Progressive design for small space gardeners

Urban garden design has taken off in Europe

As a balcony gardener, I like to look for aesthetically pleasing and innovative containers or mediums to grow both flowers and vegetables in that also don't take up a lot of space. Urban gardeners often don't have big yards to grow plants so it is absolutely essential that they have a means to grow food and flowers in.

I have been studying what is both chic and functional for anyone with limited space.  Consequently, I have discovered that the Europeans seem to be on the cutting edge of progressive urban garden design and I would love for the Americans to catch up with not just a trend, but a productive lifestyle.

Outside the "box" container gardening is more common than you think 

There is an unorthodox gardening trend that the "earthier type" has popularized in the last few years. For example, items that are completely unrelated to gardening are being used as plant containers with upcycling and reuse in mind, especially if that item is broken. Shoe organizers are often used to plant herbs in, colanders are used to grow strawberries, pallets work well for veggies, burlap bags can grow potatoes, tires make petunias look edgy, tin cans are cool for succulents, and pansies are cute in the tops of boots.  As you can gather, the possibilities are endless if the urban gardener has an imagination and isn't afraid of what the neighbors might think.  I have even seen items such as baby carriages, shopping carts, bath tubs, VW Beetles; and dare I mention, toilets being used as planters.

Then there is hay bale gardening, which is a great option if you aren't keen on having a lot of soil to contend with. Hay bales are fairly easy to transport and carry so these can work great; but again, this type of planting medium is not for the "traditional" city type gardener.

Sustainable wood makes for fine looking planters

If flea market gardening isn't your style, there are less unorthodox methods for small space garden design while still adhering to what's environmentally conscientious.  Reclaimed wood businesses are on the increase in the urban gardening market.  Cedar wood is particularly good for containers. I personally like http://cedarcraft.com/ products, which uses Western Red Cedar from mills that normally would toss the scrap material. Besides the benefits of recycling ceder, it also naturally resists rot, fungus, and insects too.  

There are also companies that make wood planters from sustainable tree plantation sources such as http://www.vegtrug.com/.  VegTrug is a portable raised planter with a deep V-shaped bed that allows for a range of soil depths to accommodate different plants' needs. Being that the planter is off the ground, its ergonomic design prevents the gardener from having to bend over, meanwhile safeguarding plants from pets and pests. Additionally, when weather takes a turn for the best you can move it to take advantage of a microclimate; and inversely, if the weather takes a turn for the worst, it is easily moved out of the way of frost.

Vertical gardens maximize space 

Perhaps the most modern and stylish of all urban garden design is vertical gardening.  Metropolitan areas have caught on to its appeal, while seeing its benefits.  In fact, the ParkRoyal Hotel on Pickering in Singapore won the award for best green urban design in November 2015 by the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) for its vertical gardens. The architects not only sought to replace the lost greenery in constructing the hotel, but aimed to multiply it.  To be exact, foliage cover encompasses more than 200% of the structure's total land area.

The basic concept of vertical gardening is like that of what a skyscraper does: use the upward space because ground space is limited.  Balconies, patios, and terraces tend to be small and if the the urban gardener fills up the horizontal space with pottery and hanging baskets galore, this only adds to what may look more like hoarding than lovely and functional.  

Vertical gardening can vary in its methods of supplying plants with their basic needs. Some gardeners put together living walls with soil hidden in the frame, but many designs involve either aeroponic or hydroponic design.  These methods differ from other small space gardening methods because unlike the containers that use soil to grow plants, they use water and/or air exclusively. Consequently, aeroponic and hydroponic gardening is quite clean, which can be helpful in keeping an outdoor space tidy. These methods are also more hands-off because of their automation, which works for busy urban lifestyles.

One of the pioneers in aeroponic vertical gardening is http://www.towergarden.com/.  Aeroponic design is similar to hydroponic design, but it uses a lot less water and involves oxygenation in its process.  The company sells towers made of UV stabilized, food grade plastic that work using a system that pushes a water and mineral based nutrient solution up through a central hose to the top of a tower.  The solution then drips back down over the plant roots and becomes oxygenated as it returns to the main reservoir. Their system can enable the gardener to grow up to 28 flower, vegetable or herb plants in one tower and save on water expenditure too.  Moreover, NASA research suggests that aeroponic growing takes about half the time of conventional growing methods.

Roof top gardens solve space issues for urban dwellers

Small space gardening can also include roof top gardens, and this is a great solution to obtaining space when land is sold at a premium in urban areas. Roof top gardens are basically garden beds that are set up on a roof area utilizing a protective membrane, however, it is a delicate process that should involve engineers. Some gardeners plant sedums and mosses, while others aim to grow food up high where it gets lots of sunlight.  I particularly like the design of the Mill Valley Cabins in San Francisco because their rooftop design is integrated into the surrounding environment so it doesn't look like an eyesore (http://www.designboom.com/architecture/feldman-architecture-mill-valley-cabins-in-san-francisco/).

Cityscapes should no longer be gray but green

With all these options for small space gardeners, we all can say "good-bye" to the concrete jungle.  More and more studies are finding how plants not only improve the air quality and cool temperatures of our surroundings, but our health is greatly improved when we are surrounded by nature.  So, it's time to move forward and seek a more green space and watch your plants grow along with your happiness.  

   
   

Portland (Oregon) let's build a bee highway, too.

Norway leads the way in bee highway implementation

I like how Oslo, Norway is building the world's first bee highway. I live in Oregon and I would love for Portland to start up a bee highway that could potentially go down the I-5 corridor through Salem, Albany/Corvallis, Eugene; and perhaps, all the way down to Roseburg. The concept of a bee highway isn't a major feat, as all it really involves is getting people together for the common good of planting bee friendly plants down a route that facilitates bee traffic and encourages their populations. Bees are in greater need of protection than ever, especially with the rise of chemical use in the agriculture sector and increases in urban sprawl, so bee highways may be a positive addition to urban land use by providing the bees with hospitable environments.

Summer losses outweigh winter losses 

According to a recent survey by the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, there were greater losses in bee populations in the summer of 2014 than in the winter of 2014-2015. Of the 6,000 beekeepers that responded across the 50 states to the survey, approximately 42.1 percent of their colonies were killed off over the course of the year.  Summer losses for 2014 were at 27.4 percent whereas 23.1 percent of honey bee colonies were lost during the winter of 2014-2015. This is an increase from the summer of 2013 at 19.8 percent while it is a slight decrease for the winter of 2013-2014 at 23.7 percent.   

Colony Collaspe Disorder may be blamed 

Why so many bees dying during the warm weather months?  This strange occurrence may point out that something was introduced to the environment that is lethal to the bees. Colony Collaspe Disorder (CCD) is a phenomena that is killing off bees and leaving hives without workers. It is connected to various sources, but pesticide use is the leading concern. Experts will claim that this phenomena is not visibly apparent to the recent bee die offs, but I would beg to differ. Granted, varroa mites take a good percentage of bees each year, however we also know that one of the primary culprits for commerical die offs are neonicotinoids. Their use has become so rampant for wheat, corn and soy products along with vegetables and fruits that I don't see how bees are able avoid these pesticides' paralyzing affects. 

Mankinds' future is linked to the bees'  

So we may not be able to stop the perpetrators (as of yet) from poisoning the bees in our nation's crop fields, but we can lure the bees to more harmonious sites filled with nectar rich flowers. A bee highway utilizes the best flowers, herbs and weeds (bees love flowering weeds). Instead of chopping down all the grasses along highways and eradicating all the flowering weeds, government agencies should see to it that bee habitats be protected for the sake of not only the bees' future, but also for mankind's. Much of our food is dependent on bee pollination, which means that without the bees we will not be eating the foods we love that are also healthy. 

Sichuan, China is a great example of what happens when you don't protect the habitats of living things. A non profit called BioProfit did a study and found that over-extensive farming contributed to the loss of natural bee habitat in the area. Consequently, commercial bees were sent to the fruit farms to fill in for the indigenous bees, but the pesticide use killed them. So each year, thousands of villagers come to pollinate each and every blossom on the fruit trees by hand using chicken feathers, an arduous process that must be done within less than a week's time.

Build it and they will come

According to the Bee Conservancy, bees love single flower tops over double flower tops, as these make it easier for bees to reach the pollen. Moreover, hybrid types don't always provide enough pollen for bees. They also recommend planting at least three different types of flowers that will offer a constant food source for bees through the seasons.

• Crocus, hyacinth, borage, calendula, and wild lilac = spring
• Bee balm, cosmos, echinacea, snapdragons, foxglove, and hosta = summer
• Zinnias, sedum, asters, witch hazel, goldenrod = fall                                             

Flowering restaurants can be anywhere

It doesn't take much construction to build a bee highway. Rather, a bee highway is built upon the interconnections of locales that provide "flowering restaurants" for bees.  These feeding stations can include rooftop gardens on top of hotels and corporate buildings, balcony container gardens of apartment and condo dwellers, flowering yards in suburban neighborhoods, community gardens that incorporate pollinator plants, and all the other places in between...

Bybi, an urban bee conservation group is helping Oslo, Norway with their bee highway by offering an online map that indicates where more bee plants are needed. This ingenious method of bringing a community together for a common good should be encouraging to other cities around the world. It is my hope that America will create bee highways for not only our beloved honey bees, but for all the other pollinators as well; such as our bumble bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds too.

   

New Year's resolutions are easy for a gardener

Gardening yields more than plants

Well, it's that time of year to begin thinking about resolutions. Many people will occupy themselves with aspirations that they have each and every year; but often fail to achieve, especially those regarding diet and fitness. These typical resolutions are goals that the gardener doesn't need to worry about. The gardener already has considered living by a healthy diet because planting organic vegetables and fruits works hand in hand with preparing healthy meals.  Moreover, the gardener also gets plenty of exercise in setting up and maintaining a fertile and productive garden bed, all the while never visiting a gym. In the end, the hard work that it takes to be a gardener isn't even seen as a restrictive goal that you look back on and say "Darn, maybe next year." Instead, it is a way of life that you adopt and relish because it connects you directly with a fundamental of life: care for your body, and thereby, your well being. The connection to your food and where it comes from is absolutely key. 

Stay away from mystery vegetables and fruits

More and more grocery stores are providing healthier produce than what was previously marketed with organic choices and hydroponics; however, there are some equally dangerous opportunities for buying fruits and vegetables. Pesticide and herbicide companies have made it difficult for you to visibly see what they have sprayed or even injected into the DNA of the plants, so you may feel that it is safer to eat than it really is. The other thing to consider is how chemicals can be insidious in how you may be fine now, but later down the road, you may have physical manifestations. With this in mind, I encourage more of us to withdraw from the ease of walking down the store aisle, picking out mystery vegetables when walking out to your kitchen garden and picking out exactly what you want is much easier and safer.

Make your own decisions about what to eat

Grocery stores only provide a small percentage of the thousands of vegetable varieties out there, which essentially means that the farmers and stores have dictated what you should eat. You can go along with this or you can choose for yourself what you would like to feed you and your family! How can one choose what they want for edibles? After all, garden centers aren't always catering to the needs of the public and variety can be quite limited.  Well, ordering from seed catalogs is a good start. 

Seed catalogs offer many more options than a garden center

If you go online there are hundreds of seed companies to choose from and these catalogs are often free to mail order. Inside you will discover vegetables and fruits that are new to you and sometimes very surprising! You will be able to choose whether you want hybrids, organics, Non-GMO, heirlooms, etc. You will feel empowered and motivated to eat well, and perhaps, creatively. 

Choose from the best seed companies online

 When choosing catalogs to order from, you may consider getting several and then comparing what each has to offer. You also may choose to order from a regional company, which may sell seeds that do well in your growing zone.  For instance, I live in the Pacific Northwest, so I am interested in seeing what Territorial Seed Company has for my home garden in Oregon. 

Below is a list of seed companies that are reputable and offer Non-GMO seeds. A few companies offer their catalogs* for download for easy access and most will mail you a current catalog. 

Happy seed shopping

• Johnny's Selected Seeds* - Winslow, Maine.  http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog.aspx 
• Seed Saver's Exchange - Decorah, Iowa.         http://www.seedsavers.org/catalog
• Burpee - Warminster, Pennsylvania. http://www.burpee.com/about/catalogrequest.jsp
• Territorial Seed Company - Cottage Grove, Oregon.  http://www.territorialseed.com/catalog_request
• Nichols Garden Nursery* - Albany, Oregon. https://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/store/avactis-images/u/2016Online.pdf
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - Mansfield, Missouri. http://www.rareseeds.com/request-catalog/
• Botanical Interests - Broomsfield, Colorado. https://www.botanicalinterests.com/heirloom-seeds-catalogs
• Renee's Garden* - Felton, California. http://www.reneesgarden.com/seeds/seeds-hm/seeds.html
• Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply*- Grass Valley, California.           https://www.groworganic.com/garden-catalog.html
• Seeds of Change - Rancho Dominguez, California. http://www.seedsofchange.com/catalog_request.aspx