Piet Oudolf’s Enhanced Nature

May 13, 2013

...ng plantings for weeds. Kelly and I also debated how much this book can be used to understand small residential spaces–I found the ideas helpful, but most of the photographs are of large public gardens. And the plant lists are of no help for those of us in Mediterranean or tropical climates. Oudolf’s garden in Hummelo, the Netherlands. Conclusion But these are minor criticisms–Planting is provocative and practical, with far ranging implications ab...

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Power to the Peoplemover, a Zine About Riding the Bus

Mr. Homegrown

May 15, 2013

Thoughtstylings, Transportation

4 Comments

...chedule (where Mike and I lived at the time). We would sneak copies on to buses we rode and put them on the racks that held the official schedules. Power to the Peoplemover bus bench on Park Avenue in San Diego. We also collaborated on this PPM bus bench that was part of a UCSD Art Department show. The bus bench contained stories and cartoons related to riding the bus–in effect, it was another issue of PPM. I used to wait at this bus stop myself a...

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Biochar: Miracle or Gimmick?

Mr. Homegrown

May 17, 2013

Gardening, Vegetable Gardening

12 Comments

...a lush vegetable garden. One such substance is biochar, a kind of charcoal used as a soil amendment. The University of Minnesota Extension service is in the midst of a four year study to test the use of biochar in vegetable gardens. Preliminary results (which you can read here) show benefit for some crops such as kale, but a decrease in growth for others such as asparagus. The more we learn about biochar, the more we need to learn. From an overall...

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Film Industry Comprimises Safety of Cyclists

Mr. Homegrown

June 21, 2013

Bikes, Thoughtstylings, Transportation

24 Comments

...o as part of a pilot project to test this type of highly visible bike lane used in other cities such as New York and Chicago. Film industry groups complained from the very beginning, claiming that the lanes screwed up their shots. The lanes, however, were popular with local businesses, the Downtown Neighborhood Council and residents. And a bike count conducted by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition showed an overall 52% increase in bike traff...

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My New Drug Dealer Phone

Mr. Homegrown

July 9, 2013

Thoughtstylings

54 Comments

...one 440. It bears a striking resemblance to: Pay as you go flip phones are used only by old dudes, drug dealers, terrorists and old dude sustainability bloggers. For the young folks out there let me explain how the flip phone works. Say I’m at Home Depot looking for just the right drip irrigation fitting but forgot to write down how many I need. I “flip” it open and place a call to Kelly: At home she picks up the signal on our “land line”: There’s...

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