10 Favorite Tulips to Plant This Fall Gardenista Older 10 Favorite Tulips to Plant This Fall by Izabella Simmons Issue 65 · Belgium and Beyond · March 28, 2013 Newer Issue 65 · Belgium and Beyond · March 28, 2013 Tulips require planning. Above: The 'Black Parrot' is famous for its rich purple color and frilled bloom; $16.95 for 12 bulbs at White Flower Farm. Above: The 'Persian Pearl' features a deep magenta rose petals with a yellow throat; $6.40 for ten from Brent and Becky's Bulbs.. Above: The 'Zurel' tulip features large white blooms striped with purple tones. Above: The 'Angelique' Tulip has soft pink petals and resembles a peony bloom; $14.99 for 10 bulbs at Breck's. Above: An early spring bloomer, 'Turkestanica' has white petals with an orange center; fragrant, and a great repeat bloomer; $4.30 for 10 bulbs from Brent and Becky's Bulbs. Above: British gardening writer Sarah Raven grows 'Menton' tulip in her cutting garden; she uses it in spring bouquets. For more, DIY: A Spring Bouquet With Sarah Raven. By Sarah Lonsdale
Gotham Greens :: Local and sustainable produce grown in the heart of NYC Will Compost Tea Supercharge Your Garden? Here’s an experiment you can do. Have your heard about compost tea? It’s a concoction that is supposed to supercharge your garden. Does it work? Recipes for compost tea have been around for a couple of thousand years, but it fell into disuse. Compost tea is not that complicated to make. Here’s some DIY instructions on how to make an aerated compost tea (via the Pennsylvania EPA). Basic equipment. Put about four gallons of water into the bucket. Don’t overfill the bucket. When ready, strain it with a cheesecloth. So why would you go through the trouble to produce compost tea? On a basic level, compost tea makes the nutrients in the compost more accessible to your plants. The advanced reason is that it is a way to speed up the development of beneficial organisms in your garden. Why? We know almost nothing about the complex web of microorganisms in the soil and in our bodies. As a result, it’s going to take some time to figure out. Little by little, we’ll figure out how to use it effectively.
New York Sun Works: The Science Barge The Science Barge is a prototype, sustainable urban farm and environmental education center. It is the only fully functioning demonstration of renewable energy supporting sustainable food production in New York City. The Science Barge grows tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce with zero net carbon emissions, zero chemical pesticides, and zero runoff.From May to October 2007, the Science Barge hosted over 3,000 schoolchildren from all five New York boroughs as well as surrounding counties as part of our environmental education program. In addition, over 6,000 adult visitors visited the facility along with press from around the world. The Science Barge: now in Yonkers, New York The ownership of the Science Barge program has been assumed by Groundwork Hudson Valley, located in Yonkers, NY. “The Science Barge is not only an invitation to ideas and learning, but to change.” Read more: ShareThis
10 Easy Pieces: The Most Magical Mosses Gardenista Older 10 Easy Pieces: The Most Magical Mosses by Janet Hall Issue 63 · Do-It-Yourself · March 12, 2013 Newer Issue 63 · Do-It-Yourself · March 12, 2013 Share on email Growing up in Seattle, I was raised to view moss as a menacing by-product of damp weather. Moss is your friend—in so many ways. Without a root system, moss gets moisture through its leaves, so keeping it debris free is also important. Love moss or hate it? Above: Moss has long been treasured for use in Japanese gardens. Above: One of the most common varieties is Sheet Moss (Hypnum) that is easy to cultivate and stands up to foot traffic, a good choice to use on around and between stepping stones. Above: Cushion Moss (Leucobryum) is sometimes referred to as white moss as it changes color from lush vibrant green when moist to a silvery green when dry. Above: Small and velvety to touch, Ceratodon Moss is a good choice for green roofs and between walkway pavers; $35 for a 10-by-20-inch tray at Mountain Moss. By Michelle Slatalla
Fish Farmacy, LLC - University of Arizona Controlled Environment Aquaponics Greenhouse The University of Arizona' Controlled Environment Aquaponics Greenhouse was constructed in the summer of 2008. Intensive aquaculture production was integrated with intensive greenhouse hydroponic vegetable production. The 2,500 sq. ft multi-bay greenhouse is capable of producing approximately 480 - 960 kilograms (1,058 - 2,116 pounds) of tilapia and 13,312 – 26,624 plant crops per year (depending on the crop). Environmental monitoring and control systems allow the grower to optimize the environmental parameters for maximizing crop yields. Fish are reared from egg to a harvest size of 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). The filtration system removes large particulate waste and biologically processes the dissolved nutrients to a non-toxic form for the fish, and into a more readily available form for the plants to assimilate. There are two plant production bays (625 ft² each) with individual environmental controls. This system uses 1-3% of the system water volume per week (depending on season).
Required Reading: Secrets of an Ikebana Master Gardenista Older Required Reading: Secrets of an Ikebana Master by Justine Hand Issue 62 · Japonesque · March 5, 2013 Newer Issue 62 · Japonesque · March 5, 2013 Share on email Characterized by extreme discipline and minimalism, the Japanese art of ikebana requires intense study of a floral specimen, in order to reveal its essential form. Toshiro Kawase is one such master. Above: The following images, including the yellow specimens above, are all from Kawase's latest book, available through the publisher in Japan. Above: A delicate single bud in a vase. Above: Earth, trees, and clouded sky: this single stem evokes the Japanese landscape. Above: As important as the floral forms themselves, elemental vases are an essential part of Kawase's compositions. Above: Here Kawase plays with the vertical and horizontal elements to draw our eyes all around the composition. Above: Kawase's arrangements are often evocative of the seasons, such as this cascading maple and iris, which conjure the fresh spirit of spring.
vegitecture Digging through the archives based on the last couple of posts, I was definitely struck by the myriad shapes and sizes that these vertical farming proposals take and the overall excitement that has grown in a short amount of time. This caused me to want to dissect them a bit further in terms of form and function for growing food in efficient ways. First a bit of background from the 'invention' of vertical farming on this video featuring Dr. Discounting for a second those proposals that incorporate indoor hydroponics using artificial light - the idea of growing in buildings using sunlight is the focus (some info about the indoor varieties) of many other projects out there. These proposals include this one from last year which got a lot of attention, Harvest Green by Romses Architects, featuring vertically integrated food production. :: images via Treehugger Another smaller scale example from Romses Architecture features the idea integrated into a eco-community. :: image via NY Times
5 Favorites: Mini House Plants for Apartment Living Gardenista Older 5 Favorites: Mini House Plants for Apartment Living by Justine Hand Issue 97 · Love Letter to the Houseplant · November 15, 2013 Newer Issue 97 · Love Letter to the Houseplant · November 15, 2013 I am a huge nature lover. I actually think that for a long time this "aversion to your average house plant" was common in the design world. Nowadays, as the Internet introduces an ever-broadening array of exotics, and as interior style emphasizes a much more personal approach, it is more than possible for design purists to enjoy a bit of nature inside, as well as out. Above: Considered an invasive weed in some regions, Asparagus Fern—Protasparagus densiflorus (which is not a real fern, but a member of the perennial lily family)—is better kept as an indoor plant. Above: Almost no one captures the personality of plants like Belgian photographer Mieke Verbijlen. Above: Air plants, like this beloved specimen of Kim Ludy's, have a particularly animated quality. N.B. By Meredith Swinehart