The center box on west wall veranda level is new this year. It’s about 9 cu. ft. of root space. This spot used to hold 2 3 cu. ft. containers. Making one big container increased root space by 50%. The vines are doing extremely well this year in general and this box in particular. Much of this might have to do with the continuous wet and cool weather we have had this season so far.
NE corner veranda
I built a new table for the NE corner veranda which holds more shade oriented indoor plants. The table is made out of weather resistant wood and hopefully lasts a decade. That corner gets a lot of shade and since most of it sits under a roof eve it stays dry during most rain storms.
SE Corner Main Roof
Finally a photo taken on the day it gets posted. This is the SE corner main roof. These two containers support sunflowers like last year. This year however they’ll support 8 habeneros since the NE corner box is being dismantled throughout this season. We’ll see how well this works. Due to the cold Spring and still cool, rainy weather, the habeneros are struggling and are smaller than the seedlings when planted. This has happened in some past years and the habs eventually grew to full size. I suspect the yield won’t be as good as last year however. I’m experimenting with sunflowers as companion plants this year in multiple containers on the main roof.
Pot of Sunflowers
A pot of sunflowers sprouts on 6/18 under the north veranda wall pergola. This pergola will be replaced next season. The planter is new this year.
Veranda status 6/18
Veranda in mid afternoon light. A red 9′ umbrella provides nice shade.
Text Update
A lot of rain this month. Hardly had to water. Fertilized main roof 6/28 which might be late. Veranda vines doing well. Will have pics soon. Front raspberries doing extremely well. Haven’t watered them once this year. Alley planter soaker hose seems to work. Found a simple hose timer at Menards. That is all…
Update
Haven’t watered in a bunch of days and it’s raining again tonight (6/15). Will take some photos soon.
Pineapple Mint
Lots of pineapple mint came up this Spring all over the main rooftop. The NE corner box which is being dismantled has a lot that need to be transplanted. This container is supposed to just store potting mix for use next season. I decided to plop some pineapple mint in it for the heck of it. Over the next few weeks I’ll try and give away all the mint. Mint is a nice invasive plant and one of the few plants that can survive winters in Zone 5 Chicago in conatiners.
This shot shows the surrounding neighborhood in sunset light.
Debris clumps
Pineapple mint has taken over and has set up beach heads in several debris clumps. Debris clumps are gatherings of old discarded potting mix and plant carcasses left on the roof surface to support whatever it is that can grow in that environment. These have been discussed here in previous years. Last year these clumps didn’t fare too well due to drought conditions. I typically do not water them nor do I seed them. Whatever grows in them happens by sheer accident. More of these will be shown as the season progresses. The building in the background is a new feature this year.
Update 6/6
No photos for awhile. Everything got planted by 6/1, both seed and seedlings. Caged positions 1-14 are the same as last year. Tomatoes are 4 Celebrity, 2 Big Boys, and 2 Brandywines. Now that I’m on the lookout for spider mites hopefully that won’t be a problem this year. The buffer plants are different this year. No Cleome. I couldn’t find it in seedlings. May have to start my own seedlings next year — I don’t know. No cucumbers this year — only eggplant and habeneros. Analysis of my companion plant matching will be unraveled throughout the season.
Main roof NE corner will not be planted this year as a major reduction. That planter had around 25 cu. ft. of potting mix. I will slowly dismantle it and clean up that corner for maybe more (and better built) caged positions next year. SE corner loses one 3 cu. ft. container. Habs go into that corner this year with sunflower companions. We’ll see how well that works.
Added new levels and containers to veranda level and retired some old containers from the original year #1 in 2002. They finally fell apart. Alley vine containers receive a soaker hose for a poor man’s version of drip irrigation. The goal this season will be to get automatic drip irrigation working to some level of reliability. Once in place it will be possible to stop the yearly garden reduction and perhaps expand next year.
Weather has been cold and dreary. Photos forthcoming once things start growing.