Self-irrigated Planters and City of Chicago Gardening Rebates

Posted on May 29, 2012 | Leave a comment

I’m just about to head out to buy potting mix and then get the last of my seeds in. Aside from the inevitable wind & hail that spring will bring, the weather is looking great for the garden. In fact, just harvested my first batch of dwarf bok choy (pak choi) today. This variety from Kitazawa grew so quickly it was ready to harvest in just a few weeks:

Dwarf bok choi grown in an EarthBox. From seed to table in just a few weeks.

Last night at Home Depot I found a slightly cheaper alternative to EarthBoxes. The self-irrigated planter called “City Pickers” is made in the U.S. by Emsco Group. It was $29.95 which is a few bucks less than the online price of EarthBoxes, plus you save on shipping. Also, they claim the plastic is recycled & recyclable. The box measures 24″ x 20″ and holds 1.5 cubic ft. of potting media. Like EarthBox, Emsco suggests adding granular fertilizer and dolomite (lime). City Pickers comes with a mulch cover, aeration screen, fill tube, and, unlike EarthBox, the casters are included at no extra cost. Looking forward to comparing the two. The only other immediate difference I see is that the Emsco box has a shallower but wider surface area for root systems.

Since I’m sending in my rebate forms for Chicago’s “Sustainable Backyards” program this week, I thought it would be a good reminder for city residents to look into this program if you haven’t already.  The city will reimburse you up to 50% of the cost of certain landscaping plants, rain barrels, and composters that are purchased locally. After the rebate, my double chamber composter will only cost $50! The program runs until the end of the year.

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Posted in Container Gardening, Organic Gardening, Rooftop Gardening, Wicker Park, Chicago

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Growing Potatoes in a Pot

Posted on May 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

Potatoes are one of the easiest things you can grow at home, regardless of how much space you have. And if you have any potatoes in your pantry, you’re halfway there already. All you need to do is plunge a few of those potatoes into a container of soil and wait few weeks. Here is today’s before and after picture of a few organic supermarket potatoes that I planted exactly 2 months ago. So in a matter of 8 weeks you can grow your own meal of garden fresh new potatoes:

Potato foliage reached about a foot and a half in height in a matter of 2 months.

A handful of new potatoes harvested from 3 starter potatoes from the pantry.

How to Grow Potatoes At Home:

1. Gather a few potatoes from your pantry or buy some from the supermarket. Look for ones that have “eyes” starting to form or sprout. The eyes are simply those white protrusions on the surface of the potato- usually there are several.

2. Fill a container with soil rich in organic matter. Any standard patio planter will work as long as there are holes in the bottom and room enough to accommodate the growing potatoes. Potatoes like well-draining soil, especially if it’s amended with manure, compost or even whole kitchen vegetable scraps mixed in. Beyond this, they won’t require additional fertilizer.

3. Bury 2 or 3 potatoes several inches down into the soil. Alternatively, you can carve out the sprouting “eyes” from the starter potato, leaving a small chuck of flesh around each eye. The eye will sprout into the root system and foliage as seen above. Each eye you plant will produce an individual plant, so the more eyes you start with the more potatoes you’ll end up with. But remember they need room in the pot to handle all their newborns!

4. Water well and place in a location that will receive plenty of sun once the foliage emerges. Water regularly when the soil starts to dry, but don’t make your potatoes live in soggy soil. Potatoes are hardy and can tolerate a fair amount of abuse.

5. After 8 weeks, when foliage reaches 1 to 2 feet in height, gently pull the soil away from the base of the foliage to explore the size of the new potatoes. Harvest if they are a size you want to cook with or cover them back up and wait a couple more weeks if you want more mature potatoes. When harvesting, explore the soil well as the potatoes may be scattered throughout the container.

6. After harvesting the potatoes, you might place some of the small or imperfect ones back into the soil to start the process all over again.

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Posted in Container Gardening, Organic Gardening, Rooftop Gardening

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Looks Like A Road Trip, Chicago!

Posted on May 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

After reading this blog post about fossil digging in Braidwood, IL, I took a look on the map and realized there would be enough outdoor attractions nearby to make a weekend out of it. Check out some of these great sites that are only an hour and a half southwest of Chicago:

Fossil Digging in Braidwood/Mazonia State Fish & Wildlife Area (includes link to fossil collecting permit)

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (restored from the old Joliet Army Ammunition Plant site) and Grant Creek Nature Area

Des Plaines Dolomite Prairies

Braidwood Dunes and Savanna, Sand Ridge Savanna, and Wilmington Shrub Prairie Nature Preserves (visit some of the last remaining shrub prairie at Wilmington, and cacti and lizards at Braidwood Dunes)

Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area

 

 

 

 

Have you spent time in this area? What’s a must see and what have I missed?

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Posted in Road trips

Chicago, Is It Safe To Plant Yet?

Posted on May 15, 2012 | 3 Comments

The 10-day forecast is looking pretty decent Chicago (zones 5-6), save for tomorrow’s night time temp in the mid-40s. Dare I risk making a predication that we’ll be in the safe planting zone starting the end of this week? I don’t foresee frost being an issue, but many varieties of warm weather veggies don’t like cold nighttime temps- unlike leafy greens which thrive under cooler conditions.  So if you’re thinking spinach and lettuce, the 80′s we’re receiving this week is not a good seeding climate. Everything else, however might just be in the clear. But don’t take my word for it, I don’t want anybody knocking on my door with shriveled or stunted seedlings if we have a midwest surprise! Start the conversation here… what are you planting and when?

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Posted in Container Gardening, Weather and Climate, Wicker Park, Chicago

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Chicago Events This Weekend (and next), 5/5 – 5/13

Posted on May 4, 2012 | 1 Comment

If you can make it to Wicker Park this weekend, visit the actual Wicker Park (field house) where they’ll be having a plant sale Saturday 5/5 & Sunday 5/6. Proceeds benefit the Wicker Park Garden Club’s maintenance of 10,000 sq. ft. of gardens within Wicker Park itself and the garden club’s 7 month lecture & workshop series (Saturday’s lecture is on raising chickens).

I walked the pup to Wicker Park today and it’s beautiful right now- the gardens are lush with greenery, white iris are in full bloom, and birds are singing. The garden club is setting up the plant sale today and they have a great mix of annuals, perennials and veggies. Gardening experts are on-hand to give advice on the best plants for your garden.

This weekend at Navy Pier is Green Festival 2012, an event dedicated to sustainable economy, ecological balance, and social justice. If you happen to subscribe to email updates from the Organic Consumer’s Association, check your inbox for a code to get into the festival for free (otherwise tickets are available at the door).

Version Fest  kicks off its big first weekend in Bridgeport with a blend of pop-up shops and rotating list of food trucks. Version 12 lasts for the full month of May in the Bridgeport neighborhood. Don’t miss Enoch’s Doughnuts, I wrote a blog about them a couple months back and according to their Facebook page they sell out fast.

Last event for this weekend is gazing at the “super moon” on Saturday night. It’s everywhere in the news but you might have needed a reminder. Chicago’s looking pretty cloudy so you might have to use your imagination on this one.

Next weekend you don’t want to miss THE CITY’S ANNUAL FREE PLANT GIVEAWAY!

Second TulipMania! and Mother’s Day Plant Sale
Saturday, May 12 and Sunday, May 13
Hours: 10 am – 3 pm
Where: Garfield Market Gate (on Central Park Ave, just north of the Main Lobby entrance)
Cost: Tulip bulbs are free!

Every spring, the City of Chicago and Chicago Park District pull all of the tulips from downtown and Chicago parks to replace them with warmer season plantings. TulipMania is an event that recycles these bulbs so they can be distributed to the public for free. Tulip bulbs are given on a first come, first served basis. They go fast, and the line begins to form early. Tulip bulbs are given away in mixed bags and yours may include varieties like “Maggie Daley,” “Rococco Parrot,” “Princess Irene,” and more!In conjunction with the tulip bulb giveaway, the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance is hosting a Mother’s Day Tropical Plant Sale in the Garfield Market Place, which will include a variety of tropical houseplants, succulents and a limited supply of garden seedlings. There will also be Hail Storm Glass pieces by artist Beth Berger Martin on sale to raise funds to rebuild after last summer’s hail storm. All plant sale proceeds benefit the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance’s programming and aid in the reconstruction efforts.

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Posted in Events, Wicker Park, Chicago

Spring Planting for 2012 Rooftop Gardening

Posted on April 30, 2012 | 2 Comments

With weather returning closer to average for April, I’m relieved I didn’t do any premature direct sowing back when the temps hit the 80s (other than spinach that likes cool temps). As recently as last week Chicagoland has received freeze warnings. This coming week looks to be quite warm, but it’s still too early to plant many varieties outside due to nighttime temps still dipping into the 30s and 40s. Even if the cold temperatures don’t kill the seeds/seedlings, it can stunt growth and cause poor performance later in the season.

Potatoes planted in March are thriving on the rooftop- they can handle cool night temps. Turns out, potatoes make great container plants.

Yesterday I sowed several seed varieties indoors. Competing with the high winds on the rooftop and lack of space indoors made growing from seed a challenge last year. Without much space indoors to accommodate proper lighting, it’s difficult to grow hardy seedlings that can then handle the hardening-off transition to outdoors. If we don’t get hurricane force winds and marble hail like we did last year in Chicago (literally) then I may have more success than I did last year.

Strawberries are also great container plants that thrive in the midwest, and despite the harsh conditions on a rooftop. With them getting an early start this year, it looks like we'll have our first crop in May.

Here are the seed varieties I planted yesterday along with the varieties I’ve added to the calendar for direct sowing in May & June:

Late April seeding for June transplants:

  • Cantaloupe (seed saving from an organic store-bought melon)
  • Tomato (Atkinson, heirloom)
  • Green Peppers (California Wonder, freebie seeds)
  • Green Pepper (Big Dipper, freebie seeds)
  • Eggplant (Tiger, Thai hybrid)
  • Eggplant (Chinese long)
  • Sweet Peppers (Shishito)

Plastic produce "clamshells" (left) make good countertop sprouting containers and come with lids to keep seeds warm and moist for quick germination.

Seeds for direct sowing this week:

  • Extra Dwarf Pak Choi, bok choi
  • Pai Tsai, bok choi
  • Tasoi Savoy, bok choi
  • Cucumber Lemon (heirloom)

Seeds for direct sowing when night time temps remain a bit warmer:

  • Malabar spinach
  • Green beans
  • Acorn squash

We’re planning to supplement these seeds with seedlings from a local nursery that sells heirloom organics… especially if the wind mows down my young ones!

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Posted in Container Gardening, Heirloom Seed, Organic Gardening, Rooftop Gardening, Seed

TONIGHT IN CHICAGO: 4/22/12

Posted on April 22, 2012 | Leave a comment

A quick Sunday evening post…

If the skies remain clear in Chicago tonight, it’s the last night to catch the best display of the Lyrid meteor shower. Look to the darkest parts of horizon after midnight and expect to see up to 15 or 20 meteors per hour.

But if you’re outside during this time…

Bring a jacket for yourself and a blanket for your plants, there’s a freeze warning tonight for Chicago.

Happy Earth Day!

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Posted in Weather and Climate, Wicker Park, Chicago

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