My Global Garden » Roof Gardens http://www.myglobalgarden.com/blog The Global Gardening Blog and Social Network Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:10:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 Grow your Own Tomatoes http://www.myglobalgarden.com/blog/grow-your-own-tomatoes http://www.myglobalgarden.com/blog/grow-your-own-tomatoes#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:18:04 +0000 Debbie http://www.myglobalgarden.com/blog/?p=9670 This is a great year for tomatoes. I am busy harvesting a bumper crop from my little space in The Village Allotment on the South Coast.

Green or red - it doesn’t matter what colour - they all go to making chutneys, salsas, sauce or are eaten in delicious home grown salads.

Anyone can grow tomatoes - just follow a few simple steps  http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/digin/vegetables/tomato.shtml

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Harvesting fresh produce is a unique experience that literally brings home the importance and value of   sourcing quality produce that will keep you and the planet healthy.

This can be challenging for people living in cities but in London more initiatives are sprouting every day.Like this supermarket in Crouch End, north London which has transformed its roof into an organic vegetable garden.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10424392

The situation is more developed in the US where rooftop gardening is  big business.This amusing video about a tale of two tomatoes makes you think about the future possibilities for home grown food in cities.http://www.cityscapefarms.com/videos/

]]> http://www.myglobalgarden.com/blog/grow-your-own-tomatoes/feed Hanging city gardens reduce food imports http://www.myglobalgarden.com/blog/hanging-city-gardens-reduce-food-imports http://www.myglobalgarden.com/blog/hanging-city-gardens-reduce-food-imports#comments Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:52:16 +0000 Debbie http://www.myglobalgarden.com/blog/?p=4343 The European Environment Agency is considering Europe-wide building regulations that would encourage developers to include “vertical allotments” in their designs. Walls, balconies and roofs would be used to cultivate fruit and vegetables, reducing the need to bring food from the countryside.

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With 80% of people living in towns in the UK and 23% of each person’s carbon footprint coming from the production of food and its transport, this idea would solve some big environmental issues. It is estimated that a 30 storey vertical farm could feed 50,000 people which means that 150 vertical farms could  feed the whole of London. Add to this the fact that 80% of London’s food is imported and the potential gains look extremely attractive.

Higher temperatures in  cities caused by concrete and tarmac absorbing heat and releasing it slowly, provide a longer growing season and improved yield.Rainwater could be harvested on roofs and networks of pipes would  allow the water to drip through to each level, irrigating crops and removing the need for high water bills - this system would actually use 5% of the amount of water needed for a conventional farm.

Currently 50% of the world’s population lives in towns and cities but by 2050 this is estimated to rise to around 80% - the Hanging Gardens of Babylon could see a global revival.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6676809.ece

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