SFG in Amsterdam Nieuw West

In the topic 'Beginnersvragen' which started in the European Section i described my situation in September 2013 and my search for a bigger garden (i think it is called allotment in english) in Amsterdam. Since then i have been talking with some people in my neighbourhood who started a neighbourhood society in Amsterdam, region Nieuw West.
I talked about SFG and my plans in the neighbourhood and i can announce that we are going to start next saturday with searching for a good place, asking for a Benefit from the city of Amsterdam and other people who want to help us.
I am very excited about this and I am going to make vids, pics etc of this project

The next days i am going to read this forum and i hope i am getting advise from you.
Also it is my goal to make this project as an example for my application as SFG Instructor
Also I am going to read the things i have to think about becoming an SFG Instructor

Regards
Richard

I wondered where you had got to Richard ..looks like you've been growing underground like a bamboo plant nothing for a long time then WAM new green shoots here there and every where.

Congratulations on getting the group going and trying to get the help from the town council .
Judging by the foul weather we in the UK are experiencing you'll have a few weeks more grace before you have to start seed growing . 
 
But you can start seeds off indoors so that they are ready as small viable plants to plant out as soon as the beds are built and filled up , grow them in a cool room that does not get strong direct sunlight.



 Yes .... the local authority gardens people like you can rent  or have for free are called allotments or garden allotments ( which is the better more precise description ).

Location 1

Location 1 with ditch

Location 2

Today we tried to find an outstanding location for the SFG boxes.
We found 2 locations of which i made 3 pics
Location 1 is a place of 25 m x 10 metres. It is only used once or twice by dogs to do their things, but it is next to a ditch

Location 2 is on a very big field, which is used for recreation like playing football, throw with a frisbee etc

Which one do you prefer ?

This monday i am having a telephone conversation with a spokes person of the city hall in Amsterdam to speak about the possibilities to use a location which is property of the city of Amsterdam

#2, the recreation field is definitely perfect for boxes and probably has an outdoor water faucet.  But, it is used for human recreation, involving flying objects!.  If the boxes are off to the side there should still bee plenty of room to throw Frisbees.  The tall buildings cast a long shadow so chose the sunniest area for your growing season. 

#1 is near a ditch.  Any history of flooding it's banks?  Is there a water faucet nearby? Can you put a wire fence around the area to keep dogs out of it?   Also male dogs might enjoy peeing on the boxes and contents.  "Pee mail."  plus it looks like there is a little slope there and you would have to level individual spots for the boxes.

The recreation field would be my FIRST choice.

Keep us posted.

In picture 2 you see a couple of people.
The guy with the step stool was the photographer which made a couple of pictures of our meeting
Last friday our initiative was printed in our local magazine with a nice picture of us and text.
We received many positive reactions on that and our subsidy is now being discussed in meetings of our local district 

The woman who is responsible for our district has also managed to contact a man who is involved with the subject 'green' in the municipality 
So, when we are expecting winter, the wheels are turning slowly

A couple of months passed
I spoke with the responsible man for 'green control' in the Amsterdam local authority.
He gave us permission to build 32 SFG boxes on the big field (i posted a pic of that before)
We handed the demand for a subsidy last month and we will be noticed on that subsidy next week.

I hope i can post a positive message next week..

Fantastic!!    

Sounds like all your organizing time was well spent.  Congratulations on the progress you've made.

Because no one has mentioned it, I suggest you look through the forum for Table Top (TT) boxes which do not sit on the ground.  Raising them reduces the probability that dogs might do damage leaving 'pee mail.'  It will also make the gardens more accessible for older people (like me) who have trouble with all the stooping, bending, and standing up again.  I am in the process of completing 5 garden boxes 4 of which will be TTs standing approximately 40" above the ground.  TT's can also help to overcome ground that is not level by adjusting the length of legs as needed.

Again, congratulations on your progress. !!!!

This is an interesting project to follow.  I love watching projects from the beginning.
Glad you can send us pictures, Richard.

I just visited spain for 5 days, so i lost some track on the subsidy application
They told me that i will receive an answer next monday, so i have to be patient

I took a look at some table tops and i liked the ones from an australian guy 
One thing i cannot do is attaching the table legs in the ground, i am only allowed to put things on the ground
Does anyone have an idea to make tables which are festened enough to not be blown away by the wind

Hi Princezoe.  I'm a newbie from Atlanta, GA, US and saw your posts.  VERY nice!

I would think that between the wood and the MM, you shouldn't have too much of a problem with the boxes blowing over.  But - you might check a fencing company or if you have something like a Home Depot with all sorts of garden stuff, you might find some metal squares that have a spike that sticks in the ground.  They're 4"x4" for posts for things like mailboxes.

We use one for our mailbox.  It's almost dark now, but I'll try to get a picture tomorrow before the rain comes in.

Hi, Richard, Table Tops are pretty heavy once filled and watered. If they are 4' x 4' or longer, they should be very secure on spot. Boffer has a lot of large TT units. I think as long as they are structurally sound, they stay put.

During the past couple years my strawberry table top has not blown over even in sustained 50-60mph wind.  It's a typical 4 sq ft box but 8 inches deep instead of the usual 6 inches. There is a plywood bottom.  The whole thing sits on almost three foot tall stacks of cinder blocks.

My tabletops withstood a hurricane.  Trellis didn't but beds did.

Kay

Thanks for your replies...

Today we received the great message that we receive a subsidy from the city of Amsterdam
The amount is a little lower than we asked, but it is big enough to make 32 4x4 SFG's
I paid a visit to another supplier of wood, anti rooting mat, peat moss, because the other supplier was too expensive.
In Holland we have peat moss which is either granular or steady. When i explained the SFG method this new supplier told me that the granular one is better. How do you think about that ?

Anyway, on the 12th april i hope we will receive all the goods of making the community garden and start this project

Great news, princezoe. Look forward to results.  

 

Can't give you any suggestions on the peat, Princezoe, sorry...

But CONGRATULATIONS! 

  

Marie

Prince, I've never heard of granular peat moss, and I don't know what "steady" means. I Googled them and ii seems that granular is used in aquariums. Any chance to post photos of the products along with something for size comparison? Our "peat moss" is finely shredded, fluffy stuff. If the pellets expand when wet, then you would really have to back off on the amount used. Just talking out loud, here.

I hope someone can help with an answer.

princezoe wrote:
In Holland we have peat moss which is either granular or steady. When i explained the SFG method this new supplier told me that the granular one is better. How do you think about that ?

Get as much information as you can on the difference between the 'steady' vs the granular peat. From what information I could find online, the granular peat is more of a water soluble fertilizer, humic acid, which may not be what you really want. The fibrous peat used in Mel's mix usually comes in compressed bales which need to be loosened and fluffed before measuring to add to your mix. It is not a fertilizer, nor does it really add any nutrients to the mix, but lightens the texture of the mix and once thoroughly wetted, retains moisture well helping to keep your mix evenly moist for your plants.

GG

It is Baltic peat moss.
I can order it with or without chalk.
The guy from the garden centre advised me to order with chalk, because a variety of plants need chalk
Well, i think i order without chalk, because the compost delivers enough nutrition, isnot it

What do you guys think ?

princezoe raises a very good question - one for which I do not have a specific answer but one that I would like to see answered.

Correctly or not, my inference has been that vermiculite and peat provide the density in the growing medium for roots to take hold and support plants without really adding any measurable nutrients or trace minerals to the plants with nutrients being supplied by compost.  Am I wrong in this?  If so, what nutrient or mineral is added by the peat?  . . .  by the vermiculite?