Advice for my backyard garden

[growops]

Hello,

I'd like to improve my garden, and I'm looking for input!

These are the things I'm interested in doing:
-A compost
-A rain barrel
-A large insulated container box with a window top for winter experimentation.
-Creating a 'square-foot' garden.
-A shallow planter box on the garage roof.

I'm located in downtown Toronto, and we have winters with snow, frozen ground, etc.

Here's a photo of my backyard:
http://www.glammo.com/garden1.jpg

On the left side of the photo:
-In this bed is mainly rows of tomatoes, lettuce, etc.
-Along this side there's shade during the summer due to neighbour's shrubs along fence.
-Has a very strong 30 year old grape plant which is climbing up on a trellis towards the house. The grapes are relatively sour.
-You can see the shed in the back.

On the right side of the photo:
-3 year old strawberry patch which produces a little less than a bushel every June.
-Bare slab in the back.. this is where I'm thinking of setting up a large container box, rain barrel.
-More 30 year old grapes, but trimmed back. May remove them.

 

[desertlady]

Looks great, maybe more larger pots to put in corners? that way you can cover them on colder nights..

 

[The Mama Chicken]

Welcome to the group, growops!

That's a lovely little garden you have there. I think your list of improvements is a good one. I would start with a compost bin, since a gardener can never get enough compost. I also want some rain barrels, but here in Texas they could breed mosquitoes. I don't think that would be a big problem for you, being so far north. The only thing that gives me pause on your list is the rooftop planter, that would be a lot of weight for a roof that may not be designed to hold it. Of course, your roof is probably pretty sturdy, since you have a decent snow load there in the winter, so it may not be an issue.

 

[schmije]

I don't have much advice for you, but I wanted to say that I love how you've squeezed so much into such a limited space. Do your tomatoes do very well with the shade and cooler weather?

My only concern, like Mama Chicken, is that your garage may not have the structural strength to handle the extra weight of the planter box. I'd recommend talking to someone knowledgeable on your particular situation before investing the time and money. It would be a great addition if it's feasible.

Good luck! And

 

[Carol Dee]

We have a rain barrel from Fiskars. We love it. A 1/4 inch rain will fill it when it gets low! We have never had a problem with mosquitos as it is covered. We found this works much better than setting out an open container to collect rain. (Far more efficiant) Check them out here:
http://www2.fiskars.com/Products/Yard-and-Garden/Rain-Barrel-Systems

Sour Grapes? Try leting them ripen a bit longer on the vine. Still too sour to eat fresh, try making jelly or wine!

A compost bin will not take up a lot of space. Ours was made by simply stacking some cinder blocks. It is a great way to get rid of kithen scraps, lawn clippings and fall leaves. (Which we ran over with the mower before adding.) A shreddeer works great if you have one.

Have Fun and Welcome to TEG.

 

[retiredwith4acres]

My husband just bought the "New Square Foot Gardener" and we really like his changes and good suggestions to improve what we have in raised beds. Looks like you are already productive. I don't do real well with composting. I bought the double barrel composter and can never get it to heat up to finish. I think I will go to the one on the ground and see how I do there. As far as winter production, we are going to take a fence panel and hoop it over one of our raised beds this fall to see what we can grow this winter. I saw a picture of one someone else had done and think we can do that by hooping it and covering it with plastic and covering the ends so they can be pulled back to open for ventilation.

Good luck!