By Cindy Naas

I think that gardeners have a special responsibility to take care of the land we work on, and finding new ways to preserve resources is one way to care for our earth.

Using an old idea, a rain barrel, is one new way to preserve the local water supply and grow a healthier garden.

Many gardeners find that their plants thrive when watered with the collected rain water which is free of chlorine and unfluoridated.

There are several approaches to saving rain water. You can buy a large rain barrel at many retailers both online and in garden centers.

These have the advantage of being easy to use- simply take home and run a drainpipe directly into the reservoir. However, many rain barrels can be expensive, and some aren’t Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

With the arrival of January and a new year, it’s time to start planning for the coming summer!

It may not be necessary to map out every detail of your upcoming garden, but it certainly is an activity which will keep gardeners off the streets and out of trouble during the remainder of the long winter.

1. Order seed catalogs – I have a running list of seed companies whose products I’ve used before and have some new names added. January is the best time to send off for the catalogues. Spending a few hours poring over new varieties of veggies and fruits will inspire your imagination when everything outside is covered in snow.

2. Review your garden journal – I am a firm advocate of keeping a journal of everything planted in one’s garden. You can Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

Residents of Orlando may have been startled if they passed the Willows neighborhood after December 11th, 2008.

Before, there had just been a vacant lot with weeds and bushes.

Now, however, they see a beautiful fenced garden.

It all happened in just one day.

The project was sponsored by the Home Depot Foundation and Fiskars’ Project Orange Thumb garden program. They donated the design, tools, plants and all other project supplies. With the help of over 50 volunteers, the Willows neighborhood was transformed over Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Dr. Dickson Despommier, a professor of Public Health at Columbia University, is credited with starting the idea of vertical farming.

He’s also the man responsible for pushing it to the next level.

Despommier and French architect Augustin Rosenstiehl have designed a prototype of the 30-story building Dr. Despommier says is necessary for it to be commercially viable.

This building incorporates hydroponics, fish farming and egg production all literally under one roof.

It is estimated that 150 of these 30-story buildings could completely feed the residents of Manhattan. While that may not seem like a viable option, long-term predictions for worldwide crop yields estimate that crop production will fall by 20% over the next Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Those of us involved in the urban farming movement already know the benefits of growing our own.

The next step is to make sure we pass this on to the next generation.

Dorset Cereals, a UK-based company, has stepped forward with a winning idea to address this issue.

Dorset Cereals produce various organic cereals filled with good things. Their concern for children now extends to the Edible Playground Project.

An edible playground is a place for schoolchildren to grow all manner of fruits and vegetables. In the Edible Playground website are tips not only for getting started with creating a child’s veggie garden, but also Read the rest of this entry »