A ROOFTOP OASIS

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My pail-grown produce also escaped the ravages of disease, even though the plants occasionally suffered from moisture stress (whenever I was away for a few days and unable to water). Moisture-stressed plants are usually more susceptible to disease (and insect) attack, but mine came through admirably. Weeds weren't a problem either; only a few emerged from the leaf-and-grass-clipping compost.

One minor problem that did need attention developed after some plants became rootbound and the dirt shrank away from the sides of the tubs. I had to tamp new soil down into the gaps; otherwise, at watering time the liquid would have washed right over the edge of the compacted compost, down the sides, and out the drain holes.

LOOKING BACK

Some gardeners — like some fishermen and hunters — find more pleasure in the process than in the harvest. Doing becomes its own reward.

So it was with me and my rooftop flower-and-vegetable patch. The yields were less than spectacular. Sure, I had more lettuce than I knew what to do with. The peppers were prolific. There were lots of scallions in the spring and more than enough cherry tomatoes throughout the summer. And I usually had a meal's worth of collards and kale every week. But I still had to buy most of my fresh veggies downstairs — from the co-op's produce case.

Nevertheless, my pot-bound plantation was fun. And it was a learning experience that I can draw upon again, if I ever have to (fortunately, I've since moved to a place in the country where there's lots of ground-level growing space). But most important, my container garden gave me a place to relax and restore my spirit. Lounging among the plants on that roof, watching the bees move from flower to flower, I felt as though the city streets were miles — instead of just two stories — away.

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