The Eleven Block Garden

Time to plant the scarlet runner beans;  cannot find the saved beans from last year for this year's planting.

Time to plant potatoes;  I only want two or three and seed potato packages are intended for much larger gardens than mine.

I want a bronze fennel plant and find some in the garden section of my local grocery store but as I stand and stare and consider which one to choose the sudden image of a lovely fennel plant growing in the boulevard where it i going to be mowed sooner than later a block or so from my home suddenly comes to mind.  Along with the notion of "100 mile diet".  Eureka.  The Eleven Block Garden idea is born.

What if I seek out the runner beans (I only need six or so) and the potatoes from friends and neighbours within an eleven block radius of my own garden.  And dig up the fennel plant.  And put out the word for an elderberry bush or two (Sambucus canadensis and S. caerulea).  And let people know we have iris to share.

How much of an area is eleven blocks anyway?  I get out a map and count off streets.  Wow.  It is a surprisingly large area!  And if I get the beans from someone who is eight blocks from me and he has grown the plants from seeds he got from someone ten blocks further afield - this is a growing adventure.

The market garden on the next block where I buy veggies and eggs in the summer has already planted their potatoes but this is a source for next year.  A friend a few streets away has scarlet runner beans.  When I see people in their garden who I know to see but not to know (you know what I mean) the EBG has me approaching and explaining;  they do not have seed potatoes but I come away with a butterfly bush and thistle and offer of heritage tomatoes later in the month. We decide to try growing elderberry from cuttings, they from their large trees and I from a tree overhanging the road that I pass each day.    Now I know them to see them. 

The organic plant sale is this weekend and I expect to get to know more of my 'neighbours'.

Of course this is not a new practice but everything old is new again with focus and an increased awareness.

Comments

[Crafty Gardener]

I have scarlet runner beans I can send you, let me know if you can't find any. My seeds originally came from England and I save them each year. I'm going to try and grow some potatoes in a bushel basket this year. I've been reading up on it. Google potatoes in containers to see how it is done. If you just want a few potatoes to grow why not let some of your regular potatoes get some eyes and plant them, it works just as well as seed potatoes.

[Esther]

I googled this subject as suggested by CraftGardener and found this bit:

Potatoes are reproduced through the eyes on potatoes. You've no doubt seen these sprouts on potatoes that have been sitting for too long in your cupboards. The eyes shoot out sprouts, and when you plant these sprouts, you can grow potatoes.

It is NOT recommended that you do this, however. Potatoes that are found in supermarkets are typically treated with chemicals to inhibit sprouting. They do not typically grow very well when planted, and might poison the soil if you try to grow something else in it later. You should grow your potatoes from what is known as seed potatoes.
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I did NOT know potatoes in grocery stores had been treated with chemicals...good grief...is nothing sacred any more.
which reminds me that I cut an apple in half..and somehow the other half got pushed to the back of 'stuff' on the table..I 'found' it about 3 days later and the apple had NOT turned brown..NOTHING...now THAT is scary.
Imagine the chemicals in the apples...

[karen]

Morning Linda That would be fun to have a stalk of runner beans in my garden that came from Crafty! Send me an email (in sidebar) and I will reply with my address.
Thanks! And I am about to plant potatoes in something columnar - have done this before with good results - I've used sono tubes and plastic industrial containers and the like - a bushel basket sounds great and will be 'pretty'. Looking forward to seeing your doing this. I did get three organic potatoes with eyes from DIL and will use these - then next year will have some directly from my garden.

[karen]

Hello Esther. That is worthwhile information - one reason so many more people are growing their own fruit and veggies. I am using organic potatoes that Tracey gave me for planting. Thank you for the input.

[Crafty Gardener]

Thanks Ester for the info about potatoes. I'll go to the local garden center and buy a few seed potatoes or I'll get some organic ones.