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Alternatives


Des jardins sur les toits est un projet d' Alternatives, un réseau d'action et de communication pour le développement international.

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Start-up kit follow-up

First off, a wholehearted thanks from the Rooftop Garden Project team for participating in the start-up kit pilot project. Here are a few things of note for the next few weeks:

• We have realized that the clear tubes that show the water level in your bin may leak. If this is the case, wrap Teflon tape around the top of the joint that connects to the tubing to make sure that the juncture is tight. Sorry about this! Let us know if you need additional assistance.

• Remember the extremely helpful maintenance and nutrient solution calendar we gave you? We are in the process of refining and translating the document and will be uploading it to the website very shortly. This is a very practical tool to help you properly maintain your growers and help your plants flourish.

• The next activity specific to the start-up kit group will be a mid-season workshop on plant emulsions and other inexpensive and/or homemade natural fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides. If there is anything else that you’d like to take a look at as a group, please let us know.

You are all invited to general rooftop garden volunteer activities and should now be receiving emails from our listserv. One of the best ways to learn about your systems is to volunteer at the demonstration garden! We will be gardening on the roof by the end of May.

Please remember that in taking home a start-up kit you have agreed to fill us in on your gardening experience this summer, regardless of how successful you are. We look forward to hearing from you and are excited to see this “pilot project within a pilot project� take off!

Thanks very much, and if there’s anything else we can help you with, please let me know.

Jane

Benjamin (not verified) | Mon, 16/05/2005 - 10:11am

Remember that the nylon wicks are there to supply the plants with water until the roots reach the water-nutrient reservoir. Therefore watering is not necessary. Don't forget to wet the entire wicks and the substrate before planting: this will activate the capillary system and ensure that the wicks are bringing water to the plants at all times.

A disadvantage with watering is that excess water may flow back into the reservoir. Excessive watering causes leaching of the vermicompost into the reservoir, thus rendering the nutrients less accesible to the plant and the microbial community that is contained in each pot.

also, remember to help your plants acclimatize themselves by progressively moving them into full sunlight, start with a few days with limited full sun (could be in a partially shaded area.) if it gets really cold out (under 10 C in the first few days) at night or a frost is announced, bring them inside for the night. Frost warnings should be over by the end of may and temperatures will be adequate for heat loving plants like tomatoes by the 1st of june. Certain plants such as lettuces may even be ready now.

Experiment and give us some feedback. As well, you can visit us on the roof in a couple weeks to see how we will go about it. Good luck.

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