Khenti Pratt’s community garden was an oasis for neighbors, and a source of sustenance and pride. She poured time and money into transforming a blighted Philadelphia lot into a space teeming with vegetables and flowers, the site of classes and other community events, and the winner of a City Gardens Contest award.
But after 17 years, the Philadelphia woman found out at a public meeting that a developer had purchased the land.
“[The developer] said in front of the Zoning Board and he talked to me on the side, he said, ‘I’m not going to bulldoze your garden right away. I’m for gardens; I want to help you actually garden,’” Pratt told the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2013. But despite a petition from neighbors, within a few months, the garden was uprooted to make way for an apartment building.
Experiences like Pratt’s have for years been common all over Philadelphia. Though the city dubs itself America’s Garden Capital, the distinction offers little protection to residents who grow on vacant lots, only to see their gardens bought out from under them and bulldozed. And although Pratt’s garden couldn’t be saved, its loss has served as a lesson learned, a sort of launch pad.
Police want to know who burned dozens of beehives in a town just south of Houston. One of the beekeepers said the losses are truly staggering.
“We’re looking at 500,000 to 600,000 (bees) that have been destroyed out of that environment,” Steve Brackmann, who sells beekeeping supplies and queen bees, told CNN affiliate KTRK.
“It’s bad enough to think in today’s world this would happen but dumping them over and then setting fire to them is beyond comprehension,” the association wrote in a Facebook post. “Club has offered a reward to lead to conviction and anyone with info please forward it to the sheriff’s office.”
Brazoria County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000. The beekeepers association is offering a $1,000 reward as well as asking for donations to help it recover from the losses.
The Dutch have a progressive way of thinking and acting that can stand as a model for many countries. Remember how long cannabis has been decriminalized there? They also have outstanding prenatal and postpartum care (with the view that birth is a natural occurrence, not a medical emergency) with 16 weeks paid maternity leave and 6 weeks paid paternity leave. Now the city of Utrecht is doing something else: the 316 bus stops throughout the city have been transformed. All the city’s bus stops have been covered in sedum (succulent) plants. The rooftops not only help to support the dwindling pollinator populations, but they also improve air quality by trapping fine dust particulates, store rainwater and provide a cool environment in the summertime.
Another way Utrecht is moving to improve air quality for its residents is by transitioning to an entirely electric bus fleet by 2028, with electricity sourced from Dutch windmills.
The iridescent blue wings of the California pipevine swallowtail are considered by collectors to be among the most magnificent in North America.
For centuries the beautiful butterfly thrived in the San Francisco and around the Bay Area. But as the region became increasingly urbanized in the early 1900s, the pipevine swallowtail began to disappear. Today it’s an extremely rare sight.
Aquatic biologist Tim Wong at the California Academy of Sciences has made it his personal mission to bring the butterfly back, and he’s off to a very promising start.
The concept of a permaculture garden is to provide long-term solutions that maximize outputs and minimize inputs while cycling energy and resources through the system. This creates closed-loop efficiency within your system and prevents excess waste. In fact, one of permaculture’s most favored sayings is ‘there’s no such thing as waste, just things in the wrong place’.
Hugelkultur is a great example of recycling resources on your site to create long-term fertility in the soil. In doing this, you create beds that become more productive over time, helping to produce better quality crops with higher yields.
Eight years ago, after they were evicted from their Santa Monica apartment, John and Molly Chester bought 200 acres of land just outside of Los Angeles with the dream of becoming full-fledged farmers.
But 2011 would mark the beginning of a six-year drought, and the property was already eerily reminiscent of Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl. Instead of nutrient-rich dark soil, John Chester, a director, and producer, would hold dirt in his hands that resembled sand; it would blow like dust into the air as it ran through his fingers. The soil was so dry and clay-like, Molly Chester, a personal chef, could drop a fistful onto the ground—and it would not break.
Today, the Chesters grow 75 varieties of stone fruit, avocados, and citrus on the Moorpark property, named Apricot Lane Farms. They’ve found success not just as farmers, but as documentary filmmakers. They’ve chronicled their journey in The Biggest Little Farm, a film that has earned wide praise and a Rotten Tomatoes fresh rating of 90 percent and landed the Chesters an interview on NPR’s “Fresh Air.”
Living in an apartment, I long for a backyard where I can have sprawling planter beds, fruit trees and giant pots of flowers. I don’t have to put those dreams on hold entirely, though.
With a container garden, I can make use of what little outdoor space I have to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Whether you have a few feet of balcony space or several inches on your counter, you can create a container garden, too.
Container gardening, simply put, is growing plants in containers or pots, rather than in the ground. If your yard is nothing more than a concrete slab, or you don’t have one at all, container gardening helps you overcome that.
There are big advantages to container gardening: Containers require less water, you can move plants around to meet their sunlight needs, and you can control pests and avoid soil-borne issues such as fungus and bacteria. They are also flexible, allowing you to add plants and rearrange pots as you want.
A new study from the University of Colorado Boulder found a certain type of bacteria in the soil helps reduce stress and overall, could make you happier.
Previous studies around the world have come to similar conclusions, but CU’s research may be the first step to a stress immunization for first responders and soldiers.
“What we’d like to do is look at effects in individuals that have already experienced trauma,” Associate Professor in Integrative Physiology at CU Boulder Christopher Lowry said. “[We could] either treat it immediately after trauma or treat it after developmental PTSD symptoms and see if it could also be beneficial at those times.”
So far, Lowry and other CU researchers have only studied this in mice. They injected them with the bacteria and found it keeps immune cells in the brain from becoming inflamed when you are stressed.
The word Walipini, derived from the Aymaran language and an indigenous Bolivian tribe, is translated as “a place of warmth” and is an earth-sheltered cold frame or transparent-roofed enclosure.
This underground greenhouse was created for the cold regions of South America to maintain food production year round but is now being adopted by gardeners of all skill levels across the world.
Most say that Walipinis should be at least 8’ by 12’ in size, but many people build even larger. Searching online you can find all types of plans and blueprints on how to design your underground greenhouse.
Welcome to the Club! UOG is a fully customized monthly garden club that is curated JUST FOR YOU, and full of unique garden seeds & supplies. #urbanorganicgardener
🐝 SHIPS ON THE 5TH OF EVERY MONTH 🍅 STARTS AT $9.99/MONTH 🌶 FREE TO CANCEL AT ANY TIME 🥦 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED 🍉 PURE RAW UN-TREATED HEIRLOOM NON-GMO SEEDS
A few years ago we adopted a couple large rabbits from a local rescue organization. They exclusively rescue rabbits from shuttered pet stores and from owners who no longer want to care for them. They have many rabbits all waiting for a good home and we’ve discovered what valuable pets rabbits can be.
First, a little background. We tried to keep the rabbits inside the house but soon found that they like to chew on anything and everything. So, they needed to be caged just about all the time except under vigilant supervision. I personally don’t like to see an animal caged too much and so, as my frustration rose at their furniture destruction, I cast about for an equitable solution. I wanted to be happy, and I wanted the rabbits to be happy, too.
In case you’ve somehow missed it: The bees are dying and yes, it’s something we should all care a lot about, because bees are IMPORTANT.
We have bees to thank for around one-third of the world’s food supply, including avocados, almonds, onions, and a whole lot of fruits and vegetables that would be extremely missed if they were to disappear.
But in the past year alone, US beekeepers have reported that 40% of their hives have died unexpectedly, possibly partly due to erratic weather conditions that are a result of climate change. Other threats to bee populations include habitat loss, pesticides and herbicides, monoculture (where farmers only grow a single crop at a time), and disease.
READ 8 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SAVE THE BEES: Buzzfeed.com
Labyrinths are beautiful. Their circular, geometric paths allow for walking meditations, and they are rich with symbolism. Some people have made the analogy that walking through a labyrinth is like taking a journey to the center of one’s self and then, eventually, emerging back into the world.
Now picture a labyrinth made of paths of lavender plants and earth mounds. The labyrinth’s center also boasts an array of herb gardens. When the breeze picks up, the scent of lavender blooms intermingles with that of basil — nature creating its own soothing aromatherapy blend.
“National Weather Service meteorologists noticed something puzzling on their radar screens in Southern California on Tuesday evening — a big green blob.
“It was very strange because it was a relatively clear day and we weren’t really expecting any rain or thunderstorms,” Casey Oswant, a NWS meteorologist in San Diego, tells NPR. “But on our radar, we were seeing something that indicated there was something out there.”
So the meteorologists called a weather spotter in Wrightwood, Calif., near the blob’s location in San Bernardino County. Oswant says the spotter told them the mysterious cloud was actually a giant swarm of ladybugs.
The phenomenon is known as a ladybug “bloom,” and while this one appears particularly large, Oswant says it’s not the first time local meteorologists have spotted the beetles.”
Miami Beach Coast, Florida (Photo by Hoberman Collection/UIG via Getty Images)
“Miami city commissioners voted to outlaw the use of all weedkillers containing glyphosate on all city-owned property Thursday.
City employees and contractors will have to find more eco-friendly alternatives to use on city streets, sidewalks, and parks, and residents are strongly advised to discontinue use of glyphosate on their lawns and gardens.
The ban is effective immediately.
City commissioner Ken Russell sponsored the legislation after looking into the link between the city’s use of herbicides and pesticides and the blue-green algae blooms and red tide that have overwhelmed Miami in recent years.
One of his main concerns was the city’s stormwater outfalls, which pump dirty, unfiltered water from the streets into Biscayne Bay, he told the Miami New Times.”
“When you have a large garden the DIY project possibilities are almost endless. You can build anything you wish if you have some extra time and some money to invest. So, if you’re looking for a new outdoor project, then this beautiful bean tunnel might be the inspiration you need. The owner of the tunnel is April from Wahsega Valley Farm and made the tunnel for her large and impressive vegetable garden. She made the structure first and then the vines started to grow all around and created the magical tunnel you can see in the before and after pictures. You can try to build this tunnel yourself with distinct kinds of vine plants, as the result will be an amazing hide-out with plenty of shade for warm days.”
Organic gardening is as popular as ever, and the methods we use plays a critical role in our health and the health of the planet.
There are many different all-natural fertilizers that you can use in your garden or with potting soil. Some of these fertilizers can be made or collected at home using common items from your pantry or your backyard. Here are 8 of our favorite DIY fertilizers for a variety of needs.
Grass clippings. If you have an organic lawn, make sure to collect your grass clippings to use on your gardens. Half an inch to an inch of grass clippings makes a great weed-blocking mulch, and it is also rich in nitrogen, which is an essential nutrient for most plants.
Weeds. Just like grass clippings, many of the weeds that you’ll find in your gardens are very high in nitrogen and will make an excellent fertilizer. The problem is, once you’ve pulled the weeds, you certainly won’t want to put them back in the garden because any seeds will sprout and make new weeds. The solution? Make weed tea. To do this, fill a five-gallon bucket no more than 1/4 full with weeds that you’ve pulled. Then fill the bucket the rest of the way with water, and let the weeds soak for a week or two. Once the water turns nice and brown (like tea), pour this weed tea on your gardens.
Many people have the desire to own a green area in their residence, so the small gardens have taken up space in the area of decorating and landscaping. To make a beautiful garden does not take many expenses, simply organize the essential items in stages and have a good taste in choosing the plants and accessories that will compose.
To start the project you need to keep in mind which plants you will use. It is recommended not to mix many types of flowers and foliage so as not to spoil the sense of balance of the environment. Another important item is to see the size of the plants to suit the space.
Using the pebbles and lawn as flooring is a good option to have a beautiful and clean garden. The cool thing is to go drawing with these materials, tracing paths and alternating with some plants.
For garden furniture, use few accessories and with simple lines. A pair of armchairs, a small table, bench with cushions or even those futton mattresses are enough. Nothing to carry too much environment, because this is not the proposal for the garden. Use vases to decorate the place and for those who live in an apartment is the most practical way to conserve a garden.
If you are a parent, you should probably think about one good question: should your children be taught to grow food at school?
The modern era is marked by the constant advancements in technology, and the new inventions have provided the comfort and conveniences that we never even imagined to live in.
However, we lost a large part of the needed real-world knowledge and skills to survive and take care of our families on our own.
This poses a question: If the current system suddenly collapses, do we know the basics of life in order to survive? Natural disasters happen all the time, so this is not that unreal as we believe.
Therefore, teaching our children to grow their own food would be a priceless lesson.
1. Peppermint Castile Soap, via Rocky Hedge Farm – GET THE RECIPE!
“There is a variety of things that can be done in a garden to help control the critters and insects that find the vegetable patch their tasty treat for the day. Companion planting, attracting birds and good insects, and even hand picking some of the bugs and placing them in a bucket of soapy water.
Then there are the bugs that I don’t always see, like the ones that are eating holes in my sweet potato plants. So, that is when I pull out the spray.”
2. Garlic-Cayenne Pepper Spray, via Midwest Modern Momma – GET THE RECIPE!
“I love using natural pest control throughout my home and garden. This natural pest control spray for your garden is ideal for keeping those pesky critters away from your plants. If you have a natural and organic garden that is thriving, this is going to be your best resource to keep your plants safe this summer!”
3. Organic Garden Pest Control, via Weed ’em and Reap – GET THE RECIPE!
“I don’t believe in pesticides. I’ve had many people recommend all sorts of chemical-laden products. But I decided long ago that this garden was going to be au naturale, dang it! My natural garden pest control will knock those bugs off their feet!”
“One of the simplest ways to get rid of slugs is to pour them a beer. Literally. Make sure to not waste a yummy and delicious beer on these nasty garden pests, though. An inexpensive, cheap beer will do the job just as well as your favorite will.”
5. Smothering Insect Oil, via The Rusted Garden – GET THE RECIPE!
“In this 4th video of my DIY garden recipe and tips series I cover how to use neem oil and smothering oils in the vegetable garden. I show you how to make them (with my recipes), discuss how to use them and provide you a general use routine. Any time you use new oils or sprays in your garden… test spray.”
6. Eggshell Powder, via Get Busy Gardening – GET THE RECIPE!
“Using eggshells as organic pest control is inexpensive, and easy! In this post, not only will I show you how to use eggshells in your garden, I will also show you exactly how to prepare eggshells for garden use – including tips for cleaning and drying eggshells, grinding them into powder, and storing eggshells and powder for later use.”
“Though bugs hate it, plants love it. Adding molasses to the soil in your garden helps to increase the microbial activity resulting in soil that holds moisture better and is also easier to plant in. When soil microbes are exposed to simple sugars, they multiply quickly. As microbes go through their living cycle, they add important nutrients to the soil, therefore, the more the merrier. You can also rid your yard of fire ants by spraying this over your grass too. This is the most inexpensive way to add sugars and ward off harmful insects to your garden and vegetable plants. ”
…and if all else fails, try growing a few TRAP PLANTS to deter pests away from the more valuable crops in your garden!
