Extreme Gardening

Stretch the garden to new limits and delight in the results. From sweet potatoes on a Chicago balcony to a 1,535.5-pound pumpkin, urban gardening is reaching new heights

By Jeff Schnaufer
CTW Features

Image courtesy Pete Glasier

As a boy, William Moss loved to visit his grandfather’s farm near Spartanburg, S.C., and learn about rural Southern crops like okra, chili peppers and sweet potatoes. But when he moved to urban Chicago, none of his neighbors expected Moss to bring his rural gardening roots – and plants – to the big city.

Until they saw what he was growing on his balcony.

"I've been able to grow sweet potatoes in oak barrels and wine casket-sized containers," says Moss. "It's very hard to grow sweet potatoes in a Northern city. Sweet potatoes need hot, hot weather. Even in a Southern city, it would be difficult because they require a lot of space for their roots."

Growing to the extreme in urban environments is not unusual for Moss, a master gardener who shares his experiences via his Web site, Moss In The City. He has also grown cherry tomatoes on his rooftop and, in an urban community garden, Green Velvet Okra that stood 10 feet high. He's even found a berry bush – the serviceberry or Juneberry - that will not only survive the harsh winter in the Windy City, but also provide a seasonal show on his balcony.

"If you've got an urban area and a balcony, put a serviceberry in a pot and it gives three seasons of interest: flowers in springtime, fruit in the summertime, and in the fall the foliage becomes an orange tan and when it's backlit by the sun, it's really incredible. My serviceberry grows on my balcony overlooking one of the busiest streets in Chicago."

Urban gardening can also go to the extreme in size, not just location. Pete Glasier grows award-winning giant pumpkins in the backyard of his Napa, Calif., home. The largest, a 1,535.5 pound Atlantic Giant, is a state record holder and the seventh largest in the world.

"The biggest problem is lack of space," Glasier says. "Each plant requires at least 500 square feet. I grow in my backyard, which is 2,000 square feet and at a friend's place, where I have 3,500 square feet."

Both Moss and Glasier say that growing to the extreme in a city takes good soil, good seeds and good plant maintenance. And, says Moss, an extreme amount of patience and persistence.

"Don't be afraid to fail," he says. "You have to find things that work. I tried to grow blueberries in a pot and they didn't work. Serviceberries worked. I would tell people to go to their local gardener and ask what is the easiest, most resilient plant to grow."

But, he adds, "Here's my warning: Once you get some success, you're going to get hooked."

In addition to eating your own crops, extreme gardening can even provide unexpectedly big – and delicious – benefits. Glasier once helped a man win a bet by helping him grow a 740-pound pumpkin. As a result, Glasier and his wife were treated to dinner with the winner and loser and guests at the French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., considered to be one of the top restaurants in the world.

Says Glasier: "With the wine and everything, the tab was $7,500” – proof that extreme gardening can yield extreme meals in more ways than one.

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