Organic, textural and highly ornamental, cabbage is an ideal crop to plant in your garden during those fall and winter months when falling leaves can be the only color abundant in the garden.

Planting rows of the cabbage was a great solution for my own raised veggie bed (below), which is very challenging to maintain this time of year. I long for pumpkins but we never seem to get them going in time.

A garden designer friend suggested the purple, low-water use option of the Cruciferea family (from the same family as cauliflower, broccoli, kale, collards and Brussels Sprouts) as a way to fill in the blank bed.

I love how they look, rather modern and clean as a design feature, plus, they actually like living in my San Francisco yard (not one has complained about the morning fog).

As a cool season crop with color that can be enhanced by cold weather, they can tolerate chillier temperatures of nearly 32 degrees, according to Vegetable Garden Suite 101. You can keep them as a lovely design feature, or cook them in a variety of dishes, from savory soups to simple steamed side dishes and  wonderful, healthy slaws.

Still, many prefer ornamental cabbage and kale as low water use plants rather than food, finding other members of the family of plants are much more tasty as food crops.

Apparently, the cabbage originated as a wild crop along the Mediterranean and Western Europe where it was used medicinally, and was one of the first Cruciferea crops to be domesticated some 2,000 years ago. Part of the popularity is the fact ornamental varieties need virtually no maintenance.

There are many sites for buying the flowering cabbage seeds, including Park Seed and  Neseed, or you can find them at a local nursery that deals in organic plants.

Park Seed recommends starting the seeds indoors and covering them very lightly before transplanting when the leaves begin to shoot.  The color evolves around 3 1/2 months from sowing to form a rosette of colorful leaves with cream rose, pink and purple shades, 10 inches high and 12 inches wide. To dig up hints and growing rich and ruffly cabbage as borders or in containers, visit Garden Blaze.

Tell them Peter Rabbit sent you!

Main Image: Raelene G

Image One: Luanne Bradley

Image Two: Garden Blaze

Call it a succulent message in a bottle: terrariums that capsulize nature’s beauty and grace without requiring high maintenance and daily watering to thrive. You probably have the ideal vessel stashed some place with your vases. Get inspired and grow!

Pictured above: A Carnivorous Plant Terrarium from Apartment Therapy is showcasing a Pitcher Plant, which is rumored to feast on flies.

This Etsy Moss Terrarium, described as the “instant boyfriend” is simple to care for, involving  a glass container that measures approximately 2″ x 3.5″ and includes moss, soil, charcoal and river rocks. And keep in indirect sunlight and lightly water every 2-3 weeks to keep it alive. The figures have tiny stakes which allow them to be repositioned.

This lovely jug Air Plant Terrarium found at Apartment Therapy was made using a  favorite pitcher filled with sand and an airplant.

Another orb with object, this fish bowl terrarium from Inhabitat is lovingly layered with pebbles, charcoal, fern, sphagmum moss and other plants. So deer!

Busy? Zip through the DIY process and order this Recycled Glass Pear Terrarium from our friends at VivaTerra. It  arrives with sand and four delicately hued air plants requiring minimal maintenance to thrive. You can easily design your own exquisite miniature desert landscape or order the pear on its own and brainstorm your own composition.

The collapse of the economy has had a curious effect on our culture. Shuttered chain stores and denuded neighborhoods have made us realize how unstable and unsustainable a society predicated on constant growth and fueled by the twin demon drugs of easy credit and cheap consumer goods can be. When the Circuit Cities go away and the lesser Starbucks close, we realize we didn’t really need them anyway.

All over the country, people are reconnecting with their communities, saving money, working cooperatively, bartering and living a less consumption-dominated life. People are realizing the joy of self-sufficiency and the beauty of taking care of one another instead of just ourselves. There are so many payoffs to living this way. It’s cheaper, it’s more meaningful and it’s easier on the planet.

The evidence of this movement is everywhere:

There’s the Slow Money Movement, which promotes an economy based on preservation and restoration rather than extraction and consumption.

Community gardens are on the rise. A National Gardening Association study indicates about one million American households have community garden plots and an additional five million say they would like to acquire one. The rise in community gardens has sparked a move by US Representative Jay Inslee of Washington State to propose a community garden grant proposal from the USDA. August has just been named Community Gardening Awareness Month. There are free farmstands, foraging movements and community canning projects springing up all over the country.

And this movement isn’t just about food. There’s the Buy Handmade Pledge, Really Really Free Exchanges, online bartering groups, DIY Bike Kitchens in San Francisco, Bozeman, Sacramento and LA, community acupuncture networks all over the country and even events that simply aim to take back public space such as Park(ing) Days and San Francisco’s Sunday Streets program.

At the same time, corporations are doing their market research and finding out what people care about right now, and they’re trying to get in on the action.

According to a Hartman Group Survey from 2008, 52% of consumers polled said it was important for them to buy local goods whenever possible. The report also found that the desire for “local” products wasn’t just about freshness but also about a return to simplicity, handcrafted production and the ability to match a product with a place or face.

Another survey shows an alarming lack of trust in corporations. A survey this year by IBM found that fewer than 20% of adult grocery shoppers indicate that they trust food companies to develop and sell food products that are safe and healthy. It’s no wonder people are starting to take matters into their own hands.

I suppose you can’t blame the corporations for trying to muscle in on the action. They wouldn’t be very successful companies if they didn’t. But a look at some of the latest marketing campaigns leaves me scratching my head. Corporate efforts at co-opting this movement are often clumsy at best. I wonder if they’re as off-putting to others as they are to me.

1.  My “favorite” recent action was by Starbucks.

After putting its less well-capitalized and often more quirkily authentic brethren out of business, sucking the soul out of the neighborhood coffee house, and commoditizing coffee to the point where consumers couldn’t see the difference between a $4.00 latte at Starbucks and a $2.00 latte from McDonalds, Starbucks was hurting. The company’s latest strategy involves “Unbranding” a few select stores by taking away the Starbuck’s look and logo and instead naming the stores after the neighborhoods that surround them. They are also sending spotters into independently owned shops and copying the look and feel, as well as sourcing the décor items locally. If it works, they’ll roll it out all over the country. Oh Goody. This one makes me want to choke on my home-brewed, fair trade, organic blend.

2. Another good one that got a lot more media attention was Lay’s Chips local campaign.

According to the company website, the campaign is meant to put a spotlight on potato farmers from California, Florida, Maine, Michigan and Texas that grow potatoes used in Lay’s Potato Chips. The theme line is “Happiness is Simple,” designed to “uniquely celebrate the brand, its place in Americana and role in bringing people together for life’s simple pleasures.” The campaign highlighted the simplicity of Lay’s Classic Potato Chips in a day and age where consumers are looking to keep things less complex. I don’t know if this would fly if the campaign showed the complicated machinery that harvests, transports, processes, packages and distributes the potatoes that makes those chips. I’ve got a simple idea: buy some potatoes from your local farmers’ market and roast them in olive oil at 400 degrees until brown and crisp. Save a few, cut them, dry them and stick them in the ground. Mound the dirt up around them. A few months later, you can dig up your own potatoes. I can tell you from experience that this works.

3. Then there’s the Eat Real, Eat Local campaign Hellman’s mayonnaise rolled out in Canada.

The campaign touts the fact that the eggs and canola oil used in the mayonnaise come from Canada. That’s all well and good, but it’s a processed food made from commodity crops, in factories, in a very very large country called Canada by a multinational company that also owns Lipton, Knorr, and personal care products Dove, Lux, and let’s not forget everyone’s favorite petroleum-based moisturizer, Vaseline. Come on.

4. Barnes & Noble has put together a video blog featuring “local booksellers” from all over the country.

Barnes and Noble Booksellers. Because as the site says, “All Bookselling is Local.” Really? I don’t think so. I’m all for promoting reading, but it would be nice if communities had the choice to shop at bookstores owned by people who live in their communities, spend money in their communities, feature local authors from that community and stock books of local interest. Now that’s local bookselling.

5. Whole Foods, Interloper?

Whole Foods has long touted its sales of local produce and the chain does do more than most of its competitors to support local farms. But it does something else that I find too slick by half. When it opens a new store in a new community, the store designers add touches of local color through themed displays, historical photos of the town or area, and murals.  Though it’s nice if they do hire local artists to create materials and I’m sure they sometimes do, and it no doubt makes for a pleasant shopping experience for the locals, to me it feels like a disingenuous way of establishing itself as part of the community and as an entity that has a history in the town, when it really isn’t and doesn’t.

6. Shop the local…box store.

Speaking of national chains masquerading as local stores, here’s a great article that details how shopping centers all over the country are rolling out “shop local” campaigns even though the stores in the shopping center are anything but local. Think Lowe’s, Wal-Mart, Target and other big boxes.

7. Localwashing

While we’re on the subject of Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart and other chains are increasingly highlighting locally-grown produce with big, hit-you-over-the head signage. But as this article details, much of the produce the signs highlight is anything but local, prompting a new word to be coined this spring: local washing.

All of these examples, like the fashion industry’s co-option of hip hop style, and the record companies’ mass marketing and replication of any fresh voice that comes along, are just part of living in a capitalist society. It can feel crushing sometimes. Looked at positively, it keeps us nimble, creative and active, in an effort to stay one step ahead of the marketers. Because once people get a taste of what it’s like to have something conceived of, built and shared among individuals – once we start to feel like humans, not just consumers – there’s no going back. It’s what keeps us innovative and what may ultimately save us.

Images: Ben Cumming, ginnerobot, grilled cheese, That Other Paper, elliottcable, fab4chiky

Say that six times fast, and then find your favorite pair of gardening gloves and let’s play with dirt. These pots are worthy of plenty of playtime.

Whether you want to grow your green indoors or out, the metal spun recycled aluminum Pod by PAD is the perfect planter. It’s sturdy, lightweight and powder coated in a choice of six sexy colors. (Say that six…never mind).

The Pod comes in two simple styles (both 16” D x 10” H). And if your space calls for it, choose one of the steel stands (15” or 22” high) for a layered effect. There’s something seriously eye-catching about these planters.

The Pod was officially unveiled at the Dwell on Design show in Los Angeles last weekend. It’s available to purchase at A + R (online or in the Venice showroom) for $156. The stands are $105 and $110.

I’ve never really thought of planting as playtime, but suddenly I’m feeling inspired.

via Josh Spear

Whether you’re looking to improve your home’s curb appeal, or to master a tomato and basil salad, testing your garden soil before planting is a wise, and low-cost investment.

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides useful, practical and research-based information to interested parties from agricultural producers to home gardeners on subjects such as lawn care, home canning, financial management, frost dates, soil testing and weeds.

Contact your local office and test your soil’s pH, nutrient level, and soil type. Some adjustments now could make the difference in your growing season.

Image: Sir Mervs

Could it be that astronauts of the future will be able to eat fresh and green while on the moon?

Sounds improbable, but US scientists involved in creating the first moon “greenhouse” think it”˜s possible. Paragon, an Arizona-based company, has been working with NASA and Odyssey Moon Ltd (the first contender in the Google Lunar X Prize) to create the “lunar oasis” – a miniature greenhouse for the moon.

This sealed bell jar-shaped greenhouse, encased in a 1.5 foot tall triangular aluminum frame, has been designed to land safely and remain intact on the lunar surface.

Plans are afoot to have the “lunar oasis” launched into space by Odyssey Moon, thus allowing for plant growth experiments to be conducted. Growing plants from seeds on the moon is a significant step forward in looking at life beyond planet earth.

Images: joiseyshowaa, onorbit

Looking for a comprehensive resource to guide you through spring gardening? Just in time for prime planting season, Better Homes and Gardens recently enhanced their Plant Encyclopedia, and searching this extensive database has never been easier.

Now, you can determine which plants are best for your garden based on climate and how much sunlight they require to flourish. Plus, you can discover which perennials, annuals, fruits, vegetables, herbs, bulbs, shrubs, trees, roses, vines, houseplants and water plants are most popular among avid gardeners. Under each specific listing, you’ll find helpful slide shows and links to garden plans. So, if you’re in need of some cultivation motivation, look no further than BHG’s upgraded Plant Encyclopedia.

Image: fabbio

Gardening is hot, hot, hot. And why not? Planting a few seeds on your deck or in your backyard yields delicious, organic results – and money savings, too. Besides, April is National Gardening Month! You know the basics of how to start your own vegetable garden, but where do you go from here? Here are some crops that even the least green thumbed among you can tackle, and tips on how to make them flourish.

Tomato

Originating in South America, this plump red herbaceous perennial is rich in nutrients like niacin, potassium and phosphorous, antioxidants like lycopene, anthocyanin and carotene, and vitamins A, C and E. Tomatoes can add a juicy shot of flavor to a variety of dishes, such as salads, sandwiches and pasta.

After the last frost of winter has thawed, pick a spot in your yard that receives ample sunlight and test the soil’s pH level – you want between 6 and 7. (To increase the Ph level, add lime. To decrease it, add sulfur.) Spread compost over this area and mix it with the soil. Dig a hole for each seed, leaving at least a foot in between for growth, cover them and firmly pat down the soil. Water them with a spray bottle a couple times per week.

Radish

Existing in shades of red, purple and white, these root vegetables were first cultivated thousands of years ago in Europe. Radishes are a great source of potassium, folic acid, magnesium and calcium, and are commonly used in salad dressings or as a garnish for salads.

Radishes thrive in soil with a pH level of around 6 or 7. Till a sunny patch in your garden and plant the seeds ½ inch below the soil’s surface with one inch of space between each. Water them lightly every couple days. Radishes are fast growers and should be ready to pull in several weeks. Don’t wait too long, or they’ll begin to deteriorate.

Zucchini

In the late 1800s, spontaneous mutations of summer squashes yielded the first zucchini in Italy. Typically shaped like a cucumber, this yellow or green vegetable is low in calories and chop full of potassium, folate and manganese. Zucchini can be boiled, fried or steamed as a tasty side or stuffed and baked as a delectable entrée.

In a mound of composted soil a foot high and a couple feet wide, sow several zucchini seeds. Space each mound approximately 3 feet apart, water them heavily every other day and wait for them to sprout in a couple weeks. They should be ready to harvest about a month later.

Beet

Evolving from wild plants in the Mediterranean, the beet, or beetroot, has a fleshy root that can be boiled and eaten plain, tossed in a salad or used to make borscht. Betaine, one of the primary nutrients in this deep red or purple vegetable, is known to improve cardiovascular health.

Clean and strengthen the seeds by soaking them in water at room temperature for a day. Plow the soil and remove any stones from the top 3 feet. Plant each seed 2 inches apart and water them at least once every day.

Carrot

This biennial root vegetable was first domesticated during the 10th century in modern-day Afghanistan. Rich in vitamin A, antioxidants and dietary fiber, the carrot’s orange color is a result of the carotene it synthesizes when growing. Carrots are equally delicious as a healthy snack, in a side of steamed vegetables or even baked into a cake.

Leaving several inches in between holes, dig less than an inch deep and plant a couple of seeds in each. Make sure that the soil stays moist but remember to water the carrots less as they begin to reach maturity.

Spinach

Early forms of this annual flowering plant were first found in the ancient world on the Indian subcontinent. High in both iron and calcium, this green leafy vegetable is eaten plain, cooked in a quiche, used as a pizza topping and made into a chip dip.

Turn over the soil with compost and plant seeds less than an inch deep, placing them at least 2 inches apart to give room for growth. Sow the soil a couple more times in the first month and keep this area well-watered.

Peas

Dating back to the Neolithic Age in Jordan, Syria and Turkey, peas grow in the seed-pod of a legume. A good source of vitamins A, B and C, these small green spheres can be roasted for a tasty snack or thrown into stir-fries, casseroles and soups.

Cultivate the soil with nutrient-rich compost. Keep in mind that your soil must drain well in order for peas for flourish. Space each seed several inches apart and sow them one inch deep. Freshly planted seeds require ½ inch of water every week, while more mature plants need a full inch.

Pepper

Native to Central and South America, these green, yellow, red or orange vegetables range in flavor from spicy to sweet. Containing nutrients like thiamin, folate and manganese, peppers can be stuffed with rice and meat or give salads, salsa and pasta a zesty kick.

Till the soil with both compost and Epsom salts, which will make it rich in magnesium to help the peppers develop healthily. Since they grow best in warm soil, sow the seeds a foot or more apart in raised beds. Water them frequently, keeping the soil moist, or they may taste bitter once harvested.

Lettuce

Enjoyed in ancient Egypt as an aphrodisiac, lettuce is a good source of folic acid and vitamin A. Used as the primary ingredient in most salads, this green leaf vegetable, of which there are dozens of common varieties, can also be stuffed with various ingredients to make a lettuce wrap or top sandwiches, hamburgers and tacos.

When cultivating the soil with nutrient-rich compost, break up any chunks and remove debris. Make sure that seeds are planted between 8 and 16 inches apart and water them every morning. Avoid doing so at night because this could cause disease.

Onion

Archaeologists have traced the first known onions back to the Bronze Age in early Palestinian settlements. Rich in dietary fiber, folate and vitamin C, these bulb-shaped vegetables add flavor to an assortment of foods, like dips, soups, salads, casseroles and much more.

Plow the soil a foot deep and get rid of debris. Use parasitic nematodes to prevent maggots and cutworms from destroying the crop. Plant the seeds a couple centimeters deep and several inches apart. Weed this area frequently but gently and provide them with about an inch of water every week.

P.S. Bring out that green thumb with the complete guide to composting and tips for healthy soil.

Images: Ron1478, Manjith Kainickara, clayirving, whitneybee, Nikki L., colorline, ms.Tea, Mzelle Biscotte, John of Austin, bcballard, Darwin Bell

Source: wikipedia

Raise your hand if you a) lack a green thumb, b) care about the environment, c) care about your environment or, d) all of the above. Congratulations! You’re the perfect candidate for xeriscaping.

As a desert dweller, I know firsthand that this eco-friendly method of gardening conserves water, requires minimal upkeep, significantly reduces your water bills and yields stunning greenery and flowers. But, you don’t have to live in an arid region to get into this low maintenance style of gardening. To get you started, here’s a list of the best plants for xeriscaping.

Succulents

Equipped to survive even the driest climates, succulents can retain water and survive dry spells (and forgetful gardeners). Plus, there are hundreds of varieties to choose from.

Lavender

This fragrant flowering plant is popular among amateur gardeners and can grow in a variety of soils.

Tillandsia

More commonly known as air plants, tillandsias don’t even need soil to grow. Instead of receiving sustenance through the roots, their leaves absorb essential nutrients and water.

Fairy Duster

Due to a slow growth rate, these drought-resistant shrubs rarely need to be pruned.

Purple Sage

This low-maintenance perennial releases a sweet aroma when its beautiful buds bloom.

Oleander

Able to flourish in poor soil with little water, these plants produce flowers in an assortment of brilliant colors like red, white, yellow and pink.

Red Bird of Paradise

This flowering shrub thrives in warm shades of red, yellow and orange when exposed to ample sunlight.

Lantana

Since this vining shrub grows rapidly, it’s best used as a ground cover or hanging plant.

California Poppy

The state’s official flower, the California poppy is self-seeding and nyctinastic.

Bougainvillea

Bougainvilleas flower from season to season in vibrant hues like orange, yellow, pink, red, purple and white.

Images: Anika Malone, ILoveButter, eutima, cliff1066, ClatieK, Bill & Mavis, James Gagen, bbjee, jalalspages, The County Clerk

I’d like to say that Michelle Obama is one smart lady. She’s doing something that many of us garden-loving idealists have been wanting for a long time: planting a White House veggie garden. Not since Eleanor Roosevelt’s WWII Victory Garden has there been such extensive planting at the White House.

Visible from E Street, an 1,100 square foot piece of south-facing lawn is being filled with raised beds and will be planted with 55 varieties of vegetables, berries and herbs, with surplus to be donated to a nearby soup kitchen. Michelle Obama said that feeding her own children was what inspired her to start a garden, as they have been more curious about trying new fruits and veggies if they’ve seen where they’ve been grown or met the actual farmers.

Of course the fresh, local produce will be greatly enjoyed by the First Family and the White House staff, but this garden will have eco-educational value as well; the highly visible White House garden’s soil will be amended with kitchen compost, crab meal and other natural fertilizers, and will use beneficial insects for pest control. Obviously our First Lady doesn’t want her kids eating petroleum-based fertilizers or chemical pesticides any more than you do!

This action shows the Obamas literally putting their walk where their talk is, and, dare I say it, it’s (eco) change we can believe in.

Source: NYTimes

Image: Treehugger