By Michael Nolan

Gardeners are a unique breed.

I’ve found over the years that we tend to be more laid back and relaxed, and generally appreciate life a lot more than non-gardeners do.

There’s just something about having the connection to the earth that comes only from getting soil under your fingernails.

Spirituality isn’t something that you really discuss in the south (other than telling people what church you go to), but from the very first time I learned to plant a seed I felt connected to it somehow. It felt as though I was responsible for nurturing this seed, coaxing it to life and it was a burden that most of my family and friends never seemed to understand.

I have been an organic gardening aficionado Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Growing veggies in a container garden is a fun way to bring fresh produce to your table even if you live in the middle of a big city.

Thanks to Urban Garden Casual, you’ve got the secret recipe for mixing perfect container soil.

Here are some tips to make sure that your garden is everything you want it to be.

Size Matters

There are so many pretty pots to choose from when you go to your local nursery or home improvement store. But, are all pots created equal? Well, it depends. Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Even city gardeners with no gardens can grow wonderful fresh vegetables and flowers.

The trick is to collect an attractive assortment of pots and other containers. However, preparing your soil for use in pots is even more important to the success of your urban garden when using containers.

For the container gardener, getting the right mix of soil and amendments can be worth more than the elusive pot of gold- but luckily, also easier to find.

Plain Old Dirt?

The first impulse of someone new to container gardening is to spend a lot on an assortment of decorative pots and then go home, dig up some dirt and fill them.

Trust me, it doesn’t work, at least not well. Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Previously on Urban Garden Casual, there was an excellent post about having your soil tested for contaminants, which is a very good idea.

Assuming that your soil has gotten a clean bill of health, the next step in getting your own urban garden growing is to make sure you have the best soil possible.

Nothing you can do later will be as important to the success of your garden as preparing the soil correctly now.

First, decide whether you will be gardening in the earth or in a collection of pots and other containers. Soil preparation is very different for those two growing conditions. This post will address preparing your own patch of dirt for growing vegetables, and later I’ll tell you how to grow anything in a pot!

Read the rest of this entry »

By Michael Nolan

In this installment, we’re going to take a look at a few creative ways to use what you already have instead of buying expensive pots for your container garden.

Egg Cartons
My partner always looks at me funny when I rinse and save my empty egg cartons. When it comes time to start the seeds for a new gardening season, I pull them out, fill them with some nutrient-rich compost and voila!

I’ve got seed starters that didn’t cost me a penny. I did start buying eggs that come in cardboard cartons so that I can simply cut them apart and drop them right in place in my garden.

Toilet Paper & Paper Tower Rolls
Those sturdy paperboard rolls can easily Read the rest of this entry »