The Urban Garden

It’s rubbish out right?

This weather is inhibiting so much growth which is frustrating; had 3 Cucumber seedlings shrivel and die when last year they were thriving by this point in the year.

Still, lets not get all negative. We’re cracking on irrespective and seeing what we can get out of our small plot. We currently have the following:

• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Courgettes
• Mangetout
• French beans
• Peas
• Broad Beans
• Broccoli
• Curly Kale
• Red and White Onions
• Rhubarb
• Beetroot
• Garlic
• White Grape
• tomatoes
• Cabbage

It’s a new plot and being as such we are having a huge problem with pests! they seem to come out of everywhere and have decimated several pea shoots which appear to be the equivalent of ice cream to a 10 year old. Feel a bit genocidal wiping out so many of the little buggers but it’s the only way they learn…

Here are a few pics to show how the plots are getting on:

We decided to make the most of the space and sow lettuce, onions and Mangetout all together. The netting is an attempt to keep the cat out who seemed to enjoy rolling around in the sun. 

‘From small beginnings come great things’ This courgette plant is quite behind with late (lazy) planting and the bad weather. As soon as it hit the soil, the pest beacon was invisibly triggered…and on they came.

The Onions are doing really well. We covered them to keep off the birds and they have got on so blooming well! Except when the cat went and sat on the netting on the sun. Those wondrous growths to the right of the picture is the broccoli which will over winter and be ready come early next year (why does it take so long!)  Oh - and the raspberry bush is in the background - looking pretty small right now but it’ll crack on through the summer and produce bountiful greatness come September.

The garden is around 30ft in length and is already set to produce lots and lots of veg but we’re looking for more ways to get more out of the space. We eventually want every sunny (and not so sunny) surface covered with growing deliciousness.

We’ll keep this updated to see how things go.

Urban Agriculture adopted by 800m+ worldwide

In but a few years it’s going to be essential for urban dwellers to grow their own food, either on their roof tops or in community gardens and farms around the city in which they live. Here is a rather straight forward (if not a little mundane) video from the American Society of Landscape Architects. Enjoy.

Connected Roots questionnaire

Hi y’all,

If you have 2-3 mins would you mind filling out this questionnaire and then forwarding it on? We’d really appreciate it and it would give us some great insights which we’re happy to share.

There is even a prize for those who take the time to enter! Just ‘wow’ - we know.

Here is the link to the Questionnaire: Connected Roots Survey

Thanks!

Some of the best Roof Gardens from around the world

Many Countries (and intelligent local governments…) are now making it mandatory that any new buildings with flat roofs have gardens on them. Such fantastic opportunities lies ahead with the proliferation of this concept.

Hopefully here in the UK the same will happen and this will also be employed retrospectively for existing buildings once it begins to catch on.

Here are some interesting examples we have found:

Consumers desire a “green score”

stevespinello:

—from the ideas department—

A recent study suggests that consumers are increasingly conscientious of the products they purchase. Brands and companies associated with sustainable business practices are excelling in the current environment. 

Based on their findings, the authors of the report predict three key developments:

1. In the future, consumers are likely to devote a significant share of their total purchases towards sustainable or eco-friendly products.

2. The shopper’s sensitivity to “greenwashing” techniques (i.e. making your product appear more green than it really is) will intensify.

3. Brands and companies will increasingly focus on the “triple bottom line:” people, planet, profits.

The fact remains, price remains a crucial element of all shoppers’ preferences. However, as this report suggests, consumer product companies might benefit from implementing sustainable business practices into their production methods.

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