Terrace Gardening Tips?

Hi Lofty!

Congrats on the terrace -- when do you move in?

Irrigation systems are not pricey at all ... they're do-it-yourself: http://www.dripworksusa.com/
Phone staff are very helpful ... basically, you want at a minimum a timer (assuming your terrace has a hose bib), drip emitters, and drip emitter tubing, plus an end-of-run cap-off.

I'd avoid shallow window-box type planters, for aesthetic and plant-happiness reasons ... even if you water 2x daily, some plants just like room for their roots. Perennials need the added protection from winter cold that more "soil" provides. I use 17x17x17 boxes on my balcony; you could use a mix of that and larger on a terrace.

And don't use soil -- use "potting MIX".

Want some heirloom tomato plants that I started from seed? They're getting sort of unhappy looking, but I'm sure they'll still do well.

Morning.
Have you tried the Topsy Turvy? Grows great tomatoes if you can water it every day. Also peppers, strawberries, herbs.
They also have a Topsy Turvy Terrace Garden for flowers and things if you have about a 4x4 area to put it.
Can get it at WalMart or Home Depot, possibly Bed Beth & Beyond and Target.

Lofty - congratulations - know you're going to love your terrace.

FWIW - I have planters of all sizes - large (30" diameter by 24" for the trees) medium for large shrubs (azaleas, etc.) 36" long by 17" high for hedge type plants, and smaller ones of different sizes for flowers. All in the faux terracotta to keep things light. THey can usually go 3+ days- without watering, unless it's really sunny/hot weather. I also have window box types hung from terrace railings for bacopa, geraniums, etc. - but in August, they do need watering daily.

Can't do an irrigation system because the hose bib, plant and door layouts just don't work that well, but think if some sort of automatic system would work with your terrace layout, it would be wonderful to know that plants were being watered properly even if you're away for a long weekend.

Also, I do use potting soil for all the plantings, but keep pots light by using non-recyclable styrofoam packing chips as drainage material in the pots. Put the black mesh stuff over the drainage holes to keep the soil in, then the styrofoam, then the soil. Works well, and then you can move the plants around if you decide to change layout.

Also, IMHO, keep in mind that roof terraces can have strange microclimates depending on winds, sun angles, etc. Learned this the hard way, having lost a really nice tree (it died a slow death, sob) because I didn't realize how strong the winds could get in a particular spot on the terrace.

Thanks. Alan ... Marglobe??? I've been looking for plants, since every seed I start indoors damps off. Can I trade you something? Mint, so you can switch to Mojitos for the summer? Edamame? Marjoram? Thyme? Dill? Cilantro? or something non-edible - Acanthus? Astilbe? Sedums? Day lilies?

My chronic brown thumb turned real green once I moved to a south facing terrace.

Except for those damn mini orange kumquat trees, I think they die just to spite me.

I'm sure most of you already know this, but ALAN IS FRICKING AMAZING. He's not only a fountain of knowledge on terrace gardening but also the maven on the following:

NYC lost architecture esp Penn Station,
History of Paradise Lounge,
Mitchell Lama Housing history and regulations,
Ikea cabinet installation,
Lefty Pinko politics
And of course the best recipe for traditional sidecars. I could go on and on but...

Lofty... You once suggested that the next SE meetup be in Williamsburg. How about your Williamsburg terrace.

Thanks as always, NYCDreamer!

Lofty, I'm fresh out of Marglobe and oversubscribed on everything else, but thanks for the trade offer. I have Opalka, Black Seaman, Goose Greek, Eckert Polish, German Breault, Eva Purple Ball, Kellogg's Breakfast, Kentucky Beefsteak, Joe's Portuguese, Gregory's Altai, Tamina, Burbank Red Slicing, and Beefsteak.

These plants were all started outdoors, so they're happy campers.

Anybody who has both of our email addys, please send 'em along.

You can read up on most of them at http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/finder/index.php?sname=Tomatoes

Lofty, I have great success with roses, climbing an all other sorts, 11 bushes. They are amazing! I even don't cover them for the winter, and they come back better every year. Even the winds, which are pretty bad here, don't seem to have any effect on them.
Don't bother with wisteria — they'll die on you when you least expect it.
The irrigation system — a friend got in trouble because the water in the dedicated hose spigot has to be always on, and once something clogged the system and the hose got torn from the spigot, and... and so on. It was really bad.
Tomatoes started outside (in February) and are doing great.
Daylilies — yes! Lilacs! All kinds of wild flowers are doing great even though my place faces north-east-west, so the winds are sometimes really bad.
I do only perennials except for the foody things. Raspberry, gooseberry, currant.

Alan, I'll take whatever you throw at me - actually I think six would be my limit. Meet under the big clock at Grand Central?

Dreamer, I'd love to host an SE meetup - as soon as we get a firm closing date, we're on. I'd guess it would be at least mid-August before we have chairs.

stakan, thanks for the roses idea. I can't grow them upstate because deer eat them. Actually I've been thinking about growing a hav-a-heart garden, with all the stuff deer like best and a one-way gate. When they're all in there, I'll have my neighbors over to shoot them, and a venison feast.

Alan, I forgot. I've started some hops from seed. They're still teeny, had to be refrigerated for 3 months. A beautiful, fast-growing vine, deliciously scented. Trade?

Alan, I can't find our new thread. Did it get cancelled? email me @ lauriepollock@yahoo.com.

Yeah, what's that about?

I just one minute ago used your worksite email form, so check wherever that winds up.

Now you can garden in your window
http://www.businessinsider.com/windowfarms-changing-urban-farming-2013-2

hfscomm1.

beware.