By Cindy Naas

Reader Judy sent in the following question in a comment on UGC’s article about upside-down tomatoes:

Author: Judy

Question: I am disabled. I have a walker I use but planting a regular garden is really out of the question. I was thinking if we can do tomatoes this way, what about planting maybe beans on top or some other veggie.

If I planted a garden this way, I could use my walker out there to water and then harvest but I would want to do more then just tomatoes. What do you think of lettuce maybe and beans on top and maybe peas also upside down, etc. Has anyone tried that?

Answer: Judy, upside-down growing is a real boon to those of us with disabilities. I was in an accident in 2003 and now walk with a cane. My balance problems are fairly severe, and so I hired a landscaping firm to tear Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

Richard writes:

“I’m looking for plans for building my own containers-square or rectangular wood primarly. Do you have any suggestions?”

One aspect of the Internet that I love is the vast wealth of knowledge available.

Here are just some of the directions I was able to find on wood and other materials.

Wooden Planter Box

This website has a good description of the strengths and weaknesses of wood planters:

“Wood is an excellent material for container gardens because it lets the plant roots breathe and it is relatively light weight. You can also make your own containers to whatever size you like. The wood will deteriorate after several years, however, Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Reader Question:

Hi, I live in Boston, Mass. and I would like to grow garlic on my back porch this fall. The time is approaching for the actual planting, but I’m still unsure of what I should plant my garlic in, i.e. how large, how deep,etc. I know that garlic should be about 3 inches below the surface, but how much more depth do I need to accommodate for root growth? Any suggestions for containers? I appreciate any info you can provide. Thanks – Lindsey

Lindsey, that’s an excellent question.

The allium family are all well suited for container growing, and garlic is an especially useful plant to grow in a small garden space.

Not only are the garlic bulbs easy to grow, the greens can be harvested and eaten once before allowing them to finish growing. They are delicious and a very healthy addition to stir-fries or salads.

The most important thing to remember about garlic is Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

A friend has recently become interested in gardening.

He’s growing a few herbs in pots on a very small front porch, but has three sets of bow windows on the west side of his home.

He asked me to come up with a list of veggies which would be appropriate for growing in window boxes, and that is an interesting question.

Window boxes have their own set of challenges, but there are many people who have no other access to growing anything. These planters are Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

You don’t have to live in Hawaii to grow your own pineapples.

It makes a lovely houseplant, and if you are patient, you may just be able to get it to produce fruit.

They will be a bit sour if grown outside its ideal conditions (again, think Hawaii) but it can be mixed into recipes along with some sugar.  Even if you don’t eat the pineapples produced, they are sure to attract attention.

Starting your pineapple plant is as easy as cutting off the top of a pineapple fruit.  Be sure to cut it so it has a small amount of flesh on it.  Apply some rooting hormone to the cut.  Let the top dry for several days or it will rot.

Next, plant it in a pot that is about 8″ wide.  Use a light potting soil so your pineapple plant will be Read the rest of this entry »