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Re: Assistance dealing with local codesadversely impactinggardening

I believe the major thrust of the problem is that this bureaucrat does not understand gardening and the concept of growing plants in containers is foreign to her. I believe there are no references in the san Diego City land development Code that prohibits the concept of growing plants in containers for the purpose of a landscape display.

As in any gardening undertaking, the efforts of one individual may have some who find the affect pleasing and others who disagree to various levels. The right to garden seems to be a universally accepted principle that should apply equally to property owners and renters without disenfranchising or favoring either group.

The assertion that growing plants in containers is a form of storage seem to me to be farfetched and absurd even for a bureaucrat representing the interests of "Neighborhood Municipal Code Compliance.

My wife and I are the original owners of the home next to my mother's rental house. Over 30 years ago I removed all of the front and rear lawn areas and concentrated the remaining space for trees, vines, flowers, and vegetables. Keeping in mind that this is a small 60 foot wide by 90 foot deep residential lot that was developed using the cut and fill method of building common in Southern California.

The lack of top soil caused me to bring in over 500 yards of landscape soil mix which was used to establish raised beds and produce an idea growing medium 2.5 to 5 feet deep. I planted various tropical, subtropical, and temperate fruiting trees, vines, and shrubs. I grow banana, mango, cherimoya, macadamia, white sapote, black sapote, feijoa, guava, avocado, carambola, coffee, fig, nectarines, apple, and some citrus.

Over the years some were not adapted to our climate and struggled to grow or thrived to the extent they had to be removed. Much of my experience in personally growing these plants was incorporated into the Ortho book "All About Citrus and Subtropical Fruits" which I coauthored.

I also lectured about the production and marketing of specialty crops for the University of California Extension at Riverside and taught the same courses at MiraCosta College in Oceanside before I retired to take care of my aging parents about 12 years ago.

I have been collecting and growing various warm climate bulbs, that are evergreen, or deciduous in the summer of winter - clivia, oxalis, crinum, etc., which are grown as under story plants in the filtered light of the fruit trees. I also grow an assortment of orchids, gesneriads, and begonias so I can take flowering pots for my mother to enjoy in her room.

Over the past months there have been discussions as to the participation of people in gardening and an attempt to classify people. It is obvious to me from the observation of the services performed by the local businesses that perform lawn and garden care for a fee, they mow, prune with hedge shears, and clean up with blowers. The general lack of horticultural skill of the employees represents the willingness of the public to spend the money (or their own time and energy) to become involved in horticulture/gardening.

It has been my experience that growing old should not mean that a person stops growing plants from seed because it takes 7 years for them to flower from seed. It is the delight and wonder that each day brings in observing what changes have occurred in the garden that keeps a person alive and vibrant upon retirement, even when they may be experiencing health problems.

I'll attempt to post additional information as this situation develops. The suggestions and comments are greatly appreciated. This was not a fight I need to undertake as I must close up my mother's house and convert personal property into cash to help pay for her care. But having no other choice, I must rise to the challenge.

Claude Sweet
San Diego, CA

Carol Wallace, Ph.D. wrote:

I've never thought of container gardening as storage.
But the city could potentially turn to those weed laws (if you have any) to
make sure your mother has to get rid of her containers. I know of at least
one case where the city came in and bulldozed a woman's backyard (that's
right - the BACK yard) because she refused to comply. She won her fight
before they did the same to the front.

Thomas Olenio is right - I'd go to the media. They will undoubtedly grasp
the absurdity of a city trying to tell a woman that she can't landscape
unless she gets down and digs in the soil - especially at the age of 85
and with Parkinsons. Some of us here would also be glad to write about this
and perhaps get some feedback and input for you.
Carol Wallace

Virtually Gardening
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/virtually_gardening




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