Inside Urban Green

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You have found the home of InsideUrbanGreen.org, successor to InsidePlantsLive.org and Greenscaper.net started in 2004.

Twenty Three Years Of American History On C-Span

Twenty three years of American history will soon be on the web when C-Span finishes uploading its entire video archive to the web.

Particularly since disconnecting from regular TV, I've come to understand what an American treasure C-Span is.

In my view, founder Brian Lamb is an under-recognized American hero. If I had just half his talent this would be a better blog, that's for sure.

C-Span is the only source of information that is not spun by the host. It is truly fair and balanced. Both sides of every story, every issue are available. I cannot imagine being without C-Span. I listen to people I would not experience anywhere else, because it is my free choice. I'm not being manipulated to watch highly edited information. I may gag on some of it but I watch...until I can't take any more of what are often unbelievably radical views (and lies) from both extremes of the political spectrum.

The new archive will keep many journalists and bloggers busy for a very long time. Thank you Brian Lamb. Thank you C-Span.

via www.nytimes.com

Asexual Plant Reproduction May Seed New Approach For Agriculture

via www.sciencedaily.com

Farmers throughout the world spend an estimated $36 billion a year to buy seeds for crops, especially those with sought after traits such as hardiness and pest-resistance. They can't grow these seeds themselves because the very act of sexual reproduction erases many of those carefully selected traits. So year after year, farmers must purchase new supplies of specially-produced seeds.

EarthBoxes: Growing Garlic In The Winter

via www.facebook.com

Fabulous Flowers From Facebook

I knew how these flowers were supposed to be growing but I didn't believe it until seeing the following photos that revealed the secret. Simply fabulous!

Interior Plantscaping Green Marketing

Indoor Gardens is an Australian interior plantscaping company that is very open about the MONA sub-irrigation systems they use. This is what my company did back in the 1970's and it was very well received in the marketplace. Customers and prospects viewed us as a progressive and client oriented company.

We used both MONA and Planter Technology systems. MONA was a Swedish company and the system was already mature technology in the '70s. How is it that we have so many people who think these systems are a recent invention that many view as new and untested? It's yet another reflection on our horticultural education.

Incidentally the MONA system is over-engineered in light of present day plastic molding technology. It could be produced much more economically today. Furthermore, the prices would come down dramatically if it were a consumer product. Some day, we will have a system like this available at retail but it's going to require a big step forward in our education.

School Gardening "Success Stories"

From the St. Francis School garden, Goshen, KY, a school that bills itself as "progressive."

The photo is from GardenABCs.com a website that calls itself the "School Garden Share Site". The content is evidently supplied by school gardening contributors from around the country.

User submitted information clearly demonstrates one of many problems we have in our education system. We are simply stuck in the mud of dirt gardening. At this time, there isn't a tow-truck in sight. Maybe the Obama education initiative is a tow-truck. Let's hope so.  

In its invitation for school garden project submissions, Garden ABCs says "Let us know how you're using technology in the garden." Evidently the answer is "We're not!"

There is no need to read all of the content. Simple site searches reveal the story or lack of one. A site search reveals zero hits on the term "self-watering" (the misused word for sub-irrigation in the consumer market). There are no sub-irrigated planters (SIPs) referenced on this site other than one hit from a site search on "EarthBoxes".

Is this what you want to teach your kids? Mine are long grown up, but if I had small kids they would not be going to a dirt gardening school that prioritizes dirt over science and technology, that's for sure.

via www.gardenabcs.com

This past year, GardenABCs featured some awesome school garden projects. In fact, they're so inspiring we've listed them here so you can review them whenever you like. Garden organizers - thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion with us! Tell us about your garden project and we'll feature it on GardenABCs. Got broadband?

Let us know how you're using technology in the garden.

SIPs: Jean Robberson In Interlaken Florida Gets It!

You don't need a committee of twenty, a big money grant from the sky, a jack hammer, a bulldozer, a truckload of topsoil, or permission from the Jolly Green Giant to start a kids garden at your school. 

To start, all you need is just one SIP (EarthBox or Tomato Success Kit or Garden Patch Grow Box or a DIY box or bucket version). 

It is virtually guaranteed that more SIPs will follow. They are not only productive, they are addictive in a very positive way. They will propagate creative thinking, fresh vegetables and the use of more SIPs. SIPs are contagious. 

So, just do it! Donate one SIP today (already planted is probably best). The kids will love you for doing it. The power to produce food is in your hands and you don't need a shovel.

Use the power! Why wait for someones permission?

Jean Robberson, Interlachen Elementary cafeteria manager shared:

I started an EarthBox garden at our school to combat childhood obesity and diabetes. In my 25 years working in school cafeterias, I have seen children get heavier and heavier. I wanted to introduce them to healthy eating habits early.

Home Shopping Network (HSN): Positive EarthBox Reviews

via home-solutions.hsn.com

24 customer reviews - 4.3 out of 5 stars (don't be put off by the first one. Read the rest)

Home Shopping Network (HSN) is another place on the web to find feedback about the EarthBox. Evidently EarthBox is now in its fourth season on HSN.

I have mixed feelings about marketing this product on HSN, but I'm sure the cash flow is very seductive for EarthBox management.

The shopping networks are prone to over the top hyperbole and mis-statements (understatement). I have reservations about a product being stamped as a shopping network product and not convinced it is good image marketing for the long run. 

This is particularly true when attempting to attract uber-conservative gardeners. I'm sure many of them think the EarthBox is a gimmick.

If you are not familiar with HSN pep rally marketing you can sample it on this video. 

Those who have experience with the EarthBox and other sub-irrigated planters (SIPs) know that they are not green gimmicks. They know from what they have seen and tasted that nothing is further from the truth.

Advantages of SIP gardening

Meet Inka Biospheric Systems

David Bealby of Inka Biospheric Systems from Lloyd Alter on Vimeo.

Inka Biospheric Systems is a San Franciso based company producing some very interesting hydroponic and aquaponics micro farming systems. I am particularly interested in their Bio Quilt growing media and am sure I will be posting more about them in the future.

The Inka Stretch Garden, is the "Bio Quilt" material that we use in all our vertical hydroponic gardens, produced in rolls, this 1 inch thick grow matrix and can be stretched over fences, walls, or stretched between poles. The Stretch Garden can grow plants vertically by cycling water through the Bio Quilt and using the same water over until it evaporates. This garden is considered "hydrocentric" because it cultivates the water resource as much as the plants. In this system, the water does not touch the ground, thereby making a great water recycling device for "grey water" or just getting the most of available water resources.

via www.inka.fm

Welcome to Inka Biospheric Systems

From The World Fruit And Vegetable Exhibition In London

Evidently there weren't any locovore workshops or Slow Food cocktail parties at this event.

Source: International Supermarket News