BOOK REVIEW - Permaculture in Pots

Permaculture in Pots – How to grow food in small urban spaces

Juliet Kemp (London, UK – Zone 9)

Beyond some permaculture basics the format is a calendar of container garden activities, each featuring an herb of the month. Is it unconventional to start the calendar in November, though the supplemental information on soil and worm composting makes it as good a place as any to begin. Herbs are thoughtfully chosen to the corresponding month – in respect to the seasonality of both plant & use.

She gets the small right! There’s good advice specific to apartment dwellers and renters in very urban spaces. One good point in this regard is attracting pollinators for plants like tomatoes, squash and blueberries that require bees or other insects to make their fruit. I use containers in a yard in the city with lots of different plants flowering at different times with different sized blooms within and surrounding my yard, along with a good hedgerow along the fence. Thus I have not come across this problem, however her London examples lead me to believe this is likely in such urban jungles. The bees have been successful in keeping me from bumbling around in their stead, spreading fairy dust to make Cinderella’s pumpkins myself...but she outline how you might make this compensation if needed.

How this book makes use of, or speaks to, permaculture specifically…

Bringing the concept of permaculture to the small realm of containers is necessarily difficult. Kemp does manage to do this mostly through multiples references to big picture thinking, concept of "whole in the part", zones away from the house - as containers are fantastic is being in the nearest zone 1, compost/soil fertility as emphasized mainly through worms, importance of site selection and observation, zonal considerations (and how that related to the permie focus on perennials).

Her initial audience may be limited, but a broader application of the core/fundamentals she presents is greatly usable for everyone growing in containers or small spaces. Containers are on the reused/found/cheap/practical side throughout the book (right down to a garbage bag in a good-sized box to address the special peculiarities of growing potatoes). Though this does make for a reliance on plastics (and I question some of the health effects of hot plastic) the antioxidant superiority of fresh veg could cancel out or even greatly exceed the risk. It is for each gardener to decide. At times, Haitian refugees-in-their-own-country due to devastating earthquakes were growing food in tires because it was the reality imposed upon them to make ground to feed themselves.

A great thing she added to a container book, let alone a gardening book was Heat Zones. The mention of it intrigued me, and when I investigated further I found that it is the counterbalance to the USDA Zones you are used to hearing about. Portland and Houston are both in Zone 8 where the excessive minimum temperature is expected to be from 15 to 20 degrees F, however the heat zones are radically different as they represent the average number of days above 86 degrees F (30 degrees C). Portland is in Zone 1, where less than one day above 86 degrees is the norm, whereas Houston is in Zone 9, where on average  a whopping 121 to 150 scorching days can be expected. Check an upcoming post for what that means. A good book should always pique your curiosity to learn further though, and this one definitely did that.

Overall: 4/5

Points for: Seasonal Recipes, Herb of the Month, Foraging Tips, Succinct plans for laying out growing areas on a balcony, numerous how-to’s including self-watering containers and a cold frame.

Moving Forward

Watering While Away - Just Add Wine

Keeping your plants 'hydrated' while you fly off to fun adventures is always a bit of a conundrum.
 Unless you have some form of automatic watering system in place, you must turn to begging or borrowing - especially when it comes to containers.

As I took stock a couple of weeks ago of the weather forecast, state my veggies were in, and length of my trip, I came upon a simple plan that seems to have work wonders.

I was only leaving for three days, and rain was possibly anticipated for the night of our return (you know how those meteorologist like to hedge). So I decided to front-load the water by giving everything a good thorough soaking the day before I left.  This would suffice for all the big half-barrels, but I worried more about some of the smaller pots.

I know that peppers can take some drought, and you even want to keep them a little underwatered in the case of hot peppers if you want to develop that heat. Ever wonder why some jalapenos are so much hotter than others? Usually its due to how they were watered. As the developing peppers are only the size of a baby's thumbnail right now, I took the chance to leave them be (after the good soaking of course).

For the leavy veggies, I was a little more concerned.  I knew that the window boxes of lettuce would wilt in 3 days for sure, leading to bitter, leathery leaves. Another compounding factor was their location - under the roof of the back deck - leaving all their water needs to me.  My other concern was my actively-growing lemon verbena. She is putting out such quantity of new growth that I new she'd dislike drying out.

So with all that said, I decided to give my lettuce & lemon verbena wine! With a plethora of wine bottles empty in the
recycling, I just filled three of them up and put one, upside-down, in each pot burring the neck.  It worked like a charm! They were empty when I got back, but all the plants seemed happy and ready to resume the normal course of
watering the next day.  For bigger pots, or longer away, you might consider placing 2 or more in each pot, if large enough to accommodate.

As a bonus, any rainwater that accumulates in the 'dimple' at the bottom of the upturned bottle provides a great little butterfly pond. They need water to you know, and the rim gives them a place to land to get a sip.  So not only are we watering the plants, but local insect-life too.

Bring on the Tomatoes!

I’ve started a page for the Warm Season Varieties that I have experience growing to give you some ideas for what has or hasen’t worked for me.  The crops are those that you typically associate with the sexy bumper crops of summer - tomatoes, peppers, cucs, squash, melons, and the like..  What they have in common is they need warm soil and air temperatures to thrive, and in the Pacific Northwest typically aren't planted until mid May (okay, we do chomp at the bit to plant them earlier, but they don’t really do much until the soil hits 60 degrees F).  Thus, the majority of these are best started indoors or purchased as transplants in order to get the most out of the harvest before the first frost.

I've started with tomatoes, as this is likely to be the most interesting to the most people.  I will follow up shortly with the descriptions to some of the pepper, eggplant, squash family plants that I’m growing but the varieties are all listed, along with selected flowers and herbs. Check it out here.

Some tomato-growing basics

Sun

You’ll get the tastiest fruit with the best color if you can give them 10 hours of sun a day – and this is
pretty much a must if you want to grow the big, beautiful beefsteak heirlooms like Brandywine and Purple Cherokee.  I don’t have this much sun (and you might not either) so I suggest going for quicker-to-mature varieties - signified by the number of days on the label.  Shoot for 75 days and under.  Cherry types are also a good bet, as it takes less energy to put out a small-yet-tasty fruit.

Water

Consistent watering is the key to good tomatoes – and keep that water where the plant will use it, the roots.  Try not to get the foliage wet as this only gives fungal diseases a chance to reproduce.  Regular, deep waterings are key to developing deep roots and strong plants, as well as prevent blossom end rot.

Fertilizing

Tomatoes are heavy feeders, so give ‘em what they want! Many commercial organic blends are
available specifically for tomatoes and peppers, and usually include the trace minerals they crave like sulphur, calcium and magnesium.  For the relatively small amount you need for container gardening, its probably not cost effective to buy in bulk and mix your own, but this is definitely an option if you want greater control of what goes into your plants (and your food).

Containers

If you are growing tomatoes in a container (as I do) you need at least a 5-gallon bucket for the smaller
varieties, and really would do better with 20 gallon or a half-barrel for a better yield, not to mention a more reasonable watering schedule as they are less likely to dry out in a day.  You also want to find ways to warm the soil and/or use reflected heat to your advantage to help you out, especially in areas not receiving those 10 hours of sun.

In a half barrel, use the space around the tomato for quick leafy crops

Varieties such as Bush Goliath, and other determinate types (that only grow to a certain height and then put out fruit more-or-less all at once) are tailor made for containers.  If you want to go the indeterminate route (where they grow on and on until frost), don’t hesitate to prune the suckers and even the whole plant to keep things manageable.  This help the plant direct more energy into fruit production, rather than keep on with the leaves.

For more great tomatoes growing advice, check out this Organic Gardening post for the Complete Guide or just check out the 10 Best Tips to get you started.

Varieties

Sungold in bloom

Here are the varieties that I’m trying this year.  Some of my tried and true favorites will also be on Warm Season Varieties tab at the top of the page, so don’t hesitate to check those out too.  This year I’m mixing it up a bit so I can speak more intelligently about more varieties, and we’ll see if it pays off, switching Stupice for Paul Robeson.
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CHERRY TYPES - a great way to go for containers, and areas without the 10 hours of sun that tomatoes prefer.  At the very least plan one cherry along with your slicers, for a quick and continuous harvest of pop-in-your-mouth delights.

Sungold | 60 days | A great reliable orange cherry tomato that is a must have for the PNW

Chocolate Cherry | 70 days | A new one for me this year, looking forward to a great dark colored cherry

PASTE TYPES - while not always, these tend to be determinate tomatoes, which means that they grow to a certain height and put out their fruit all at once (and are a more manageable size for containers).  While often used to make sauces because of their lower moisture content, these are still great fresh-eating tomatoes and their smaller size is easier to use up in one serving, such as on a sandwich.

San Marzano | 80 days | This Italian heirloom has always been a reliable producer for me with meaty flavor, such that I have not tried another paste type yet! Many people rave about the Amish Paste variety, and Roma is a standby.

SLICERS - what wonderful things can't you say about slicing tomatoes?! These are the epitome of a ripe juicy summer tomato for most people.  A word of caution though - those big meaty beefsteaks take a looooooong time to mature - when it says 90 days, that's to the first ripe tomato. Due to our cool nights in the PNW, unless you have an area with all-day unobstructed sun you'll likely be disappointed growing anything that takes over 80 days.  Those 10 days might not seem like much, but when you consider you can get some varieties that mature in only 60 days, then the difference is a whole month - a whole month more with tomatoes. You decide if waiting for that big beefsteak is worth it - I buy them at the market late in the season instead while I enjoy my earlier tomatoes at home in early July.

Bloody Butcher | 55 days | A new, somewhat crudely named variety for me this year, it has endeared itself already by being the first one to flower (on May 20th!). Now to see what a 55 day tomato tastes like!

Taxi | 62 days | An early yellow variety that I'm excited to try - this determinate type should stay small and yield a good crop.

Bush Goliath | 68 days | This is a fantastic variety for containers, as it is a slicer that stays bushy and compact as the name implies, with such as sturdy stock that I grow it without staking it (!).

Paul Robeson | 75 days | Another new variety for me this year, I was tempted by the description of dark mahogany fruit, and the setting of fruit at lower temperatures (typical of many Russian heirloom varieties).

Aunt Ruby's Green | 80 days | Even though this is at the far end of my usual 'days to maturity spectrum', the description of bright green fruit, and the vision of someone's Aunt in Tennessee saving seeds to pass down this heirloom.

Garden Interlude

As the days grow longer and the temperatures warmer, I encourage you to pause, breathe in stillness, smell the roses.  The heady perfume of these velvet red wonders caught my attention today; be present in the moment and grateful for the small miracles all around you.

Coming Down to Earth

On this day that we make a point of celebrating the one earth we all call home, take some time out to contemplate her beauties.  Sit in stillness and be awed by the many miracles that abound every day.  And then contemplate too how you can protect, nurture and multiply all that makes life abound on this planet.

Want some concrete examples of how you can honor your connection to earth every day?  Of all the "Top 10" lists out there, the best I've seen so far is by Maryam Henein on Earth Techling.  I've used her list as a jumping off point for some of my own thoughts. Her's is definitely worth a read and contains some startling statistics, especially around recycling.  I've combined and condensed into the five following areas that I think are most important:

1. Buy local and sustainable whenever possible - while Henein uses "organic and local" in relation to food as her top category, I think this can be expanded to include all consumer choices with an emphasis on local and sustainable.  Of course the most local and sustainable food is the stuff you grow yourself!  After that, neighbors, local farms, markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) are the next best ways for you to feed your family and your local economy. A win-win for everyone, including the earth.
2. Be mindful of plastic - plastic really has become insidious, over-used and under-recycled in our consumer culture.  From the huge floating islands of garbage in the oceans, to the fact that less than 80% of plastic water bottles are recycled, there are many reasons to "just say no" to single-use plastic items.  Support companies that use less packaging, and with a greater recycled content - or better yet, no or compostable "packaging". Recycle what you can, but avoiding it in the first place is the most effective (see #5 below).
3. Read labels - in buying products with less packaging, especially when it comes to food, you are also less likely to be ingesting multi-syllabic preservatives, chemicals and other franken-food ingredients.  Checking the label should also be the rule when considering cosmetics, cleaners, and personal care products.  When in doubt, look them up online.  Get out from under the estimated 14,000 man-made chemicals that are added to food alone - and seriously question if that paraben-laden shampoo is really worth it to get luscious locks.
4. Bee the change - reducing the amount of chemicals that you exposure yourself to will also help
   
   the plight numerous other earth inhabitants and support the dynamic interconnectedness of life.  Buying organic does not mean that farmers don't use pesticides, it means that they use OMRI-listed pesticides.  Don't get me wrong, this is a great start as OMRI-listed pesticides are usually more targeted, less toxic and break down faster, but buying plastic clamshells of spinach from organic mega-farms is missing the point a little.  We need to support sustainable, diverse agriculture that is part of a broader ecology.  The effect where this is most obvious is in the decimation of bee populations through Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) - a collection of mutually reinforcing factors including parasites, rampant pesticide use, malnutrition due to monoculture, and low genetic diversity that have come together in a perfect storm of deadly proportions. For more information, a good place to start is my summary of a recent talk by OSU Bee Researcher Ramesh Sagili for the Master Gardeners.
5. The 6 Rs - perhaps the largest way you can "bee the change" is to REDUCE the amount of things you use and/or accumulate.  The average American generates 4.38 pounds of waste per day! according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  This is some 90,000 pounds of trash over one lifetime, or roughly 600 times your body weight.  What other living thing on earth gets away with this skewed a use of resources? I can be just as mindless in this regard as the next guy, but I really try to stop and think "do I want to have a relationship with this (item/object/thing)?".  Is it worth it? Will it really contribute to my life? Otherwise we have to expand the traditional "3 R's" to six:

1. Rethink - collectively we can be a very intelligent, creative, and compassionate species; lets put some brainpower into redesigning packaging/products and the whole system to be better in line with earth-centric values and the reality of a finite planet
2. Reduce (can't stress it enough)
3. Refuse - be it over-packaging, a bag for that single item you purchased, or the disposable cutlery that comes with your take-out; no need to make a big show of it, just say "thanks but no thanks"
4. Rot - nature's ultimate recycling has worked since time-immemorial, we need to increasingly question why we are making "disposable" items that don't rot
5. Repair/Recreate/Repurpose - buy durable, long lasting goods, and find innovative other uses for them once they are damaged or no longer needed
6. Respect - for earth, for self, for the resources that go into making something, for the beauty of being alive, for the interconnectedness of life, for the opportunity to responsible

In whatever way that you choose to acknowledge the connection between your life and that of the planet that supports us all, I hope you find much beauty in contemplation, and many reasons to make today the first step in getting closer to earth.

Happy Earth Day Everyday

Spring is Here!

Get outside and celebrate the Spring Equinox today,
and look forward to the growing days ahead!