The P-Patch wait

While I wait for my chance at a P-Patch, I have been working on my patio garden. Sam and I recently received approval from our landlord to hack out half of the monster rosemary bush (tree) that was growing in front of our door. The soil beneath was rich and dark. We added some compost and manure then set about choosing what we wanted to plant. I was torn between filling the space with as many varieties of vegetables as possible or being minimal and letting a couple larger plants take over. In the end, my desire for zucchinis won out and I planted two where the rosemary used to be.

I then proceeded to take note of every nook and cranny that could be exploited as garden space. The unused space in front of our living room window that sported a healthy bed of weeds became home to a dozen or more herbs, climbing peas, and honeysuckle. I thought this would be a dead zone. Instead, I’ve been rewarded with fast growing, thick peas and honeysuckle that is apparently trying to take over the house. In the corner of another bed I found a small patch not being shaded by a Japanese maple and put a pumpkin plant in. I used a large container for wild lettuce and another for green onions. One container sits empty, waiting for tomatoes. My landlord came out the other day to mow the lawn and do some edgework around our stone path. He left strips of grassless dirt that are about half a foot wide and could easily be converted to homes for strawberry plants.

In the end, I wonder if I would really need a P-Patch. I have more opportunity than most apartment dwellers in Seattle to grow my own food right where I am. During our tour with Teresa Mares, I enjoyed looking at the small garden plots stuffed with veggies but I doubt I could fit in anymore than what I have going here. Perhaps I should leave the P-Patch for someone who truly needs it.