Urban Gardening In The Modern World

Urban Gardening IN THE MODERN WORLD () Is an excellent Decreases building cooling and heating way to grow your own food costs Reduces pollution Creates a relaxing escape in a busy city Promotes Increases production of local food property value THE THREE MAIN TYPES OF URBAN GARDENS Rooftop Gardens The benefits of rooftop gardening: Through the process of evapotranspiration, green roofs remove heat from the air, which reduces the temperature of both the roof surface and the surrounding air. By reducing the amount of heat that the roof transfers through the building, green roofs improve comfort within the building and can lower the stress levels of people living in the building. Green roofs can slow stormwater runoff in urban environments while filtering out pollutants from the rainfall. The vegetation planted in these gardens can reduce greenhouse gas and air pollution. What you need to know about. ...Water Wind The combination of winds and the urban heat island effect can dry out rooftop plants quickly. Because of this, it's risky to depend on rain to keep your plants properly watered. For gardens you will be able to water, it is recommended you install a watering system. Irrigation systems that have timers on them are preferable. . If you are unable to water part of the garden, consider populating that section with drought-tolerant plants. . Wind speed doubles every ten stories. - Avoid using small containers. - Any medium-sized containers should be weighed down. - Select garden plants that have wind tolerance, or install a wind block to protect them. L H.Weight .When installing a "green roof," consult a structural engineer. Older buildings can have older roofs, which may have weak points. On the other hand, newer buildings can often handle the weight. ...Soil • Start your garden by using a combination of compost and potting soil. This will help you avoid the heavy weight dirt takes on when it becomes wet. .Safely You can get special lightweight soil mixes, which are often a mix of compost and recycled material. These mixes are ideal for green roofs. . Routinely test your soil for pollutants and contamination. When these issues are caught early on, they can be fixed much more quickly. nnninr . Make sure you can safely get to your garder e before installing it. . Consider building a fence around your garden. This can help block wind, prevent gear from falling, and keep you safe while gardening. Building this fence may require a permit from your city. - Do not leave tools lying around in your rooftop garden. Store and tie items down as needed. Container Gardens The benefits of container gardening: The garden can be placed almost anywhere (indoors, outdoors, walls, etc.). The container aspect makes it easy to change the design of your garden at will. The garden can be very accessible. especially for children and the disabled. How to get started: Choose your conlainers wisely Choose your plants wisely - Almost any container can hold plants; but the following containers should be avoided. * Wooden containers that have been painted (the paint could be toxic) * Metal containers that may rust *Dark containers that absorb heat (they can dry out quickly) *Containers with no drainage elements or water chambers • Make sure the containers can drain out excess water, set up a system to recycle this water. - You want plants that will grow to be as tall as the container they are in. - Use drainage material to fill in the bottom % of your containers; this will allow a spot for extra water to go and provide air flow. If you are gardening in an area with lots of wind, this drainage material can also keep the container weighed down. Use 2-3" of mulch • Put your medium- and large-size containers where you want them before you begin adding soil, plants, etc. - This will kept keep the garden moist, improve the soil, and block weeds from growing. D Water properly - Plants should be watered daily for the first week they are in their new containers. . Water in the morning. How to maintain: Monitor Weed often your garden .Extracting the weeds will allow your plants to take full advantage of the resources they have available. Continuously monitor your garden for sick plants and bug-infested plants. These problems arise from time to time, but if you're paying attention, you can nip them in the bud. Remove dead flowers Prune overgrown plants - The easiest way to fix an overgrown plant's - Doing this promotes more flowering throughout the garden. roots is to prune them. Community Gardens The benefits of community gardening: Annually community gardens in the United States have massive surpluses of fresh produce, which are then donated to local food pantries. They are routinely recognized as being effective in crime prevention, due to the fact that they get more residents out and on the street more often. They can produce crops that might not be available locally. They are a remarkable way to utilize underdeveloped space in cities of all sizes. They have a very impact on ponmunity pride. They can teach kids valuable skills and lessons about everything from math to business. They often cause the participating families to eat healthier diets They can become focal for * community organization They provide opportunities for local residents to meet and get to know one another They provide an opportunity for people to share their family culture with their neighbors. 1. 4111 To start your own community garden, follow these steps: Hold a meeting and invite people you think would be interested in the project. - Determine if a community garden is truly wanted and needed . Decide what type of garden it should be - Figure out who benefits from the garden Invite any and all potentially interested parties, including your neighbors 2. 3. S Choose a committee to head up the project This group would be comprised of those feeling most committed to the creation of the garden and who have the time to spare for it. Create subcommittees based on everyone's strengths to determine who will handle specific areas of the project, such as construction, funding, and communication. Find someone to sponsor your garden. Sponsors can provide monetary donations that can provide for all types of garden necessities, from tools to seeds. Approach your local schools, businesses, churches, and parks and recreation departments about supporting your garden. 4. l 6. ? 5. Identify a location for the garden. While looking for the right piece of land to occupy the garden, make sure not to miss any of the details. Make sure the land has enough sunshine (at least 6 hours a day is preferable if you plan to grow vegetables), and test the soil for pollutants. Make sure water is readily available. Also, find out who owns the land and see what type of lease they may offer you. A 3-year lease is a great start. Consult with your crew to organize the garden effectively. The garden will need plenty of supply storage and pathways to make it easy to maintain. Assign all of the plots to different garden members. That way, everyone feels ownership of the garden. That ownership will turn to pride, which will bloom into success. Design and plot out the garden. Once you have a plan get your crew together and develop the land for planting. place, 8. 9. If you have the available space, add a small garden specifically for kids. Involving children in the entire community garden process will give them a sense of community pride while teaching them valuable skills. 7. Establish ground rules for the garden. Consult with your garden members and agree on set rules for various aspects of the garden, such as when dues are due, how the money will be spent, when meetings will take place, and who will take care of maintenance Establish a strong network of communication between members. Having this in place will ensure your garden is run smoothly. Through this network, you can organize events at the garden that encourage people to come and experience the rewards of your efforts. Recommended Urban Garden Plants: Fruit and Vegelable Gardens Flower Gardens Succulents and Cacti Herb Gardens Climbing Vines and Plants Trees and Shrubs Roma tomatoes Echinacea Aloe Parsley Hardenbergia Japanese Maple violacea Dwarf Crape Myrtle Zinnias Jades Basil Radishes Portulaca English Sea Urchin Cactus Sage Thyme Carrots Pyracantha rogersiana Afrocarpus falcatus Petunias Crown of Thorns Kumquats Tulip bulbs Rosemary Bougainvillea Tumbler tomatoes Begonias -Hedgehog Cacti Clematis Peas Lily of the Nile Daffodils Pincushion Cacti Beans Lantana Squash (Zucchini, Sunburst) Cucumbers MJJSALES Black-Eyed Susans Sources: www.urbangardenguide.com www.urbangardeninghelp.com www.communitygarden.org www.epa.gov www.gardendallas.org Figs market umbrellas