condo garden!

[laura perkins]

Hi there!

So.  Here is what I know.  First, we have a lot of deer, and the soil is pretty beat, and the Board/Condo has zero dollars to contribute to this.  However, that spot gets lots of sun, and its mostly deer proof on all sides, we just need to fence on part-the part you enter from the parking lot, there is a functional hose bib, there is plenty of material lying around to make garden beds, and there is a place where leaves have been rotting for a long time, so I think a good source to get started building up garden worthy soil.  

The lawn has been tended with herbicides and pesticides for a long time, as evidenced by the little yellow signs posted throughout the growing season.  The soil is also thin, very low in organic matter,  so I think ideally we should sow cover crops (clover, rye, alfalfa) and till them under for a year to build up the soil tilth and give it a chance to build up some good biology before going all out with a big veg garden. I could call Manzer and see what he would charge to till the spot, and then mow the crops before they go to seed.  We may have to do this for several years before having good soil.  Building soil quality with cover crops will be much cheaper than hauling in topsoil, although not as instant gratification.

That having been said,  we probably all want to start something this year.  I want to build a litte 10 by 10 bed out of sticks, put some soil in it from down by the compost pile, and plant some flowers, and some veg, and see how it goes.   Then next year build another bed.  Eventually the cover crops will have worked their magic and we can have an all out farm (just kidding)  

I will tell you, it is HOT in that spot.  I worked down there last november and I was sweating!  its a protected little microclimate.  I thought maybe we should plant a fig tree.  Probably a great place to grow greens early early in the season and late.   probably good for tomatoes, marigolds, sweet potatoes and basil too!

Tools:  I have a few shovels, pruners, good saw for building beds, and a wheelbarrow. 

Look forward to working with you all!   Let me know if you want to get out there and get started!  I cut up a bunch of sticks to build beds and have them stashed here and there.   If you dont want to use sticks, Dains lumber has decking material that are ends and he sells them for cheap.  Just tell him you are looking for material to build beds with and he will know what you mean-its the decking stuff thats a composite material....

laura