BIG YIELDS FROM SMALL SPACES

by Diana Liga www.urbanharvest.org

Urban Harvest- Houston

Houston non-profit seeking to develop the various aspects of the local food movement within our city.

Community Gardens

Education: Adults and Youth

Farmers Markets

Bob Randall, Ph.D.- Founder

Permaculture Instructor and former University professor started Urban Harvest in 1994 using the principles of permaculture.

His goal was to teach Houstonians how to grow their own food by developing community gardens.

Using Permaculture Principles

See solutions; not problems Everything works in at least

2 ways Work where it counts Minimize inputs; maximize

outputs Use everything to its

highest capacity Bring food production back

to the cities; help make people self reliant

Co-operation not competition

Minimize footprint

Planning Questions

How much space do you have?

How much of it gets 6-8 hours sun?

What garden elements would you like (beehives, orchard, chickens, compost, pond)?

How much time do you want to spend in a week?

Site Considerations

6- 8 hours of unfiltered sunlight

Nearby Water Source

Raised Beds A. 8” tall

minimum B. North / South

Orientation

Raised Beds: Bio-intensive Gardening

More surface area for planting

Control of soil quality & drainage

Naturally maintains paths

Easy to set up structures

Easy to install row cover

Circulation and spacing

Windsor Retainer Wall

12” length x 10” width x4” height; available from Home Depot

Solid Concrete Blocks

Rough Cedar Fence Slats

5 ¾ ” height x 6’ length x ¼ ” to ½ “ thick: use this to maximize space

Plastic Wood or Hardie Plank

Logs for Habitat Beds

These were collected from the neighborhood

Building Your Soils

Increase production>increases root system & soil microorganisms

Soil Type: Sandy Loam with 25-50%organic matter

No-tilling: Fukuoka Avoid compaction Maintain moisture

Soil Food Web

Fertilizers & Foliar Sprays

Balanced organic fertilizer

Contains materials that also feed your soil organisms

Usually has a low N-P-K Granular for initial

planting Foliar spray to

sidedress

Vertical Gardening

Minimizes your foot print Maximizes space that is

often unused Increases the productivity of

a square foot; decrease disease

Facilitates harvesting Minimize work: watering is

close, harvesting and managing weeds is easier

Creates microclimates: due to increased density and moisture

Vertical Garden Structures

Vertical Garden Structures

Vegetable Selection

Think in “pounds per square foot”

Separate annuals from perennials

Indeterminate tomatoes Perpetual Harvesters: kale,

collards, chard, spinach, eggplants, peppers

Varieties that can be trellised: Cucumbers, legumes, melons, squashes

Quick producers to stagger planting

Succession Planting

1. Plant quick producing crops every 2-3 wks (cucumbers 6wks)

2. Plant in succession/ be ready to plant new crop (transplants and sprouting seed will produce faster)

Choose diverse crops with different ripening times

No empty beds; if the plant serves a purpose (attracting pollinators, living mulch, going to seed) leave it

Spacing Vegetables

Read packets for mature plant size

18” dia. peppers 18” dia. Broccoli 2’ dia. Cabbage &

cauliflower 2’ dia. Indeterminate

tomatoes 1’ cucumbers 8” bush beans 1’ chard

Include Fruits in a Food Garden

Select regionally appropriate rootstocks (possibly dwarfing)

Choose appropriate varieties: Chill hours, planting Zones

Plant for year around production

Intensive plantings: Needs training & pruning

High Density: 4 trees 1-2’ apart

Multi-graft trees: Learn to graft

Interplanting/ Mixed Planting

Maximum Diversity: both in species and varieties

Plant annual herbs and veg. together

Plant perennial herbs and vegetables with fruit trees: plant guild

Plant shorter shade tolerant crops with vertical crops

Incorporate native & edible flowers into your garden

Ecological Pest Control

Starts off like IPM

Create healthy plants that

resist attack

* Encourage creatures that eat

pests *

Make it difficult for pests to

find food

Trapping and Biological

Controls

Use organic pesticides

Cultural Practices and Healthy Plants

Region appropriate vegetable varieties Plant at the appropriate time (get a planting

calendar from Extension) Sterilize pruning tools Harvest before watering! Air circulation Regular watering: lessens plant stress Proper fertilization Weed – directly around crops

Crop Rotation

Make it difficult for pests to find food

Learn the vegetable plant families

Do not plant the same vegetable family in the same bed year after year

Rotate vegetable families from one bed to another

Attracting Beneficial Insects

Most insect species are

beneficial or neutral

Many of our garden pests

are insects that can be

controlled by other

insects

Insects are a vital part of

the ecosystem and our

lives.

Create an Insectary

Create an Insectary or

Hedgerow Permanent Water source Nectar/ pollen source Diversity of plants Year around blooms Various plant heights Hedgerows for larger areas

Easy to do with an Herb

garden!

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!!!

Regulates soil Temperature

Maintains moisture Suppresses weeds Should be from a diverse

group of trees never a singular source

Should be composted down not “green”

Alfalfa hay for Vegetables Never use coastal hay

from an unknown source

Tips for a Successful Garden

Check water temperature before watering Harvest before watering Water the soil not the leaves Trellis vines Harvest frequently Fill fallow beds with cover crops or mulch Add annual flowers for pest control Mulch, Mulch, Mulch

An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other

choices in life . . . Cora Lea Bell

Thank You!