Roof Top Gardens flourish from Hong Kong to Philly

Green roofs are springing up from Hong Kong to Philadelphia as more and more cities and communities realize the benefits green roofs provide for people and the environment.

From growing edibles to planting colorful perennials and natives that attract beneficial wildlife, green roofs provide a relaxing escape from the noise and pollution of city life. As an added benefit, roof top gardens reduce rainwater runoff that contributes to flooding and pollution, and help cool buildings by absorbing heat.

With so much to offer, even big corporations like Philadelphia based PECO Energy have jumped on the green roof bandwagon.

They partnered with  PHS (Pennsylvania Horticulture Society), known for the prestigious Philadelphia International Flower Show, to design and maintain PECO's 45,000 square foot green roof  perched eight stories high above the crowded streets.

PHS provides plans, plants and maintenance, and conducts walking tours where visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the city along with areas that feature large planters filled with a variety of native grasses and perennials.

This fits nicely with PHS's green initiatives to educate and grow stronger communities by supporting urban farming and community gardens, restoring vacant land, planting trees and more.

Around the world, rooftop farms are springing up on top of skyscrapers like in Hong Kong, where urban dwellers of the modern asphalt jungle grow fresh fruit, veggies and herbs for better health and wellness and the incomparable fresh taste of homegrown food.

From walking tours to a peaceful escape from a harried day, nothing beats the simple pleasure of enjoying Mother Nature where green meets blue.

Let us know if your city is planning to add rooftop gardens and if not, why not? Cost to build and maintain? Or not enough interest?

Lynne
Garden Media Group
photos credits: NYC Rockefeller Center rooftop gardens by David Shankbone, Wikipedia Commons

Foraging for pawpaws and easy pickins'

Every summer, I remember my grandmother singing a folk song to my sister and me as she baked homemade cornbread and cooked grits, as we gathered around her homespun apron in her Carolina farmhouse.

It goes something like.. "Picking up paw paws puttin in your pocket... way down yonder in the paw paw patch..."  We sang with gusto but never actually tasted a paw paw!

Today, this indigenous fruit (and a favorite of Thomas Jefferson) is making a slow but steady comeback. It's rich in antioxidants and other nutrients and can be used in multiple recipes.

The pawpaw (Asiminia triloba) fruit has a tropical flavor that resembles a mix of banana, mango and pineapple (depending on your discriminating palette) with a creamy, custard-like texture similar to an avocado and a thickish skin. 

For those intrepid foragers, wild paw paws are smaller than the new cultivated varieties. You probably won't find them at grocery stores (yet) and may have to wait for these seasonal fruit to appear at select farmers markets, generally in September.

Thanks to Kentucky State University, pawpaw research is under way for developing orchard management, conducting regional trials, and improving propagation methods.

For those who prefer to forage in their own backyard, berries and small fruit trees are the ticket. From blueberries and raspberries to small citrus trees in containers, new cultivars are making it easier for all of us to enjoy fruit and berries (and pawpaws) too!

Just wish I knew all the words to that paw paw song...

Lynne
Garden Media Group
Photo credit: Dr. Kirk Pomper, Kentucky State University
Tigersandstrawberries.com

A town wraps its arms around edibles

Once upon a time, not so long ago, a small Victorian mill town in England united over gardening, and hasn't looked back.

Todmorden, in West Yorkshire, has experienced a food renaissance of sorts. Um, not the kind that attracts foodies and gourmands, but the type that is a quiet revolution of trust, sharing, and uniting around a common goal... food sharing.

Over coffee, Mary Clear, a grandmother of ten and co-founder of Incredible Edible, and Pam Warhurst, the former owner of the town's Bear Cafe decided to help educate the residents (and the world) about growing food - with a twist - and stimulating the economy.

The goal? To make Todmorden the first town in the country that is self-sufficient in food.

Town residents grow edibles in raised beds on the canal towpath, on their lawns, and throughout the 70 large beds around town. And get this... the bounty of veggies, berries and fruit is FREE for the taking.

Locals are encouraged to linger over a sprig of your neighbor's thyme, or appreciate the size of beans and peas, experience the mouth-watering juiciness of an heirloom tomato, and pause to chat with neighbors over recipes for currants, as they commune over the pleasurable satisfaction of growing food and sharing slices of life.

Thievery? Nonsense, say the founders. Everyone shares with glee. "We trust people. We truly believe -- we are witness to it -- that people are decent," says Mary. What a concept.

The "gentle revolution" as she coins it seems to be working. Today, hundreds in the town are growing and sharing communally, even planting sweeps of herbs at railroad stations. Young and old are side-by-side, passing secrets about pickling, canning and preserving - even bread making.

And local business is "growing" as well. The Bear now sources all of it's ingredients from farmers within 30 miles. And their local school is setting up a fish farm to teach the young new skills and offer locals access to fresh food.

Brigadoon? Perhaps. But 21 other towns throughout the U.K. are onboard and interest from Canada to Hong Kong have perhaps sparked a "quiet revolution." 

'Once upon a time'  may indeed be here and now.

Share what you think of this novel concept. We'd love to learn if your town is considering this concept, or wants to stamp it with its own unique brand of sharing the love.

~Lynne
 Garden Media Group
photos: Mary's garden and Debbie's garden (Incredible Edible)

Stamp out ugly, nasty stink bugs!

Stink Bugs. Those ugly, nasty, prehistoric-looking, shield shape insects that look like they should have a starring role in a SciFi movie of Stink Bug Zombies are creating havoc on crops and home landscapes and gardens.

They first appeared in Allentown, PA in 1998 (from Asia) and are reported in 33 states and spreading from coast-to-coast. Those of you in the "Red Zone" states: PA, DE, NJ, MD, VA and W.VA can look for the RESCUE! Stink Bug Traps in independent garden centers and major retail stores. To find a retailer near you, just click on RESCUE'S store finder:

To make matters worse, stink bugs are professional hitchhikers. So, it's only a matter of time before they come to an area near you. Eek!

Now, many of you may be saying to yourself: "Hey, I don't see any of these garden wreckers in my home - so where are they?"

They're in fields, yards and gardens, eating your plants and mating. The adult female lays eggs in masses generally on the underside of leaves, that hatch into nymphs. These baby eating machines don't have wings yet- and have only one focus: Eat plants.

And get this: Depending on the climate, warm spring and summer conditions can allow for up to two-three generations or more. The population can explode exponentially.

What is the food du jour these disgusting insects prefer? Um... everything from edible shrubs and trees to veggies and fruit. Got tomatoes? Stink Bugs love 'em. Peppers, apples, peaches, pears, plums, berries, corn.. you get the picture.

Don't have a veggie garden or fruit trees and berry bushes? 'Stinky' is opportunistic and will go for your foliage -and even your beloved roses.

So, how do we stop these disgusting invaders? Homemade traps are iffy and pesticides can be toxic to the environment, pets and kids!

This may sound corny... but I have to say it... finally, there's a new all-natural trap in town that's been been tested and trialed at the USDA's Beltsville, MD facility - and it works. Yay! It's called the RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap from Sterling International that's the first and only serious solution for this wretched infestation.

Gardeners will love it because it works and controls stink bugs in the most environmentally responsible, effective and low-maintenance way possible.

The trap works outdoors to catch the adult and ravenous young stink bugs, naturally. It uses a patent-pending technology that slowly releases a pheromone that's odorless to humans but powerful enough to lure stink bugs from up to 30 feet.

Tomorrow's blog will be on proper RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap placement for success and much more. Meanwhile, send us photos of your stink bug "invasion" and your gardens. Good luck!

~Lynne GMG

Stink bug photo credit: Wikipedia
photo of RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap: Sterling International