I guess it would depend on the measurements of your fire escape.

sorry....let me rephrase my question, the pics on the left of this page.... Right above the heading that says" My Brooklyn backyard vegetable garden" It looks like your standing in front of green square pots? Just curious, what is the height measurement of those square green pots? as in how tall are they in inches?

Not sure of the measurements on those. You can get them from your local pharmacy or drug store.

By the way who is your landlord? The garden grinch?

Hmmm.... illegal? Probably, after all the plants obstruct the emergency fire exit and that's not something to be taken lightly.

However, they are plants and as long as its not excessive I don't see it really being a problem. For example, I have no plants on the actual stairs of the fire escape and there is still space on the landing to maneuver. The only real "obstruction" is that I used the ladder as a trellis for the cucumbers but the weight of the ladder alone would tear the vines if it were released. I'm going to write a blog post at my community garden's website ( www.redshedgarden.com ) in the next few days about my fire escape with accompanying pictures if anyone is curious.

Additionally, I have an update concerning the birds and the delayed ripening of the grape tomatoes. The intense heat and humidity broke slightly two weeks ago and then again few days ago and there are now more cucumber flowers than the birds can forage and the tomatoes are ripening. So from my unscientific, unseasoned viewpoint it was the intense heat and humidity of July that was causing my fire escape garden to pause its growth. Also, the fact that the garden faces west and there are no trees or anything else to filter the most intense heat and sun of the afternoon probably made the issue that much worse.

Check redshedgarden.com by Tuesday next week and I'll have the full story up.

Nice dude.

I thought it was illegal to have plants on the fire escape. The building inspector made me take mine inside. My landlord said there would be a fine. Can I hang a planter from the railings instead?

According to the fire code, having anything on the fire escape is illegal. How that is enforced is dependent upon the management.

Hey Mike great job!

As it were, I started my own fire escape garden early this June in Greenpoint and I thought I'd share my experience.

I planted strawberries, a few herbs, miscellaneous flowers and ornamental vines, cucumbers, green beans and tomatoes. I was hoping I could use the escape structure as a trellis for the beans and cucumbers and I placed the tomatoes under the stairway from the floor above so the corner railings could serve as support.

Well, things went pretty well except I've got plenty of green tomatoes but they're not ripening. I did some research and I think this summer has actually been too hot. It seems like every day is in the 90s (with some over 100) and the fire escape faces west and is painted black so I think its a micro-climate of the planet mercury out there. In fact, the cucumbers refuse to wrap around the black iron because it so hot but I've seemed to fix that problem by tying a bunch of twine to the railings and in between the ladder rungs and they've begun to grab that.

Also, birds keep on eating the babe cukes and even the flowers when they first bloom so I haven't been able to harvest much from that.

All in all it's been fun and it is a pretty scene out there with all the greenery and flowers. And to water all i have to do is open the window and lean out with a watering can which is nice and easy.

Mike, what direction was your fire escape facing? Was the temperature of the iron and the micro-climate of the fire escape an issue? Did you have similar problems with birds thieving your sprouts?

I highly recommend fire escape gardening to anyone with the opportunity to do it.

Nice. Brooklyn stand-up! My fire escape was north facing. Heat wasn't an issue. If anything, it didn't get enough sun, but was still able to grow.

Luckily I didn't have any problems with pests out there either. Happy that you've started. It's a fun learning experience. Keep me updated.

WOW. I started container gardening about 4 yrs. ago. However, I've never grown anything in containers as small as yours. This is truly inspiring. I love the fact that you are recycling as well as growing your own food.

Thanks. Been enjoyin and lovin it.

While I have been gardening for almost 30 years now I am inspired by what you are doing. Love the soda bottle gardening. Keep up the great job and I believe you would make a great host for a gardening show that would draw the attention of young people and city dwellers to gardening.

Thanks Barbara. Appreciate your kind words.

Love the soda bottle planters! This is definitely inspiring. "Green" Thumbs up :-)

Glad you liked. Thanks. Can grow food anywhere.

WOW, in such a small space your had a beautiful garden. I know you miss it. I think I am going to try the soda bottle planters for some of my evaisve herbs.

Nice. Oregano, mint and basil worked well in them. Lemme know how they turn out for you.

Nice site, Mike! Just featured you on my little blog since venturing into fire escape gardening!

Thanks Shayna. Glad I could be your "hero."

Mike, this is great. Shows you can garden in any space :-)

You most certainly can. Anything is possible.

wow, very inspiring!

Thanks. Anything is possible.