Finished this incarnation of my patio garden last night, but WAY too tired to write. I think I can say that it’s pretty much done, or at least as much as any garden is actually done at any given time. Oh, there’s more I’d like to do, but I’ve pretty much run out of containers and I’m about out of money, too. I have no personal problem with using any cast off pails or other recycled containers for plants, but since this little patio is also my “front yard” and directly faces the entrance to our apartment complex, the management is a little picky about having random 5-gallon buckets sitting around.
We scored some free Zinnias and New Guinea Impatiens from Wal-Mart because they were going to throw them away. I just helped myself, and then the manager said I could keep what I had, but not take any more because since they’re a loss, they have to just put them in the trash, which I think is just wrong. All they needed was some water, and they’ve come right back!
We also decided to take the plunge and get two of those Topsy-Turvy Tomato plant hangers because I was running out of room. So we have grape and roma tomatoes. And I did get a dual hanger for a couple of hanging baskets, one of parsley and another of Salvia. There’s a couple of containers of Stock “Vintage Mix” and a miniature rose bush, and a couple of planters of two different mints, and there are marigolds (the Gem variety, which are edible. And there are other herbs too: basil, oregano, rosemary, and two kinds of thyme. There are still several containers of Mesclun going, but I need to add a few more, and there’s a Banana Pepper.
After the Ecstasy, the Laundry . . . 
I love your garden! I hate how they just throw so much away, when someone else could use it…it speaks to the wastefulness of Wal-Mart…I found this project the other day, not sure if you could do it…
http://lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-turn-a-pallet-into-a-garden/
If not, there’s tons of other stuff on that site for gardening in small spaces. You could even make your 5 gallon buckets pretty w/ some paint! I’m here on WordPress now, and sent you a link to my new blog via email. I have some posts that are password protected, and if you’re interested I’ll message you the password.
Yay! I’m glad to hear from you. I’ve been thinking about painting some buckets. I need more large containers. But they get so deep that I have to put milk jugs in the bottom so as not to use so much dirt. I’m thinking more of a low container thingummy like a large cat-litter box for lettuce. Of course, buckets would work well for potatoes and carrots, which I love, but didn’t do this year.
awesome! I have two tomato plants that have fruit, but I’m waiting for the tomatoes to ripen. I have a pepper plant, a really aewsome lettuce plant that we have been munching on a lot, some herbs and some carrots. The only thing that didn’t come up was the spinach that died in our heat wave. This is all growing on my back porch!
Oooh, I want to see a picture of this. I’ve never seen your place. You only post pictures of your cats! (Natch, cats are very photogenic!) Try to grow more spinach, it’s not too late.
Boy, are you industrious. I am having a tough time keeping my two tomato plants and my flowers going. Of course, we haven’t had a lick of rain since the tornados more than a month ago and we have had numerous days during which the temperature has exceeded 90 degrees. My lawn is already going dormant from the lack of moisture!
Oh, I have my days of industry, and then days where I’m not too industrious. I have been hauling water from our laundry room here to water everything, because we haven’t had any rain lately either. But it’s worth it. Do you use soaker hoses? They work really well. Or you can try self-watering containers. That works well. I plan to make some for next year. Then you only have to water every few days, which is nice for water loving plants like tomatoes. As far as lawns, I say dump ’em!
Hi! I think your patio garden looks great:) I had to start my seeds over and just now getting some outside. We set out some cucumbers this last weekend in Earth Boxes hoping this will help my “not so green thumb” 🙂 Can’t wait for the tomato plants to get big enough.
I know what starting over is like. I had a bunch of bulbs drown in the containers because it was so wet. Only one survived! I was ready to toss it, and it just sprang to life! Yay!
If you’re thinking of a large(-ish) container for “greens,” try and old galvanized washtub. They are a great size and you can just use a hammer and nail to put drainage holes in the bottom then fill them about half to two-thirds with soil. They are pretty cute and won’t dry out and cook your plants as fast as a litter box might. Also, the height of the size gives the extra rabbit protection you’ll need. Ahhhh… LOVE container gardening!!!
It’s funny about the rabbit protection, because I have several pots that are tiny filled with lettuce, and there are definitely rabbits hopping around here, but I have not lost anything yet. I was thinking it would be a problem, but so far, so good. {P.S. Nice to see you here!)
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Very nice looking patio garden…I’m fortunate that mine is on my back patio and the complex management isn’t quite so picky about the back of the buildings. Actually, they let you dig up some of the ground along the front of the buildings for flowers, which I understand a lot of places won’t let you do. Looking forward to reading more about your gardening adventures!!
Here, all the back patios are too shady for gardening…There’s only two. I’m just glad I’m not upstairs, where they only have a balcony! Yay!
My place is just the opposite…my front patio is totally shade by a big old maple tree…kind of nice during the hottest part of the summer tho…that’s the same side my bedroom is on, so it stays a little cooler.
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