surviving the bad economy: grow your own!

Two months ago I decided to try and plant some tomatoes on my terrace. I have been craving a garden for years, but lacking a yard, I didn’t think I could grow fresh veggies. Well, I decied to give it a go, and boy – did it work!

This is my terrace on May 4. I planted six tomato plants that we picked up at the store – not knowing anything about tomatoes, I didn’t realize the plants come in different varieties, some better for terraces. We just bought what they had available. These happen to be the vining kind, not the best for terraces, they do have shorter bushier types for that. But these worked well, anyway, for our terrace.

Below is a picture of the newly plants tomatoes. Also, in the corner you can see my avocado plant, started from a seed from an avocado we ate. We now have three plants – all starters. I don’t know if they will actually bare fruit, but I am hoping. And they are pretty plants, anyway.

I also planted one tomato plant upside down, inspired by the Topsy Turvy planter thing (also available through Amazon). I really should have used a larger planter, but we couldn’t figure out a way to attach it anywhere (that yellow wall is not strong enough) and so we just threw it in a planter we had, and said *what the hey*. You can see the little plant coming out the bottom. I planted a little flower in the top, but have now replaced it with a water bottle cut in half, and a tiny hole poked in it, to provide a slow drip of water to the tomato.

Three springs ago I picked up this little strawberry planter, and six plants, and for the last three years we have had luscious strawberries! (although, my neighbor tends to eat most of them because they grow when we are on vacation…) The fruit is bare right now, but the leaves look really good.

I also have two lemon trees – one I purchased, and the same week Zia Giuili (Franco’s Aunt) got me one for my birthday. This spring they didn’t look so hot after the cold winter, but after feeding them a few times, and giving them lots of sun and water, they are taking off. They are loaded with flower buds and teeny tiny lemons. I love fresh lemonade, and having lots of delicious lemons on hand for fresh fish, or on salads. My husband even eats them like oranges, sprinkled with sugar. They are also wonderful squeezed over our fresh strawberries, and sugar.

Here are my plants now. They are about five or six feet tall, and LOADED with tomatoes and flowers. Loaded.

The upside down tomato has one great tomato growing and lots of new flowers. He is a little slower I think because the lack of dirt and water. But, he is doing pretty good, considering.

My avocado trees are growing like weeds. The tall one is about six feet tall, too. And loaded with new growth. It might take a few years to get actual fruit off the tree, but it would save a fortune! Avocados are so spendy.

Today we picked the first two tomatoes. They are a little funny shaped, I think because when I was in Seattle they suffered a little for water. The newer ones on the vines are all perfect and round.

Next year I plan to do this again, but will definitely invest in a bigger pot, and maybe plant only two or three tomato plants. I think soon we are going to have them coming out of our ears. They need watered about twice a day now because the weather has been so hot, and their planters are too small. They are thirsty little suckers. I also want to plant a zucchini. I love fresh zucchini! I did buy one of those Topsy Turvys when I was visiting my mom, and will try the zucchini in it next year (I just need to figure out how to hang it…)

I also picked up some Sangue di bue at the store when I was searching for some tomato fertilizer. It had a picture of tomatoes in the label, and I knew sangue was blood. I had heard that some kind of blood stuff was good for tomatoes, so I bought two bottles. It is GROSS. It is literally ox blood. I have used it three times, once a week, and the plants seem to love it. I used it for all of my plants, and seriously, they are all thriving. It is a great food, if you can get over the smell and the bubbles it makes when you add water. EWE!

If you have wanted to plant a garden, but don’t have the yard for it, go for a terrace garden! It is just a little investment, a little bit of work, and lots of reward!!

And a big plus to terrace gardening is safe lead levels! Purchase safe, rich soil, and you won’t run into the same problem Michelle Obama did with her White House garden.

Lead Found in White House Garden

So we all know that the White House garden has lettuce, beans, chard, broccoli and collards, among other things. But lead?

Yes, the soil in the White House garden has tested positive for lead, but not in levels that are dangerous, a White House official said on Thursday.

For Urban Gardeners, Lead Is a Concern

The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Housing and Urban Development advise remediation if lead levels in soil exceed 400 parts per million in children’s play areas and 1,200 p.p.m. elsewhere. But some states and cities have set much lower limits. For example, 100 p.p.m. is considered hazardous in Minneapolis. In the Netherlands, 40 p.p.m. is unacceptable. Unpolluted soil averages 10 p.p.m.

Excessive lead in soil is the legacy not only of lead paint but also of leaded gasoline, lead plumbing and lead arsenate pesticides. Although these products were outlawed decades ago, their remnants linger in the environment. Lead batteries and automotive parts, particularly wheel balancing weights, are still widely used and are sources of soil contamination.

Fetuses and small children, because of their rapidly developing nervous systems, are more sensitive to and suffer the most harm from lead exposure. Adverse effects include damage to the brain and nervous system, lower I.Q., behavior problems and slow growth. Adults may suffer cognitive decline, hypertension, nerve disorders, muscle pain and reproductive problems.

If soil is found to have high levels of lead, experts advise covering it with sod. Those who want to grow flowers or edible crops can either replace the contaminated soil or alkalinize it by adding lime or organic matter such as compost. Soil with a pH level above 7 binds with lead, making it less likely to be absorbed by plants and the human body if the dirt is inadvertently inhaled or ingested.

The White House is mixing lime and compost into the soil for its kitchen garden, which according to a National Parks Service analysis has 93 p.p.m. of lead — an amount above background levels but not considered hazardous to children or adults by the E.P.A.’s standards.

Dr. Filippelli recommends planting kitchen gardens with fruiting crops like tomatoes, squash, eggplant, corn and beans because they don’t readily accumulate lead. Lead-leaching crops, he said, include herbs, leafy greens and root vegetables such as potatoes, radishes and carrots. Dirt also clings to these crops, making it hard to wash off and thereby increasing the risk of ingesting lead

Don’t be afraid to give it a go! I don’t do anything special, and don’t consider myself a green thumb. Like I said, with just a little work, you too can have inexpensive fresh produce, even if you live in an apartment or condo!

Tonight we will be having Insalata Caprese – my fresh tomatoes, sliced, with olive oil and basil (from my herb garden) with fresh mozzarella di bufala. Buon appetito!