Slugs and snails are the most common problem found in Brussels gardens. They can eat their way through a whole vegetable garden and drive the gardeners mad. They are not the only pests and diseases that affect gardens so designing an integrated pest management system for the garden is an important practice.
Highlights of 2015
Watering 2015
Watering a vegetable garden is either a routine quiet time in the garden each day or an annoying chore that gets in the way of a busy life. Fortunately, the computer age has caught up with vegetable growing and now there are computer controlled automated systems run from the iPhone to take over the chore. …Read More about Watering 2015
Gray Street Community Garden
The Gray Street community garden in Etterbeek, Brussels was established in 2007 by the organisation Le début des Haricots. In 2010 the gardens running was taken over by the local community. The garden demonstrates urban vegetable growing and provides a community space for local residents. It also operates a community composting system for local households.
Using heirloom seeds 2015
Modern plant varieties of tomatoes and beans are often developed for their storage and transporting ability rather than their flavour. Heirloom varieties are types of plants handed down by generations of growers for their unique flavours. The seeds from heirloom varieties can be gathered and used the following year.
Growing underground 2015
The basement corridor of the garden is an ideal example of underused city space that is ideal for vertical gardening. Using natural climbers, beans, tomatoes and cucumber, the plants seek out the light and are strung up with string to lead them.
First experiments using garden frame
The first experiments with the aluminium frame system on the raised bed in 2009. This was a free standing frame standing parallel to the wall to gain extra height. Once the tomatoes, beans and cucumbers were fully grown the frame became unstable after heavy rain.