April 22, 2012

Happy Earth Day!

It's pretty rainy here, but I thought I'd put together a list of fun Earth friendly tutorials and websites! I can't wait to get started on the garden this year. I am scaling down this year. I am only going to grow herbs, a few tomato plants and leeks. Andy is going to grow a few tomatoes and corn in his garden. Neither of us have tried corn before but it should be fun. 

 Tutorials:

-Make Your Own Seed Bombs- This tutorial uses newspaper to make biodegradable seed "tokens." I'm thinking that this would be a really neat thing to use to trade heirloom seeds for herbs with friends.
-Vertical Gardens- Vertical gardening mixed with aquaponics. Garden inspiration to save space.
-Birdseed Wreath- Tutorial for a very cool wreath made from birdseed, gelatin and corn syrup.   
-Pea Trellis- Make a simple plant trellis with string and sticks. This website has a lot of garden projects and recipes. 
-12 Vertical Gardens- Very creative gardens, designed to save garden space.

Websites:

-Urban Homesteading: Heirloom skills for sustainable living
. This is the website and blog of the author of the book "Urban Homesteading." There is lots of useful information here, even if you don't buy her book.
-Growing Tomatoes- This website has a lot of good information on growing tomatoes. I have never had a lot of luck with tomatoes but this site is really helpful.    
-The Good Acre: Surviving Hard Times With a Family Garden: An account of victory gardens during WWII.
- Aspiring Homemaker- If you haven't been over to Mia's blog, her family is a homesteading inspiration.

Does anyone have any favorite websites, tutorials, or books on gardening, homesteading, self-sufficiency etc.? Please share!

6 comments:

  1. Weren't we going to make a "seed bomb" for my neighbor's yard? ;)

    I really like some of those vertical gardens. I like the soda bottles and the one in the pouches. Those are some really neat ideas. :D

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    Replies
    1. I'm not sure that's the same kind of seed bomb. :D

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    2. Speaking of "seed bombs" i remember an issue of Popular Science from back when I was in high school. It was about an agressive re-forestation tactic to help fix the wildfire damage in national parks by basically 'carpet bombing' the devastated areas with millions of "Seed bombs" dropped from cargo airplanes.

      Their idea of a "seed bomb" was apparently a spear-shaped container made of this biodegradable plastic with a pine tree sapling, a few ounces of water and a nutrient capsule, meant to penetrate point first deep into the ground and break down, letting the sapling take root and start growing over a few months. One C-130 plane could carry enough bombs to cover hundreds of acres.

      I think it was a cool idea. Not all of the PopSci ideas were nearly as practical. They decided scattering seeds by helicopter wouldn't work because too many of the seeds might get blown off course and end up on the roofs of houses in suburban neighborhoods or at the bottom of a lake :)

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