If you read the first post about our Loft Garden adventure, you know I don’t own land, and yet am taking this year 2019 to grow as much as I can in as many ways as possible. I will be gardening in family’s raised beds/gardens, in a community garden and this our Loft Garden.

I live in a loft apartment, that by most standards of apartments is quite large. It’s almost 1400 sq feet, and two bedrooms, and luckily is a corner unit, giving me two different sun exposures. Compared to most apartments, I probably have 200x the amount of window space in general, due to the giant loft windows. So let’s do a tour of the Loft Garden.

The Loft Garden Monthly Update:

For now we are sticking with MONTHLY updates - meaning an overview of the plants that are particularly interesting/beautiful as well as a list of what we have growing. As updates become well something other than this original post - we might include examples of what failed as well - this might be a “pretty” garden blog, but it’s a real one - no images from other people, so all you will see are photos taken in the loft, of plants grown HERE and mostly from seed unless noted (mostly houseplants).

I am fully aware, that my crazy plant lady side will be fully visible to the world with this post. Not just a “Meg likes gardens” variety, but now you will all see the insanity that is my loft garden.

The Main Growing Space - the office.

Beatrice Eggplant Plant (notice the cat nibbles)

Brassicas about ready to pop-into the ground.

Purple Oxalis Blooming in Bedroom (on high shelf so Mabel can’t get near)

The office - the conservatory - greenhouse - studio - extra bedroom, whatever you want to call it. This is where the majority of the plants live.

List of Plants in the Main Loft Garden:

Main Grow Shelves (top shelf - bottom shelf)

Brassicas for Community Garden *hopeful space (waltham broccoli, red express cabbage, purple cauliflower, brunswick cabbage ) lipstick peppers, dwarf tomatoes.
Pepino Melon, Eggplant (Beatrice F1), Cherry Tomatoes (white, jasper + black verinasse), romanesco broccoli, beets, peppers,
Yarrow, Snapdragons, Onions, Tomatillos, Peppers

Trellis Grower:

Peppers + Beans and Cucumbers

Greens in Basket

Swiss Chard, Dino Kale, RedBoar Kale, Romaine, Chicory

Near Desk:

Kalette, Oregano, More Pansies, Thyme, Cilantro

Germinating Currently: Black Krim Tomatoes, Peppers, Chevril, Celery Cutting Variety

The Living Room - and the current herb garden.

The Herb Tray (parsley, sage, bronze fennel, chives and basil on side to right)

List of plants in the living room:

Tomatillos + Extra Brassicas in Grow Box
Catnip, Basil, Chives, Parsley, Mint Mix
Pansies (two sets of them)
Maidenhair Fern
Ficus
Philodendron
Pilea - growing in water

The Bathroom - a few odds and ends live in there.

Plants in Bathroom:

Varegated Ficus, Peas (tom thumb), and Succulents (two varieties here).

Note: One space I am not currently attempting to grow is the bedroom, mostly because I don’t want to HAVE to bring up and down the blinds daily. It would actually be the best space for growing because it’s the room on the corner and has the most windows — but it’s nice to have a space where you can be private when most of the walls in your living space are giant windows.

Next Month: We expect to have a few things “missing” here next month. Namely any of the cold weather tolerant plants going out in the garden. The goal is that those will include:

Brassicas (Broccoli, Kale, Romanesco, Cabbages, Cauliflower)
Onions (all varieties)

Most likely there will be NEW plants/seedlings - the currently germinating bunch + flowers for the garden that will be set out to germinate in the coming weeks.

Also gone will probably be the PEAS - because they will be eaten!? Let’ see - and with that we will update you on how these guys are doing in our April edition.