A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Merme & Maxi's Porch Garden

Because this is our first year gardening entirely in containers, I thought it might be good to post about it in this forum.

First, here is a photo of our porch taken on April 22nd, early in the morning on our House Blessing Day. This will give you an idea of the space we are working with. Our porch faces East.




Having asked for soil as House Blessing gifts, we purchased several more very large bags. We also bought three 30" windowbox type planters to sit on the rail. We hung two baskets sent to us by Tina/Jonni13. Chenno/Angie sent us two reuseable hanging bags we draped over the rail. A local friend donated an assortment of 5,4,3,2,1 and 1/2 gallon sizes food quality containers from his restaurant.

Triss, Bestofour, Gardencrazy, Lorena, PattyS and CountryHart/Janet all sent us various seeds to add to our collection.

Using links provided by plants N Pots and Gardencrazy, as well as worlds of information sent to me in PMs by papito, we felt we were ready to go 100% Container! Not an easy step for a girl like me, with Farmer in her blood.

A trip to a very fine local (seasonal) nursery supplied the rest.

Tomorrow a friend is coming to insert the final hooks into the roof beam for the last of the hanging items.

For vegetables, we have planted Cucumbers, Green Bell peppers, two types of regular Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Carrots, two types of Lettuce, Radishes, Scallions, Zuchinni and Pumpkin.

For Herbs, we have Lemon Balm, Sweet Marjoram, Chamomile and Spearmint.

For flowers (if I remember them all!) there are...
Sweet Peas, Moonflowers, Celosia, Salvia, Petunias, Nasturtiums, Sweet William, Snapdragons, Laddy Slippers, Lobelia (?), Marigolds, White Zinnia, Sunflowers and Mystery plant #1 and Mystery plant #2.

Yet to go in are Hollyhocks and Bachelor Buttons.

Also, we plan on creating a small water feature to house our Lotus once the seeds germinate and they are ready for a bigger pool.

With two hanging baskets already in place, and two types of bird feeders to be hung, the only other things I plan to hang this summer are the Upside Down Cherry Tomatoes. We will add strings to the post nearest the steps for the Sweet Peas and strings to the far corner post for the Moonflowers.

On each step going down the right side (while facing the porch) are 1/2 gallon pots with flowers and herbs.

I hope to get photos soon so you can see better what we are doing.

Best of all, nearly the entire garden is within reach while I am seated in the wheelchair and I have complete access to all the pots, with the exception of the hanging items.

Last summer, when Maxi went away for several weeks to camp, our big garden in the field fell into wild disrepair because I could not manage getting through the field alone in my chair. This year, in our new place, with everything right on the porch, I will be able to tend to everything throughout his absence in July.

Stay tuned: more information and photos later!

Merme

I can't wait to see your pictures Merme.....you have so many great plants, veggies, and herbs!

I'm so happy that you have a nice sized porch to have all of your containers on. And the water feature with the Lotus will be wonderful.

I'll be watching for updates!

How wonderful, Merme. Looking forward to future pix. Sue

Can't wait to see the pics Merme! I bet your porch is beautiful! It looks like the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing cup of tea or coffee and enjoy the scent of the wonderful flowers! Keep us posted!

but......... what about the wonder egg seeds?!?

Just joshin' ya, Merme!!!

It all sounds WONDERFUL!!!

What is behind the railing to the left of your steps facing them in the picture? Is that a neighbor's porch?

To the left of our stairs is a small porch-like thing with a doorway to the upstairs apt. Their deck is above our porch and makes our roof. Those two doorways are in the center of the building; and the two first floor units have porches on either end. I will try to get a broader picture so you can see better.

Yes, we still have several other things to plant, including the Wonder Egg seeds you sent us, Lynne.

Gotta get more dirt!

Merme

Merme

\

Look forward to seeing more...

Angie

I cant wait to see more pics Merme, now that everything will be in bloom and no doubt look amazing on your porch so more pics please

My friend Rich came over this afternoon bringing along another big bag of dirt.

We both thought there were four of the 5 gallon buckets with holes drilled into the bottoms for my upside down cherry tomato plants. As it turned out, there were only two. The rims on the buckets made them look like more!

So Rich put the hooks up in the ceiling beams and we did manage to get two upside down cherry tomatoes up. As soon as he brings more buckets, we will hang two more on the hooks already in place and he will take two right side up plants home for his patio.

We put the upside down cherry tomatoes at the far end, the short side of the porch.

Then he added more hooks across the front. We hung the saucer bird feeder just inside the post to the right of the stairs and the thistle sock just on the outside of the same post.

Then we changed our minds about where to put the strings for the two flowering vines. We decided to put one set of strings on the post to the immediate left of the stairs and the other set of strings on the post to the immediate right. I have both Moon flowers and Sweet Peas, but I have forgotten which one we put where!

The Nasturtiums are blooming like crazy now and ohsovery pretty!

Tomorrow we plant the Sweet Basil and the Purple Basil PattyS sent Maxi.

And as soon as I get some bagged sand and a pump for the pondsai, that will go in as well.

Pictures soon, I promise.

Merme

Can't wait to see them pics.

I really do have to get pictures! I have something blooming out there that I can not for the life of me recall the name of!

Pretty little white flower with the tips of the petals all spikey, feathery looking. It seems to like it's small pot, too.

Merme

WHIT-HOO! WHIT-HOO!

I am a proud seedling Mama tonight!

Newly sprouted are: Sweet Marjoram, Chamomile, Sweet William and Lady Slippers!

I am still waiting on Carrots, Onions, Spearmint, Sweet Basil and Purple Basil.

But golly, we are having fun!

Merme

Congrats, Merme!!!
It's always sooooooo exciting to see those green heads popping out of the soil,
isn't it?!?

Melcon6 correctly identified the tiny white flower that was one of our "Mystery plants".

It is a white dianthus.

Here is a photo of one:

White Dianthus


Aren't they sweet with the feathery edges? A lovely addition to our porch offerings.

Merme

Merme - I don't know if the white ones are fragrant, but the pinks are yummy smelling!

Any pics of the porch yet Merme???

I am so wanting to see your lovely porch..pics please!!!

One of the cluster t-storms that went through our area last night knocked over a 30" planter where Maxi was growing two types of lettuce. I don't know how much of the plantings I will be able to retrieve when I go out there later today.

I'm not sure about how to secure these long boxes to the railing without damaging the rail or doing anything the complex owners would object to.

Merme

Talk to the owner and tell him/her your intention and see if they have any suggestions on how you could do and not damage the railing, they may have an idea for you?

We need more pictures please.

Who lives upstairs?

Upstairs is a single guy whose finace visits regularly. They are a young couple, work full time, very quiet, drive nice cars.

She always grins a greeting when we are outside at the same point, but he has only spoken once, and that was to ask Maxi and his buddy to stop slamming our front door please, cuz the bells were driving him crazy!

I know when he does his laundry and vacuums; otherwise they are as quiet as church mice.

Merme

Although I STILL do not have pictures to share, I wanted to give an update on Maxi's porch garden which he has been caring for so diligently!

The white dianthus which started out as a single tiny flower on a sea of delicate greenery has sprung up to be a lush pot of blooms! Just that small amount in it's handsome growth pattern reminds me of an entire field of flowers... it is such an amazing little plant.

I think the nursery mislabeled the plants we purchased as Salvia. It does not look like any salvia I've ever grown before, but it is so pretty anyway.

In the past, all my Salvia have been spiked plumes standing straight up like a feather. These have tiny colorful petals on several stems that spread out at bit instead of a single spike. But the color is awesome.

The hanging baskets of mixed nasturtiums are going crazy! Those skinny looking little plants have spread and flourished in those baskets and bloom in a marvelous array of colors. I can not even begin to dedice which color I like the best! Althugh this is our first time to grow this flower, I would grow it each yaar it is so lovely and easy to care for.

Our Polka Dot plant had gotten rather scraggily and far too pale indoors even next to the sliders. Bill told me they like lots of light, so we set it outside on one of the steps.

The scraggily parts have gotten sturdy and the cclors have deepened again and all around the old growth is new growth filling in the pot and it all looks so healthy and happy! That is a pretty plant on a step to welcome visitors. We have marigolds on the step above and lemon balm on the step below.

The moonflower vines are nearing the top of the porch rail climbing their strings which go all the way up the post. The sweet peas are still shorter but starting to work their way up the strings. Even at this height, they look great!

All the herbs are doing very well, as are the vegetables so far.

When Maxi leaves for camp in two days I know I will be able to access every part of his garden with ease. Caring for it in his absence will be my pleasure.

This experiment with a garden specifically for a disabled person and a child is working out wonderfully and it is not too much for either one of us.

Neighbors seem to be enjoying it real well, too.

Merme

Sounds wonderful, Merme! I am so glad you and Maxi can garden together...it is such a special bonding experience in my opinion.

Thats wonderful to hear Merme, i am gald that the garden is a sucess for you both, and that the neighbors are enjoying it too is a bonus
Take some pictures when you can..and..if you cant the way you have described it sounds wonderful

Merme, hearing you describe yours and Maxies garden is almost as good as seeing it. Looking forward to pix when you can get around to it. Am glad everything is growing so well for you both. Hugs, Sue

Sounds beautiful Merme!