Farming Is Not Just For Farmers!
by Anna Ribbeck
By definition, farming is defined as the production or management of food. Therefore, you can “farm” in your own backyard or even your patio!
No size restriction or fancy equipment necessary. All you need to become a backyard farmer is a sunny garden area or just a few interesting pots.
Farming in pots can be called “portable gardening.” This is an ancient method practiced by the Chinese and the Persians. Many ancient paintings show lush potted plants as part of these ancients’ everyday life. Early Greek civilizations displayed potted wheat in the spring as part of a celebration to honor Persephone’s return from Hades. The Italian and Spanish cultures have long been known for cultivating ornamental, as well as productive, fruit and vegetables in pots. Many potted figs came to America via the Atlantic Ocean and found new homes in New Yorkers’ backyards. They, like the humans who brought them, became parent stock for many still there today. How many of our Louisiana ancestors did the same thing? Where else but in a beautiful courtyard pot would anyone in New Orleans have found room to grow their own herbs and tomatoes?
The possibilities and combinations for your potted “farm” are endless. Seeds are a good way to begin, but by this time of year, pre-starters would make a better choice. One good word of advice is to study companion plants. Tomatoes and marigolds not only make a beautiful combination in a pot, but the strong scent of the marigolds helps to repel pests on the tomatoes. Add some English ivy to this potted garden and you have a visual delight. Never plant your tomato plant with corn or fennel, as these steal nutrients or encourage insects that tomatoes don’t want.
Eggplant has a beautiful large leaf and makes an excellent centerpiece for a large container. This plant enjoys the company of beans and spinach. Dusty Miller would be a nice addition, with its pale silver color a contrast to the darker greens of the eggplant and spinach. Other nice patio pot “farms” could contain peppers, basil, lettuce, strawberries and, of course, parsley. Nasturtiums are excellent companion flowers for most of these. Think about color, shape and size when you make your choices, remembering that very tall plants are better suited to a garden.
Traditionally, one thinks of a backyard garden laid out in rows—long, straight rows. Most backyards lack the space and sunlight for this. Throw tradition out the garden gate and plant something edible wherever space and sun allow! Plant vegetables that will mature at different times adjacent to each other. When one harvest is finished, the other will still have sun and nutrients to bring forth a new feast. Check the information that comes with the small potted veggies or herbs for heights, sunlight requirements and growing times. Most planting spots should be rotated, so, if your cucumber crop failed this year, it’s easy to try it in another location next year. Above all, be creative. Try combinations and don’t be afraid to prune or remove things that just don’t work.
A few basics are important to the success of any vegetable farm. Again, remember that there are families of plants that enjoy being together. The cabbage family includes cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. These plants enjoy the company of marigolds, mint and thyme, which will all repel pests. Keep strawberries away from this family. The next family is the Allium family. This includes many popular seasonings, such as onion, garlic, scallions, shallots and leeks. This family can be planted with the cabbage family and makes an excellent backdrop for many of them. Alliums also repel pests with their strong smell. Keep them away from the legumes—beans and peas. The legumes would much rather be pared with the cucurbits—cucumbers, squashes (yes, this includes zucchini) and one of my favorites, melons. The nice thing about beans or peas is that they can be trellised to look over the ground-running cucurbits. Lots of beans and peas also make an attractive showplace out of the garden. Red cabbage, ruby chard and endive will make a beautiful border plant in any of your limited spaces.
If you are a salad lover, the next three groups could be the best for you. Mescluns include arugula, Swiss chard, chicory, escarole, endive and radicchio. Plant these for a wonderful mixed bowl, but try pairing them near something taller that will offer protection from the noonday sun. That would be the next group—the Solanaceae (sun lovers). What salad would be complete without tomatoes or peppers? These may require little wire containers to help support their height and the weight of their fruit. Lastly, try some of the Apiaceae family—carrots, dill, fennel and parsley. It is not always good to plant these near other salad members or, sometimes, not even near other members of their own family. Carrots should never be planted near dill, but they should be planted wherever one wishes to attract bees—maybe next to some fruit trees.
Now, it’s prep time. The best results from your edible landscape always come from a good beginning. Whether you have chosen a spot in a garden, corner of the yard or a beautiful container for the patio, preparation for the plants will make all the difference. All vegetables like well-drained, rich soil. Some like more nitrogen, some less. Turn and aerate your soil before planting and add some sand and peat. Use topsoil as your mulch around these plants and follow planting directions that come with each plant.
Fertilize about a week after planting with organic all-purpose fertilizer and make sure plants are watered only when they are about to wilt. Standing water is not good for most veggies.
What a joy to harvest your own produce when you need it! The fresh taste is amazing, and the possibilities are endless. The smell of fresh herbs as you pass through the garden will lead to new creations in your kitchen, as well. Couch potatoes may find new life on their very own potato farm! Encourage children to help with the “family farm.” Sometimes a picky eater will be more willing to eat the fruits of their own labor. Even if you try just one potted tomato on the patio this year, you will contribute to “green farming”—and you will be surprised at how good your homegrown tomato will taste. Sweet success, indeed!
