2012 NOFA-NY Organic Farming and Gardening Conference Program
Gardening in Small Spaces - NOFA Summer Conference 2015
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Transcript of Gardening in Small Spaces - NOFA Summer Conference 2015
Gardening in Small Spaces
Carolyn Edsell-Vetter, MCH, NOFA-AOLCP
Who’s Here?
Where is your “Small Space”?Remember: There are no design problems, only
opportunities!
• Urban yard• Patio or courtyard• Deck or balcony• Roof of house, shed,
doghouse…• Fire escape• Window box• Entryway• Tree wells & crevices• Indoors
Permaculture PrinciplesRemember: There are no design problems, only
opportunities!
1. Observe & Interact2. Catch & Store Energy3. Obtain a Yield4. Apply Self-Regulation
& Accept Feedback5. Use & Value
Renewable Resources and Services
6. Produce No Waste7. Design from Patterns
to Details8. Integrate Rather Than
Segregate9. Use Small & Slow
Solutions10.Use & Value Diversity11.Use Edges & the Marginal12.Creatively Use & Respond
to Change
Permaculture PrinciplesRemember: There are no design problems, only
opportunities!
1. Observe & Interact2. Catch & Store Energy3. Obtain a Yield4. Apply Self-Regulation
& Accept Feedback5. Use & Value
Renewable Resources and Services
6. Produce No Waste7. Design from
Patterns to Details
8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate
9. Use Small & Slow Solutions10.Use & Value Diversity11.Use Edges & the Marginal12.Creatively Use & Respond
to Change
Why do I need to have a plan?
A plan allows you to:
• Make the most of opportunities created by natural and man-made aspects of a site
• Identify and solve problems • Work with, preserve, and improve natural and human systems
(hydrology, soils, air, ecosystems, plant & animal life, natural resources, human – individual & communal – health & well-being)
• Avoid frustration down the road (sun-loving plants in a shady area, a flooded basement from bad grading & impervious surfaces…)
• Maximize beauty & aesthetics of the space• Communicate with those helping you to install and/or manage the
landscape
The Planning Process
1. Base map2. Site assessment &
analysis3. Schematic/Use map4. Plan development5. Final plan & cost
estimates6. Implementation7. Evaluation &
adjustment
Making a Base Map
• Plot plan• Municipal
assessor’s database
• GIS mapping • Survey• Detailed field
measurements
1. Hillside Driveway
All photos by Jesse or Carolyn Edsell-Vetter; landscape designby Carolyn Edsell-Vetter & installation by A Yard & A Half Landscaping Co-Op, unless otherwise noted.
Understanding Contours130
’
140’
150’
Calculating Grade Change
You will need:• Stake or buddy• Tape measure• String• Line level
Boundaries
• Structures• Walls & fences• Curbs, sidewalks, roads• When in doubt, get a survey!
Orientation
Image courtesy of University of Oregon
Types of Shade
Part-shade
Dappled shade
High shade
Deep shade
Drainage
Where does the water come from? Where does it end up?Downspouts, gutters, overhangs, topography, yards of neighborsErosion, pooling, wet & dry areas Problems can be more intense in smaller yards!
100% Infiltration On-Site
2. The “Tree House”
From Base Map to Concept: Vision & Values
How do you want to use the space?
What do you envision this
space becoming?What values do
you want to guide your plan?
What are your values?
1. Friends & family: entertaining, play space
2. Self: orderly space for hobbies & soul-fulfilling activities
3. Spirit: beauty, relaxing view, plantings & reclaimed materials demonstrate oneness with the earth
4. Body/health: lead-free raised bed to grow veggies, groundcovers to reduce risk
5. Community: friendly fences; wildlife value; local, low-impact materials; installers with good ethics around employment & sustainability
1
2
3
45
Do you need/want…• Lawn• Parking• Play structures• Open play areas• Paved areas• Privacy or screening• Protection from sun/wind• Edible plants• Groundcover• Habitat for pollinators? Birds?
Bats? Frogs?
• Storage for bikes, toys, strollers, furniture, tools…
• Utility area for fixing things, washing the dog, hobbies…
• Space for garbage, recycling• Compost pile/enclosure• Dining or sitting areas• Cooking area• Fire• Water
Site Analysis & Use Plan
• Zones of use: What will you do where?
• Circulation: Where do you need to go? How will you get there?
Clear Definition
Subdivided Spaces
• Makes each space seem larger• Defines different spaces for different uses• Helps keep spaces orderly• Changes in elevation• Screening & suspense
Squeezing in Functionality
•Kinetic, creative play•Water sounds •Sculptural element•Water for birds & pollinators
Plants Everywhere!
Planting hardscapes:•Manages water•Softens edges•Adds fragrance & color
Desig
n: C
hrist
ie D
ustm
an &
Co.
3. Sacred Space, Shared Space
Circulation
Views
Desig
n: B
arba
ra P
opol
ow
Multi-purpose Plants
• Food/medicine• Architectural use (shade,
windbreak, focal point)• Nectar source• Nitrogen fixer• Companion plant• Critter cover or feed• Beauty Photo: Jocelyn Hayes-Chilvers
Phot
o: w
ildflo
werre
volu
tion.
com
4. Urban Container Garden
Look, urban soil!
I think that’s dog
poo.
Raised Bed BenefitsDe
sign
& in
stal
latio
n by
the
Edse
ll-Ve
tter f
amily
.
•Soil safety •Ergonomics•If you have a paved lot…•Warms up earlier in spring•Lifts plants up to the sun
One piece, many uses
Raised Planter & Trellis•Screening from busy street•Shade for dining room window •Support for vines•Lead-free planting area for food•Seating•Pollinator value…
…and secret hideout!
Raised Bed ROI
Size: 66 sf of planting area, 2’-3’ deepTime: 2 weekends for family of 4, May 2015ROI (so far): 15 trays of sundried tomatoes & zucchini, a summer of salads, herbs, 2 pints raspberries, 4 pints pickles, 2 batches of pesto, some kick-butt mojitos…Intangibles: bees, butterflies, lowered blood pressure, kids eating their veggies
Closing the CircleMore ideas for sustainable, small-scale
gardening
Hanging Baskets
Hydroponic Window Farm
Upside-down Tomato Bucket
•Tomatoes•Strawberries•Bush beans•Cucumbers•Herbs•Nasturtiums & edible flowers
Pocket Gardening
Rain Gardens
Raingarden irrigating fruit trees in suburban Chicago front yard Urban entryway rain
garden with aqueduct
Rain-Water Recovery
55-gallon rain barrel
Urn-fountain installed over 1,000 gallon storage system
Water Gardens
Bioshelters
•Passive solar + thermal mass from stored water & masonry•Warmer winter temps allow for year-round growing & aquaculture•When connected to a dwelling, provides supplemental heat & humidity
Tiny Composting
Sealed outdoor composter Bokashi (fermentation) bin Worm bin Check to see if public or private compost pick-
up is available
Container Gardening: The Nitty-Gritty
Planting mix w/ low N-P-K Use reputable organic potting soil (e.g. VT
Compost or Ideal) or make your own Coir, newsprint as alternatives to peat Weight of planting medium Fertilize w/ 4-4-2 or lower organic fertilizer (e.g.
fish, cottonseed meal, compost tea)
Self-Watering Containers
Drainage Water reservoir Soil foot or wick Tube for adding water Sand if growing root
veg
Plants for Containers
Cold-hardy perennials & woody plants (z3-4)
Dwarf varieties Annual vegetables Group plants w/ similar
needs
Hanging Planters
Strawberry ‘Patio Temptation’
Tomatoes ‘Tumbling Tom’, ‘Robin’s Egg’, ‘Tiny Tom’
Bush beans Cucumber ‘Cool Breeze’ Herbs
Window Boxes
Tomatoes from previous Scallions Radishes Mesclun mix Carrot ‘Suko’ or
‘Parmex’ Herbs Strawberries
Coldframes
Lettuce, mesclun Spinach Scallions Radishes Chard (prefers to be in
the ground) Mini carrots ‘Kinko’,
‘Nelson’, ‘Purple Haze’ Endive
Large Containers
> 20”x26” Corn ‘Luther Hill’ Squash, melon Kale, kohlrabi Potatoes & leeks –
start w/ container ½ full, then hill up as they grow
Fruit for Small Spaces
Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums grown on dwarf rootstock, e.g. ‘Urban Apple’ series
Dwarf citrus (move indoors; humidify)
Blueberries, Thornless Blackberries, ‘Brazelberries’ serries
Currants where available
Grow On!
Carolyn Edsell-Vetter, MCH, AOLCPBlog/handouts:
http://ayardandahalf.wordpress.comEmail: carolyn [at] ayardandahalf [dot] com
W: 781-788-8855