A Garden in your Apartment

Check out the video below from Ted.com. It combines a few of my favorite topics: gardening, self sufficiency, and open source collaboration. Britta Riley was inspired by an article she read by Michael Pollan in which he said that growing even a small amount of our own food is one of the best things we can do for our environment. She decided to learn how to use hydroponics to grow food in her apartment window. 

She created an open source website http://our.windowfarms.org/ where people can invent and test each others ideas in order to find the best methods for window farming. The website provides free instructions on how to create window farms. You can test the systems others invent and play a role in developing window farms. Those that don't want to create their own systems can buy equipment from http://www.windowfarms.com/about-the-company/. The funds are used to fund the open source process. Just another example of how anyone can become more self sufficient.

Have any of you done window or hydroponic gardening? We would love to hear about your experiences.

~Michael~

Strange Things are Afoot at Chicago's O'Hare Airport

What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word airport? Metal detectors, full body x-rays, vacation, and delays are some of the first things that I think of. I probably would have never thought of the words vertical gardening or aeroponics gardening. The Chicago O'Hare airport hired  the company Future Growing LLC to create an aeroponic food farm withing the airport. The garden is harvested by restaurants within the airport to use for their meals. Check out some of the pictures below taken from the futuregrowing.com website. These beautiful displays are inside an airport!

 Photo: Future Growing

 Photo: Future Growing

Photo: Future Growing

I love the idea of having gardens growing in public areas. Let's use every inch that we can to grow fresh local food. If an airport can do it, then we should be able to find a place or a way to grow food. 

On of our reader's Michael A sent me a link about this. Thanks Michael for the idea.

~Michael~

Indoor Garden Box............ FAIL

by Michael

(After 2 months)

Sometimes the best part of gardening is the dreams. It is the time before you plant and work when you think of all the beautiful fresh vegetables and fruits that you will harvest in the future. We received an indoor garden box through a trade this last December and we had wonderful dreams of Spinach, Carrots, Onions, and Cilantro dancing through our heads. We thought about the nice spinach salad we would be able to partake of without going to the grocery store. Alas, sometimes dreams are just that, dreams.

We planted and toiled over our garden the last two months (well, we really didn't toil) and this is what we received. Some measly spinach leafs and a miniature radish. The plants are long and stringy and aren't filling out. According to the guy that gave us the box, he said we would have spinach within 3 weeks. This has been an INDOOR GARDEN BOX FAIL.

One measly radish

As gardeners, we are used to failure. There are many things that can cause failure, some in our control, and some out of our control. The key is to keep trying, keep moving forward. We are still determined to have our Spinach from our indoor garden box. Marisa believes our plants our stringy because the light is too far away, and they spent all of their energy trying to get closer to the light. We will try again with the light closer and maybe two months from now I can sit down to a nice spinach salad. If not, we will do more research and try again. That is what a gardener does.

Do you all have any suggestions on what might have caused our failure. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Interior Landscaping

Recently we have had some friends over as we near the holidays and thanks to my wife’s great decorating, a bit of cleanliness and one little trick a lot of people have complemented us on having a nice little basement apartment. We are so accustomed to noticing pictures and decorations in a home, but do you ever notice the green… or lack of green in someone’s home?

After some friends left I mentioned to my wife…” I bet they never noticed that we have a bunch of plants in here. It creates an atmosphere that they appreciate, but I bet they never really acknowledge that there are plants in here.”

There are too many benefits of interior landscaping to not put at least a simple planter in your home:

-Studies have shown a higher productivity rate… up to 12% increase in attentiveness in a certain workplace that a study was done with and without interior plants. Imagine doing 12% more of your cleaning or doing it 12% faster! I’m sure every mother would be happy with an extra few minutes to watch their favorite show, read a book or take a nap.

-Here in Utah the temperatures can get pretty high in the summer, and in the winter the air gets extremely dry. Wherever you live, plants will regulate both the temperature and humidity of the home. Because plants cool through a process called transpiration, they can decrease air temperatures drastically. In addition, transpiration releases moisture into the air and creates the perfect humidity level for humans (30-60%).

-Tight on money? ….. “According to the International Society of Arboriculture, the net cooling effect of one young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. According to literature from the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, proper selection and placement of plant materials can lower heating and cooling costs by as much as 20%.” Plants at Work.

-This time of year we open our doors just fast enough to get in or out and shut it quickly to keep all of the warm air in. Our windows are sealed and never opened. Think about all of the bacteria, mold and “stuff” in the air! Research shows that plant-filled rooms contain 50-60 percent fewer airborne molds and bacteria than rooms without plants. That dirty air can be food for indoor plants… they will pull it in and feed your house with naturally filtered air.

- With all of the variety of plant materials you can make your home really beautiful and enjoyable! My wife and I were at an interior landscaping expo in Las Vegas a few months ago and scored some cheap pots that we have scattered throughout the apartment, filled with a few varieties of plants and we love our indoor “jungle”.

Not convinced? I guarantee you can go to a local hardware store or even some grocery stores will sell the most common Pothos plant for very cheap. These plants will live through anything (extremely low maintenance/ watering)… and you will see how much you enjoy having a little bit of green… then you can branch out and broaden your plant material in the home.

~Cameron

Megan's Container Herb Garden - Sprouts!

Ok, so I must spend a combined total of at least 20 minutes a day just staring at my little sprouts. There is always so much satisfaction in watching things grow - even though they are barely an inch tall. In the photo above you can see some oregano - I didn't plant 20 seeds in that little pot- oregano just grows that way. And below here you can see my Basil. My mouth is already watering!My seedlings are still in the small kit I started them in but in a couple weeks I will need to transplant them to larger temporary containers. We're going to use large plastic cups with holes punched in the bottom. That way it'll be easy to transplant them to the garden as well as to let my kids sell the extras to friends and neighbors. I've seen and heard from friends who say their seedlings are getting big! How are yours doing?

Seed-starting rack update

When my husband built me a seed-starting rack, we encountered doubting questions about our use of standard fluorescent bulbs. We did not, after all, use "grow lights" marketed specifically for starting seeds, but sold at a higher price than regular tubes. We decided this after reading several state extension service articles promoting the use of standard fluorescent bulbs for this purpose.

Blah, blah, blah. How about some voila instead?



These are salvia seedlings a week after I planted them. They sprouted after four days, which was awesome because the package said it would take at least 14. I also have black-eyed Susan and verbena flower seedlings so far from this same time period.

As further proof of the lights' effectiveness, the thought-for-dead houseplants I moved under the fluroescent rays are now putting out new growth. The lights work! With the flowers making a successful test run, it's now on to tomatoes and peppers and other great veggies.

This is my first year with lights, but I've done seeds for years next to windows. I enourage you to try seeds, no matter your set-up. Click here for tips.

What seeds have some of you already started indoors this season?

Jennifer

CNN : Eco Solutions : Vertical farming

What do you guys think about this? Is it a viable option? It is outrageous? Is it brilliant? Leave a comment, let us know what you think!

Project: Terrarium Gardens

This time of year inspires all of us to want to get our hands in the dirt and get something growing. You can't even go to the grocery store anymore without passing pots, soil, & plants for sale. But for those who have little time, a tiny yard, or no yard at all - a terrarium might be the perfect fit. The kids love them and they look totally chic on your coffee table. Terrariums require little care but bring the green indoors and add a little sunshine to any space. I love looking at my terrariums imagining they are little worlds of happiness and wonder. And adding a pretty rock or garden troll increases their charm.

1. For starters you'll need a container. I had so much fun looking through some of the glass containers I had already and perusing the local thrift store for more. The containers can be tiny or large - just choose something that fits your style and your space. Mason jars, fish bowls, & potpourri containers work perfectly.2. Next you 'll need some plants. Depending on the container you choose - ground covers, succulents, and many types of moss will work and each brings a different feeling to your little world. But remember that all of the plants you put in must require the same conditions for moisture and light since they will all be sharing a small space. 3. It's time to plant! We found this great video from eHow that leads you step by step through the process of planting. Check it out:





I started with a dry climate since the succulents were so darn pretty but those instructions will work for any plant. Once I finished that I went on to make three others. They are all pictured below except my favorite which is the first image in this post. Happy planting!















~Megan

Wheat Grass

Wheat grass has been traced back as far as ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptians held wheat grass as sacred due to the positive affect on health and vitality. Legend claims that the goddess Isis brought wheat and barley grains to the people of Egypt from Lebanon.

Charles Schnabel in 1930 was experimenting with food mixtures in attempt to increase chicken health and egg production for winter months. He was unsuccessful in his attempts until he noticed the hens searching and consuming cereal grasses when they were available. He was amazed to find out when he had included wheat grass and oat grass in the chicken feed their health boosted significantly as well as egg production went up 150% per chicken. Further research shows that wheat grass improves reproductive ability and milk production in cows. Human infants with mothers drinking milk from wheat grass fed cows developed faster than infants with mothers not drinking wheat grass fed cow milk.

“15 lbs of wheat grass is equal in overall nutritional value to over 350 lbs of ordinary vegetables.”

–Charles F. Schnabel

Wheat grass is believed to have many unexplained natural healing qualities. It is well known that wheat grass contains large amounts of chlorophyll (the “blood” of plants), which is very similar to hemoglobin, the molecule that carries oxygen in the blood. Most of us can agree that 'nature made' is better than 'man made'. Vitamins and minerals are absorbed easier when they occur naturally in foods as opposed to vitamins.

You too can have all the benefits of wheat grass in your very own home. You don't need a large garden plot or even a back patio. All you need is a container, some soil, some fresh wheat, and a bit of sunlight. Wheat grass is very easy to grow, even if you don't have a green thumb. This is a great activity to get your kids involved in as well because there is a very high success rate. Wheat grass can be grown on a large or small scale, for this article, we will demonstrate how to start a small crop of Wheat Grass.


Step 1: Select a suitable container for your wheat grass. It is best to choose a container that is capable of draining excess water to prevent your wheat grass from getting moldy.

Step 2: Fill your container with organic soil.Step 3: Sprinkle rinsed wheat on top of the soil and thoroughly moisten. Remember to water each day making sure to keep the soil moist.


Step 4: Place your container in indirect sunlight and wait for some sprouts.

At first, it is pretty sparse.
But with time it will fill out.
When the grass is around 6-8 inches tall it is time for a haircut, regular scissors will do just fine! (do not attempt cutting your wheat grass with hair clippers) As long as you keep the grass watered and add some nutrients to the soil, you will get many crops of wheat grass. Not only can you enjoy the beautiful lush green grass indoors, but you can benefit from it nutritionally as well. Here are just a few of the ways you can use it.

• Add it to your bread or muffins

• Include it in your smoothies

• Try adding it into your pizza dough

• Feed it to your chickens to help with egg production

Experiment with it where ever you want!

Have you ever grown wheat grass and what do you use it for?

~Marisa

* first image of wheat grass is from Wikipedia

Sprouts

As the motivation from my New Year's Resolutions to eat healthy wears off, the threat of bathing suit weather ensues, and I am anxiously awaiting the fresh veggies from the garden. Most climates this time of year are not ready for the growing season, so I'm on the prowl for ways to appease my craving for super fresh and healthy greens. My friend Amy taught me a while back how to sprout beans so I thought I would finally give it a try. I made a trip to Wild Oats for some organic Mung beans you can purchase by the pound.
Step One: Fill a large container with beans and water, soak overnight.

Beware that seeds soak up 2 or 3 times their volume in water. I forgot this piece of information and had to keep adding water. I didn't put them in a large enough container, so in the morning, I found beans overflowing all over the counter. Some of the beans in the jar were so tightly packed that it was hard to get them out. Luckily it still worked out for me.

Step 2: Once they have absorbed their full capacity of water (2-12 hours depending on the size of the seed), or in the morning, drain the water from the beans, rinse them and place them somewhere warm (around 70 degrees) out of direct sunlight. Rinse the beans twice in the morning and twice in the evening until they reach the desired sprout length (usually up to 2-3 inches for sprouts that will be eaten raw).
Be sure to rinse the sprouts or they could get sour. Store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.


Sprouts are one of the most nutrient dense foods out there, meaning the ratio of nutrients to the total calories is very high (this is a good thing, more bang for your buck, or nutrient for your calorie). Sprouts quickly loose their vitamin density, so it is better to grow small quantities often, to make sure you are getting as much nutritional value possible.

Some ways you can use your sprouts

• Eat them raw
• Throw them in a salad
• Blend them in with smoothies or other drinks
• Include them in your tacos or burritos
• Add them to stews and soups just before serving
• Put into sandwiches
• Mixed in dips
• Cooked in meatloaf and casseroles
  
• Fried up with omelets and eggs
• Stir fried
  
• Baked in breads
• Don't be shy, throw them in whenever you can
  

The Best for sprouting

Best Seeds: clover and alfalfa
Best Beans: mung, lentil, and garbanzo
Best Nuts: almonds and hazelnuts
Best Grains: wheat berries and rye

~marisa