Nikas Culinaria

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Local foods - Organic deck garden 2006

June 8th, 2006 · 8 Comments

new-garden - Our deck garden
This is super local! Its our deck. We have planted with only organic materials this year. The soil bag said to not use it to start seeds but we did and they are sprouting fine. These are the same 96 cent planters I modified last year for upside down tomatoes but this year they will be used more conventionally. (see images at end for last years garden)

As these pots had big holes in the bottom I lined the bottoms with plastic grocery bags and poked a few holes in the plastic. I then added a layer of peat moss, a layer of soil, a layer of blood meal, and then a layer of soil.

Things planted or soon to be planted include:
Thumbelina carrots
Tomatoes
Jalapenos
Radishes
A few pole beans
Eggplants
Chives
Various lettuces
Peppermint
Oregano
Bell peppers

new-garden - Peppermint - best viewed large
new-garden - Oregano
new-garden - thumbelina carrots
new-garden tomato
new-garden tomato close
new-garden radishes
new-garden pole beans
new-garden eggplants
new-garden - Jalapenos
Its been cold and raining endlessly here in MA but so far things are ok (planters are able to drain well). With this system we cut way back on weeds and predatory insects and we can visit the plants without getting all mucky – that translates into better management.

Shots from last year

rightGarden
Cherry Tomato from our deck-garden
upsidedown maters
plants1
Three stages of Life
bumble bee
leftGarden
lettuce close
pumpkin
First crop - lettuce

plants1
Second crop same pots - all planted at the same time

middleGarden

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8 comments for this entry ↓

  • 1 Cindy // Jun 8, 2006 at 12:38 pm

    Awesome garden with beautiful pictures. My husband and I planted our first organic garden this year. It was so much fun and a lot of work. We have more squash then we know what to do with and are getting some cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries and bellpeppers. Plus we have mint, basil, oregeno and lot’s of green and yellow onions. It is so cool.

  • 2 nika // Jun 8, 2006 at 12:44 pm

    Cindy: wow! You all are way ahead of us!! Where do you live? Have any pics to share?

  • 3 Pamela // Jun 10, 2006 at 7:13 am

    Truly inspirational!! Your pictures made me finally go to the garden centre and get my herbs and tomatoes for this year. All organically raised!

  • 4 Pamela // Jun 10, 2006 at 7:16 am

    Hope you don’t mind me linking to you!

  • 5 nika // Jun 10, 2006 at 9:43 am

    pamela: dont mind at all! Hope your garden grows well, make sure to take pics and share a link back here when you have that going!

  • 6 keiko // Jun 11, 2006 at 8:29 am

    Nika, what a fabulous deck garden! Your pictures are absolutely gorgeous. I just started growing things last year and love watching them growing, it’s great. Looking forward to update :)

  • 7 nika // Jun 11, 2006 at 9:17 am

    Keiko: thanks! When it comes to nature, there is so much to capture. Besides the fresh greens and such, the best part of a deck/container garden is getting to be so close to the plants any time I want! Last summer I spent some great times sitting on the deck and watching the huge lazy bumble bees pollinating the pumpkins.

    Thanks for visiting and will update when it has something interesting to say!

    Nika

  • 8 Apartment Therapy Food // Jun 15, 2007 at 12:42 am

    Garden Inspiration: Nika’s Organic Deck Garden…

    One of our favorite small garden inspirations is Nika over at Nika’s Culinaria. Last year she had a seriously edible deck garden with organic lettuces, herbs, radishes, tomatoes eggplants, pumpkins (!!), and more growing up her deck railings. Even……

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