Ready, Set, Plant!

This is a call to all you Chicago backyard gardeners...

Tomatoes from our yard 2012

I realize it's only March 1st. Not only is there snow on the ground in Chicago, it was still snowing today. But I learned something about gardening last year...it's never too early to start.

Last year I started my tomato plants from seed in my window box. But I didn't start the seeds until the end of March. When May arrived they were just little seedlings. Half of them survived. It had nothing to do with the cold. A few got nibbled away. A couple just didn't make it.

While my friends were harvesting in late July from the larger plants they bought in nurseries, I was starring at little green tomatoes wondering if they would ripen before the first frost in October.

Strawberries and raspberries!

This year I will do better. This year I will start my seeds now - at the beginning of March - and they will be bigger when I plant them in the ground.

Like every year I will also plant other veggies like green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, etc. along with the perennials I always grow - raspberries, strawberries, and rhubarb. I'm not sure if I will see any blackberries - I planted some overgrowth a friend donated last year.

Hopefully I will be able to start harvesting the tomatoes in August - and this year I will can them!

So even though you may be seeing snowmen in your neighborhood, it's time to start preparing for your backyard harvest.

Happy Gardening!

What are you planting this year? Leave us your ideas in the comments.

Alexandra Gnoske is a nature lover, writer, and environmental expert.

Counting My Blessings - One Pumpkin at a Time

So Peace Day, Peace Week and Gandhi's birthday are over, but I'm still counting my blessings, big and small (a lot has been happening).

Something that may not seem like much has brought a lot of joy for me and my kids. Earlier in June we discovered a "volunteer" pumpkin plant in our little Chicago backyard.

Volunteer pumpkin plant spreading through our back yard.

It's a volunteer because we didn't intentionally plant it. It's origins probably come from an old Halloween pumpkin I threw in the garden to decompose a few years ago. Amazing how life is patient and persistent.

My kids and I would check on the plant regularly with anticipation. We didn't know what kind of pumpkins would show up. I thought they would be small since I usually put the large pumpkins in  the front garden to decompose.

It took a while - and spread a lot - before we saw the first pumpkin take hold. We could tell it was going to be big. And it grew quite fast. We had a lot of fun checking on it and wandering around to see if anything else was growing - but no such luck.

Then one day the big round pumpkin started turning orange! That was a great day of excitement. Why? I don't know if I can really answer this - for me I just love the outdoors and I love to watch life happen. I'm not sure why the kids liked it so much. I suppose it's a little adventure in the backyard - I remember having lots of fun in my backyard as a kid - so why not?

About the same time we could see that two other pumpkins started to grow. Was it a miracle? (Did I mention I have 3 kids?). My son, 5 years old and the youngest, immediately proclaimed the big orange one was his. Fortunately for me - I had a pumpkin for each kid.

This Sunday I hacked down the large pumpkin vine that had taken over a third of my yard, growing over my tomatoes, knocking over my wildflowers. But it was time. We put the three large pumpkins out in front for Halloween. Not sure if I can bring myself to carve them.

Even luckier though - additional small blessings - my brother had volunteer pumpkins in his yard...about 20 or so, not miniature, but a smaller version. So to our delight we ended up with three more.

I don't know why it was such a thrill - but there is so much satisfaction in the experience of watching something grow, change, and come to fruition. A miniature life-cycle in my very own backyard. And to share that thrill with my kids, to watch them get excited about growing pumpkins, well, that is a big blessing to me. After all, what joy is there in life if you cannot share?

Get some Green on your Roof!

Want to get more out of your space? Rooftopia, Chicago's full service Rooftop Gardening and Landscaping company, wants to show you how to do that and more with your rooftop.

Owners and operators Jenn Lassa and  Marcin Matlakowski started Rooftopia in 2009. They are both passionate about the environment, love working outdoors and are motivated by the green revolution. Jenn says, "It was a natural progression that we take our skills and energy to the next level to achieve the most we can with our own business and inspire others to do the same."

Jenn is a Horticulturalist and Designer and Marcin is a Construction Expert and Designer. They work together year round to create the perfect garden design for your space, no matter how big or small.

Rooftop gardens have their own unique challenges, but many rewards. Initially the structural soundness of the roof and building has to be assessed. Jenn and Marcin will work with you from assessment, design, installation and maintenance. They won't leave you hanging!

What can you do with a rooftop space?

• planter boxes - vegetable or native plant gardens
• water features - collect water and reduce run-off
• shade structures - help reduce "urban heat islands"
• vertical green walls - provide beauty
• patios, balconies, terrace - create additional recreational space

By creating a roof top garden you open up additional space to enjoy the outdoors, increase your buildings energy efficiency, reduce CO2, create habitat for beneficial insects and birds and prolong the life of your roof by 30 - 50 years.

Jenn frequently speaks on container gardens, raised beds and composting with worms. She will be teaching a 2 hour workshop on container/rooftop gardens at the Infinity Foundation on June 21st. "Our goal is to make under-utilized rooftops a place of inspiration for everyone," says Jenn.

For more information on turning your unused rooftop space into a an inspiration you can contact Rooftopia at 773-398-9486 or email info@rooftopia.com. You can learn more about Rooftopia at www.rooftopia.com.

 

 

Alexandra Gnoske is an Environmental Expert. She is the Author/Illustrator of "Loui Saves the Earth" and Founder of RECYCLE ME.

FIRST PUBLISHED IN MINDFUL METROPOLIS MINDFUL BUSINESS MATTERS BLOG 5/24/2011.

Fall in Chicago

It's been a great Autumn in Chicago. Lots of birdwatching, gardening and biking.

Today I raked the leaves with the kids and made a huge pile, that they jumped in and then decided to make into a nest. Needless to say, I didn't get all the leaves raked up. But I did manage to crush up a bunch of leaves and throw them in the garden. Never again will I put them in a bag and leave them in the alley. I even have my husband saving the leaves so we can compost them or cover the garden for the winter.

The last few years I've thrown our pumpkins in the front garden after Halloween and they've really helped fertilize the soil. This particular patch was not very fertile as it had old, unkempt bushes there for decades. Now every spring it blooms with tulips and I'm thrilled to receive many compliments. Nothing brings such beauty and pleasure as nature. Still trying to make this garden flourish beyond spring. Once the leaves come there's a lot of shade and that's challenged me. Plus the front side garden is on a slant and the soil is always getting runoff.

I'm fortunate to live by the north branch of the Chicago River so it's easy to get in some bird watching at a moments notice. The spillway by the North Park track is a great spot. The black crowned night herons have left for the winter, but other ducks are on their way.

I hope you enjoy your Halloween and have a safe and fun time! Remember to compost those pumpkins!

Alexandra Gnoske is a local author and illustrator of childrens books, including "Loui Saves the Earth." She is an environmental expert and writes the Mindful Business Matters Blog for Mindful Metropolis. You can get monthly eco tips for your family and find out about local eco events and sales by joining CLUB LOUl. Email alix@louisavestheearth.com.