Plan Your Garden Features This Winter!

Now is a good time to think about adding new features to your urban farm. Chickens anyone? Break out the books and see what coop design works best for you. Try building your own coop or increasing the size of your existing structure.  Strengthen your coop (those raccoons are relentless) and cover even small holes with ¼” hardware cloth to keep mice from finding a way inside. Instead of purchasing a new cordless drill or saw, you might be able to check one out at a tool library in your area. Use recycled wood, as long as it is not painted or treated.

Consider raising honey bees, as your urban garden can easily support a beehive or two. Order your honey bees this month; there are several local options. Encourage mason bees (great pollinators for fruit trees and early blooming plants) by adding ready made mason bee houses. You can also purchase them in their cocoons and hatch them out in early spring. Plant perennials and shrubs, especially those in the daisy or mint family, and leave an area “wild and weedy” to support your new foragers!

 Plan for more food production by adding some raised garden beds.  Make sure that the beds are narrow enough for easy access.  A 4’ X 6’ bed that is12-18” deep can be made from cedar or recycled concrete or stone.  Ever heard of gabions?  Wire structures filled with rock or even construction debris can edge your raised bed or become the base of a bench.  Check out the Seattle Tilth learning garden at Rainier Beach for an example of a gabion bench.

 For additional ideas for your urban farm, purchase a copy of Seattle Tilth's ”Your Farm in the City” or the Maritime NW Garden Guide." Check out our classes. Contact the Garden Hotline at (206)633-0224 for help in deciding what new garden features might work for you and for information on bee sources and local tool libraries.