DIY: Garden in a Glass

Guest blog by Daisy-Nelly Nji
 
If you are someone who’s always been interested in gardening but never had the space for it, this DIY project is for you. By building your own terrarium, you too can grow luscious plants in your office or home. The best part is you don’t need very many materials to start your garden and maintaining it is a breeze. Below are some simple instructions on how to get this garden for yourself.

Materials:

1 Clear Glass or Plastic Container

Pebbles

Potting Soil

Moss

Cacti/Succulents

Step 1: Place about an inch of pebbles at the bottom of the container

Step 2:  Add a light layer of moss on top of the pebbles (this will help keep the soil from settling into the pebbles)

Step 3: Add about 2-3 inches of potting soil on the top of the moss

Step 4: Remove the Cactus/Succulent from its container and plant it in the soil (depending on how big your container is you can plant and arrange numerous cacti as desired)

Step 5: Place the Succulent in direct sunlight and lightly water the base of the plant every two weeks as you notice that the soil dries out

Tip: Change the size of the container every year or so, in order to accommodate your plants growth. 

About the Author

Daisy-Nelly Nji is a senior journalism student at the University of Maryland. She is a multi-platform journalism major in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. This spring, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine.

This is a monthly guest blog series on DIY projects for the beginning home gardener. Look for the other installments in this DIY blog series by putting "DIY" in the search box here at washingtongardener.blogspot.com.
 

Local First Friday: Urban Farm Plans

Guest Blog by Seema Vithlani

Founded by brothers Eriks and Andrejs Brolis, Urban Farm Plans is a DC metro area green business that helps communities and individuals start and raise their own sustainable food systems. The team installs edible gardens and urban farms, provides consultations, and educates communities about sustainable agriculture, composting, and more. They also sell their wholesale designs, including hoop houses to extend harvest seasons, various compost systems, and raised beds for improved farm productivity.

The Brolis brothers began their own family farm in Washington, DC, in 2013, applying organic practices and permaculture principles. After noticing a great demand of people who wanted help cultivating their own farms and learning to build sustainable gardens, they began Urban Farm Plans nearly one year ago. 

 “We started growing our own food to prove to ourselves that we could nourish our families with the healthiest, most sustainable, nutrient dense food that was possible,” the Brolis brothers wrote. “Almost immediately, friends, neighbors, and others began to ask how we do what we do.”

Eriks Brolis said they hope to spend more time outside in gardens, after being caught up in paperwork from customers and media attention from first lady Michelle Obama’s recent visit to their business. 

“We get to live a lifestyle where we are able to share our passion for good food and healthy living,” said Eriks Brolis. “But I would truly say the best part about Urban Farm Plans is getting to help bring together an amazingly diverse cross-section of the city's population.”

About the Author 

Seema Vithlani is a junior multi-platform journalism major and French minor at the University of Maryland. This spring she is also an editorial intern for Washington Gardener Magazine.

"Local First Friday" is a weekly blog series profiling independent garden businesses in the greater Washington, DC, and Mid-Atlantic region. Washington Gardener Magazine believes strongly in supporting and sourcing from local businesses first!

Local First Friday: Cultivate the City

Guest Blog by Seema Vithlani

When constructing a 60-tower vertical garden system for J.O. Wilson Elementary School, Niraj Ray, founder of Cultivate the City, noticed a significant interest among homeowners, schools, and organizations in setting up vertical gardens.

He launched his business in April 2015 to meet these interests and to sell gardening supplies and produce from Cultivate the City’s own food system. So far, the group has worked with around 25 businesses and homeowners to design and install gardens. It also provides consultations and education services on planting and maintaining sustainable food systems.

Most notably, Cultivate the City’s latest project is H Street Farms, a nursery and retail garden center with greenhouses, cold storage, and green roof areas. Located in Washington, DC, the farm will offer plants and supplies and sell pesticide-free produce to nearby restaurants and through farmers’ markets. It will also feature the Vertical Edible Garden, set to open this spring.

“We’re really helping create an urban food system that doesn’t require help from outside sources,” said Ray.

He said the most challenging part about Cultivate the City is changing public perception that the gardens can’t produce enough food to make a difference.

In the next few weeks, Ray and his colleagues will begin working with Union Market to set up a rooftop garden and an edible garden at the front of the market. They will also continue to provide services to schools and individuals. 

About the Author 

Seema Vithlani is a junior multi-platform journalism major and French minor at the University of Maryland. This spring she is also an editorial intern for Washington Gardener Magazine.

"Local First Friday" is a weekly blog series profiling independent garden businesses in the greater Washington, DC, and Mid-Atlantic region. Washington Gardener Magazine believes strongly in supporting and sourcing from local businesses first!

DIY: Starter Pots

Guest blog by Daisy-Nelly Nji

These easy seed-starting pots can be made by the dozen and can be directly planted in soil after the seeds have sprouted as the paper rolls will decompose.

Materials: 

Empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls

Watering can

Seeds (we used cat grass)

Tray

Clear, plastic container

Soil-less seed-starting mix

 

Instructions:

Step 1: Fold the roll into a square. By first folding the roll in half one way. Then, folding it in half the other way.

Step 2: Cut the toilet paper roll in half. Fold the roll in half one way and make a 3/4-inch cut, then fold the roll in half the other way and make another 3/4 inch cut. You should have 4 cuts in total on the bottom of your roll. Repeat this step on the other roll.

Step 3: Fold the bottom flap down first, then fold the left flap down, overlapping the bottom flap, then fold the top flap down, overlapping the left flap. Now here's the tricky part. Fold the right flap under the bottom flap and over the top flap. This holds the pot together. Repeat this step on the other pots. 

Step 4: Fill the pot halfway with soil.

Step 5: Soak the soil with water. Then press out the excess water with your fingers.

Step 6: Add 2-3 seeds to each pot

Step 7: Add a tiny bit more soil to cover the seeds. 

Step 8: Place the pots on a tray and put a plastic bowl on top of the pots to seal in moisture.

Step 9: Put in a sunny window. Check on them daily. Watering the seed pots as needed. After about two weeks your plants should begin to sprout and grow. 

Step 10: Remove the plastic bowl and continue to care for the seedlings until they are ready to transplant to a bigger container or outdoors. Enjoy!

About the Author

Daisy-Nelly Nji is a senior journalism student at the University of Maryland. She is a multi-platform journalism major in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. This spring, she is an editorial intern at Washington Gardener Magazine.
 
This is the re-boot of our monthly blog series on DIY projects for the home gardener. Look for the other installments in this DIY blog series by putting "DIY" in the search box here at washingtongardener.blogspot.com.

Arugula: You Can Grow That!

Guest Blog by Joelle Lang

On September 30, the first day of my internship with the Washington Gardener Magazine, I was confronted with a difficult decision — what did I want to grow? As part of my internship, I was to plant something and monitor its growth over the course of the semester. While I can’t remember what my options of seeds were that day, I do remember that I chose to plant arugula because I use it at least four times a week in salads and was excited to be eating something I planted from scratch.

I planted the arugula seeds that day in editor Kathy Jentz’s community garden plot in the ground and in a raised pot. I planted two longs rows in both spots, sprinkling the seeds up and down, covering them with some soil, watering them with a little bit of water and hoping for the best. 

I checked on the seeds one week later on October 7 and was extremely happy to see that they actually began to sprout. The plant grew faster in the ground than in the pot. I held off on cutting them just yet, so they could grow a bit taller.

The next time I checked them on October 19, I was pleased again at the rate of their growth. Once again, I held off on cutting the plant, but I did nibble on some leaves and it was delicious!

I was finally able to cut leaves from my plants on November 2 because of the rapid rate at which it was growing. I did note that the container plants grew at a slower pace than the ones in planted directly in the soil. I made myself an amazing arugula salad for dinner and bragged about my green thumb to my friends and family.

I came back to cut the plants one week later and the plants in the soil had re-grown to an impressive height! I cut those down and enjoyed another salad and bragging session. However, the container-grown arugula continued to lag slightly behind.

I returned to my plants on November 18 to find that the container plants began to sprout dark purple leaves and tasted a little peppery.

After experiencing some rain and gloomy weather, I checked my plant again on December 14 for the last time and saw that the in-ground plants grew enough to make another nice salad and the container plant had also filled in — though they grew more slowly and showed purple and red leaves. I cut both sets of plants back and said a tearful goodbye. I will definitely plant arugula in the future because of how simple it was to care for and how leaves sprouted and re-grew so quickly.

About the Author 

Joelle Lang, a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park, is a multi-platform journalism student in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. This past autumn, she was also an editorial intern for Washington Gardener Magazine.

All who are involved with You Can Grow That! (YCGT!) believe that plants and gardening enhance our quality of life. We want people to be successful with what they grow and to become more aware of the many gifts that horticulture brings. Find out more at http://www.youcangrowthat.com/.