Monday, May 30, 2016

Movin’ On Up—to Elevated Gardening



We showed this little wonder at the Santa Fe Master Gardener Association fair (May 14th) and people flocked to it. It’s called the LGarden. Short for elevated garden. And designed for what they call new age gardens—nurseries, greenhouses, and backyard (or patio or balcony or deck) gardens that are everything you want in a garden, just downsized. And waist-high.
Which is why keyboardists love it so much. And people like keyboardists—people who don’t want to be bending over all the time to tend to their vegetables or herbs or flowers.
And because it’s raised, it also protects your plants from animals and other invasive critters (rabbits, deer, moles, dogs), who can sometimes eat up—in an afternoon—all your hard work. And not just invasive animals but invasive plants and weeds, too.
Thirty years ago, these raised “containers” were primarily touted as complementary landscape features. Something to throw some shrubs or petunias in. Like decorative planters, used to create a cascading effect.
Lately, though, as more people have moved into cities or have taken to the farm-to-table concept and are wanting to grow their own vegetables, or at least their own herbs or flowers, these elevated gardens have become the perfect alternative to country gardens and house gardens. And ideal for a patio or balcony.
Not only does their elevation keep you from putting all that stress on your knees and back, but the LGarden’s mobility allows you to move your garden to wherever you want it. Giving your garden the exact amount of sunlight and shade it requires.
The LGarden Original has 12 square feet of gardening space, stands 32” high, and has enough room to accommodate 15 mature vegetable plants (even deep-rooted varieties).
And right now is the perfect time to get started on either a pizza garden or a salsa garden. That’s because most pizza and salsa plants—tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, basil, eggplants, arugula, and rosemary, and other herbs—are sun-lovers. And the LGarden’s mobility allows you to give your pizza and salsa plants all the light they’ll need to grow you great-tasting ingredients. (Go here and scroll down for some great ideas on how to get started.)
So come on in to The Firebird and experience the new high of elevated gardening.