Author Topic: My rooftop veg garden.... (Read 4523 times)

gavinjconway · « **on:** September 01, 2011, 23:05:16 »

Herewith a few pics of my Roof-Top garden over the last few years and my 2 small gardenshares.. not taken a lot of pic of it...

click on the link to view... http://www.copy-cats.info/veg/veg.htm

budgiebreeder · « **Reply #1 on:** September 02, 2011, 09:00:47 »

Well done you!

manicscousers · « **Reply #2 on:** September 02, 2011, 11:26:12 »

Wow, such a great harvest from a small space ;D

Digeroo · « **Reply #3 on:** September 02, 2011, 11:28:44 »

Very impressed with what you are managing to grow in pots. Do you have a trickle watering system?

gavinjconway · « **Reply #4 on:** September 02, 2011, 11:59:48 »

No watering system... just me with a hose pipe!! ;D

I go up most days and give it a spray when its really hot... My compost soil is re-used year after year and all I do is add some horse manure, chicken manure pellets, some general fertilizer and some bone/blood/fish meal occasionally.. When I have compost I also add what I have.. No crop rotations possible as I store the soil in wheelie bins to stop it leaching out any goodness.

Lishka · « **Reply #5 on:** September 02, 2011, 19:28:15 »

That's superb 8) and very heartening for me, having to downsize. Plse tell me more about your onions = size/depth of containers etc?

Thanks, and really Well Done You :D

grannyjanny · « **Reply #6 on:** September 02, 2011, 19:57:25 »

There can't be many greenhouses on roofs in Macclesfield so when I see one I might just knock on the door & say hi. It looks lovely. Very productive.

busy_lizzie · « **Reply #7 on:** September 02, 2011, 23:07:09 »

Congratulations Gavin. That is excellent, and amazing what you have done with the space, and how much produce you have grown. busy_lizzie

gavinjconway · « **Reply #8 on:** September 03, 2011, 00:53:45 »

Hi Lishka.. I use a few sizes of container. If you look at my pics you will see the long black half pipes. They are drainage pipes split down the centre. They are about 6' long and are 12" in diameter and end up 6" deep when cut in half. When my 2 boys were still living at home I grew about 1000 per season and grew them close together 3" x 3" and got 4 lines in each pipe. I had to feed them quite a lot with a general purpose liquid feed. I now plant them in 2 rows and about 4" apart - get bigger but less onions. I always plant sets as seed seem to bolt too quickly. My winter onions go in soon and they will be ready for green onions in sauce and soups mid April.

During the growing season as soon as they are about thumb size we start eating them cut up and in white sauce and added to soups and stews with a lot of the greens utilised. I start by taking every alternate one to make space for others to grow. I also use tubs that are about 5" to 6" wide and deep and 2' to 3' long. These I do 2 rows but interspaced. Still far too close but I just do it fo fun and get some really good crops. I did some mammoth Kelsea one year (in the brown tub) and gosh they grew loke mad being about 4" apart!!

I re-use my soil year after year and just add fertilizer, chicken manure and compost when I have it and occasionally blood/fish/bone meal is added.. . I just love to play and it is a relaxing hobby for me. My roof garden has produced some really heavy crops. I have applied for an allotment but dont know when I might get one..

Borlotti · « **Reply #9 on:** September 03, 2011, 11:38:17 »

Brilliant, and I hope you get your allotment soon. We have toms on the roof which are doing well.

lottie lou · « **Reply #10 on:** September 03, 2011, 14:20:33 »

Shoot. I have just taken my flat roof off and had a slightly pitched one put there instead. You are doing absolutely brilliant and hope you get a lottie. In fact wished you lived closer to me and you could have a bash on mine.

cjb02 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 11, 2011, 21:23:10 »

Inspiring, well done.

star · « **Reply #12 on:** September 11, 2011, 22:17:03 »

Your rooftop looks amazing.....well done ;D

Aden Roller · « **Reply #13 on:** September 12, 2011, 00:17:30 »

Inspirational Gavin!

gavinjconway · « **Reply #14 on:** September 12, 2011, 09:36:08 »

Thanks for all the good coments... hope Katrina dosen't blow it off the roof... it is tied down well!! ;D

Crystalmoon · « **Reply #15 on:** September 12, 2011, 09:58:00 »

Wow your roof top garden is amazing, what a fab idea. Am wondering how you have you secured the greenhouse? x jane

chriscross1966 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 12, 2011, 13:06:29 »

Very impressed.... those are d**n fine looking onions too, what variety are they?

chrisc

Growing4twins · « **Reply #17 on:** September 12, 2011, 14:12:48 »

All summer i have been looking out on the flat roof of my garage & thinking what a waste of space!! Not next year tho, you have inspired me :)

gavinjconway · « **Reply #18 on:** September 12, 2011, 14:19:52 »

I hate to see wasted space!!! ;D

Chris - the big onions next to the milk jug are Kelsae that I did 4" apart in 2 rows in the tub.. grew really well considering the spacing and the size of the tub.

All the others are either Sturon / or Stuttgarter

brown thumb · « **Reply #19 on:** September 12, 2011, 14:25:32 »

well done surprising what can grow in a other wise wasted space, well done you, can i ask what is beneath the roof ?,

News:

Author Topic: My rooftop veg garden.... (Read 4523 times)