Jesse's Brooklyn garden
Jesse’s Brooklyn Garden Begins!
I think I’m more excited about Jesse’s garden this year than my own. I’m always curious as to not only what he will plant but how he will plant it. He has very little space in his urban setting but it doesn’t stop him from thinking big.
Large cities are notorious for their dismissive views on recycling programs. I know this is true for Chicago and Jesse tells me that it is the same in NYC. Our “city” kids – one in Chicago, one in San Francisco and Jesse in NY have always found ways to recycle and be a little more responsible about these things than their respective cities generally care about. (One exception would be San Francisco.) Jesse likes to find recycled containers for his garden.
This past weekend Jesse spent some time assembling his garden. Using compostable egg crates rather than peat pots as containers for planting his seeds he was able to re-use what would have gone directly into the garbage. I’ve warned him that these can work well but need some holes in the bottom to aid root growth before transplanting. The egg-crate planters were placed into Jesse’s darkroom trays (yes, he’s a photographer too) to hold water for bottom watering and for ease of moving them around. The photos below show his seeds before they were pushed into the seed-starting mix.
Jesse also used recycled bits of cardboard to label his delicata, heirloom tomato, habañeros, sweet dumpling winter squash and pumpkin seeds. He has no idea what variety of tomatoes they are. They were labeled “heirloom tomatoes” at a local market and he described them as “delicious.” I like his adventuresome spirit.
As you can see below, Jesse is proactively recycling. He bought eggs so he’d have the crates which necessitated his having to find a (recycled) container for the eggs! And of course, those are old film containers holding his seeds. Atta boy, Jesse.
I’m sure we’ll hear from Jesse occasionally about his garden’s progress. I’d love to hear from others who are experimenting with “urban planting.”
seeds on seed-starting mix
seeds and seed containers
recycled garden
eggs new home
“Huge Pumpkins up to 70″ Around!”
My seeds from Seed Savers Exchange
Last year’s successes have emboldened me enough to expand the garden. For the first time I’ve saved some seeds from last year to plant this year. Jesse brought some seeds from Brooklyn at Christmas that I’m anxious to plant and today I got some pumpkin seeds that will give me “huge pumpkins, up to 70″ around!”
I’ve taken a different approach to seed selection. Last year I picked up seeds on sale from Ace and Home Depot. This year I’ve done that again but I’ve also investigated some of the seed companies that specialize in heirloom and rare varieties. I have also taken a look at some of the companies that sell primarily to commercial producers. Those companies that maintain their own test lots and labs and trial grounds and whose germination rates exceed federal standards are the places I want to shop for seeds. Although there are others, I’ve taken a close look at Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Territorial Seed Company, Stokes Seeds Ltd. and Parks Seed Company which has a wonderful Gardeners Handbook.
This year my favorite resource for seeds is the Seed Savers Exchange. This is a non-profit organization that saves and shares heirloom seeds. It is the largest non-governmental seed bank in the United States. They have 23 acres of certified organic preservation gardens. Their site itself contains a wealth of information on all aspects of gardening as well as seed saving and trading. Even their seed packets have instructions for seed saving . The Seed Savers Exchange is the source of the seeds photographed above.
Let me know if you’ve come upon a favorite seed source.
And yes, I know I already used this photo.
More from Brooklyn
It seems that peppers are about the last things to ripen. Jesse sent this yesterday……..
here’s a shot of my (habañero) peppers coming along. just waiting for them to turn….. i can’t remember what color i planted. orange i believe.
peppers
A Kitten Grows in Brooklyn
From Jesse comes a little gardening story…
Little "Tabasco"
this is what i found sprouting in my habañero plants when i went to check them in my window cage this morning. only food related because of the peppers…. i don’t eat kitten often. -jesse
New Progress in the Garden
ripe cherry tomato!
There are some good thing to report!
• In spite of a cool, wet summer our first cherry tomato has ripened.
• Pumpkins are getting large and on their way to 25#, or so the seed packet says.
• We are learning many ways to cook zucchini! Katie had a zucchini Asiago cheese-omelet this morning.
• Wildflower seeds I planted are blooming, although I don’t know what most of them are.
Anyone who knows wildflowers please feel free to help me identify them.
Any Brooklyn pumpkins yet, Jesse?
How about Pilsen jalapeños, Andy? Does the el cast too much shade on your garden?
This pumpkin is about 12 inches long so far.
unknown wildflower
unknown wildflower with bee
Pumpkin Flower Feast!
My children love to cook. They don’t always cook very normal stuff so when Jesse told me that he cooked something from his Brooklyn garden I was curious. Below are the results.
……………………………………
while i could have climbed out my back window and walked fifty feet to taco santana for one of their delicious pumpkin flower quesadillas, i decided i’d just reach out the window and grab a few. unfortunately there were just a few, but i made do. i found out which are males and which are females; i think all mine so far are males. i picked them and got poked a bit. seems some of the ‘hairs’ on the plant are like very fine cactus needles.
i tossed them in a pan with a bit of garlic and cooked them until they wilted a bit and browned. while they don’t have a very strong taste, they are very earthy and squashlike.
today i threw a few more on top of a black-bean burger with gorgonzola and homemade ketchup!
-jesse
A Pumpkin Grows in Brooklyn – An Update
Jesse sent me some photos of what the pumpkins look like now growing behind bars outside his apartment. Those are the safest pumpkins EVER! Thanks, Jesse. 
A Pumpkin Grows in Brooklyn
I got this from Jesse’s blog and really liked it! -Bill
There is an update to this here!
……………………………………..
here is my copycatted pumpkin planter. some old boards and an old sheet. it certainly doesn’t look as good as a burlap sack. i had to relocate my peppers to my bedroom window along with the random plants that happen to be growing in my hanging planter. i obviously need more soil which will be gotten tomorrow. hopefully there isn’t too much rain. for tonight my pumpkins will once again sleep in their bucket.
bonus #1 the tomato cage i labored over for far too long. some dowels and wire.
bonus #2 the reflection of my target gnome sheets i scored on clearance for 7 bucks!
may 23, 2009
