Growing

The good news is that my three sisters planting is doing well. The beans and squash have come up and the beans are starting to twine around the corn. It is not huge, but there is already an ear of corn growing.

However, the tree pit on Melrose St. where I sowed some seeds was completely dug up and repaved. On the bright side, it looks they have planned a rain garden for the spot.

Many of the other spots have seedlings, mostly clover, but also cosmos. I made the cosmos seedlings in this picture a little yellow. On the left are what I hope are marigolds or even poppies. But I often get my hopes up about a seedling that turns out to be a weed.

Sometimes there are just a few stray clover plants. I have noticed that some seeds emerge way later than listed on the package, sometimes they come up the next season.

My favorite spot is where the weeds took over. Cosmos have emerged, shelterd by the weeds. My plan for next season is to look for tree pits that have a healthy weed poplulation in the summer. Then in early spring I will sow the seeds in those places. I started way too late this year.

For the current planting, I mostly have to wait. The cosmos won't bloom for several weeks. I haven't seen any borage, but in my own garden, it appeared rather suddenly. It is very weedlike and blooms pretty quickly. 

Not Quite Guerilla Gardening

My friend Randall runs the Figureworks gallery in Williamsburg. When I told him about my seed project. He asked me to plant some seeds around the tree in front of his gallery.
 

The soil is rather compacted around the tree, which gave me a chance to try out my new aerator sandals. I realize I should have photographed the sandal from the side, to show the aerating nails. I was caught up in the heat of the gardening moment.
 

Here the young son, Julien, is putting the sandal to work. One is supposed to strap the sandals on and walk around, but this soil was too compacted. We had to stamp the nails in.

While it was not the usual clandestine sowing of seeds, the neighbor did come out and demand we explain what we were doing. She softened up when we did and offered to sprinkle pepper to keep the dogs away.

Seedlings

I checked on the seeding spots about a week to see if anything had emerged. 

When I cut the plastic netting on Melrose Street a few days before, it must have attracted someone's attention. The netting was completely rolled up and the spot was swept clean.

Only a few very rugged weeds were left.

It is possible that there are a few seedlings as well. faintly visible below the patch of weeds.

A few spots had seedlings, mostly clover, which is not bad. The clover feeds the soil and protects the other seedlings.

Some spots had not growth at all, but it can take time for the seedlings to emerge.

I thought that the seeds I had planted under my hydrangea had not worked. Several weeks later, I have zinnia, cosmos, and I think a sunflower.

Some of the spots were taken over with weeks, no doubt drawn to the compost. I have mixed feelings. I should probably pull the weeds up to leave room for the seedlings. But I kind of love weeds. Maybe they will feed the soil and I can plant seeds there next spring before the weeds emerge. Maybe the seeds will sprout up between the weeds. I am just observing for the moment.

New Project

I did not follow up on the plants of Meserole Street I put out last year. That is because decorating the bicycle with plants seemed to attract the attention of thieves. Someone tried to steal the bicycle, did not suceed but overturned the plants in the process. I brought them to a friend who helped me soak them in water and soothe the trauma. I repotted them and gave most away. The bike has been slowly scavenged but is still chained to the sign post.

In the I had a new idea to plant seeds in empty tree pits. It was too late in the season, so I had to wait through the winter. In the spring I started looking for sites.

Three Sisters Planting, Jefferson Street

The first time I tried planting, the soil was too compacted. This spot had better soil, and I poured some topsoil on. The tagged over mural in the background used to show a pregnant woman being hugged by a child, the woman's belly was holding the earth. It was a little weird but the sentiment was good. When it was tagged, I knew I needed to plant here.

Three Sisters Planting, Jefferson Street

I am testing out a Three Sisters planting, corn, beans and squash. Corn offers a pole for the beans to climb, the beans fix nitrogen in the soil, and the squash provides ground cover and natural mulch. Only two of my four corn plants came up. I planted the beans and squash on Friday and added a little compost. I want to see if it works before I try it in other spots.

Around Bushwick, there are quite a few of these plots of dirt surrounded by plastic fencing. Sometimes there are large construction materials stored there. The soil is not bad, a little sandy. I decided to try growing some pollinator plants.

And also some Amaranth because it is hardy and good for the soil.

I mixed the seeds with some topsoil and compost and some clover seed. Clover grows very easily and is good for the soil.

Cats really like it.

Grattan Street

Sometimes I added topsoil. I am testing with and without topsoil here.

Melrose Street

The plastic fencing had blown over this planting. When I came back, I cut it and wrapped the end around the wooden post. Clover has already sprouted here.

Varet Street

Varet Street

Planting with whimsical graffiti in the background.

George Street

Harman Street

Moore Street

McKibbin Street

This is where I planted the amaranth. There are three trees but I couldn't get them all in one shot. The alternate side of the street parking was not in my favor. 

McKibbin Street

I am a little worried about these amaranth seeds. I planted some ten days ago in another spot and they have not emerged. In fact this is the problem with seeds is all that anxiety about whether they will grow. The pollinator seeds need sunlight to grow. We have had a series of cloudy days. Today, on the first day of summer, the sun has come out from behind the clouds.

Meserole Street

For the new season, I wanted to group more plants on a bicycle and really fill the space. I wanted more of a plant arrangement. 

This funny old Schwinn had a nice wide luggage rack. It is shaded by a tree and around the corner from a nice little container garden. At first glance, the addition of houseplants might not seem so urgent.

The plantings of the nearby building told another story.

The bicycle seemed more cheerful by the addition, it's wheel bent jauntily and its handlebars twinkling in the noon sun.

I added some decorative fronds to fill out the empty spaces. 

Settling Down for Autumn

I had hoped to put out a few more plants before the equinox but I was a little worried about the temperature. So I decided to prepare the plants for the cold months and start out again in the spring. It was a good thing that I kept them inside because it got very chilly last week.

I had cuttings that needed planting and plants that needed pruning.

I brought all the plants outside, and potted and trimmed and set up new vases of cuttings.

Then I put some of the plants near the windows to get the sun in the morning.

Others get the afternoon light.

I will be able to start as soon as the weather gets warm again, since I worked out all the issues this summer.

To be continued next May...

Some More Plants

The first round of plants did well. Two are still out there and they are surviving. My only disappointment is that no one is sending pictures of the adopted plants. I wish that part of the project worked better, but of course it is out of my hands. I guess I just need to let the plants go and hope that they are well.

I saw this bike a few days ago and I liked its lines and its color.

It is a Lotus which were made in the 80's. People collect them and rebuild them. It is surprising to see a bicycle like that abandoned.

Even stripped bare with its remaining wheel bent, it has a quiet grace.

Then I went to one of the many bicycle cemeteries. Usually the abandoned bicycles congregate on the bike racks. This cemetery is around the tree pit barriers, the carcasses sprawl around the sidewalk.

There were no rare treasures here, just the usual Schwinns and off brand mountain bikes.

This poor bicycle clearly had a rough life. Its frame had been taped over and the tape was fraying. Maybe it had been stolen, only to be left on the sidewalk, its chain fallen and rusted.

In spite of this, I thought it looked rather jaunty with its blue paint peeking through the shredding tape and its red lock.