Pasadena Paradise: The Perfect Garden with Creative Urban Results.

(Page 4 of 4)

May/June 2006
By Justin Clark 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Start a skyscraper farm. Most of the Dervaeses’ backyard was initially covered in concrete, so Jules started by experimenting with multi-story planting—broccoli (a tall, strong plant) with endive (a low-growing salad green) in containers, with each plant occupying its own “story” in the skyscraper. Using that same principle, Jules plants three or sometimes four crops vertically, using trellises to grow vine plants (trombocino squash, for example) that grow above their downstairs neighbors, such as strawberries hanging in baskets.

RELATED CONTENT

Take a holistic approach. “It’s so important to feed the soil,” Jules says. He fertilizes between plantings using a mixture of kitchen compost, bat guano pellets and droppings from his rabbits, ducks and chickens. He prefers to let some varieties of vegetables go to seed at the end of the season in order to establish a seed bank. Every week during growing season, he dilutes one-quarter to one-half teaspoon of a commonly available kelp fertilizer in a gallon of water and sprays it directly on the plants. (Salad greens, such as lettuce, should not be eaten right after contact with kelp fertilizer, especially without washing, because it can leave a fishy taste.)

LEARN MORE: To tour the Path to Freedom garden, call (626) 795-8400 or email dervaes@pathtofreedom.com.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Natural Home readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Natural Home Magazine?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe today and save 50%
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to Natural Home

Welcome to Natural Home, the authority on green lifestyle and design. With an up-to-date outlook on current trends in sustainable building and wholesome living, Natural Home gives today’s eco-conscious homeowners the information they need to live in nurturing, healthy homes. Subscribe to Natural Home today to get inspired on the art of living wisely and living well.

Save money and a few trees by paying with your credit card now. Take advantage of our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You’ll save an additional $4.95 and get six issues of Natural Home for just $15! (Offer valid only in the U.S.)

Or, choose Bill Me Later and pay just $19.95