Ørestad Urban Gardens

Ørestad Urban Gardens

In an ealier post I also wrote on Ørestad Urban Gardens

Summary: The gardens probably need to move in august to another area in Ørestad. For that reason the gardens are moving from small plots to plantboxes, which kan be moved by a fork-truck. Everything is done ecological if possible.

Plantboxes has now been assembled, filled with expanded clay pellets and earth, sowed or planted. They can be seen from the road and the metro, a remarkable sight.

Plantboxes need watering

The two young women are in a group of eight who grow 10 boxes in commen. Plantboxes need regular watering, but when sharing the watering, they don’t need to take the tour for watering as often.

The water tap

Areadevelopment company allow the use of the land and install a watertap, making watering a job one can face.

Two winebottles in a plantbox

Others solve the watering problem by poking waterfilled winebottles neck down into the soil. In this way water is released slowly, and the plantbox need less frequent watering.

This plantbox is already filled up.

Some have had a ground plot last year, and can now move overwintered plants into their plantboxes. Some of the plantboxes are already filled up with herbs and flowers, soon to be picked. Other plantboxes stand with seedlings of radish and lettuce.

Adonis

Handsome adonis have found his way to Ørestad Urban Gardens.

 

Ørestad Urban Gardens

Work has started on the new recycled plantboxes

Ørestad Mobile Eco-gardens is transforming. Name has been changed to Ørestad Urban Gardens, and they have started to build large plantboxes.

“The garden project change character by becoming a part of the future Plug N Play area in Ørestad South. Emphasis will be on a strong and experimenting urban garden plan, compact, shielded from strong winds and with more common spaces for the benefit of all users” (from newsletter)

Gardens must move a little distance, expected in august. No ground parcels will be grown this summer. Plantboxes functions as nomadic gardens, and can be relocated by a forklift truck.

Claus with a plantbox, ready to fill with expanded clay pellets and compost.

The plantbox is build on a pallet. On top two folding frames. Wood is treated with linseed oil, and after drying the box is covered inside with a tar. In the bottom is put a layer of expanded clay pellets, and topped with compost. It should be faily light, to be transportable.

As I have the same heavy mix of clay and lime, I think it’s a good idea using plantboxes. The soil is very fertile, as long as it gets some manure or compost, and it’s not leaking the fertile elements. But in summer it dry out to a rock hard concrete like surface, allmost impossible to weed. Not likely to encourage a new gardener.
If I keep weeded in the often short periods when soil is neither wet or dry, it’s a wonderfull rich soil to grow. But this kind of soil punish you hard if you don’t understand it.

They have a newsletter in danish: nyhedsbrev

Behind Ørestad Urban Gardens stands the Area Development Company, Copenhagen Municipality, Agenda 21 Amager, The society Ørestad Urbane Haver and local citizens.

Area Development Company let the ground be used, helped preparing the area and led water to the site.
Copenhagen Municipality, Agenda 21 Amager offer finacial support.
The society Ørestad Urbane Haver take care of gardentools, the mobile shed, outdoor furnitures, and are in charge of the distribution of plots and plantboxes.

I wish Ørestad Urbane Haver a good season and a fertile future.

 

Ørestad Mobile Eco-gardens

Main building af Ørestad Mobile Eco-gardens

In the week-end I walked over to Ørestad, Copenhagens new-to-be neighborhood. Now at last I will have a look at the Mobile Eco-gardens!

To my surprise there was a lot to watch even in january. You are welcomed by this fine mainbuilding, a practical shed on wheels signaling the mobility of the gardens.

The gardens are very small (less than 15m2), probably suiting most unexperienced city gardeners. But obviosly many gets a nice experience and a crop of vegs and flowers to bring home.

Cabbage in Ørestad

This little cabbage plot is inresistible. More than one could grow larger cabbage and kale, but what a diversity in almost no space. And there have probably even been harvested cabbage and kale from this little lot.

A row of leeks

These are the largest leeks I found, most (largest?) of the row already harvested. Leek is very common in these small lots, along with many other vegs and herbs. Celery/celeriac, rosemary, fennel, cabbage and kale, parsley and all those I didn’t really notice.

Puddles between raised beds

Soil out here is very compact limerich clay. When saturated with water it almost doesn’t drain at all. It’s special to work such a heavy soil, but it can prove very fertile.

Ørestad Mobile Øko-haver(in danish)