By Cindy Naas

There is a rapidly growing movement amongst gardeners to try and create more spaces for wildlife.

Whether you plant an entire garden designed to attract and feed wildlife or whether you add a few plants which can provide food for birds, this is a wonderful project for even the smallest garden.

Watching birds and butterflies decorate your garden is rewarding and fun.

Why Do We Need More Wildlife Habitat?

Habitat destruction is one of the main causes of vanishing species of songbirds, frogs etc. Even if there is a small nature preserve near your home, chances are there isn’t enough room for wildlife to roam in search of food, shelter and new mates. Adding a wildlife habitat garden creates wildlife corridors, connecting green areas with safe places for wildlife to stop and eat and rest. Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

Hopefully the thought of worms under your sink doesn’t make you cringe.

One of the easiest ways for an urban gardener to compost is with a worm compost bin under the kitchen sink.

It can also be kept in the basement or cellar. Since it is indoors, worm compost can be made at any time of the year, regardless of cold and snow outside. The optimum temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can still work down to about 40 degrees if necessary.

Worm composting – properly known as vermiculture – is a way you can get compost faster than traditional composting. You can use regular earthworms and redworms, though Read the rest of this entry »

By Reggie Solomon

• The entire urban gardening world received a boost this week from a New York Times article written by Tracie McMillan titled “Urban Farmers’ Crops Go From Vacant Lot to Market,” that describes how urban gardeners in New York on not only producing for themselves but selling produce to their community for no small change.

• Nathaniel Martin at The Self Sufficient Urbanite is a gardener in the true Urban Garden Casual spirit! Read how how he trains his New York City tomatoes to grow up chain link fence.

• We wish Black Eyed Susan at Adventures in My Urban Garden would start writing again soon; we like her stuff!

By Vanessa Richins

When you think of growing fruit, you may envision orchards that cover acres of land.

Don’t despair – there are many options available for the urban garden.

Some fruits grow on plants that are naturally small. The two most common ones are strawberries and blueberries. Both are small enough to be grown easily on a patio. Strawberry pots can help you grow many strawberry plants in one pot.

A note for blueberries : make sure they have acidic soil, or your blueberries will not do very well…if they live.

When it comes to fruit trees and urban gardens, one word stands out Read the rest of this entry »

By Michael Nolan

Here’s a scenario I’m sure you can sympathize with: A reader from Texas has been gung-ho every year for almost a decade about getting her home garden up-and-running.

She reads site after site and book upon book about overcoming the challenges of urban gardening and yet she still can’t manage to get more than a small yield from her efforts.

When she emailed me a few weeks ago asking for help and advice I really wasn’t sure what to tell her since I had never tried growing anything in the Lone Star State. My tenure in the state was almost entirely confined to the barracks of Air Force bases in San Antonio and Wichita Falls. I talked to a few trusted friends who grow all sorts of things in the unforgiving Texas heat and came up with a possible solution.

The Earthbox is unlike other container gardens in that it is entirely Read the rest of this entry »