Terrace Garden Questions - Help Please!

19 years ago

Hello there - I just found this forum and want to thank all of my fellow NYC terrace/roof gardeners for great hints and pics from past years. I am looking for some advice, please! And I promise to put up some pics.

General info: 150 square foot deck (brownstone 4th floor walkup, wood deck with lattice, seating on 3 sides that I use for plants (have pretty chairs & small table), partial sun during the summer (south facing, big trees overhead). Also a small fountain that I would like to upgrade, but plants first.

This is my first full summer gardening and I want to choose carefully and buy wisely...anxious to get started!

-From last year, bleeding hearts are coming back like mad - one is almost 2 feet tall already and almost blooming. So exciting! Have planted some seeds (impatiens, hosta)in what I now realize is "old" soil, so little hope for them.

-Last year, successful plants were geraniums, impatiens (several types), mint that went crazy, begonias, hosta, and other smallish leafy plants that I don't know the name for (some have come back already). Made lots of cuttings from leafy plants like hosta, which did great.

All advice is appreciated, but here are my main ?s

1. Waiting to see if hydrangea and fuschia (my favorites) come back to life. How long til I know if they are trashed?

2. Where to shop?

No car and LOTS of stairs, so I need to be very selective. Can rent car to go upstate/Long Island for plants and new large containers (no more Ikea ceramic!), but is there a way to make this easier? Mail order seems boring to me. The neighborhood places I have used before are so expensive and have few options. Any decent places in Manhattan?

2. What new to buy?

Want lots of flowers, hate petunias (stalky!). Planning a pink/purple/blue/dark red theme. Would like a few plants that smell nice if possible. Annuals are fine...do I buy small ones in bulk or pay more for a larger one? I have medium-sized round pots and long window-type boxes for them.

3. Fertilizer?

I used the little green sticks last year but apparently that is bad?

4. Soil

Repeat, I have to carry everything up LOTS of stairs, so I was hoping to reuse soil from last year. Is this a bad idea?

5. Climbing plants for lattice

I had ivy when I moved in, it died in the winter (wrong type, I think). Tried "potato plant" which I did not really like. One mint plant grew like crazy last year, so I was thinking of that but scared that it will take over flowers?

Thanks in advance!

Upper West Side Terrace Gardener

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Comments (5)

AlllieNYC
19 years ago
I have no car and live in Manhattan with many flights of stairs (walk up) so I sympathize re: plant sources...

Since you are west sider, --sometimes I find nice annuals at a little place on Columbus around 88th - 90th Street. I think it is called Secret Garden. The selection varies, and things are rather expensive, but I usually buy a flat there every spring to fill in holes.

Occassionally Manhattan florists will also have annuals outside.

Chelsea Garden Center (do a google) has good shrubs and perennials. They also deliver, but again, not cheap. I have gotten soil from them a few times.

And of course the Union Square Greenmarket has annuals. I haven't been there since last year but worth a check to see what is out now.

And, another west side source is the Sunday flea market at 77th and Columbus. I love going there for fresh veggies - locally grown - and there are also plant vendors (mostly annuals).

Containers/soil: The Home Depot at 59 and Third Avenue. seemed to have a fair amount of containers.

Re: reusing soil - I usually replace about 1/2 of my soil every year, and mix it in well.

Re: climbing plants: you could try morning glories or moonflower, they are easy to grow from seed. Try to put them where they get morning sun, at least.

Re: fertilizer, I usually use Miracle Grow so not much experience with the little sticks. Maybe someone else will know.
MegNYC
19 years ago
Excellent advice for you from Allie. I only replace about 1/3 of my soil every year. In fact, I have a forsythia and a crab apple and cherry that I really don't replace the soil at all ... just scratch as much as I can off the top and add amendments.

As for fertilizers, well, I am going organic this year, so I can't advise much except to say that based on what I did last summer, I would use Osmocote instead of those fertilizer sticks. It's time-release, so it's really not much of a bother ... once when you plant and maybe once in the middle of summer.

Keep your mint in a pot, it is very invasive! I have to have it for my iced-tea in the summer, but only in a pot and I keep an eye on it. Can't think of a vine that will overwinter, so try moonflower and morning glory (moonflower has a delicious scent!) They won't bloom til later in the summer, but they did well for me. They get a bit ratty looking at the bottom, so you might want to put some pretty annuals in front of them to hide the bottoms.

Latest from Union Square Greenmarket ... was there this past Saturday and was really surprised at the number of annuals they had already. Definitely the place to go for your annuals ... you can get 4" pots and 6-cell packs (though they didn't have many of those yet). I usually buy my annuals in cells ... if I want, I can spread them around more that way. You can get larger ones, of course, but til you see what does well for you, I'd suggest smaller in bulk. Plant days are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

The Home Depot on 23rd St had lots of nice pots and flower boxes. I am partial to the foam ones ... lightweight (I move stuff around a lot)and better insulation for stuff you are trying to overwinter, especially the double-walled ones.
And guess what? They deliver! And very reasonable ... think it was $14.

Hard to advise you on specific plants. Since you had begonias, impatiens and hostas, I assume you have a lot of shade? Best to just go shopping and pick out what you like after checking the sun/shade requirements, etc.

Welcome :-) Be sure to check out the Balcony gardening forum, also. And take lots of pics! Love seeing pics of other balcony/terrace/roof gardens, especially from my area!
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upper_west_terrace
Original Author
19 years ago
Thank you! I will check out Union Square Friday or Saturday to see what is out. On the Upper West, I have also bought some things at Plant Shack (I think that is the name) on 96th and B'way and at the store by Carmine's (pricey but they deliver) - both were ok but $.

Will stay in touch...
Susan10003
19 years ago
Hi,

I also have lattice on my terrace, I planted a Silver Lace vine. They grow very quickly, about 10 to 12 feet a year and they are very easy to weave throughout the lattice. They have very small clusters of white flowers in the late summer, early fall. They are a perennial and very easy to care for, just fertalize and let nature take its course.

I use Miracle Grow and buy it in the 5 pound box so it is not expensive.

Also, you may want to check out Dimitris Garden Center on about 2 Ave. and 102 St., much less expensive than Chelsea Gardens
ctinajones
19 years ago
Osmocoat is a good extended release fertilizer. They have it at Chelsea and Jamali and Saifee.

You could try a hydrangea vine, the bark is scaley so it also has a nice winter interest. Good luck.

Terrace Garden Questions - Help Please!

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