Can i start a vegetable and herb garden thread?

[Bob Dobbalina]

Mrs. B and I have been talking about growing stuff in the courtyard of our San Francisco apartment building. It's dominated by two big shady trees, and some decorative plants (bushes, roses, etc) , but there are some arable little nooks. Theres a pretty tall (probably decorative but I've used it to cook with) Rosemary bush, a really small lemon tree that produces some small lemons every year, and 2 pretty big plumeria plants that flower consistently.

Any tips on where to start? We live in San Francisco so we don't get a TON of sun, but there are a few sunny spots. I'm thinking small little plots in the dirt or pots that would yield a fair amount without taking too much space. I've also considered trying to do bigger beds on the roof, but I don't want to start with that (and the land lord may have something to say about it. I've seen raccoons, rats, some birds, but not sure what other critters I'll have to contend with.

 

[Mr Doof]

I really wish I had more space to garden.

I miss having fruiting trees...

Look into "columnar apples".

They really do not take up much room at all.

I bought one after the drought killed off my mini-dwarf Ellison Orange.

This is the 3rd summer and I am hoping for more than 5 apples like I got last year. All of about 4 feet tall now, should get the 7-8 ft in next 5 yrs.

 

[Mr Doof]

re: mushrooms - not yet, get a few growing naturally, but unfortunately not the kind I want
re: move - yes, moved roughly 1/4 mile
re: land - even LESS SUN, in the middle of a redwood grove on a sloping lot
re: ps - maybe add it to your concrete mix for the sidewalk

For the mushrooms, start scouting out oak trees on public lands.

After a strong winter storm, go back and find some broken tree limbs...you want them about 6 inches in diameter.

Bring 'em home, drill a bunch of 1/4 holes in them, get the mushroom dowel spawn from Fungi Perfecti, hammer them into holes. partially bury the oak limbs, and wait.

I advise buying shitake spawn or some other "expensive' mushroom.

Oh, the real trick is to have a few friends who live/play along country roads that are lined with oak trees. Then when winter comes and knocks over a tree and the county comes to clean things up, they just chuck the chainsawed limbs on the side of the road just waiting for a citizen to come along, notice, then call you so you can go out and re-purpose the things.

 

[Mr Doof]

we have a big problem with deer, squirrels etc where i live...on an island with no predators, my neighborhood is like one big buffet for them. have tried all kinds of crazy pest repellent recipes over the years but found that spraying fish emulsion works better than anything and is great for the plants as well. just don't be downwind when you spray it.

Last summer squirrels removed every single bosc pear I had from my tree by July.

The darn things aren't even ripe till late September!

I am seriously considering a live trap and dropping them off at the foot of GG Park (prime coyote country).

 

[FecalFace]

Last summer squirrels removed every single bosc pear I had from my tree by July.

The darn things aren't even ripe till late September!

I am seriously considering a live trap and dropping them off at the foot of GG Park (prime coyote country).

Are you sure it's the squirrels?

Something just stripped my fig tree and I want to murder it.

I also planted chamomile and it got eaten before it even flowered.

I've seen rabbits, squirrels (the desert kind) and my doggo killed a rat last year.

Was thinking of putting a camera out there.

 

[Mr Doof]

We bought our land in Southern Humboldt in the '70s and planted fruit trees then, meanwhile have been gardening too for years. Bought the land during the 'back to the land' movement, thought it would be a great place to raise our kids (it was--they gained something that's all to uncommon--common sense), and would be the best place to be should the sh*t hit the fan. Turns out that was a good move, having been validated by recent events. We bought the original logged-off 60 acres for $250/acre and have bought up other land that was part of a ranch that surrounded us. All down in the canyon where the water is, good move too because this year is shaping up to be the lowest rainfall total since I've been keeping records. Have apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, cherries, and even a fig tree that really produced last year. The almond tree has been a real slow starter but this year it looks like it's loaded. Oh, and cannabis too...View attachment 89888

Road trip!

 

[Mr Doof]

Are you sure it's the squirrels?

Something just stripped my fig tree and I want to murder it.

I also planted chamomile and it got eaten before it even flowered.

I've seen rabbits, squirrels (the desert kind) and my doggo killed a rat last year.

Was thinking of putting a camera out there.

Yes.

Witness the two of them.

They'd eat/gnaw the sunny side of the baby green pear (slightly less hard than a 2x4 on that side), then drop it on the rest on the ground.

A motion sensor night cam would be interesting....things you'd never guess go bump in the night.

 

[Mr Doof]

Mrs. B and I have been talking about growing stuff in the courtyard of our San Francisco apartment building. It's dominated by two big shady trees, and some decorative plants (bushes, roses, etc) , but there are some arable little nooks. Theres a pretty tall (probably decorative but I've used it to cook with) Rosemary bush, a really small lemon tree that produces some small lemons every year, and 2 pretty big plumeria plants that flower consistently.

Any tips on where to start? We live in San Francisco so we don't get a TON of sun, but there are a few sunny spots. I'm thinking small little plots in the dirt or pots that would yield a fair amount without taking too much space. I've also considered trying to do bigger beds on the roof, but I don't want to start with that (and the land lord may have something to say about it. I've seen raccoons, rats, some birds, but not sure what other critters I'll have to contend with.

Which part of the City?

Salad greens do ok in partial sun.

Limited space = growing stuff in pots

 

[the janitor]

For the mushrooms, start scouting out oak trees on public lands.

After a strong winter storm, go back and find some broken tree limbs...you want them about 6 inches in diameter.

Bring 'em home, drill a bunch of 1/4 holes in them, get the mushroom dowel spawn from Fungi Perfecti, hammer them into holes. partially bury the oak limbs, and wait.

I advise buying shitake spawn or some other "expensive' mushroom.

Oh, the real trick is to have a few friends who live/play along country roads that are lined with oak trees. Then when winter comes and knocks over a tree and the county comes to clean things up, they just chuck the chainsawed limbs on the side of the road just waiting for a citizen to come along, notice, then call you so you can go out and re-purpose the things.

ok, pretty sure you detailed that before and I forgot, I probably can find tree limbs now so I'll give this a shot

 

[Mr Doof]

You can always grow Oyster Mushroom on coffee grounds like I did (o the right side...left side is alder wood chips and shitake):

What I really need for the squirrels is this guy to start hanging around more:

But by far and away, winter storm knock down oak limbs for the shitake win:

 

[Bob Dobbalina]

Which part of the City?

Salad greens do ok in partial sun.

Limited space = growing stuff in pots

Russian Hill

 

[sdsurfrat]

Don't sleep on the Detroit Red Beets boys.
Grow super easy like weeds, harvest the tops for greens like chard, and the beets are delicious and good for your blood.

 

[grapedrink]

Don't sleep on the Detroit Red Beets boys.
Grow super easy like weeds, harvest the tops for greens like chard, and the beets are delicious and good for your blood.

Blood red in color, appropriate for Detroit

 

[sdsurfrat]

FYI: Seeds are the new toilet paper.

 

[Mr Doof]

Russian Hill

Ah, in the heart of things....

If you have a small courtyard that gets minimal light with some nooks of light, then get some pots and grow basil and cilantro, or other expensive, often used herbs. Fresh will taste much better than store bought. If you are on the foggy side of Russian Hill, you can put some 2-3 foot long sticks in the pot (around the circumference) then put up some cling wrap around it...this will cut down on wind/fog chill and stave off a critter or two.

 

[Mr Doof]

More oyster mushrooms on coffee grounds in early winter:

And 2nd full flush of shitake on oak after some rain...smaller but more prolific (tennis ball for size):

The cool shady places beckon you Janitor.

 

[FecalFace]

That's amazing.

Can you explain a bit the coffee grounds mushroom growing method?

I know Google exists but I like to hear it from the erBB expert.

 

[JBerry]

planted a clementine tree for Earth Day with the kids. Tomatoes peppers and herbs doing well too!

 

[Joshua2415]

First of our blackberries...

 

[20W-50 and blood]

come on kids...who got some earlys season super hots?