Habitat

[April 30th, 2008]

I don’t garden.

Odds are, neither do you. Yeah, sure, lots of Portlanders grow their own food, and, yes, a lot more of us would like to, but many of us don’t know where to start. Me? I live in a dark, third-floor apartment with no balcony. Even though I grew up on a farm with a half-acre kitchen garden, I haven’t cultivated so much as a tomato since I moved here. And, man, do I miss fresh tomatoes.

The articles that follow are designed for people like you and me: the people with small yards, or no yards at all, who want to take a step toward self-sufficiency. Because, as it turns out, you can grow food—lots of it—just about anywhere.

To help get us started, Deeda Schroeder surveys the state of container gardening in Portland. Sarah Smith and Lance Kramer have rounded up all the resources you could ask for, and John Minervini introduces us to a few Portlanders gardening under unusual circumstances.

For first-time gardeners with land, there are a few things you should keep in mind. If the building you live in was built before 1978, there’s a good chance your soil contains lead. Before you start digging, get it tested. If you meet the income requirement, Growing Gardens (284-8420, growing-gardens.org) will test your soil for free; if not, they’ll refer you to a lab.

If you have lead-contaminated soil or just want to get started right away, build raised beds and line them with thick plastic to stop the roots from reaching the soil. Also, if you live by a busy road, wash everything before you eat it. And if you have any tough questions, call a master gardener at 725-2300 (Washington County) or 655-8631 (Clackamas). It’s free.

That’s it for my nagging. Go on—get your hands dirty.

DIGGERS

Publisher: Shawna McKeown
Editor: Ben Waterhouse
Art Director: Christie Wright
Contributors: Kelly Clarke, Jason Howd, Lance Kramer, John Minervini, Jonah Sanford, Sarah Smith
Copy Editors: Kat Hyatt, Matt Buckingham
Ad Designers: Erik Blad, Soma Honkanen, Brian Brown