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| michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony [2014-02-12 23:25] – nik | michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony [2014-04-07 15:56] – michka |
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| FoAM offered me to transform their small balcony into a Bioproductive site. It will allow me to practice gardening and garden design. | FoAM offered me to transform their small balcony into a Bioproductive site. It will allow me to practice gardening and garden design. |
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| ===Site pictures=== | |
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| {{:michka:know-hows:img_1605.jpg?400|}} | {{:michka:know-hows:img_1605.jpg?400|}} |
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| {{:michka:know-hows:img_1604.jpg?400|}} | {{:michka:know-hows:img_1604.jpg?400|}} |
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| ===Environmental description=== | |
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| The balcony is facing East and South. Walls protect it from West and North. Thanks to its position at the last floor of the building, he gets sunlight during most of the day. He can also benefit from rainfalls, as it is not cover by a roof or another balcony. | The balcony is facing East and South. Walls protect it from West and North. Thanks to its position at the last floor of the building, he gets sunlight during most of the day. He can also benefit from rainfalls, as it is not cover by a roof or another balcony. |
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| ===Design principles=== | ====Design principles==== |
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| I borrowed [[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2785070-the-urban-homestead|this fantastic book]] from [[http://opengreens.okno.be/person.php?id=85|Annemie]]'s library, and extracted most of the following design principles from its deliciously-written pages. | I borrowed [[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2785070-the-urban-homestead|this fantastic book]] from [[http://opengreens.okno.be/person.php?id=85|Annemie]]'s library, and extracted most of the following design principles from its deliciously-written pages. |
| * **Small plants go in the front**: place the smallest plants on the front of the balcony to avoid shading by taller ones. | * **Small plants go in the front**: place the smallest plants on the front of the balcony to avoid shading by taller ones. |
| * **Place shade-tolerating plants behind sun-liking**: place the shade-tolerating plants (mostly leaf- and root-vegetables) behind the sun-liking (mostly fruit-bearing plants). | * **Place shade-tolerating plants behind sun-liking**: place the shade-tolerating plants (mostly leaf- and root-vegetables) behind the sun-liking (mostly fruit-bearing plants). |
| * **Apply [:companion_planting|companion planting]]**: place plants benefiting from each other the one next to the other. | * **Apply [[:companion_planting|companion planting]]**: place plants benefiting from each other the one next to the other. |
| * **Perform crop rotations**: do not plant the same plants at the same spot all the time & make several harvests within one growing season. | * **Perform crop rotations**: do not plant the same plants at the same spot all the time & make several harvests within one growing season. |
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| ===What I would like to grow=== | Here are some [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:design_sketches|sketches]] representing potential designs for the balcony. |
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| | ====What I planted==== |
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| | I am looking for seeds, and I have a few of them to exchange too. Have a look at [[http://grainesdetroc.fr/share.php?share=89c3d8c3e935b62968c60c3c9c08ae89|my seed library]] and get in touch with me (michka dot melo at gmail dot com) if you wish to get/exchange some. |
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| | On February 26th, I planted indoors the following seeds brought by Rasa: |
| | * Three pots of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:cornichon_vert_petit_de_Paris|Cornichon Vert Petit de Paris]] (small cucumbers) |
| | * Three pots of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:black_and_purple_beans|black and purple Beans]] |
| | * Two pots of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:cherry_tomatoes|Cherry Tomatoes]] |
| | * Two pots of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:green_peas|Green Peas]] |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:bio_brocoli_vert|Bio Brocoli Vert]] (broccoli) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:garlic|Garlic]] |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:pak_choi_taisai|Pak choi Taisai]] |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:epinard_matador|Epinard Matador]] (spinach) |
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| | On March 3rd, I planted indoors the following seeds bought at [[http://www.gouteraujardin.be/localisation-des-jardins/fraternites%20ouvri%C3%A8res/|Fraternités Ouvrières's]] garden: |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:aubergine_ronde_de_valence|Aubergine Ronde de Valence]] (eggplant). |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:concombre_vyaznikosku|Concombre Vyaznikosku]] (cucumber) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:lentille_verte|Lentille Verte]] (Lentils) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:poivron_king_of_the_north|Poivron King of the North]] (pepper) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:poivron_doux_chocolat|Poivron Doux Chocolat]] (pepper) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:piment_hot_cherry|Piment Hot Cherry]] (chili) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:tournesol_geant|Tournesol Géant]] (sunflower) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:yellow_belgium|Tomate Jaune Yellow Belgium]] (yellow tomato) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:douce_de_picardie|Tomate Blanche Douce de Picardie]] (white tomato) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:new_zealand_paste_pink|Tomate de Bonne Garde New Zealand Paste Pink]] (pink tomato) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:de_berao|Tomate Grimpante De Bearo]] (creeping tomato) |
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| | On March 4th, I planted indoors the following seeds bought at [[http://www.gouteraujardin.be/localisation-des-jardins/fraternites%20ouvri%C3%A8res/|Fraternités Ouvrières's]] garden: |
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| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:basilic_pesto|Basilic Pesto]] (basil) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:reglisse_francaise|Réglisse Française]] (liquorice) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:stevia_stevie|Stevia Stevie]] |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:verveine_officinale|Verveine Officinale]] (verbena) |
| | * One pot of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:saponaire|Saponaire]] (cockle) |
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| | On March 25th, I planted indoors many others seeds (156 exactly). Detailed report is coming... |
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| | ====More==== |
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| | I am currently researching on sewing growing bags out of [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:grocery_bag_containers|unusable grocery bags]]. I ended up sewing one out of a similar plastic fabric found in FoAM's storage space. This bag is now the main growing space on the balcony, and the first radishes planted there are thriving ! |
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| | I started direct sowing of a few vegetables on the balcony. Here are the information I gathered to sow [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:celeri_a_couper|Céléri à couper]] and [[michka:know-hows:bioproductive_balcony:carotes|Carottes]]. |
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| | I also looked for diverse [[http://www.hellocoton.fr/to/dIgI#http://www.comment-economiser.fr/arrosage-automatique-fait-maison.html|self-watering systems designs]]. I tried diverse systems, based on ropes, pieces of fabrics, and plastic bottles, and have not found a very efficient one yet. |
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| | After dramatic death of my first seedlings during a windy day, I started to think about how to protect the plants on the balcony from the wind. I have currently installed a piece of transparent plastic and some glass windows as windshields. I may move towards a system based on plastic bottles. |
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| | ====What I would like to plant==== |
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| ==Creepers== | ==Creepers== |
| * Thyme | * Thyme |
| * Rosemary | * Rosemary |
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| ===First sketches=== | |
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| {{ :michka:know-hows:img_4518.jpg?400 |}} | |
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| {{ :michka:know-hows:img_4519.jpg?400 |}} | |
michka