Found a green gardening / renovating NFP, planted strawberries

RobertSmalls · 09-15-10, 06:30 PM

Buffalo ReUse: Community. Jobs. Resources.

I did some volunteer work with an organization that is squatting (with permission, I think) on city-owned lots where condemned houses were recently razed. We laid down rows of sod, topped them off with compost, added strawberry shoots and cover. The shoots and compost came from the organization's other garden sites. Maybe I'll stop by next year and help pick strawberries.

They also runs what amounts to a cross between a junkyard and the Home Depot. They have used appliances, tiles, windows, doorknobs, lumber, etc. Anything of value that can be pulled from a house that's about to be demolished, is for sale there. It's a very odd store, and I wouldn't buy much of what they sell because I don't much care for 30 year old windows and gently used shingles.

They run workshops on many topics that would be of interest to some of our members. I plan to offload my weak attempt at a compost pile on them, and to acquire a rain barrel next time they have a workshop.

benpope · 09-17-10, 03:11 PM

Very cool. There was an article a while back about Buffalo turning a blind eye to squatting on vacant properties and even helping squatters purchase properties. There are a lot of cities that could benefit from this sort of thing. Like the Rustbelt, most cities in the Southeast have a lot of vacant/razed properties in the core urban area and older suburbs.

There are a few small groups here in Memphis that have set up gardens on vacant lots, but what you describe sounds like it is a lot more broad-based. Good for you getting involved!

Habitat for Humanity has "Re-Stores" in many cities that sell building materials that have been donated to them that they can't use in their projects. You might find some things there that are a bit less "gently used".

RobertSmalls · 09-20-10, 02:13 PM

I got my prints back from the developer. :P

This is an interesting way to grow beans. Nevermind that they're planted in old sections of sewer pipe, I just like the idea of a single stake with many strings supporting the beans. I used tomato cages for my peas this year, but I may use coarse chicken wire supported by stakes next year.

I presume that they found stolen shopping carts and discarded tires in the neighborhood and decided to incorporate them into the garden. The shopping carts are lined with burlap sacks and filled with dirt and plants.

Here's the corner of the community garden. They also have a fence made of interior doors. It makes me wonder what fine arts majors think of engineer-types. Most of the plots look fruitful and well maintainted. I'm sure they can teach me a few things about horticulture.

I saw an interesting alternative to tomato cages: hanging tomato pots. Drill a 2" hole in the bottom of a pot, stick a tomato sprout in there upside down, water it from the top. Cute, but apparently low yield.

Daox · 09-20-10, 02:51 PM

We tried the hanging tomato buckets (used 5 gallon pails) this summer. You have to water them a LOT to make sure they don't dry out. I don't know how their yield compared.

benpope · 09-20-10, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daox

We tried the hanging tomato buckets (used 5 gallon pails) this summer. You have to water them a LOT to make sure they don't dry out. I don't know how their yield compared.

Yeah, those buckets just don't have the capacity to hold water for thirsty tomatoes which tends to lower yields. Also, tomatoes need a very sunny area and I have a hard time finding a structure that is strong enough to hold them and allows enough sun.

In the same vein of 5 gallon buckets, I made a self-watering container like these:
Earthbox.pdf. My squash got eaten by squash borers before it produced any fruit, but the idea seemed to work out pretty well. I'll use it to grow some basil in the greenhouse over the winter.

Higgy · 09-21-10, 10:03 AM

Ben, I made 2 of those 2 years ago with the big rubbermaid containers. I use them for my tomato planters and they work really well. I need to clean it out next year and start fresh though. You can check my thread in the gardening section to see them. I think there are pics in there of them. I can't remember.

benpope · 09-21-10, 10:26 AM

Thanks Higgy - I am going to give it another go. I got some larger containers that will be better for thirsty plants, I just haven't made the time to mess with them. I am in a pretty mild climate, so I can usually grow thing in the Brassicaceae family all winter. They actually do better in the winter because there are no insects to eat them. If I do the containers I will put them in my makeshift greenhouse. A couple of years ago I took down the south facing wall on my storage shed/puttering space and replaced it with two layers of translucent plastic sheeting.

09-15-10, 06:30 PM	#1
RobertSmalls Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 344 Thanks: 3 Thanked 17 Times in 15 Posts	Found a green gardening / renovating NFP, planted strawberries Buffalo ReUse: Community. Jobs. Resources. I did some volunteer work with an organization that is squatting (with permission, I think) on city-owned lots where condemned houses were recently razed. We laid down rows of sod, topped them off with compost, added strawberry shoots and cover. The shoots and compost came from the organization's other garden sites. Maybe I'll stop by next year and help pick strawberries. They also runs what amounts to a cross between a junkyard and the Home Depot. They have used appliances, tiles, windows, doorknobs, lumber, etc. Anything of value that can be pulled from a house that's about to be demolished, is for sale there. It's a very odd store, and I wouldn't buy much of what they sell because I don't much care for 30 year old windows and gently used shingles. They run workshops on many topics that would be of interest to some of our members. I plan to offload my weak attempt at a compost pile on them, and to acquire a rain barrel next time they have a workshop.

09-20-10, 02:51 PM	#4
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	We tried the hanging tomato buckets (used 5 gallon pails) this summer. You have to water them a LOT to make sure they don't dry out. I don't know how their yield compared. __________________ 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.

09-17-10, 03:11 PM	#2
benpope Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 95 Thanks: 16 Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts	Very cool. There was an article a while back about Buffalo turning a blind eye to squatting on vacant properties and even helping squatters purchase properties. There are a lot of cities that could benefit from this sort of thing. Like the Rustbelt, most cities in the Southeast have a lot of vacant/razed properties in the core urban area and older suburbs. There are a few small groups here in Memphis that have set up gardens on vacant lots, but what you describe sounds like it is a lot more broad-based. Good for you getting involved! Habitat for Humanity has "Re-Stores" in many cities that sell building materials that have been donated to them that they can't use in their projects. You might find some things there that are a bit less "gently used".

09-20-10, 02:13 PM	#3
RobertSmalls Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 344 Thanks: 3 Thanked 17 Times in 15 Posts	I got my prints back from the developer. :P This is an interesting way to grow beans. Nevermind that they're planted in old sections of sewer pipe, I just like the idea of a single stake with many strings supporting the beans. I used tomato cages for my peas this year, but I may use coarse chicken wire supported by stakes next year. I presume that they found stolen shopping carts and discarded tires in the neighborhood and decided to incorporate them into the garden. The shopping carts are lined with burlap sacks and filled with dirt and plants. Here's the corner of the community garden. They also have a fence made of interior doors. It makes me wonder what fine arts majors think of engineer-types. Most of the plots look fruitful and well maintainted. I'm sure they can teach me a few things about horticulture. I saw an interesting alternative to tomato cages: hanging tomato pots. Drill a 2" hole in the bottom of a pot, stick a tomato sprout in there upside down, water it from the top. Cute, but apparently low yield.

09-21-10, 10:03 AM	#6
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Ben, I made 2 of those 2 years ago with the big rubbermaid containers. I use them for my tomato planters and they work really well. I need to clean it out next year and start fresh though. You can check my thread in the gardening section to see them. I think there are pics in there of them. I can't remember.

09-21-10, 10:26 AM	#7
benpope Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 95 Thanks: 16 Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts	Thanks Higgy - I am going to give it another go. I got some larger containers that will be better for thirsty plants, I just haven't made the time to mess with them. I am in a pretty mild climate, so I can usually grow thing in the Brassicaceae family all winter. They actually do better in the winter because there are no insects to eat them. If I do the containers I will put them in my makeshift greenhouse. A couple of years ago I took down the south facing wall on my storage shed/puttering space and replaced it with two layers of translucent plastic sheeting.