Garden Struggles, Lessons Learned

 

Washington DC Urban Gardening 

Gardening inside the Washington, D.C. urban core presents many challenges that people living in the country cannot even imagine. There is extra pollution from the number of vehicles, heavy vehicles including trucks and buses generate. The large office building next door has a multi-story underground garage with emission pipes that emit collected daily exhaust, possibly from a refueling station. Its pretty unhealthy to be outside when three large metal exhaust pipes are spewing toxic fumes less than twenty-five feet away from the garden. We are also surrounded by multistory buildings ranging from three to ten stories height. There used to be many dogwalkers passing by, and even the parish priest had a couple dogs who roamed around defecating at unpredictable places. And then there are the rats who roam around at night, and here in Chinatown, they are practically the size of water-rats, who rush from garbage bins to their underground dens. No joking about the rush either! They are faster than any football linebackers, trampling on and past anything in their path.

 

Poster from Bonnie, Garden Researcher

 

Nevertheless, we persisted. There were times when the plants which this gardener purchased either didn't take to the soil or someone unfriendly attacked the plant. This happened to a Rhododendron shrub this gardener bought last year. Its difficult to substantiate what happened, but other times, this gardener had noticed a resident dumping the community ashcan over a shrub. There were cigarette butts found under the shrub and ash. Since emptying the ashcans in the outdoor courtyard was her chore, but she didn't like doing that, she didn't think she had to use the garbage can. So this gardener often had a separate chore sweeping and picking up cigarette butts that she would dump here or there. It was only after this resident departed that this gardener realized how deliberate were her heaps of butt discards. 

 

2024 Trial Plants: Rhododendron, Lavender, Shasta Daisy

Only two of the four trial plants made it from last year: the daisy and the oregano. The churchyard rats or birds like to chew on the coconut fiber and after a few months, the basket was eaten bare. The weather was extraordinarily hot last year, so maybe the lavender and oregano became too dry. Given our frequent efforts it was still more likely the same culprit who poisoned the rhododendron brush caused the lavender to wither overnight. It was sad because we were trying our best.

 

2022, The garden included several zuchini plants

 

 

2022, Bell Peppers, Thai Sage, Zuchini, Cucumbers, Basil

 

Another effect on the Washington Senior Garden Corps Project (aka Mount Carmel House Therapeutic Garden) was the change in staff. In 2021 and 2022, the staff were still working from home, and so were many government workers (such as at the building next door). So we were free to spend quite a bit of time outside. New staff came on board in 2023 & 2024, so there is a sometimes a transition whereby they need to feel as if they can micromanage everyone and everything. The resident manual also states we are supposed to be occupied in work or work-related activities 9-5pm. Even if that has relaxed, it tends to delimit the hours for gardening, particularly if one enjoys privacy. That same sense of human interference can also come from residents or church-related courtyard activities. A resident's companion of the moment may want to strike a conversation that involves "getting to know" or staring at, or some kind of desire to distract. Anyway it being that the Therapeutic Garden's purpose is to support residents' potential for growth and confidence and our overall improvement in well-being, we have striven to embed positivity, dignity, civility, respect, optimism, autonomy, and caring for our neighborhood. 

This is why in 2023, there was less focus on vegetables, but more on herbs and care-taking of shrubs. 

 

2023 - Mint and Marigold, Thai Basil  

 

2023 - Vincus, Marigold, Parsley, Rosemary
 

2023, Hemlock, Lavender & Marigold, Fir
 

Again, for mysterious reasons, even the Vincus flowers did not last: there were soil gnats that infested the roots and weakened the flowers, and the hemlock also died after said afore resident dumped an ashcan or sprayed poison on it. It was difficult to substantiate, since it happened in late Autumn while this resident had to travel out of town. It had completely withered away and would not come back. This is why in this kind of community, even though it is part of the Churchyard, nothing can be taken for granted. The lesson learned is to continue to try to model hope, kindness, honesty, and persistence. The lesson learned is not about the garden or the soil or the conditions, but really about our community, and including the neighborhood at large, where today even many urbanites live relatively cloistered lives.

It really lends a whole new perspective, a continuous ongoing organic interpretation to Jesus's "Parable of the Sower" in the Bible, "Book of Matthew," Chapter 13, that in our interactions with the birds and the beasts, we are the field, the sower is sowing seed upon, not necessarily the externalization of Fate. 

On that day Jesus left the house and was sitting by the sea. And such large crowds gathered to him that he went aboard a boat and sat down, and all the crowd was standing on the beach. Then he told them many things by illustrations, saying: 'Look! A sower went out to sow. As he was sowing, some seeds fell alongside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on rocky ground where there was not much soil, and they immediately sprang up because the soil was not deep enough. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. Still others fell on fine soil, and they began to yield fruit, this one 100 times more, that one 60, the other 30. Let the one who has ears listen.' --- 13:1-9

In other words, what happens is not necessarily our efforts, but what God wills, and the nature of the human destiny and their capacity to receive the Word, irregardless of even the most optimal conditions. This is why Jesus explained for his disciples in Matthew later on:

"Now listen to the illustration of the man who sowed. Where anyone hears the word of the Kingdom but does not get the sense of it, the wicked one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart; this is the one sown alongside the road. As for the one sown on rocky ground, this is the one hearing the word and at once accepting it with joy. Yet, he has no root in himself but continues for a time, and after tribulation or persecution has arisen on account of the word, he is at once stumbled. As for the one sown among the thorns, this is the one hearing the word, but the anxiety of the system of things and the deceptive power of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. As for the one sown upon fine soil, this is the one hearing the word and getting the sense of it, who really does bear fruit and produces, this one 100 times more, that one 60, the other 30." --- 13:18-23

What will happen to the new opportunities encouraged by the Staff in the light of the Spring Cleaning and Gardening Day is something we must await with hope despite the unusually wet Spring. They have provided many new supplies including additional pots, tools, plants, and seeds. With the help of volunteers things may turn out truly awesome in spite of the endless unpredictability of this year so far.

 

Poster by Bonnie, Garden Researcher

 

Mt Carmel Home Garden Beginnings

In the era of sustainability and conservation, and many other trials, we began our Garden Project in 2021. At first we were going to name it Washington Senior Garden Corps, and plant a few small trees. These trees were donated to us the previous Christmas. 

Two firs, one spruce, and one hemlock were donated 

 

 

We planned to replant all of them with a naming ceremony, however that never quite panned out. So actually I did all the work in ensuring a safe replanting of the firs and the spruce. The hemlock caught some kind of withering disease and isn't shown here. Here is how the two trees looked after we put them on the church landscaping. 

The landscaping is pretty tight, and ultimately two shrubs were repotted to make room

 

 

Replanted in August 2021, now June 2022 

 

Fortunately not all the plants are slow-growing. Last year's starter crop included: marigold, basil, thyme, dill, rosemary, mint, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno pepper. Here is what the landscaping looked like before the therapeutic herb garden project started.

There was a shrub sheltering many white flies, and vines including deadly nightshade 

 

 

Clearing was a lot of work, and as many local gardeners in DC Metro region know, these vines keep coming back, with a tendency to strangle anything in its path. 

The Washington Senior Garden Corp (WSGC) was an early name for this fledgling bed strip

Thankfully many residents offered emotional support even if they didn't want to get their nails dirty. I received wonderful ideas from many residents here including AM, BP, CC, JC, CB, and for a while the director was very supportive as well. This empowered me to prepare a funding proposal to the DC Developmental Disabilities Council, and this was a great experience in small-grant writing. I even heard back from several important people. 

No matter what, the joy of gardening can be an inspiration for everyone

Come autumn, and the worries of overwintering of a small garden had me anxious. It seemed heartless to let so many herbs just wilt and die. Surely some of the garlic, basil, rosemary, mint, marigold, and pepper could survive in some form or other. AM gave me some great idea about an artistic looking cold-frame, one which evokes our needs.

The first frame was built using way too many zip ties; the second frame idea was borrowed from a YT garden builder who used only two pieces of pvc pipe clamped together at the top.

Our garden theme is not only resident-led, resident-centered, but therapeutic, accessible, and organic. Whether young or old, on wheels or using a walker, anyone can enjoy the aroma from the garden. A secondary theme emphasizes organic and sustainable, a very important meme in the DC beautification projects. So over the winter, some plants would survive while others would not. 

Mint was chosen because of its ability to deter ants and aphids

More room than appears in plant shelter for rosemary, basil, garlic, even heavenly bamboo

Some plants the winter was just too tough. The ginger, thai basil, and marigold for instance. However there were many seeds to harvest and dry, and this would save money plus ensure that fruitful plants might come back! 

When the leaves of the garlic wilt, it's time to harvest the bulbs!

Winter also brought some changes, for instance, the social worker left for a better position. This made it hard because now the director has very little time for the residents. Nevertheless, with time comes patience, and during early spring, I attempted growing plants from seeds harvested: jalapeno, marigold, thai basil, plus new trials of zucchini, parsley. 

Never too late to learn a new skill, these peppers take well from mother plant

Here's how the mint looks as of late May---see how tall they've grown

That's it for now. I am going to be transplanting some eggplant and cucumbers hopefully soon. I'll try to keep you updated. Thanks to AM, BP, CC, and Dana for their quiet enthusiasm and support. Oh, and thanks to our little friends, the sparrows as well!