Organic Container Garden in Athens

15 years ago

Hello! I'm wanting to start an organic, container garden on my rooftop veranda in Athens. I have LOTS of questions - and would love some suggestions!

* I want to grow vegetables, herbs, strongly aromatic flowers (to mask the city stench), and maybe a citrus tree (lemon or orange?) and olive tree. Any suggestions for varieties that do well in containers in Greece? How about night blooming flowers? (Latin names would be most helpful - since the English common names are not easily translatable to Greek).

* I want to know when I can start planting my veg for fall and winter harvesting. I know it depends on what I WANT to grow, but what veg do well here?

* What about winter gardening in Athens? Are there any plants that are hardy enough to grow outside in the winter, since I'd love to have greenage year-round? What about veg that I could grow in the winter? My apartment is tiny (8 feet by 10 feet), so bringing pots inside over winter is not really an option (but my veranda is huge, so I could maybe create some sort of plastic/greenhouse system).

* I want to create a living screen in the southwest corner of the veranda. Any suggestions for a fast-growing, vining plant that I can trellis to create a screen? Something evergreen would be wonderful, so it will still give privacy in the winter.

* Also, does anyone have suggestions for greenhouses/shops in Athens where I can get organic seeds, soil, and plant starters? Also, English-speaking proprieters would be extremely helpful (even if they don't sell organic products, I'd love to know somewhere local that I can go ask questions in English.)

OK - that's a start. I'd love any suggestions, resources, or thoughts anyone may have! Thank you!

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Comment (1)

amato
15 years ago
Hi,
veggies that are in season now are tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.
For strong aroma you can plant Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymus vulgaris,Melissa officinalis and Mentha longifolia.You can also grow Mentha piperita to add its leaves in the red meat when cooking.

As for night blooming plants, you should try Cestrum nocturnum.I think there's no other plant that can be compared to its perfume.

For winter vegs you can start your cabbage by sowing them mid August and transplanting the seedlings later when they have at least 3 pairs of true leaves.
Spinach can be sown in September since it needs cool temperatures to sprout.
You can sow salads such as lettuce and similar late August.Transplant the seedlings as above.

Athens has a mild climate.Snows or frost are not common.You can grow the year-long blooming pelargonium, whether it is zonale or palmatum.Seek the single blooming varieties of P.palmatum.They bloom like crazy.You can grow also Bouganvilleas.They will catch others' attention.I remember having a co-student from Athens, growing her own Bouganvillea outside.

As for the trills I would plant a Rhynchospermum jasminoides.It's one of my favourites. Itg grows quite fast and it's evergreen.The tiny flowers emit a wonderful perfume during spring-summer.
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Organic Container Garden in Athens

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amato

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