Vertical Garden Idea

Curbly.com's DIY Vertical Garden Idea

Though I'm not maintaining my own garden at the moment, I still get excited about neat ideas for future gardens- for myself and for you, too! This one has potential, but I'd be careful about the origins of any reclaimed wood used in or around your garden, especially if you're growing edibles. Reclaimed wood can harbor evil little insect goblins that can kill your garden and even invade your home! Also, you're not going to want to grow your food in cans previously housing toxic paints- you might, instead find unused tins or buckets, or ones that you know didn't contain nasties...this includes BPA from the linings of food cans, which One Study indicates plants may be able to absorb! OHNO! don't eat'em, please and thank you- I don't need you getting all sickly in your quest for food independence!

We are prepping to leave the house in favor of a life of adventure and travel, so I am coming to terms with  the fact that I won't be doing any more planting at our little patch of green. Doing my best to be content with the Collards, Sweet Potatoes, Mint, Lemon Thyme, Basil, and Rosemary that persist from seasons past. 

I found this fabulous little poster this morning - a repost from Homesteading/Survivalism- and tracked it to it's source: http://www.rootologyhealth.com/

Hope it helps!

Here's another, from Green Tidings

Rosselini as a Bee?!?!

Green Porno Series: Bees with Isabella Rosselini

It's been a bit since my last post, but I just found this video through Ecouterre. What can I say? Isabella Rosselini graces us with a hilarious account of the lives of bees in Bee Porno!!!! Check it out, please and thank you!

And you can learn more about the Sundance Channel's 'Green Porno/Seduce Me' series here: 
http://www.sundancechannel.com/greenporno/

Oh, and if you're interested: the garden's a hot mess right now. I'm letting it advance on its own to see what happens...seems sweet potatoes and watermelons, as well as the Rosemary bushes totally dug the rainy wonder that was Tropical Storm Debby!

Hello, Tomato Bounty!

Our tomato crop has arrived, 24 buxom beauties picked just today, and the culinary creativity has begun!
-Tomato & eggs in the morning
-Tomato & mozzarella salad with basil for lunch
-Grilled tomato & eggplants for dinner
-And snacking on tomatoes while making a pot of tomato sauce!

"Hello, I'm Crick. Who the heck are you?"

Some of the tomato plants in the garden (like the bushy lil' guy above) are mystery plants, too...they're definitely tomatoes, but I know I didn't plant them where they are cropping up! Guess I'll just thank Ma Nature for her generosity and eat up!



In other news.... my Harvest of Randoms post pondered whether the pea flowers wrapped poignantly about the blue garden post would produce a proliferation of plump pods perfect for picking when we're feeling peckish. Here's your answer: Yes!
We've got organic, non-GMO soy beans...not a ton, but at least a few snacksworth. They even survived cold storage in the fridge before I retrieved them from the veggie bin to see if they'd sprout! We are excited to have enough for a meal or fifty!

Lesson: the beans, the seeds, the fruits, the veggies you buy at your local market can be all you need to start your new backyard garden!


And, finally....

a sneaky little 'weed' has popped up amidst the Swiss Chard and Green Onions this week. As luck would have it, it is....(*insert drumroll)...LIME BASIL! Ojala! It all died last season and I was rather sad to see it go. It must have felt my yearning, cuz it's returned to fill my meals with tangy amazement! Thanks again, Ma Nature...you pretty well rock!

Kid's Gardening Workshop Comin' Up!

Jihyun Ryou's "Save Food from the Fridge" Project!

 

Shaping Traditional Oral Knowledge

Storing root vegetables vertically keeps them fresher longer. The glass funnel is used to add water to keep the sand moist.

I just found this great video on ways to store your fresh produce without using the big electricity-sucking coffin called 'The Fridge'. Take a minute to take a look- it makes perfect sense! Your fruits and veggies don't grow in refrigerator conditions, so how could they need the refrigerator to keep them fresh?
Jihyun Ryou kindly shares traditional knowledge (you know, the stuff your grandparents told your parents, but your parents thoroughly ignored) about food storage.

Try this and enjoy fresher-tasting foodstuffs without the huge electric bill!

The ethylene gas produced by apples makes other fruits ripen, but keeps potatoes from sprouting. Storing apples separately from other produce prevents your other fruits and veggies from over-ripening as quickly!

Fruit vegetables like zucchini, eggplant,  peppers and cucumbers can be stored outside the fridge, placed above a tray of water! A few grains of rice can be added to spices to absorb water so they don't get all clumpy.

Nope, your eggs don't need refrigeration, either...think about it. Chickens don't live in a fridge! A fresh egg will sink to the bottom of the water in the glass, remaining horizontal, but a stank egg will float.

 You can find the original post here: Jihyun Ryou on Mocoloco

Grow Your Own...