Guerrilla Gardening in San Antonio

This afternoon I was listening to ABC World News Tonight in my IFB while waiting to do a live shot when I heard a story about Guerrilla Gardening. I immediately tweeted looking for potential gorillas in SA. Nicole quickly pointed out my spelling error. There are many areas in my neighborhood that could use some assistance to say the least. I know my yard has never won yard of the month but I atleast keep it clean and trimmed. Ive been tempted many times to grap the weedeater and help some of my lawn challenged neighbors or clean up some of the city right of ways. I know a perfect spot to do a garden but don't have the time or money to fix up the city's property. I have enough stuff I need to do to my own yard first.

The closest I have gotten to Guerrilla Gardening was last summer. My neighborhood association (which has no power or deed restrictions for better and worse) has a sign near one of the entrances of my neighborhood. They did a great job landscaping it in early spring. By summer the weeds were taller than any plants in the flower bed. After a month or so I couldn't stand it anymore. Armed with a garden hoe and trash bags I proceded to rip out the weeds and clean out the flower beds.

If anyone is Guerrilla Gardening in San Antonio, let me know. I just might help out sometime.

Garden Update 04-24-2009

I took these pictures last weekend.
I have three rows of corn that are starting to pop up along with 2 rows of bush beans and 1 row of pole beans underneath a trellis.
The onions are making some sort of pods at the top. I have no idea what they are.
The apples that the squirll hasn't got ahold of are getting bigger.
I have one row of tomatoes (3 plants) with lots of blooms.
The Tomatillo plant gave up and died.
There are 4 jalapeno plants that survived the winter and are full of peppers.

Garden Irrigation

Irrigation System

This is the irrigation system I made last year. I used pvc pipe and soaker hoses.
This year I added flow controls to each soaker hose but I still have not been able to get the water to flow evenly through all the hoses.

Espalier Trellis - Tying Off the Limbs

Today I finally got around to tying the limbs to the guide wire.

I used a twist tie to secure the top of the tree to the conduit pole making sure to keep it loose.

The largest limb on the tree is on the bottom left. It has one apple at the end.

I tied it close to the trunk and towards the end of the limb.

This limb is near the largest limb. It is perpendicular to the guide wire.

I carefully bent the branch and tied it to the wire making sure not to make the rope tight.

I also noticed some new growth on the tips of several branches about an inch long. (tip of my thumb to the knuckle)

There are several new branches sprouting. I'm reluctant to prune them off. I don't want to cut the wrong thing off. Time to do more research.

I found these sites

• http://healingmagichands.wordpress.com/2008/07/31/espalier-maintenance/
• http://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantinfo/how-to/espalier.php

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Espalier Trellis - Finished For Now

I hope the tree will grow and block this nice view of my neighbors wonderful yard (sarcasm) The only down side is the semi dwarf apple tree is deciduous.




Materials List

• Semi Dwarf Dorsett Apple Tree
• Compost
• Mulch
• One metal electrical conduit
  

1. Two 4x4x10 Cedar Post
2. Eight eye hooks
3. Eight U-Bolt Wire rope clamps
4. Wire rope

1. One Cedar 2x4x10
2. Three 1x6x6
3. Four deck screws

Tools

1. Shovel
2. Drill
3. Jig saw
4. Tape measure
5. Pliers with metal cutters
6. Wrench and socket
7. Hammer
8. Screw driver
9. Level
10. Ladder
    

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 Espalier Trellis - Tying Off the Limbs -->

Espalier Trellis - Installing the Top

When I tightend the guide wires, the posts tilted inwards (probably since they are just in the dirt.) I wasn't planning on adding a cross beam but the guide wires were to loose. I had to make a trip to Lowes to get a 2x4x10 (you should see that fit in my 2003 Nissan Sentra) to make a cross beam.



I leveled out the cross beam and then used some left over decking screws I had laying around to fasten it.






I used my jig saw to cut "wings" out of cedar fencing plank.






I did not use anything to fasten the wing. They should hopefuly stay in place but I can nail them down if I need to.

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Espalier Trellis - Installing the Cables - Part 2

Once I got the first cable installed and level I added the other two at 15 inch intervals.





I used "U Bolt Wire Rope Clamps" to secure the cable to the eye hooks.

I should have looked at the proper use of clamps but I'm not supporting a ton of weight so I don't think its that important (but then again I have no idea what I'm doing.)

I didn't screw the hooks in all the way until the cable was attached.

After attaching the cable I screwed the eye hooks in all the way to put tension on the line.

I only did three levels of rope because I ran out of the wire rope. Since my tree is not that tall yet, I'm just going to wait to add the fourth level later.

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Espalier Trellis - Installing the Cables - Part 1

I used some left over wire rope that was collecting dust in the garage and bought 8 U-bolt wire rope clamps and eye hooks.




I tied the string across to mark points on each post so my cable will be level.




Then I pre-drilled the hole for the eye hook.

and installed the eye hook. Tip : put a screw driver in the eye hook and use
it to turn the hook. It will save your finger tips.

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Espalier Trellis - Installing the Post - Part 2

Then I made sure the post was straight.

I used a tamp to compact the soil to keep the post in place.

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Espalier Trellis - Installing the Post - Part 1

Disclaimer: Just like planting the tree, I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm just doing stuff and hope it works.

First I decided where to put the post. I wanted the trellis to span 10 feet so I decided to put the post about 5 feet from the apple tree.





I originally wanted to get about 2 feet deep but was only able to dig a hole about 1 and a half feet deep This would have been much easier if I had a post hole digger but I didn't want to go buy some just for this.






I filled the hole with about 2 inches of gravel to help with drainage. (not shown) I did not want to use concrete because some say it can have adverse effects on the soil. I put the beam in the hole and put another 2 inches arond it.

For some reason I thought I needed a 10 foot cedar beam. Once I got it home I realized 8 foot would have been more than enough.

Previous - Semi Dwarf Dorsett Apple Tree

Next - Installing the Post -Part 2

Espalier Semi Dwarf Dorsett Apple Tree

This is my first ever attempt at growing a tree using the espalier method. In fact this is the first time I have ever planted a tree. Basically I don't know what I'm doing. I am in zone 8b on the north east side of San Antonio. I have several feet of thick clay soil unlike my friends on the NW side that have about 6 inches before they hit rock.



First I went to Fanicks and picked out a Dorsett Apple tree that has been grafted on to EMLA-111 root stock for only $25. The tree I picked already had several apples growing on it.

I went with the Dorsett over the Anna because it is supposed to be self polinating. The Anna needs another apple tree to produce fruit.

The nursery staff is very helpful and they know their stuff. They recomended adding cotton burr compost to the soil over peat moss. So I did as they suggested.



I planted the tree in my garden along the fence in full sun. I followed the instuctions and planted up to the graft. I topped it off with about 2 inches of pine bark mulch to keep the weeds out and conserve moisture.

For the main support, I drove an electrical conduit pipe in the ground and tied the tree to it using pantyhose.

Next I have to make a trellis to train the limbs on.

Next - Installing the Post - Part 1