FarmCity Food Garden Construction serves the urban gardener - from beginners to the most experienced green thumbs. Our aim is to do the heavy work of getting you started growing your own organic veggies and fruit in whatever space you have available, from large backyards to balconies and other small garden spaces. Check out some of FarmCity's Recent Projects
We're happy to discuss anything and everything you need to get things growing in your garden.
Garden Planning and Construction
We work with your space to plan and build a garden that works for you. We will examine your space and discuss your plans to decide on the best placement and design for your new garden. For gardeners with specific physical needs, we can custom design a garden that works for you.
Raised Beds
The backbone of a good vegetable garden in the Lower Mainland is raised beds: they allow for much better drainage, in our wet climate, than beds simply dug into the existing soil; they promote efficient, intensive gardening; and when combined with rotating your crops each year, they help to keep plant pests and diseases in check, so that the food you produce can be fully and safely organic! When we build you a raised bed or beds, we also include a one-hour follow-up visit (no extra charge), to help you decide how to plant your new bed, or to offer ideas and advice on your garden as it grows - whatever you feel you'd like a little help on.
Garden Repair and Reconditioning
Need to repair or alter your garden beds and recondition your garden? We'll clean it up, dig in new manure and prepare your garden for the growing season.
Our Soil
Whether we're building multiple garden beds for you, or installing a custom planter on your balcony, we install it with soil! So far, we've been using a great garden mix from a company that uses the City of Vancouver's composted garden waste (picked up from the green waste bins behind your house). We have found it to work beautifully! It's rich, weed-free, and drains well in our wet climate!
For a slightly higher price, we can also provide you with certified organic soil - obviously desirable for growing food. We only just heard about it, and so haven't tried it yet - but we have great hopes!
Drip Irrigation Systems
Drip irrigation is the most water-conserving and plant-friendly method for watering. These systems can be run from taps or from rain barrels, too - and in our climate, where summers are dry, the benefit to the environment is immeasurable.
Custom Planters and Other Garden Structures
We build and/or install just about any backyard carpentry you can think of, including:
- Rain barrels
- Compost bins
- Potting tables
- Chicken coops
- Sheds
- Fences
- Bird, bat and mason bee houses
We offer these other services to enhance the vitality and productivity of your new or existing garden - and to maintain the health of the eco-system that surrounds your garden. We will be happy to include any or all of these in our estimate. And if there’s anything else you need, we are glad to discuss the possibilities!
Make sure you check out some of the past urban garden projects that we have completed for our customers!
Prices
Prices for any of the above services will vary greatly, depending on the scale of your project. We are happy to provide a first hour’s consultation and resulting estimate for free, should you decide to contract our services.
Planning and design work - We charge by the hour ($40/hr + GST) for fuller planning and design work, if it is needed.
Garden Bed Construction - For a general gauge, the first basic garden bed (a 10’x5’ rectangle, built of common fir) is approximately $280, including construction, installation and soil. Subsequent beds are $250 each*. ALSO INCLUDED IS IN THIS PACKAGE IS A FREE ONE-HOUR CONSULTATION AFTER THE FACT: that is, once your beds are installed, we will schedule a return visit to offer any advice or information you need, either to start planting, or to improve the garden you've already started!
Please note that these cannot be guaranteed prices, depending on the design and complexity of your garden, on the kind of wood used, and so on. If you want a precise estimate, we will visit your site, discuss your ideas, and email you a well-considered estimate!
We can also do custom shapes and sizes of raised beds - curved shapes, irregular shapes - whatever fits into your design! If you choose to use cedar to construct the beds, you will be gaining a good 3-5 years in the life of the bed.
Drip Irrigation Systems - Prices can vary a great deal, depending on your garden design, but drip watering systems from a faucet are generally $90-$120 per garden bed (10’x5’), including materials and installation*.
*Please note that all prices are approximate and do not include taxes.
Urban gardening is a vital part of how we live in the environment today. Imagine what the city would look like if we all used just 50% of the land available to us to grow vegetables, herbs and fruit - whether in private yards, communal gardens, rooftop spaces, or balcony boxes!
