Yeah so things don’t always go as planned. Shortly after my last post, my mom was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. The summer was spent taking care of her, going on unexpected ER trips, and hoping for the best. We spent almost every weekend out in the ‘burbs maintaining the house I grew up in and taking care of mom. We’re still optimistic about the future, but I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about things I really thought I wouldn’t need to think about for 20-30 years from now. Mom always seems so invincible.
Anyway, since I spent so much time out at her place this summer, my urban gardens were left basically untended. Thankfully, my fellow community gardeners are VERY understanding. I visited my plot for the first time in nearly two months last weekend and it had turned into a 6 by 10 jungle of morning glories, tomatoes who never saw the sun, renegade self-seeding sunflowers and a whole slew of weeds.
But, I do enjoy the “clean out” type of gardening. There’s something so fullfilling about ripping out a jungle and making it tidy again. Seems pretty counterproductive, or at least disprespectful of plant-life, but there it is. It’s out there. I’m a plant killer. And I like it. (Not enough to spay chemicals on my lawn or something… if I had a lawn.. I mean… I wouldn’t, if I did..) But I do enjoy ripping out bloody morning glories. Especially when I have a lot on my mind.
The roof garden wasn’t so successful this year either. I didn’t buy the GrowBox fertilizer add-ons mainly because using aqua fertilizer is off-putting for this organic gardener. Yes, my plants were bigger last year, but everyone had more luck last year. We actually had too much rain… I also tried a few new heirloom varieties that simply didn’t seem to dig the roof/container environment. Which is fine, each to his own. I’m going to save my Tamina seeds again this year and see if I have more luck next year. Also – what’s up with commercial potting soils using mulch as filler? It’s gross. I bought two differnt brands, each of which contained shredded mulch. Yuck. Some of my problems could have been due to that.
Any one out there know how to keep soil happy in containers? I don’t want to trash the soil each year for a bunch of different reasons. First, my hubby wouldn’t be so happy with more requests to help me lug bags of soil up 3 flights of stairs. Second, really – how wasteful can we be? Third, isn’t gardening about connecting to the soil? How can I connect if it’s new every year? It makes me feel like I can’t commit. Like someone who knew what they were doing would know how to nurse container soil back to health after a season of wind, (relentless) rain and non-stop sunshine (when it wasn’t raining)…
Recently, we had some contractors over to discuss possible options for our second roof deck… The one on the roof of the third floor. (And yes, we WILL get railings.) I thought I’d gloat about our amazing views. The contractors brought over ladders, and for the first time we saw what are views are going to be.
After a brutal tax year (fired our accountant – a new one is fixing our mess), our plans might be on hold for a while, but these pictures just give me so much joy! I love city scapes. Suburbs, not so much – but the city… It’s beautiful. I’ve always said, “I’m happiest in the middle of the woods, or in the middle of the city.”
I got this crazy idea. If I can start seeds in my kitchen gadget, why can’t I transfer old lettuce “pods” out into my garden? Yeah, I know the smart people at AeroGarden probably chose plants specifically that would do well in hydroponics… But if I can start my standard heirloom tomato in the machine – why not move my lettuce out doors?
I removed most of the leaves (we’re having a massive walnut and goat cheese salad tonight for dinner…) trimmed back the roots, and set out to plant my once hydroponic lettuce mixture in real South Philly dirt. The weather was perfect this morning – mild, rainy and overcast. I did not harden off the plants, which might be my downfall – but I really needed that real estate under the lights to start my tomatoes! (Once again, my tomatoes take priority… I don’t mean to pick favorites…) 
Actually – I probably should have done this two weeks ago. Above is my lettuce that was just hours ago on top of my fridge, now in the ground at my community garden plot.
Experiments and gardening can never go wrong. (Unless you’re Monstanto.) After all – there’s alwyas the compost pile.
It’s about that time of year folks! I put out the first of my veggies on the roof! Woohooo! This will be my first year growing calilfower and brocolli and I can’t wait to see how it turns out. (and no – I didn’t start these guys from seed. I totally bought seedlings – I hope to grow some heads from seed this Fall.) Any seasoned brocolli growers out there? When should I start them? Late Summer? Early Fall?
Two Christmas Cactus- two tales:
Story One – Re-blooming and renewal. My good ol’ trusty Zygocactus blooms again! In March! And it’s a beauty. I’ve never had two blooming periods in one year. I wonder what I did to bring about such a joy? 
Story Two – Patented Genes & Droopy Stems: I bought the below Cactus a few years ago at a local supermarket because it’s flowers were remarkable. Then I noticed that it had a sign on it that said, “Propogation Prohibited.” What? Isn’t that what plants do? Thumbs down. Both thumbs down. In fact, it makes me want to propogate it just to stick it to the man. Up yours Monstanto! Anyway, it has never really thrived and is so slow to reproduce new growth. (I’m sure that’s not an accident.) Anyway, it got all droopy, so I repotted it – and next year I hope to give some friends an illegal plant for the holidays. If I can get it to survive. Or is that not an accident either?
(Dear Plant Police: I have not yet propogated the above plant. But I might. Give me one good reason why a plant shouldn’t propogate and I may reconsider. Obvoiously this plant is not harming or invasive in its pot. I see no reason not to propogate, in fact, it seems wrong not to share such a beauty. Do you sleep well at night? Repent.)
A few years ago I gave a Jade plant to my grandfather to spruce up his living space at a retirement community. He passed away last year and I was given the Jade back. Recently, it started dropping it’s lower leaves as if it was not getting enough water. (Not soggy, yellow leaf drop that is caused from over-watering Jades – we’re talking dried-up and crusty leaves.) So I searched the internet and found out that root balls can become tangles of dried-out peat, forming a cement-like block around the roots. Thus, even though the plant is being watered, it still can’t suck up the good hydration stuff.
Sure enough, my Jade had a cement ball of life-choking junk clinging to its roots. The bugger was so solid, I had to soak it in water for a few minutes before I could even begin to remove the clumps.
Now, I’m leaving the roots out of soil for a day or two (gasp – It’s OK – It’s a Jade) to harden any fractures I made in the process. Then I’ll replant in new soil, give it a trim, and hope for the best.
So here’s my question: I heard that peat moss is BAD. Bad for sustainability and bad for roots because when it dries it tends to form that cement ball around roots. But every potting mix I can find contains peat moss, even my soil for succulents. (And Jades prefer to dry out completely between waterings, which probably lead to this problem in the first place, right?) So? What to do? See my efforts below:
Is anyone else starting to obsess over their houseplants again? My neglected indoor garden is again on the receiving end of my pampering, after a season of neglect. (Yeah, Ok. I admit it. Tomatoes kinda take my focus off the broader spectrum.)
I imagine my indoor plants probably feel like sloppy seconds
The drama goes down like this:
“Oh NOW she tends to us, now that her tomatoes have stopped their fleeting two-season tango,” complains an neglected Christmas Cactus. “Tomatoes are sooooo last August. We’ve been here all along. Steady. Waiting. We would have been happy with just a little mist of water every now and again. Did she forget that we actually enjoy eating in the summer? (Or drinking for that matter?) I might boycott this year and see how she feels if I don’t bloom.” read more…
Ok – this weather is messing up my whole internal seasonal clock! Highs in the mid-30’s in November? For days on end? Am I the only one who’s dreading winter even more? I guess I should count my blessings. I’m in a warm home surrounded by my dogs and cat, with a cup of tea steaming next to me and slippers on my tootsies. Summer doesn’t bring that joy.
Anyway – Our first snowfall on the roofgarden…
Thanks to TreeVitalize, today I planted my first tree! TreeVitalize is a Pennsylvania based public-private partnership aimed at restoring lost tree cover in SE PA. (Soon expanding westward to Pittsburgh too!)
Our trees are carpinus betulus, or more commonly known as the European Hornbeam. I had to do some research to see what they look like during the growing season, and they look fantastic! (I have yet to see a tree that doesn’t…) read more…
Yeah, I’ve been busy. Doing important things like sewing chicks in bonnets.
