Category: How To

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FACTS FOR FAMILIES: Gardening is Good For You

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“Therapeutic gardening has existed since early Egypt. At the beginning of the 1800s, Dr. Benjamin Rush recorded the therapeutic effects of working the garden. Following both World War I and II, veteran hospitals used gardening as therapy for returning soldiers. Even today, there are many gardening and farming programs for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. We have known for a long time that gardening was good for you, but now have the research to back it up! And Chris says that more importantly, we can use this research when presenting our case to groups or organizations in support of the benefits of gardening, farming, and being in nature.”

“What may be required next is a shift in our time-strapped culture, where we have so much demanding our attention. Growing a plant forces our patience as we await the opening of a flower bud or ripening of a vegetable. During that time, we note observations of the soil, insects both good and bad, weather, and the habit of the plant as it moves through its lifecycle. Watching and culturing the life of another organism is powerful for any human being. A shift in our mindset toward nature positions the fields of horticulture, urban agriculture, landscape design, and landscape architecture as key career paths to promote the health and well-being of everyone in our community and not just those with the means to afford the graces of nature or a well-kept yard. ”

Read the FULL Article at “CJ-TC.com“

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How To Turn Barrel Drums Into Raised Garden Beds

“Drums can be great for building raised garden beds. If you happened to have some barrel drums around collecting dust, this might be a good project for you.

Just cut the drums in halves and build a stand to support them. Your garden bed is ready for some beautiful flowers! Watch the video tutorial for how to cut the barrel drums.” via “NewzMagazine.com“

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Germantown Couple’s Legacy Will Live on Forever in Protected Urban Garden

“NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A Germantown couple’s legacy will grow forever, thanks to an agreement that will always protect their urban garden.

When Ernest and Berdelle Campbell left their Belle Meade home and moved to Germantown, they knew an urban garden would be a part of their retired life.

Now, more than 30 years later, that garden is still thriving and thanks to the Land Trust for Tennessee, its future is forever.”

READ THE FULL STORY at: “WKRN.com“

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This San Fransisco Family Created an Urban Farm in Their Backyard That is Teeming With Life.


“The homestead is a family project where each member does their part. Blas Herrera, husband to Chan and father of their two young girls, puts on his beekeeper suit one foggy morning to smoke and subdue the bees before extracting them for an upcoming garden tour. The Chan-Herrera family opens their backyard oasis to the community regularly, and on this particular day, students from S.F. State were due for a visit.”

Read the full article at: “SFChronicle.com“

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Help Support Nicaragua’s Education Farm & Nutrition Kitchen


HELP SUPPORT THIS PROJECT

“Since moving to Nicaragua, a day doesn’t go by when we bite into produce grown here and taste the bitter flavor of chemicals. The use of these chemicals goes back generations. This, along with a changing climate and five years of drought has had a devastating impact on the environment, depleted soil quality, and caused malnutrition. With your support we can build a hands-on farm model that teaches sustainable growing methods, nutrition education, and improves health for families and children.”


What Mesa Sostenible Looks Like Now:

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So far they have been successful at securing land, and growing various plant varieties from seed in two small greenhouses. They’ve also started a composting initiative to help reduce waste and promote soil health.

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What Mesa Sostenible Can Look Like with Your Help and Support: 

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The GOAL is to build a sustainable, working farm that will provide the community and visitors a-like the experience to participate in a unique and memorable educational experience in sustainable farming, living & healthy food preparation.

“MESA Sostenible aims to have the following social, environmental and economic impacts:

  • Demonstrate the importance of year-round crop diversity to reduce malnutrition through a varied diet and nutrition education.
  • Increase soil fertility and reduce topsoil erosion.
  • Eliminate agricultural chemicals used on productive land.
  • Maximize rainwater infiltration and on-site treatment to improve ground water storage through water harvesting techniques.”

Here’s The Plan:

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Our goal is to raise $95,000 in funds to bring the MESA Sostenible Sustainable Farm and Nutrition Kitchen to life.

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Help us reach our funding goal!

Other ways you can ACT NOW:

  • SHARE: Facebook, Twitter – use the social icons at the top right
  • SHOW your family and friends, encourage them to help fund us.
  • EMAIL to five friends, show them you care. Click here.
  • VISIT our website to learn more about our work.

Thank you for your support!

 

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Are Vertical Gardens the Answer to Cleaner Skies? Mexico City THINKS SO!


Mexico City is elevating urban ecology to new heights with an initiative called “via verde” or green way. The project aims to transform hundreds of pillars supporting flyovers and elevated roads into vertical gardens to reduce pollution while improving the cityscape, says director Fernando Ortiz Monasterio.

“We live in a very grey city. Very grey and we forget because we have become used to that being our urban landscape. As soon as we find a park, a green landscape, we realize our mood changes.” The gardens are actually walls made out of metal frames and cloth that are placed on top of pillars to avoid damage to the concrete structures.

“It’s a special cloth which has a special density that allows the root of the plants interweave in this cloth. Each column has an automatic watering system that also works together with rain water.” The project aims to provide the city with an extra 40,000 meters of greenery to hopefully lift the air quality and the mood of the city’s 20 million residents. – via “reuters.com”

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Collect Heritage Seeds and Grow a Garden All-Year-Round

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We include everything you need to get started every month.  Receive a curated collection of heirloom/non-gmo garden seeds and garden supplies- delivered to you at just the right time of the year to plant them. Completely customized based on your USDA Hardiness Grow Zones  – your growing medium – garden location – amount of sunlight – experience,  etc.

Just start by answering a couple questions!

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Indoor Farm Boxes Promise Little Work and Lots of Fresh Produce

“For many city-dwelling apartment renters, securing a home with a sprig of green space is a tall order, let alone a place that gets enough sunshine or rain to cultivate a fresh vegetable garden. A pair of designers have found a way to bring farms to homes—no outdoor space required.

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Enter the nanofarm, a roughly 18-by-14-inch wooden box that uses LEDs in place of the sun to nourish greens. Subasinghe has also created specially designed plant pads for the boxes. The fabric pads are woven to trap moisture and nurture the crops—including lettuce, arugula, beets, and bok choy—all without the use of pesticides.

The no-muss, no-fuss farm boxes simply require users to add water, turn on a timer, and wait for a notification light, which signals that the plants are ready for picking. So far, the nanofarm has been delivered to a handful of test users, all of whom report hands-off farming and plentiful harvests.”

Read the FULL ARTICLE at: “TakePart.com“

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One Pair of Gardening Gloves that Every Gardener Needs!


Gloves that let you dig and plant without hand tools! 

  • Replace hand tools
  • Makes digging, planting, grading and raking fast and easy
  • Durable and puncture resistant to protect your hands — prevents cuts and blisters
  • Flexible, ergonomic design for handling small objects
  • Rinses clean and keeps hands dry
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Guacamole Garden! Grow Your Own…

“You can start with the seed of an avocado. Wash it. Use 3 toothpicks to suspend it broad-end down over a water-filled glass to cover about an inch of the seed. Put the glass in a warm place out of direct sunlight and replenish water as needed. You should see the roots and stem start to sprout in about 2-6 weeks. (If you’ve followed this process so far and have not seen roots or a stem sprout in more than 6-8 weeks, give another seed a try!) When the stem is 6-7 inches long, cut it back to about 3 inches. When the roots are thick and the stem has leaves again, plant it in a rich humus soil in a 10-1/2″ diameter pot, leaving the seed half exposed. Water it frequently with an occasional deep soak. Soil should be moist but not saturated. And don’t forget, the more sunlight, the better. If the plant turns yellow, you may be over-watering; let it dry out for a few days. If leaves turn brown and fry at the tips, too much salt has accumulated in the soil. Let water run freely into the pot and drain for several minutes. When the stem is 12 inches high, cut it back to 6 inches to encourage the growth of new shoots.”

Learn MORE about how to care for your own avocado tree at: https://www.californiaavocado.com

 

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The Eden Project – Giant Biomes in Cornwall, England Home to Over 1 Million Plants!

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Buried in a steep-sided clay crater, deep within the southwest corner of England you will find The Eden Project; a global garden, home to more than 1 million plants from 5000 different species and housing the worlds largest rainforest in captivity. The site was formally opened on 17th March 2001 after a successful bid to the Millennium commission secured a £37.5 million investment, helping transform the 35 acre site into nothing anyone had seen before. A small group of people who wanted to make a difference, some brilliant entrepreneurial minds, 7 years and 83,000 tonnes of soil later, the Eden Project you see today was constructed. Displaying over 20 exhibits, weaving human stories and tales of historic adventure around the plants to engage visitors and encourage them to think about our relationship with the natural world you can visit this wonderful place all year round in Cornwall, England. Learn more about the Eden Project and view more photos: http://escapemedic.com/2017/06/19/the-eden-project/

Eden Project Biomes in Cornwall, England
Eden Project Biomes in Cornwall, England

Guests of the project are taken on a journey in which they see how plants have changed the world and the ways in which they may continue to do so. Eden itself is a wonderful example of how an old mining site can be reclaimed into a celebration of nature where gardeners can experiment with new varieties of plants capable of thriving in future climates. Learn more about the Eden Project and view more photos: http://escapemedic.com/2017/06/19/the-eden-project/

Sunflowers can be used in plastic manufacturing, sugar beet for making bioethanol, in turn utilised for everyday compostable goods.
Sunflowers can be used in plastic manufacturing, sugar beet for making bioethanol, in turn utilised for everyday compostable goods.

Sunflowers can be used in plastic manufacturing, sugar beet for making bioethanol, in turn utilised for everyday compostable goods. Thinking about our impact on the environment allows us to explore new ideas to adapt to environmental challenges. Factories are now able to convert waste products into fuel for aircrafts and the emphasis on educational projects is increasing globally. Perhaps the next generation of conservationists will find even more remarkable ways to meet our energy demands.

Rainforest biome canopy walk
Rainforest biome canopy walk

After 15 years of intensive love and affection, Eden has recreated the natural conditions of the tropics so perfectly that it is now home to a thriving rainforest exhibiting some of the worlds most vital crops and plants. Averaging between 20-30 degrees celsius and 90% humidity you’ll certainly feel you have been transported to the middle of the Congo Basin upon entering the curved space frame. Over half of the world’s terrestrial animals and plants have made their home in the rainforest and this incredible diversity makes it such a magical place. There are still endless creatures, plants and medicines waiting to be discovered.

Learn more about the Eden Project and view more photos: http://escapemedic.com/2017/06/19/the-eden-project/

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Start Getting Seeds Delivered to Your Door, EVERY MONTH!

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Want to learn more about how our Monthly Seed & Garden Club Works? Signing up is EASY! Let our Garden Gurus put together a custom curated collection of heritage garden seeds, perfect for planting in your specific grow zone and garden type. 

1. Tell us what you’re working with. Answer a couple of questions about where you will be growing a garden and then we will take care of the rest.

2. Get seeds & garden supplies delivered right to your door! Shipments occur on the 5th of every month. What’s included? 5 mystery seed packets, plant markers, seed starting soil pods, instructions, and more!

3. Follow the instructions that come in your package. We promise to make this as easy as we can for you to live a healthier and more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Ready to join the club? https://urbanorganicgardener.cratejoy.com

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Gardeners: Save Time and Money with These 10 Tips

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“Every gardener likes to save money and time. I thought as the gardening season gets rolling, you might appreciate some tips in these areas.

1- Making a new garden? Start with a plan. Remember, a smaller scaled garden translates into less work and money.

2- Container gardens are fun and easy, and they’re a necessity for small yards, but they do require more water and fertilizer.

3- Cut back on your workload by converting some of your lawn to ground covers. They are a good fix for problem spots also. Just check first if they are invasive.”

Read more TIPS at: “OAOA.com“

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From the Ground to the Table: Community Supported Agriculture

“CSAs benefit consumers by providing them with fresh, local produce at a reasonable price. As our lives get busier, it only gets harder to make time for thoughtful grocery shopping, where you try to get a healthy mix of fruits and vegetables. Eliminating that task is a big time-saver. The unexpected benefit of using a CSA, is that you will likely receive produce that you’re unfamiliar with, getting some much needed variety in your vegetable routine! Read our guide to CSA produce, for recipes and instructions on what to do with those unfamiliar vegetables!”


Source: Partselect.com