Urban garden ideas

Daox · 08-06-09, 04:58 PM

I know there are a few urban dwellers here. Here are some tips for urban garden ideas. Please add your own ideas.

I used this one just before we moved. We were in an upper flat that had one of those tiny porches off the side of the house. It really wasn't big enough for even a grill being around 4 square feet. So, with a few plant holders that allowed planters to be hung on the hand rail, and smaller pots we were able to get a decent crop of vegetables growing on about a 4 square foot area with a handrail around it.

Here is another idea. It is basically stacking consecutively smaller boxes on each other to make more ground area for the plants. I like the pyramid one a bit better as it deals with less boxes.

Small Footprint, Big Yield: Create an Easy Micro Organic Urban Garden Today! | Urban Gardens | Unlimited Thinking For Limited Spaces

Daox · 08-17-09, 08:46 AM

Just adding to the list here. This design takes advantage of rain water and holds it in a tank to slowly feed the plants. It also looks pretty sweet. Definitely more involved to build though.

Student Designs Rainwater Harvesting Vertical Garden : TreeHugger

Daox · 08-31-09, 04:31 PM

Here is an excellent DIY on making raised garden bed. Tons of pictures and goes step by step.

Build your own raised flower/vegetable bed

Daox · 08-31-09, 04:42 PM

Here is another one, just using a fire escape and some buckets/planters. I did something very similar to this when I lived in an upper flat before I moved into my house. Of course mine weren't self watering... Anyway, it is pretty amazing what you can grow in such small spaces.

Urban Organic Gardener: Self-Watering Fire Escape Garden in NYC | EarthFirst.com

Daox · 09-17-09, 10:14 PM

This one is interesting. They used a closet door shoe organizer to plant a small herb garden.

DIY Vertical Herb Garden with a Shoe Organizer @greenUPGRADER

Christ · 09-20-09, 01:09 AM

One of the projects that I had to make in Home Ec in JR High school was a locker caddy... It's an organizer made from a recycled/repurposed pair of jean denim, that's basically a pad with 3 or 4 (or more) pockets on it. Denim holds water, and I never used it as a locker caddy, so I ran a soaker hose into the back of it with a 2-liter bottle attached to the top that I'd fill with water when it was empty.

The water would always run out fairly quickly, as the denim didn't hold it well, it would drip. But plants in the pockets always got enough water, as they grew quite nicely. I made a few starter plant gifts for some family, but apparently, no one else in mi familia knows how to grow stuff, and they killed them. I stopped using it, and I'm not sure what's happened to it since 10 years ago.

Daox · 11-05-09, 02:23 PM

Here is another interesting one I stumbled on. This one uses cinder blocks as planters.

Getting Creative With Cinder Block Gardening | Urban Organic Gardener

Christ · 11-05-09, 02:25 PM

This, I've seen. Often, I see people who lay block retaining walls, but don't cap the tops of them with paver stones. Eventually, nice plants grow out of them, and if properly maintained, they look really nice.

Higgy · 05-09-14, 10:48 AM

I never understood the first step stone one other then aesthetics and trying to get all the plants in the sunlight. It really covers the same amount as if you put it all in one square plot instead of stepping it up. It doesn't really save on room.

My garden is the third post. I have 4 4x8 plots. I may make more in the future when the kids are older, but for now it's fine.

barbara356 · 11-03-15, 02:19 AM

If you have a house with a balcony, there are a lot of ideas over the net, how to decorate it.

08-06-09, 04:58 PM	#1
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Urban garden ideas I know there are a few urban dwellers here. Here are some tips for urban garden ideas. Please add your own ideas. I used this one just before we moved. We were in an upper flat that had one of those tiny porches off the side of the house. It really wasn't big enough for even a grill being around 4 square feet. So, with a few plant holders that allowed planters to be hung on the hand rail, and smaller pots we were able to get a decent crop of vegetables growing on about a 4 square foot area with a handrail around it. Here is another idea. It is basically stacking consecutively smaller boxes on each other to make more ground area for the plants. I like the pyramid one a bit better as it deals with less boxes. Small Footprint, Big Yield: Create an Easy Micro Organic Urban Garden Today! \| Urban Gardens \| Unlimited Thinking For Limited Spaces Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Daox; 11-05-09 at 02:25 PM..

08-17-09, 08:46 AM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Just adding to the list here. This design takes advantage of rain water and holds it in a tank to slowly feed the plants. It also looks pretty sweet. Definitely more involved to build though. Student Designs Rainwater Harvesting Vertical Garden : TreeHugger Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Daox; 11-05-09 at 02:26 PM..

08-31-09, 04:31 PM	#3
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Here is an excellent DIY on making raised garden bed. Tons of pictures and goes step by step. Build your own raised flower/vegetable bed Attached Thumbnails __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Last edited by Daox; 11-05-09 at 02:27 PM..

08-31-09, 04:42 PM	#4
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Here is another one, just using a fire escape and some buckets/planters. I did something very similar to this when I lived in an upper flat before I moved into my house. Of course mine weren't self watering... Anyway, it is pretty amazing what you can grow in such small spaces. Urban Organic Gardener: Self-Watering Fire Escape Garden in NYC \| EarthFirst.com Attached Thumbnails __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Last edited by Daox; 11-05-09 at 02:29 PM..

09-17-09, 10:14 PM	#5
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	This one is interesting. They used a closet door shoe organizer to plant a small herb garden. DIY Vertical Herb Garden with a Shoe Organizer @greenUPGRADER Attached Thumbnails __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Last edited by Daox; 11-05-09 at 02:28 PM..

09-20-09, 01:09 AM	#6
Christ Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 123 Thanks: 14 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	One of the projects that I had to make in Home Ec in JR High school was a locker caddy... It's an organizer made from a recycled/repurposed pair of jean denim, that's basically a pad with 3 or 4 (or more) pockets on it. Denim holds water, and I never used it as a locker caddy, so I ran a soaker hose into the back of it with a 2-liter bottle attached to the top that I'd fill with water when it was empty. The water would always run out fairly quickly, as the denim didn't hold it well, it would drip. But plants in the pockets always got enough water, as they grew quite nicely. I made a few starter plant gifts for some family, but apparently, no one else in mi familia knows how to grow stuff, and they killed them. I stopped using it, and I'm not sure what's happened to it since 10 years ago.

11-05-09, 02:23 PM	#7
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Here is another interesting one I stumbled on. This one uses cinder blocks as planters. Getting Creative With Cinder Block Gardening \| Urban Organic Gardener Attached Thumbnails __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-05-09, 02:25 PM	#8
Christ Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 123 Thanks: 14 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	This, I've seen. Often, I see people who lay block retaining walls, but don't cap the tops of them with paver stones. Eventually, nice plants grow out of them, and if properly maintained, they look really nice.

05-09-14, 10:48 AM	#9
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	I never understood the first step stone one other then aesthetics and trying to get all the plants in the sunlight. It really covers the same amount as if you put it all in one square plot instead of stepping it up. It doesn't really save on room. My garden is the third post. I have 4 4x8 plots. I may make more in the future when the kids are older, but for now it's fine.

11-03-15, 02:19 AM	#10
barbara356 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Texas, Houston Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	If you have a house with a balcony, there are a lot of ideas over the net, how to decorate it.