If you think the concrete jungle is, well, jungle-less, think again. There's a growing gardening community in the big city, and it's made up of quite a creative bunch.
We're not talking window boxes here. Or tree-grows-in-Brooklyn stuff. Folks are growing unusual plants on terraces and creating lush hideaways on apartment building roofs. A couple of years ago, I met with the Manhattan Rose Society. Kind of an oxymoron, I thought at the time. But these folks were really enthusiastic and dedicated to roses.
And now, more and more city dwellers are growing their own food. Maybe it's out of necessity, what with the price of gas and milk and rice and everything. Seeds are cheap. If you play your cards right, they're even free. And a family of four can save upwards of $1,000 a year by growing their own produce.
Easy enough here on Long Island, where most of us have at least a small patch of soil to call our own. In the city, container vegetables are growing in popularity. Earth boxes are perfectly suited for balconies, but regular good old fashioned pots work, too.
I can't think of an herb that can't be grown in a pot. So basil, parsley, sage, chives, dill, mint, rosemary and thyme are no-brainers.
And here's a list of vegetables suited for containers:
Bush beans
Pole beans (in hanging baskets)
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Corn
Cucumbers (hanging baskets)
Eggplant
Lettuce
Peas
Spinach
Tomatoes
