Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The Earthbox and Rooftop Gardening

After reading the recent Chicago Magazine Article Free Food (such a misnomer) I decided to research more about the information in the articles.  So here is my first look at one interesting piece I found in the article, Salad Days.  

Rooftop gardens are the perfect solution to the space issue that many urban dwellers face.  However, the problem some might face is exactly how do you start and what materials do you need.  Well in the article Russ Chetham, of Green Roof Growers, talks about a reusable planter called the Earthbox.  This ingenious planting box uses the properties of osmosis to transfer nutrients and water from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration.  

The water resivor at the botom of the planter ensures that the plants are watered to an appropriate amount.  As long as you keep the resivoir filled completely the plants can never be over watered nor under watered.  The plastic cover helps to prevent soil evaporation allowing water to be conserved and the plants to be watered less often than usual.    The cover should also prevent weeds and some pests from bothering your precious veggies as well.  

This planter would also be great for people who might only have a balcony, terrace, or people like myself who want to grow more food on their back patio.  Since I know that I will be wanting just a few more tomatoes to cook into sauce and then freeze for latter use.  

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