Sustainable Backyard Gardening's topics - tribe.net

Desert Gardening

xtinemac — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:09:21 GMT

Hi there,

I'm new to this tribe. Love it!

I live in Tucson, AZ. Any other desert dwellers out there? How's your garden going? Any tips?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

Raised vegetable bed over Bermuda Grass.

lunarabbit — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:29:50 GMT

I want to put in a large raised planting bed in the back yard ~ right on top of the Bermuda Grass that's growing there. Digging up the grass isn't really an option, the space is too big.. and from what I've read, killing the grass is a long process - and a lot of work.

I know that weed control fabric won't work - the grass goes right through it. I was thinking of heavy black plastic, but am concerned about proper drainage.

Any recommendations for what I could use for a barrier between the grass and the beds?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 4 replies

Permaculture video

Tinkles — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:20:39 GMT

http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=495ntje2mt

:)

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

New Aussie Sustainable tribe made by me!

Smelkstar's Universe — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 10:32:40 GMT

http://tribes.tribe.net/australiansustainablecommunity

come play

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

new Tribe "Scythe Users"

Steve e — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 04:48:42 GMT

I've started a tribe for people who currently use or are interested in using, scythes to mow plants.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

Rose Hips

Pamela — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:03:44 GMT

I am a fairly experienced gardener - mostly vegetables, fruit and herbs, a few flowers here and there. I am converting my front yard to all herbs this year - medical, culinary, sacred. What kind of roses do I plant to have rose hips for tea and extracts? I am in Northern Colorado. Thanks!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

help with willow hormone extract.

Earthgirl — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:53:25 GMT

so ive found out recently that you can make your own planting hormones by using willow tips? can anyone tell me about this? or explain how to do it. im interested in taking cuttings of plants so i can produce more and im tired of buying the supplement at the store. thanks.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 5 replies

The Bermuda Triangle

elvinwheel — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 02:22:58 GMT

Bermuda Grass Removal: A method I have used is with a garden fork (approx $20.00) Bermuda is so invasive it will probably grow on mars,roto-tilling it just seems to piss it off. It can be removed with effort keeping in mind that "as it is above it is below" and you work methodically digging it out tuft by tenacious tuft. You may reclaim your turf if you remove the entire rhizome mass, you may be faced with skirmishes by those tufts we are all bound to miss for some time. This is a good season for this task as the earth is soft for digging and mulching afterwards will stimulate microbial action in the soil to enhance fertility.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

what are you planting now?

aargh — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:43:22 GMT

Summer's dying, Fall is falling, and my tomatoes are still green.

Just wondering what veggies and foodstuff y'all are laying in for fall/winter crops?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 8 replies

A new group for Eco Sustainable Alternative Tech. Mud Junkies

Zen — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 22:38:48 GMT

Well, I have pulled myself out of the Hawaiian rain forest once again. With months of computer time ahead of me as I write my second book, I decided to finally start a gr
oup focused on the Eco-Ark Project. Its multiple purposes include raising awareness of the Eco-ark being built in the Puna Rain Forest, encouraging others to start similar projects in their own area, sharing ideas and methodologies for accomplishing these goals, spreading ideas concerning sustainable, Eco-friendly technologies and off grid community living. Spreading knowledge of organic permaculture techniques, to encourage the building of community gardens and the growing of food in publicly accessible places (Green Ribbon Project). And helping each other to restoring this planet to its divinely intended Edenic state before it is too late.

This group will also act as a central meeting place for individuals wishing to join in the continued building of the ark on Hawaii Island next summer.

Check out http://tribes.tribe.net/ecoark? to reach Builders of the Arks! Poke around and see if it sounds like a group you would be interested in participating in. We would enjoy input from all positive, creative souls in resurrecting the balance between humanity and our planet. Aloha!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

Community gardens - this tribe or another?

Bo — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:23:24 GMT

SO! I love gardening and grew up on an "eating farm" (we grew our own food, but didn't really farm enough to consider it a crop). Now I live in the city, and rent an apartment, yadda yadda yadda. I'm interested in locating my neighborhood's community garden, but it's a less than great part of town, so I'm thinking maybe there isn't one. I'd like to learn more about how I can help start one... is this a good Tribe for that? If not, can someone recommend another?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 6 replies

my first backyard garden

Earthgirl — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:45:00 GMT

hey everyone,

im starting my first backyard garden. i've been working with my best friend Peter on his garden but now i think im ready to start my own project. so i wanted to see if anyone had any tips for what i can grow, or any tips at all. i want some vegtables thats pretty easy and wont be to labor intensive since im doing other things like school.

right now im on the westside of Florida and i understand not alot of things can grow here. i've been reading alot on permiculture and companion planting so i'd like to incorporate those ideas in my garden. like planting tomatoes next to basil. also im thinking of going for a rasied bed garden since the soil here is so bad.

so if any here could please lend me some tips they will be greatly appreciated. or even some websites and other references. i'd like to hear other peoples expirences as well.

thanks alot brothers and sisters!!!! -Missa

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 5 replies

red seedless grapes -- can I grow them in my backyard?

puah — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:49:55 GMT

and if I can... (I'm in Massachusetts, zone 5b I believe.) where would one find grape plants to plant and what are the good varieties, and what to do to prepare the soil in the spring? (etc, etc, etc)

:)

thank you!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 9 replies

getting rid of OLEANDER

skywyn — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 17:58:10 GMT

Our new home has a large oleander bush growing close to the house. we have a young one who is just starting to crawl, so the oleander MUST go.

Anyone know of a good method?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 8 replies

PARK(ing) Day Workshop

amy — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:06:08 GMT

When: Thursday, August 16, 7pm
Where: Public Architecture
1211 Folsom Street, 4th Floor (see directions below)

PARK(ing) Day 2007 is a one-day, global event centered in San Francisco where artists, activists, and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform parking spots into "PARK(ing)" spaces: temporary public parks. PARK(ing) Day is Friday, September 21.

PARK(ing) Day Community Workshop

Learn from Rebar how to temporarily transform a metered parking spot into a park, a playground, or whatever you like.
View Public Architecture's upcoming Sidewalk Plaza, a permanent transformation of parking spots into a new form of urban open space.
Get informed about San Francisco's upcoming Neighborhood Parking initiative
View Public Architectures long term vision for transforming Folsom street, and help create a full-scale mock up on PARK(ing) Day!
Meet others and form a team to create a PARK(ing) project in your neighborhod.
Learn about sources for materials and places to donate and recycle them, choose a site, and meet the Rebar artists!

For more information:
info@parkingday.org
http://www.parkingday.org

DIRECTIONS
Public Architecture is located at 1211 Folsom Street, 4th Floor, at the corner of 8th & Folsom, in San Francisco's South of Market Area.

When You Arrive
There is an intercom to the left of the gate; press the "Call" button and then "3" on the dial pad in order to be buzzed in.
Public Transportation
BART and MUNI stops at 8th Street/Civic Center. Walk four blocks south and turn right on Folsom Street. We are on the left, past the leather shop.

Parking
There is 1-hour parking on Folsom and 2-hour parking on 8th (best option) between Folsom & Harrison.

From the East Bay
From the Bay Bridge/I-80 West, take the 9th Street/Civic Center Exit towards Harrison Street. Veer left on Harrison, turn right on 9th, and right again onto Folsom. We are at the end of the block on the right hand side.

From the South Bay
From 101 North, take the 9th Street Exit towards Civic Center. Turn right on Folsom Street. We are on the right, at the corner of 8th and Folsom.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 1 reply

Sending seeds to Israel?

Benj_of_Arc — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 21:40:49 GMT

Hay all!
I've tryied to post a this before, but for some reason, it didn't registar and folks couldn't read what I had written. So, I'm going to attempt to write it out again and hopefully this time, we'll have more responses,

Ok, so...a liitle info and backround. I'm in Israel, and working on a project out here to grow herbs for the community. Also, wanting very much to have a program available for kids and their parents to learn about plants and how they communicate with us on all levels. It's really something that isn't being done here and I would like to bring this opportunity to light. I need some help. That's way i'm writing this request. We have a few green houses, so climate is not an issue. We need seeds! All different kinds, but organic. Herbs and winter vegetables.

The list for herbs:Elder flowers ,Yarrow ,Sage ,Rosehips ,Echinacea,Mullein,Astragalus,
Poke Root,Elecampane ,Thyme.

We are asking for 30 seeds each be sent to Israel.
We are asking for donations, since this project can really use all the help it can get and we really don't have the funds to get these seeds. Also, we request that the seeds are from your own garden and collected by you. It's a beautifal thing to know that the seeds that we are receiving are from people who cared for these plants and havested the seeds themselves. There is a story there and it makes it interesting to explain where these seeds came from and who cared for them. We like telling it this way.

Our request for organic Veggie seeds:
Celery ,Chinese leaves ,Dark greens ,Leeks ,Mushrooms, Squashes ,Winter roots ,Winter salads.

If it's not too much trouble to semd the seeds with lables so we know what is what.

If you have any questions please feel to send me a message.
Thanks so much for helping us with this project. I mean a lot to us and the many people who's lives will be changed by your seeds.

If you are interested, please let me know and I can give out the adress of where to send the seeds.

~peace~

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 6 replies

Help in PDX: Need hay bales!

greendeva3 — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 17:34:16 GMT

Hi folks, I'm going to be in need of hay bales to provide additional seating in my back yard to then become mulch for fall. I need to get hay bales for this coming Saturday and here's where I'm in need:
1. Close location for getting bales ( I don't drive so I'll probably be carting them if I can't manage a person with a truck)
2. Finding out about cost.
3. If anyone knows of someone who''l be making a shopping run, if I can go in on some with them.
My location is close to Franklin High School off 58th and SE Division. Any help will be gratefully appreciated--thanks in advance!
Alanna

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 4 replies

Roundup question - getting rid of lawn

honey_b_licious — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 18:00:01 GMT

Hi there - So my friend is a professional gardener and I'm hiring him to install CA native plants in my front yard to replace the lawn. He wants to spray Roundup to kill the grass; I want to stay chemical-free and told him I'd help him do the work of tearing out the lawn rather than use the spray. He swears that Roundup isn't THAT toxic and loses any toxicity by the time if gets into the groundwater. I'm skeptical. Does anyone know about this?

Thanks!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 18 replies

helloooooo...

thecook — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:10:29 GMT

hi guys, just dropping in to say hi...

im a londoner and work an allotment at the city farm in the centre of town... you can hear big ben and sheep at the same time as im planting me runner beans! hehe... anyways im developing the allotment along a permicultural line and trying for some biodynamic principles... only had the allotment one and half years though so takes time and it was a file of bricks when i got it...

also got me a roof terrace and work our community gardens in the square i live in. weve spent a good twenty years getting to this point in the square... puting in trees, digging up foot paths, pissing off motorists and the authorities but we have two amazing gardens and the streets are a green lung!

here are some links: garden.bonningtonsquare.org.uk/
www.draeyk.blogspot.com ...this one shows my roof/some garden and allotment... the rest is about the community cafe we have where i cook and some random recipes... just sharing this link so you can see some bits and bobs as to what im up to!

anyone else got any websites/blogs? im in copenhagen now and missing my plots... but enjoying discovering what they are doing here re: gardening.

cheers, d

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 7 replies

Yellow spots in the front yard grass!

Deva — Sun, 30 Apr 2006 16:08:57 GMT

We all know what it's probably from. Zeke and Sophie, my dogs, going to pottie there. I think once upon a time I saw a stick type of thing with some sort of pheromones on it that attracts male dogs to pee on it, instead of all over the yard? Does it work? I also have a female, would it attract her to pee there, too?

I am learning about organic gardening, and how the earth's layers of humus are being slowly destroyed. It makes me want to treat my whole yard with more care, not just my garden.

If you are interested, please check out my new "Tribe of Zeke and Sophie" for discussion of the bones and raw foods diet (BARF) and more.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 3 replies

soil help?

sarah — Wed, 30 May 2007 14:14:30 GMT

I'm hoping someone can help me with this, because really at this point, I can't make it any worse ;)

When we moved into this house there was a gravel driveway in the back, we decided we didn't need/want it, and would plant our vegetable garden there. Well, in talking to a neighbor we found out the former owners had used it to park their huge motorhome.

So...not only is there a good 4" of compacted rock that we had to spend 2 days attacking (and not done) While I was turning it all over to losen the rock, I realized there is probably a whole slew of RV "drippings" festering in there. (motor oil, coolant, etc)

SO...now I'm thinking we'll have to just plant a smaller garden off to the side, and spend this year getting this soil back into shape.

After my lengthy intro :) What would be my best bet for getting good soil going? Right now its a rocky mess, with a lot of clay and stuff in there. I'm going to call around and find a truckload of dirt to replace what's there, but what else should I add to get it READY for next year?

Thanks for any help!!

~Sarah

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 4 replies

Slugs

Dan The Neighbor — Tue, 03 May 2005 21:32:58 GMT

Does anyone know a good method of chasing off slugs without pesticides?
They're eating my greens.
=()

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 14 replies

Going Native Garden Tours 2007

amy — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:41:48 GMT

This is a series of FREE tours of gardens in private homes that feature native plants. There are tours in San Francisco, south bay, east bay, and Los Angeles. You must register to attend. The first tours are the last weekend in April.

http://www.goingnativegardentour.org/

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

square foot gardening

Michelle — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 14:58:57 GMT

has anyone done square foot gardening? If so do you have any tips?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 4 replies

Does anyone have any stinging nettle seeds or cuttings to share?

Sandra — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 21:23:37 GMT

I am looking to get some stinging nettle started in my garden and can't find any wild to harvest in my area.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

Bamboo for privacy?

skywyn — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 17:56:13 GMT

We just bought our first home in north texas. the yard is mostly empty, some trees and groundcover weeds, with only a chain link fence surrounding it. we are looking for something fast growing to provide greenery, and some privacy.

I know there are some varieties of bamboo that wont completely take over, I just dont know much about them.

any suggestions? bamboo or otherwise that will survive the summer heat?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

getting rid of english holly (seattle)

dirtyknees — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 00:01:21 GMT

i've got this holly bush in my backyard that i am dying to get rid of. this plant is on Seattle's noxious weed list and the only way the city refers to getting rid of it is with herbacidal injection or brushing. there must be another, less chemicaly dependant, way. any suggestions?

loads of thanks,
m

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 6 replies

And for those without yards...

flaneuse — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 03:38:24 GMT

Just learned about this book written by a young Torontonian.

------------------------------------------
You Grow, Girl by Gayla Trail

From: Library Journal Review
"Reaching a new audience, this gardening book is as fresh and funky as the web site that inspired it. A professional print designer before turning to web design, Trail couldn't find gardening information geared toward young, hip, frugal, urban gardeners like herself, so she used her skills to create YouGrowGirl.com in early 2000. Like the acclaimed site, the book is artsy but informative. Highly appropriate for beginners, it covers the basics of planning, planting, growing, harvesting, and reflecting on your garden successes. Trail's organic and inexpensive methods for growing flowers, food, and herbs are practical for postage stamp-sized yards or even city fire escapes. Interspersed are offbeat projects like pest prophylactics, home-sewn tea bags, and a garden memory journal made of recycled materials.

The creative design uses a nice combination of drawings and photos, while the author's edgy attitude and language are reminiscent of clever, suburban garden writer Cassandra Danz. Though other organic gardening books are prevalent, this introduction is recommended to public libraries catering particularly to twentysomethings and small-space gardeners. "- Bonnie Poquette, Milwaukee

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 1 reply

Suggestions for Low Maintenance SF native garden?

tepescuintle — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 01:03:31 GMT

Hi!

My next door neighbor here in the Mission, an absentee landlord, has a back yard with an avocado, a pear, and a lemon tree in it. The rest is bare dirt -- it's kept that way because every few months he has a guy go in there and cut down whatever is growing.

So in the summer, it's dry and sandy.... just like a catbox. That's not lost on the neighborhood cats and it gets pretty gross in there. So there are flies all summer long, buzzing around in my garden and flying in my windows.

One year, he forgot to have everything cut down and a bunch of "weeds" grew there. Instead of flies we had butterflies and native bees. It was gorgeous.

So, I'm going to call him up and ask him if I can volunteer to do a little native plant gardening in there to solve my problem (flies) and his (hassle-free maintenance).

Before I do that, I want to get myself a little bit better informed about all this, so I thought I'd ask the green thumbs here to recommend some plants.

Specifically, I'm looking for plants that are...

1) native
2) attractive to butterflies and bees and birds
3) don't look "weedy"
4) low/no maintenance
5) cheap (since I'll be paying for them)

I'd also love to know where the best places are to get these things, and how to propagate them (and when -- now I think...)

Thank you all!!!

~t~

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 1 reply

I lost my "Pee Chee"!

gratephil — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 07:32:08 GMT

Need a chart to determine veggie yield; for example, how many feet of row of bush beans equals how many pounds of veggie. I know this has a lot of variables I can't supply, but I need a baseline of some kind. I remember a similar chart in the ol' classic "Ten Acres Enough"..which I don't have a copy of. Help!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

looking for rain/waterproof pants in San Francisco!

phoenixfirestarter — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 23:39:32 GMT

I will probably be gardening in the rain this winter, and I'm trying to find rain/waterproof pants that I can slip on over my jeans... hopefully something other than in clear or canary yellow. I am looking for a store in San Francisco that carries something like this. Any suggestions?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

good composting book for my dad?

alexjb — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 08:00:29 GMT

hey y'all,

my dad's been gardening for a couple of decades now, but he's kind of a mainstream conventional sort of guy, despite being raised in Haiti.

i've been trying to encourage him to explore composting, but he's reluctant for the usual boring reasons- smell being numero uno. he's in the 'burbs near NY, so he's got a decent-sized yard, but serious winters.

i'd love to find him a book that would break down (heh) composting basics and maybe address the common concerns, explain how to set up a pile, that sort of thing.

recommendations?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 3 replies

What's the best worm for composting?

RegicidalManiac — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:33:32 GMT

currently, i'm using earth worms that i dug up from the dirt for my ccomposting needs. i have heard that red worms areespecially good composters. i would like to know what you all think are the best worms for composting, and why?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

Worms.....are they like having pets

wildsagexo — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 00:04:10 GMT

I have a very small backyard....and have been wanting to put a compost bin in.....Does anybody have any advice on worm composting......Is this something my children would enjoy? I need advice.......on whether this is worth the effort and expense.

Thank you!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 9 replies

indoor composting ?

alexjb — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 00:30:17 GMT

hey all,

new to the tribe, and very happy to have heard about it!

if my question has been hit in the past, then let me know...

has anyone here successfully set up:

1. a fully indoor worm bin or compost 'heap'
2. either of the above on a rooftop ?

the concerns which jump to my mind are things like smell, heat, space needed for turning; volume of trash needed to sustain the worms, or rotating 'finished' compost out. would the compost heap get hot enough to start a fire? would the worms bake if they were in a box on a city rooftop ?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 6 replies

What can one plant round now

onlyonly — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 01:33:01 GMT

hello everybody,
i just cleared out all the wildflowers i had in my little patch and was wondering what could be sown in or planted in oct in oakland?
i have partial sun and shady spots. looking to do some veggies and flowers.
cheers!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 4 replies

im glad this tribe is here

change — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 21:47:17 GMT

im hailing out of charlotte and beginning to backyard compost...
peace and love yall

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

FALL GARDENING PRIMER Sept 30

amy — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 07:20:25 GMT

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 - FALL GARDENING PRIMER
Learn everything you need to know to ready your garden for the fall and winter months ahead for a healthy and sustainable garden. Topics will include planting, pruning, mulching, fertilizing and pest control practices specific to this special time in the Bay Area.
Garden for the Environment, 7th Ave. at Lawton Street, 10am – 12noon. $15; No one turned away for lack of funds. Pre-registration required. Please call 731-5627 to pre-register or for more information.

www.gardenfortheenvironment.org

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

San Francisco Native Bee Lecture Aug 24

amy — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 14:46:54 GMT

The San Francisco Natural History Series presents
San Francisco's NATIVE Bees
with Cynthia Fenter

In her survey of the entire city of San Francisco, Cynthia Fenter has
discovered a remarkable diversity of native bees. Where are they?
What do they require to survive? How can we help them?
Unlike honey bees, most native bees are not social. Find out about
their surprising lives right here among us in San Francisco.

Thursday, August 24, 2006
7:30 at the Randall Museum
199 Museum Way
San Francisco
554-9600 x 16

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

compost heap - space needed ?

alexjb — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 00:33:45 GMT

hey,

i'm a little comost-obsessed, i'll admit...

i'm wondering what wisdom is out there pertaining to the amount of safe clear space that one should have around a compost heap.

i'm considering setting up a compost heap in a friend's yard (being an apartment dweller, i don't have one of my own). his 'yard' is extremely small - the lot has maybe 20 feet between the building and the fence, and half of that is paved. the question of fire risk came up, and it seems like it could be a problem, given the proximity to the house, and the prevalence of dry grasses in the drought-prone san francisco summers.

any good references out there that specifically speak to this, or urban composting in general?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

Basil- black spots

eyeohmeigh — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 01:26:13 GMT

Hi everyone!

I am a REAL beginner, and I don't have a ton of space or time- but I'm trying to start a sustainable-as-feasible container garden in my yard. I'm renting in Florida and my little basil plant (which I got as a small plant and have been trying to grow) is covered in black spots. Is this just overwatering or do I have some kind of weird fungus or mold? Should I just kill off the poor plant and start over with fresh soil, or is there something I can do to save the day?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 1 reply

Lay your compost down

Mon, 19 Dec 2005 23:36:43 GMT

Materials in your compost are important to your soil quality. When there is the opportunity available to you to purchase compost or when you have fickle questions about the topic here is a neat place to subside. If you ever visit this venue please see their demonstrational garden, yo! ~commence compostation...

www.sonomacompost.com/gardening.shtml

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

need black bamboo advice!

phoenixfirestarter — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 22:03:15 GMT

I live in coastal SF. I have a black bamboo growing in a large container. It seems to have gone dormant in its current spot (windy, not well taken care of). I want to move it to my backyard (less wind, more TLC). Will it come out of dormancy on its own? I've heard of a method of bringing it out of dormancy by cutting into the roots, but cannot find any details on that process - or if it really works! Any tips would be helpful!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 1 reply

looking for sulfur spray for geraniums!

phoenixfirestarter — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 19:12:39 GMT

My geraniums have pelagonium rust, and I'm told that minor cases can be sprayed with sulfur. Is this something I can get from a gardening store? Hardware store?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

does pelargonium rust affect other plants besides geraniums?

phoenixfirestarter — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 22:03:52 GMT

My geraniums have pelargonium rust, and I'd like to try and treat them before I ditch 'em... Are any of my other plants in danger of getting this disease?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

Attention San Francisco gardeners (reposted w/ tribe name)!

phoenixfirestarter — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 21:41:41 GMT

(sorry about the repost, but last time I posted this I forgot to post the NAME of the tribe!)

I have created a tribe that focuses on the unique gardening needs of the San Francisco area!

"san francisco gardeners"

tribes.tribe.net/sanfranciscogardeners

Having a successful garden in the San Francisco area requires special knowledge and care. This particular coastal region presents us with a host of unique opportunities and problems. This tribe is a place to talk about all kinds of outdoor gardening in the San Francisco area. Please post successes, failures, questions, tips, and anything else that will help us to continue having successful coastal gardens!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

Very moving talk on sustainable gardening and the ethnic experience

spidra — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 05:23:26 GMT

I just returned from an author talk. The author is Patricia Klindienst and the book is a "The Earth Knows My Name: Food, Culture & Sustainability in the Gardens of Ethnic Americans" It was a bit different than I thought it would be. The author let us know how she'd come to write the book. http://www.beacon.org/klindienst

Her mother's side of the family is Italian. When her father died, the author started passing around old family photographs trying to get people to write down any memories or comments they had about them. She passed us one photocopy. I noticed immediately that one of the girls in the picture was holding up a newspaper that said something about Justice Brandeis and Sacco. And the author went on to point out that that was significant. No one in the family had anything to say about the picture (of a father and two or three girls) except that the girl holding the newspaper was her mother. So she went to research the headline. The librarian handed her theLetters of Sacco & Vanzetti. In the letters, one of them (I forget which) talked quite poetically about gardens. In 7 years of confinement in which they were only allowed outside one hour per day, thinking of gardens gave him (them?) solace. The author drew her own conclusions about what the Sacco & Vanzetti trial meant to her Italian-American family and why they had no recollection about that picture.

It led her to think of American immigrants, the ethnic experience in America and how important land and foodways were to that. So she started finding and interviewing immigrants about their gardens. 8 or 10 stories of those stories are in this book.

I'd recommend getting out to see her author talks if you can. While the book doesn't seem to have the specific plant information I had hoped for, she is clearly inspired and passionate about this work. Her talk brings together history, the effect of American imperialism on the world and how it ironically squeezes people out of their own countries and draws them here, the importance of land to human beings, the need to save small farming, to start farming in cities, sustainability, etc. etc. It was pretty moving.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

have tips on repairing existing raised beds that are full of plants?

phoenixfirestarter — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 08:52:03 GMT

I have many raised beds in my garden (no more than 1' high) and they are full of vegetables, flowers, etc. I need to repair these beds because the wood is rotting out. I'm looking for tips on how to do this repair work with as little damage to the existing plants as possible. Thanks!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

Small Graywater / Rain Capture systems?

tepescuintle — Thu, 12 May 2005 04:44:04 GMT

Hello all;

I garden in a small urban plot in San Francisco. After five years, I've turned it from a vine-choked, dusty, trash-strewn afterthought into a little piece of paradise, with avocados, figs, oranges, lemons, ma grood, pippin, chiles, ferns, and flowers galore. and even a happy, healthy, gorgeously luxuriant patch of chem- and weed - free lawn.

But the problem here is water. It all falls in the winter, and of course the winter plants (cala lillies, daffodils, tulips) love it, but it's dry for months and months here. Before you say "native xeriscape," I have to admit I've fallen in love with my waterhog garden, and I don't want to go there just yet.

Instead, I've been researching small home graywater and rainwater capture systems. The plumbing on our house is right to make it fairly easy to set up either or both. I've done lots of research, but what I'd really like is to hear from someone who's actually set one up and can share their experiences with it.

Small urgan graywater / rain capture system anyone?

I know you're out there...

~t~

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 9 replies

Ecology Action Research Mini-Farm/Garden Tours

Tue, 28 Mar 2006 04:27:47 GMT

There will be four 5- to 6-hour Ecology Action Research Mini-Farm/Garden Tours on May 20, June 3, June 17, and August 5. These tours give a good introduction to GROW BIOINTENSIVE® sustainable mini-farming, what our practical research site is accomplishing, and how our sustainable method relates to world agriculture. The registration fee is $15-$30 per person or $25-$55 for 2 people, on a sliding scale based on income; the higher amounts enable our program to reach more people. Payment and registration need to be received optimally two months in advance. The May 20 and June 3 tours begin at 10 AM and end at approximately 4 PM. The June 17 and August 5 tours begin at 9 AM and end at approximately 3 PM. Children not involved in the tour often find the event difficult, so please check if you want to bring them, and please do not bring pets to the tour. Please pre-register as soon as possible; space is limited. Tours include participant introductions; a discussion of the overall world challenges that humankind faces in the areas of soil, food, and nutrition; an exploration of the connection between thinking globally and acting locally; a tour of the garden and discussion of several crops in particular; and 20-30 minute mini-classes on double-digging, composting, seed propagation, sustainable home garden crops, and cooking with solar ovens given by staff, apprentices and interns.
Bling * Bling >> http://www.growbiointensive.org/biointensive/Training.html

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 1 reply

Introduce yourself :)

cybercygnet — Thu, 28 Apr 2005 22:40:27 GMT

Say hi everybody!

What interests you about gardening/sustainable gardening?

What areas would you like to learn about?

What areas do you already know about?

Any other info you'd like people to know...

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 37 replies

deep ecology course--palo alto

kalsang — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 01:44:02 GMT

I'll running a North West Inst course in Deep Ecology starting soon.

Deep ecology is the idea that humans are not alone on the planet, but that plants, animals and birds have a place too. We'll study the wisdom of indigenous people, the messages of the land, and how to live in harmony with nature. If this stirs you, and you're nearby, then do sign up.

The course will start April 20th and run for 9 Thursday evenings, 7-9.30. It will be run at my house in Palo Alto (just off Oregon, mid-way between 101 and 280). It will cost $25 total, which pays for the reader, tea, and my heating expenses! The reader includes a few pages (2 - 5) to read before each session, and then we discuss what we read and its implications.

More information, and a summary of each week's theme can be had here:
http://www.nwei.org/pages/deepecology2.html

If you are interested, please let me know as soon as you can. Thank you,
Rachael

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

Watch out for the bees!

Tom — Sat, 21 May 2005 08:46:23 GMT

I was out working in garden last weekend and some neighorhood kids were wildly pushing each other in a wagon up and down the sidewalk. They usually just blend in with the other sounds of the street but I noticed that they were shouting something as they passed each house. At my neighbor's who has four yappy dogs, they shouted "Watch out for the dogs!" , at a house with many roses out front they shouted "Watch out for the thorns!" and at my house they were shouting "Watch out for the bees!". I was rather pleased that my garden was meeting the needs of the pollinators plus adding a little adventure to the lives of the kids.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

Powdery mildew and pepper

gldnsl — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 19:14:10 GMT

About the powdery mildew problem, you could try using hot pepper in finely powdered form, sulfur also. To keep it out of your face, I use an old sock tied to a 3-foot stick. Put some sulfur in the sock, tie it on the stick and shake it over the plants in the early morning when they're naturally damp. It'll stay in place better then. The pepper you might have to put in a shaker and put it on just the trouble spots.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

food not lawns

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 22:45:13 GMT

Hello SBG members,
There is a raddical place on the net named the Cascadia food not lawns. Here is the home of the jolly green interconnected knot. You find their slogan: Promoting peace through permaculture, one seed at a time. Far in the country Oregon territory they are located in Coburg. Events, Web Articles, Courses, Seed Stewardship, Books and 'Zines - irie, Permaculture Projects, Links, Discussions.
Please post here if you visited the farm, such as they actually promote you2.
Peace.
http://www.foodnotlawns.com/index.html

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

Humanure Handbook

mycovolution — Tue, 03 May 2005 11:51:50 GMT

I thought you all might find this interesting and relevant concerning the composting of feces.

http://www.weblife.org/humanure/default.html

Enjoy :)

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 3 replies

Powdery Mildew

cybercygnet — Mon, 12 Sep 2005 17:46:47 GMT

Powdery mildew seems to love my squashes. I've been putting netting over my squashes to prevent the squirrels from eating young fruit and growing leaves/blossoms, and spraying plants without netting with a red-pepper+water mixture, but all of this means that powdery mildew is getting a terrific environment. I've been using a sulfur spray to try to get rid of the mildew, but I feel like I should be able to find a solution where I'm spraying less.

Any ideas?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 7 replies

Gardening resource

cybercygnet — Mon, 09 May 2005 22:25:49 GMT

Just found this truly useful gardening resource

www.gardenweb.com

The forums seem pretty good and it's got a pretty neat plant database (hortiplex).

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

lazy gardener

cooldawn — Tue, 14 Jun 2005 01:56:36 GMT

it's been weeks since I've turned my compost and one of trees badly needs trimmed - anyone else ever go through lazy spells?

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 4 replies

San Jose Sustainable Landscape Faire, 6/18

annabelly — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 23:36:20 GMT

For those in the Northern Calif. area, this looks really interesting-

Join professionals, artists and families in celebration of the Bay Area's rich ecological heritage at the Third Annual Sustainable Landscape Faire and launch of Green Heart Magazine on Saturday, June 18, 2005 at Middlebrook Gardens, 76 Race Street, San Jose, CA. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. For information/directions: (408) 292-9993, http://www.middlebrook-gardens.com.

The Third Annual Sustainable Landscape Faire benefits the California Native Garden Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mission to demonstrate the beauty, garden worthiness and ecological appropriateness of California native gardens, and to advance knowledge of native plants and increase their availability. For more information, please visit http://www.cngf.org

The outdoor event features informative workshops by top professionals and experts in the field of sustainable gardening, construction and ecology, regional native garden tours, native plant sales, networking, art, music, food, and fun! Families welcome!! Admission is free, with $5 fee for lectures, from 9 am- Noon. $20 to attend all five lectures.

RSVP/Info/Directions at (408) 292-9993, faire@middlebrook-gardens.com

The event also marks the launch of Green Heart Magazine, a quarterly publication featuring information on sustainable home solutions, advice on creating ecological gardens and new products and services, images of natural gardens and original artwork.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

Rooftop Gardening

ensalada_de_frutas — Tue, 31 May 2005 07:11:42 GMT

does anyone know about rooftop gardening? like getting around problems such as water leaking/roof damage, and the weight of watered soil. these kinds of things...

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

Slugs and snails and compost?

cybercygnet — Wed, 04 May 2005 06:23:48 GMT

Hi all!

I've got a few questions about slugs and snails in and around my compost.

1. Is having snails and slugs in and around my compost pile a good/bad/neutral thing?

2. What, if anything, do slugs and snails do (besides eat tender shoots and my veggies) that is beneficial?

3. If I have to kill them, can I compost them safely?

Thanks in advance!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 7 replies

Uncommon native plants

cybercygnet — Thu, 19 May 2005 16:06:11 GMT

This free ebook has some really good info on edible plants native to the Americas that were in heavy use pre-colonization (did I spell that correctly?). I learned a ton! Now I just need to get seeds...

http://www.nap.edu/books/030904264X/html/

Enjoy!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

Visionary Forum this weekend in the Santa Cruz Mountains with Camping and music!!!

Mishka — Wed, 18 May 2005 06:04:36 GMT

Raindance Campout - Updateed info
235 views since posting on Friday, May 06 at 01:14 AM.
bookmark | e-mail to friend
Date & Time: Friday, May 20 2005 - Sunday, May 22 2005
1:00 PM
Raindance Campout
Camp Cutter 2500 China Grade Road

Carpool ! Carpool ! Carpool ! parking is limited

got to
www.raindancepresents.com

Tickets - www.inhousetickets.com/evinfo.php

Directions and line-ups at the bottom of the page

Hey there everyone! We are less than one week away from the event
now and things are heating up very quickly, very exiting !!!

Updates and important info -
Get yourself a presale ticket if you have not already. It will make everything
smoother when you arrive and ensure your entry into the event.

Please note that all RV reservations have been filled. If you did not contact us
already and receive a confirmation email
please do not bring any buses or RVs - there will be no room for you. to park it

There are some pre-existing tents with wood floors, cots, and nightstands. They
are offered on a first come first serve basis and cost $10 for the weekend.
It is a very good idea to arrive during the daylight as this campground has a lot of
different areas (300 acres!) and can be hard to navigate if you have not already
seen it in the light.

bring everything you need to be happy in the woods
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
an important word about Tickets and $ - This is not a for profit event
we do not have any sponsorship, no grants, no bar , no aspiration to
get rich quick,

the majority of your $ is going for the campground wether you are camping or not
and what is left has to cover everything else

We do have the most amazing (secure) place we have ever been able to
do an event , we do have one of the sickest lineups of any gathering anywhere
we do have many people putting in countless hours of love, work, organization
creativity, love

We DO have a vision for the future of our community

We DO understand that this event is costing more per person to get in than any
other event we have ever done

We Do want this to work out for everyone involved, participants and organizers
there are no spectators or half steppers

Presale tickets are $30 - there are no one day presales
Streetlight records in Santa Cruz
Distractions on Haight St in San Francisco
or online @ www.inhousetickets.com/evinfo.php

The at the gate entrance fee will be $35

important note your ticket= membership
ticket is actually payment for your "membership" to the new Raindance
organization. We will issue you a membership card with your name on it when
you arrive. Each person must have one this is to ensure that this is a
"members only" private event.
This will also give you privileges for upcoming Raindance events through out
the next year and priority for next years Campout.

please be ultra respectful of the land and the facilities, follow camp guidelines , be
smart , be discreet
please carry your trash out with you, help to clean up as it goes. We intend to make
this an annual event.So its up to all of us to make this vision a reality. We are ready to
take it up a to the next level yall, It can only get better from here.!!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Okay, now that all the formalities are out of the way.... check out the line-up!!! :)

Friday May 20th

Main Stage
8-9:30 Johnathin
9:30- 11 Adnan
11-12:15 Moon Doggy
Dikini interlude
12:20- 1:45 Random Rab
1:45 - 3:00 Ooah
3:00 - ? Rodman

Lodge
Chill and Ambient Textures by:
Jason Kristos

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Saturday May 21st

Main Stage

6 - 8 - Yoga and frolicking
8-9 Goddess of Funk
9-10 Rob Monroy
10-12 Hamsa Lila
12-12:15-Dakini Devine
12:15- 1:30 Lorin
1:30-2:30 Adam Ohana
2:30- 3:30 Liljohn
3:30 - 4:30 Brother
4:30 - 5:30 Alia
5:30-6:30 Mozaic
6:30 - 7:30 Timonkey
7:30 - 8:30 Chris Sia
9-10:30 Reggae band

Pool Party

12 - 1 Cool Hand Luke
1 - 2 Taina
2 - 3 Olivia
3 - 4 Shawna
4 - 5 CB
5 - 6 Jocelyn

Lodge
Temple of Funk 7pm

META Lab Midnight - ?
Boreta
Strydah
Neptune
Ananta

Visionary forum @ the Amphitheater
11am - 3:30pm

Crystal Awareness - Essential Oils
Sylvia Skefich - Chiropractic & Cranio-sacral
Carrin - Mehndi mama
Tyler Tolman - Whole food pharmacy

Beaudha - Modeling the Ecotopian Fabric
Dominic Allamano - Grounding a new culture

Casey James - Dome Communities
Will Stevens - Monolithic bio-friendly domes
Stephen Bullard - Living Lifestyles Organization

Rowan - Bio-Diesel conversion
Ben - Sustainable Civil Engineering

Performance - Re-Evolution of Humans

www.raindancepresents.com

Tickets

www.inhousetickets.com/evinfo.php
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Directions

From Santa Cruz
------------------------
Merge onto CA-17 N via the exit toward SAN JOSE/OAKLAND. 3.4 miles

8: Take the MT HERMON ROAD exit. 0.1 miles

9: Stay STRAIGHT to go onto MT HERMON RD. 3.7 miles

10: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto GRAHAM HILL RD. 0.1 miles

11: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto CA-9. 6.5 miles

12: Turn LEFT onto BIG BASIN WAY/CA-236. 4.1 miles

13: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto CHINA GRADE RD (Portions unpaved). 6.8 miles

14: Turn LEFT to stay on CHINA GRADE RD (Portions unpaved). <0.1 miles

15: End at 2500 China Grade Rd
Boulder Creek, CA 95006-9084, US

From the North
find your way to US 101 South toward San Jose

3: Merge onto US-101 S toward SAN JOSE

4: Merge onto CA-85 S toward CUPERTINO/SANTA CRUZ. 7.9 miles

5: Take the DE ANZA BOULEVARD exit. 0.2 miles

6: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto S DE ANZA BLVD. 0.4 miles

7: Stay STRAIGHT to go onto SARATOGA SUNNYVALE RD. 2.3 miles

8: Turn RIGHT onto BIG BASIN WAY/CA-9. Continue to follow CA-9. 13.4 miles

9: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto BIG BASIN WAY/CA-236. 4.6 miles

10: Turn RIGHT onto CHINA GRADE RD (Portions unpaved). 3.4 miles

11: Turn LEFT to stay on CHINA GRADE RD (Portions unpaved). <0.1 miles

12: End at 2500 China Grade Rd
Boulder Creek, CA 95006-9084, US

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

free plants,........

gorma — Fri, 13 May 2005 22:45:31 GMT

if your area is being developed as much as mine you should be looking for free plants. ive picked up blue berry plants, bamboo, lilacs roses, tulips,iris's, just saw someone demoing or prepping to demo and ask. sometimes you may end up with stuff dying, or it goes dormant for a year, but hell, its free and you may be saving a old time plant that would otherwise be replaced with new breeds of plants. i even know some one that is going to treespade some ten yearold apple trees this fall. that extreme for me but it may be worth it. keep your eyes out you may be able to build you garden for nearly nothing. dont forget tohat raspberries and blackberries make runners that can be dug up and transplanted.save seed from that yummy squash that you buy from your local organic producer. ive grown some beautiful hubbards like that, and friends have grown tomatoes and beans from produce from the farmers market. i have potateos coming up in my garden from cuttings that i composted in place last fall that didnt compost. dont forget that the edges of your compost pile can prduce great potaoes, just tuck them under the edges and watch them grow. the best material for gutters is copper, you can drink the water with out the toxins from plastic or galv steel. i dont know how bad it is for the plants but we use the water from our down spouts for the garden. on way we have made the most out of rain collection in the country is to build four posts shed roof sheds. tin roof ,gutter, run the spouts to 55gal barrel, we place4-6 barrels under each roof at different levels with an overfil pipe running from one to the next and then if we get enough rain and the all fill the final overfill runs onto the ground. we have only started this year and its been dry so we havnt filled them all up yet we just use alittle screen to keep out debris.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 8 replies

choose the right plants

gtpooh — Thu, 05 May 2005 03:35:46 GMT

very cool site that lets you put in your garden variables and give you a list that suits your area and how you garden.

http://www.mynativeplants.com/search_options.php

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 1 reply

Power to the People... Small communities are starting to make their own energy from clean, renewable and local sources Tidy little lawns sprout on top of each house helping to insulate the buildings

Mishka — Tue, 03 May 2005 23:30:23 GMT

http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/printout/0,13155,901050509-1056238,00.html

<http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/printout//time/europe/magazine/0,13006,901050509,00.html>May
9, 2005 | Vol. 165 No. 19

Power to the People

Forget the national power grid. Small communities are starting to make their own energy from clean, renewable, local sources

BY MARYANN BIRD

At the Beddington Zero Energy Development in South London, they're shouting their environmental credentials from the rooftops. Tidy little lawns sprout on top of each house helping to insulate the buildings as pastel-colored cowls swivel in the breeze, gently ushering fresh air into homes and offices while funneling stale air out. Solar photovoltaic panels soak up the sun even on cloudy days contributing to the development's overall power mix. Most of the community's heat and electricity come from a 130-kW generator fueled by timber clippings and similar waste from landscaping work.

The Beddington eco-village (BedZED for short) is Britain's premier sustainable housing estate. Why? Because it's carbon neutral: the community's energy use and production releases no extra carbon dioxide into the environment. "We wake up every morning and think we're on holiday,"
says resident Steve Tabard. His neighbor, Danny Burrage, says that outside BedZED, "I don't know anybody who has a flat on the second floor with a conservatory and a garden. The kids love it."

BedZED won its place at the top of Britain's green living charts because it's a pioneer in microgeneration the local production of clean, renewable power by individuals and small communities to meet their own energy needs. As evidence of global warming increases, microgeneration is touted as a sustainable alternative to the fossil fuels that help form greenhouse gases. Conservationists argue that only clean energy technologies derived from wind, solar, wave and other natural power sources can ensure a healthy environment and sustainable economic growth.
Micropower is far less of an imposition on the landscape, though, than big wind farms and solar arrays, and it's also part of a growing trend toward local production of goods and services, including energy. "Mini-wind turbines and solar arrays should become familiar household fixtures,"
according to Joanna Collins, author of the British environmental think-tank Green Alliance's A Microgeneration Manifesto. "These new technologies cut greenhouse-gas emissions [and] provide reliable energy supplies."

Microgeneration forces architects and builders to think green from the start. Homes in the three-year-old BedZED development, for instance, are south facing and fronted by conservatories to capture natural heat and light. There's no need for central heating because thick brick walls are heavily insulated, and windows are double- and triple-glazed, helping to retain the heat produced by domestic activities such as cooking. As a result, fuel bills can be as little as 10% of those for traditional houses of similar size. Lighting is low energy, too, and water-saving washing machines and low-flush toilets are standard. Solar panels can also recharge the batteries of electric cars, though there are as yet few such vehicles on the road.

Green Alliance wants the government to make it easier for individuals to use these technologies. "For this to happen," says policy officer Tracy Carty, "the government needs to commit to planning, building and energy policies that can support microgeneration." Critics, including many in the nuclear industry, fault microgeneration as inefficient, uneconomical and overly romantic too small-scale to power industry or to make much of a dent in greenhouse gas emissions. Many want a fresh look at the nuclear option, arguing that it is one of the cleanest ways to produce power.
Microgeneration fans disagree. Jeremy Leggett, ceo of Solarcentury, Britain's leading solar photovoltaics company, thinks nuclear power is risky and that a combination of dwindling oil reserves and global warming will eventually propel microgeneration technologies into the mainstream.

Widespread use may be years off, but microgeneration is starting to catch on. In Goudouras, a small seaside village in southeastern Crete, Greenpeace helped set up Greece's first grid-connected solar power unit, at the local elementary school. The solar system mollified residents who opposed plans for a potentially environmentally harmful oil-powered plant in nearby Atherinolakkos.

In Spain, the agricultural town of Cuéllar, in the central province of Segovia, generates hot water and heating for 250 homes by burning pine bark and other wood residuals. The system, using no fossil fuel and similar to BedZED's wood-burning plant, also heats an indoor swimming pool, a cultural center and a school. Spain now produces 7% of the world's solar photovoltaic energy, and solar sources are "growing at a 50% clip per year," says Javier García Breva, director of the Institute for Energy Diversification and Savings, the government body responsible for promoting and subsidizing renewable energies. Local authorities are even reviving some of the tiny, forgotten hydroelectric plants that dot the Spanish countryside.

In Portugal, the BioRegional Development Group the independent British environmental organization that started up BedZED and the global conservation organization wwf are working with a developer to create a "one-planet living" ecotourism project south of Lisbon. Using 100% renewable energy and creating a transport network designed to virtually eliminate private cars, the Mata de Sesimbra development will combine a 4,800-hectare cork-forest restoration project with a 500-hectare tourism development. Based on their experiences with BedZED, BioRegional and wwf will be incorporating similar innovative ecological elements into the Portuguese project. They don't plan to stop at Europe's borders, however.
Next stop: energy-hungry China.

With reporting by Anthee Carassava/Athens and Enrique Zaldua/San Sebastián

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.2 - Release Date: 5/2/05

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 3 replies

Help for your new gardening process

Mishka — Wed, 04 May 2005 17:12:12 GMT

http://www.mynativeplants.com/search_options.php

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

what i have lernt?

gorma — Tue, 03 May 2005 23:18:40 GMT

everyone ,i think, has heard of the value of raised beds. here in the hilly ozarks raising is the only way to level anything. last year instead of raising my beds i lowered the paths. the first 10 inches of soil was so so, so i got out the tiller, im not to no till yet here at the house, and proceeded to till up the garden and then tilled down deep and put all the soil on top. last year was cool and wet and i was gone for great stretches of time, it was a jungle. after trying to get it under control, i gave up and let the tomatoes and squash/gourds fight it out on the corn and when it was time to put it up for the winter i took everything down to the ground filled up the trenches and with the help of my coops produce department and my three favorite coffe shoppes, i filled the trenches with composty stuff, dug up the soil beds and filled the trench next to it in. covering it all with news paper and straw and out side of the occational pocket of carrot pulp , very stinkyt, everything was well composted and full of those great subterranian farmers, worms. this year i stacked rocks to form semipermanent beds and filled them up with compost from my monster pile, it was 8x8x4, kind big but it was all composted after 9 months,now im over grown with greens, yum yum peas and soon summer veg. im not sure where this was starting and where it has ended up, maybe im supporting sheet composting, trench composting , raised/lowered beds i dont know. it all can work and unless you find what works foryou/climate/energy level/ect you may become dismayed or frustrated. oh if you can find anybooks by Ruth Stout get them they are a gold mine. this year i think im going to green manure then sheet compost but its only spring, good luck and have fun.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

mulching

acoustichrmny — Tue, 03 May 2005 22:31:49 GMT

http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2005/05/02/umbra-mulch/index.html?source=weekly
---
Dear Umbra,

Spring is upon us and the season for spreading shredded bits of trees around our landscaping is here. How does Umbra feel about the utility of mulching, and what is the environmental impact of mulch production?

Omar
Ellicott City, Md.
---
Dearest Omar,

Umbra feels excited about spring, I'll tell you that much. Umbra is jumping up and down with glee, sometimes on top of slugs. Umbra is very pro-mulch, and very happy to choose mulch questions over diaper questions. (Don't worry about it, parents!)

Mulching is piling any type of organic material in the garden in order to suppress weeds, improve the soil, and/or make an aesthetic statement. You can mulch with wood chips, compost, bark, newspaper, straw, recently weeded plants, all sorts of handy matter. (Note, however, that mulches do vary in their nutritive properties.)

Now, a vocabulary lesson. Tilth is a word that refers to the health of the soil, and healthy soil is full of bugs, fungus, bacteria, air space, and humus. Humus is organic matter stabilized within the soil matrix. Mulching is a reliable way to improve both humus and tilth, particularly because it is no-till -- that is, it adds to the soil by layering, not by digging, and does not disturb whatever is already happening down below. And mulching also improves water-holding capacity. Healthy soil requires less irrigation and acts as a sponge for surface runoff; in other words, it will use less freshwater and absorb more would-be wastewater. Mulching is therefore excellent for your microenvironment.

Your question about the environmental impact of mulch production is a bit confusing to me, but maybe you are buying mulch in bags and are concerned about the provenance of the contents. However, you needn't fear: it's easy to find mulch made of waste products from other industries, so you will be reusing and recycling by mulching. To find your local sources for bulk and bagged mulch, get in touch with your local gardening volunteers and experts, the Master Gardeners. You'll find them on the web by searching for Master Gardener + your state or county. (Omar, I believe yours are the Howard County Master Gardeners.) They should have local mulch resources for you, which can help you distinguish the source of your mulch to your satisfaction. Where I live, for example, I can mulch with composted yard waste, or with chipped trees from local arborists. Mulch ho, my friend.

Tilthily,
Umbra

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 1 reply

Composting Carnivorous and Omnivourous Animal Manure

cybercygnet — Tue, 03 May 2005 02:11:54 GMT

Hey all!

I've come to the conclusion that composting omnivorous/carnivorous pet manure is fairly easily do-able. There are two ways to get from stinky unusable nitrogen to happy compost in two months or less, but neither method is good for veggies and other food plants because there is still doubt about what is killed off and what can survive the process.

The first method, while promising, is far too much abuse for my nose[1].

The second way is to hot compost with internal temperatures at least 130F for a few days.

The most promising information I found online is the 1997 University of Alaska at Fairbanks report on hot composting sled dog manure. The result is that it would take 4-8 weeks for each load of manure to be useable. Testing seemed to indicate that after hot composting, the resultant compost should be safe for use for food plants, but since they had 40 - 80 extremely healthy and uninfected dogs, they couldn't be sure.
www.uaf.edu/coop-ext/compost/dogs.html

Unfortunetly, I haven't found any followup studies, just a lot of unofficial information and guesswork. I found other helpful thoughts/suggestions/opinions/information on the following pages:

Ottawa Peace and Environment Resource Site: Hot Composting
http://perc.ca/PEN/1995-07-08/king.html

GardenWeb's forum: 'A failed kitty litter composting experiment' thread
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lab/msg0810140313296.html

GardenWeb's forum: 'anyone vermicompost dog poop?' thread
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/verm/msg021324176822.html

GardenWeb's FAQ: Are all animal manures safe for an organic garden?
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/organic/2003082510028156.html

Greyhound Manor: Dog Waste Composting Bin
http://www.greyhoundmanor.com/pat/compost/pooppat.html

Earth's Balance also has a way to quick decompose dog poop for safe use on lawns, but doesn't have its research online, so I'd take it with a grain of salt. Has anyone tried this product?
http://earthsbalance.com/products/details.asp?productID=15

There was some mention of aging/sun drying the dog feces before composting (at least 2 weeks, wait till it looks like grey powder and has an earthy smell) to help with safety. There was also a good bit about how, if someone vermicomposts the feces, the worms will get rid of the dangerous parasites, but no hard evidence. I also haven't found any study that definitely shows that using cold composting dog manure is dangerous in food gardens, but I think I'm going to take that last part for granted =)

If anyone has more information on how hot composting dog feces can be done safely, I'd love to read it! For now, I guess I'll stick to my kitchen-scraps-and-leftover-plant-matter compost. Hope this helps whomever else is interested.

~Cygnet

[1] The basic idea is that you make a compost tea in a bucket by tossing in the manure, some enzymes and sugar (for the bacteria to eat), and about a two inch cover of water, slap on the lid and let it cook. There's more to it (see the humanure project), but that's the gist of it.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

Vermicompost

mycovolution — Sun, 01 May 2005 02:27:10 GMT

This is in response to people needing something to do with their kitchen scraps. If you have only a small amount of waste from your kitchen piles are not the best solution and compost containers may be giving you poorly balanced compost. I make fresh veggie juice just about every day I put out about a pound of waste each day.

This is how I get rid of it:

I built a 1'x1'x3' foot wooden box out of redwood (to resist rot) I put little feet on it to keep it from being in direct contact with the ground (my back porch in this case) I drilled holes about every 3" in the bottom to allow excess moisture to drain. I placed window screen on all inside surfaces so the worms won't try to escape (they seem quite happy in there but I had about a pound of them escape with the second box I made and they made it into my bedroom and died on the floor. They did this because I neglected the following step: put down about 2-3" of top soil or compost in the box before you order your worms (very important to have there home ready for them.) You will also need a top I made one with hinges and put some handles on the side of the box for easy movement you can also put wheels on the bottom (nessesary for larger boxes if you want to move them). With the waste output I have I decided that 2 pounds of worms is appropriate since they consume on average 50% of their wieght in food per day.

btw: worm castings are very high in bacteria which is great for prairy plants like most veggies but not as good for forest shrubs and trees (they like a fungus based compost better) also worm castings have lots of nitrogen so your leafies will be leafier.

I have built a few different styles of box one was 2'x2'x4' and had sal bugs in it and a variety of other creepy crawlies but no red worms. Not vermicompost but it still works well. That is one of the benefits of using good fresh pile compost for your base. You really want a variety of organisms breaking down your food, but just worms works really well to.

Oh yeah, place the box in the shade.

Several sources for red worms can be found here http://www.recycleworks.org/compost/whereworms.html

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 2 replies

Insect Repellent

marijayne — Sat, 30 Apr 2005 18:12:44 GMT

There are so many different experiments you can do for different bugs. You don't want to harm them, you just want to make it so they understand that its your food, and even though they might take a littlke (which is ok) you don't want them to invite their 3 million other family members to the feast.

Chili pepper, like an oz. , w/6 cups of water, boiled down, let sit and cool
Add into a spray bottle

Fresh tobacco leaves, boiled down, oz., 6 cups of water, let sit and cool, add to spray bottle

You can plant geraniums, which help as a natural mosquito repellent. Anyway, those are the two that I use. Hope they work for you guys!

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 1 reply

Rock Dust

Dan The Neighbor — Fri, 29 Apr 2005 19:40:56 GMT

I just read a study about adding "rock dust" to over used soil to help reconditioning. The dust is a biproduct of rock quarrying. By adding the dust you are partially recreating some of the mineral dispersal from the ancient glacial flows. Microbes and organics bond with the rock dust.

All you need to do is add the dust to your arid soil.
Composting was the next major ingredient.

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 1 reply

compost

cooldawn — Sat, 30 Apr 2005 01:35:42 GMT

this is a compilation of what we discussed in the intro thread and some good info from one of the "grow organic" tribe members...

Compost does not stink provided you don't put ANY animal products in it. Also, animal products in your compost will attract mice and snakes. Compost is just a pile - no fancy equipment needed. You can build bins or make a cylinder out of chicken wire; spend $100 on a nifty compost tumbler...but at it's most basic, it is super simple. Decide where you want your pile, then start with a layer of grass clippings, leaves, mulch....even shredded newspaper/junk mail will do - anything biodegradable and dry. Keep a container next to your sink for kitchen waste (not meat or dairy) like an old coffee can - coffee grounds, banana peels, science experiments in the back of your fridge ... are all good compost stuff. Collecting kitchen waste is usually the hardest to remember - we are so used to just throwing stuff in the trash!

If you are anxious to use your compost then you need to turn it about once a week - otherwise, just keep dumping stuff on your pile...both wet and dry.

""some weeds will try to grow as is in the compost like morning glory weed (convulvulus), bermuda grass, blackberry, ivy, etc. with these guys, just leave them to dry in the sun for a week and then add to the compost. with weeds that have matured and have seeds, a hot pile can do the trick, but many seeds manage to get thru this process. if you want to be certain: fill a trash can with your weeds and then fill with water. let this sit for a week, but not much longer, as the 'weed tea' can get pretty stanky, then add to compost. turning compost every week is an important step for the aspiring composter, because this way you can monitor the moisture, heat, etc. when a compost pile is constructed carefully, turning so frequently is not necessary. for good compost make a layer cake style pile to a minimum size of one cubic meter, alternating layers of dry (carbon rich) materials, green materials (nitrogen rich) and garden soil (or finished compost), watering each layer as added. these three types of ingredients are in equal thirds by weight (approx). the soil acts as an inoculant and insulator. make the pile in the shade and water as you do a vegetable garden...
also, bottom of the pile usually does not get hot. the hottest region is usually about 2/3 up, well inside the pile... ""

by Kailash (grow organic tribe)
http://sanfrancisco.tribe.net/thread/07d6aa2f-c7da-4285-838d-7b3b81ea34ba?tribeid=991619e7-6cb2-4cde-b1cd-1fd0dc916dec&r=10535
the whole thread has good info, btw

posted in Sustainable Backyard Gardening - 0 replies

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