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Jungle Fever

This South Philly gardener goes vertical by scott orwig
Sometimes it’s easy to forget the simplest way to go green: plants. But for city dwellers whose outdoor space consists of a tiny concrete slab or rooftop deck, a lush, outdoor garden seems out of the question. There are plenty of easy ways to green up even

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1 min read
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Shoots & Ladders: Be the Bee

A guide to helping cucumbers and melons get their groove onby Char Vandermeer
If summer were a taste, it would surely be cucumber—or maybe muskmelon. They’re both little bursts of sunshine on the vine. While your planting space may be limited to a few pots or a tiny patch in a community garden, that doesn’t mean

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1 min read
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Gardening: Shoots & Ladders

Happy together: Companion planting can increase the yield and the health of your urban gardenby Char Vandermeer
It’s time to dust off those planters, rinse out the watering cans and get some dirt under your nails. If your garden looks anything like mine—a sea of containers atop a South Philly roof—then you’re constantly struggling to maximize

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1 min read
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Cover Story: Growth Industry

Nic Esposito and a new generation of urban activists are starting in the garden
Answering a question about his favorite things to grow is a challenge for Nic Esposito. After a few nods to his Italian heritage—eggplants, tomatoes—he settles on a response that speaks volumes about the work he is doing in his West Philadelphia community: “I love

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9 mins read
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Gardening Issue: Seed Money

When it comes to seeds, Kim Massare does the work for you 
A few years ago, frustrated by the lack of heirloom varieties available at local garden centers, South Philly gardener Kim Massare went on a seed catalogue shopping spree. She lit up her rowhouse’s basement with grow lights and brought down all those non-recyclable plastic containers she’d

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1 min read
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Dispatch: Growing Pains

My neighbor is standing at my back fence, looking at my ripening tomatoes. “I wanted to ask you something,” he says. “Every year, you work so hard to grow them. So why don’t you ever pick them?”
Hmmm… I was hoping nobody had noticed. 
I could tell him I’d been too busy. I could tell him it’s

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2 mins read
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Gardening Issue: Popular Mechanics

by Alli Katz

A local company forsakes peat
All gardeners use potting soil,” says mark Highland, president of Organic Mechanics. “Why not use a local product?” Founded in 2006, the company, located just outside of Coatesville, makes a variety of soils for every level of planter—from large organic farms to botanical gardens to recreational gardeners. 

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2 mins read
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Intersections: Flower Power

This year’s Philadelphia International Flower Show features several green exhibitions.
The 2010 Philadelphia International Flower Show will showcase not only beautiful flowers and horticultural achievements, but also innovative green projects. It’s fitting, since the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) funnels $1 million in Flower Show revenue into their Philadelphia Green urban revitalization program. Philadelphia

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1 min read
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Happy Cat Organics

A local seed company quietly amasses a tomato treasure troveHearing Happy Cat Organics’ Tim Mountz talk about tomatoes is enough to make any food-loving soul long for summer. Along with his wife Amy Bloom, Mountz has compiled a seed collection featuring 200 varieties of heirloom tomatoes. If that sounds like a lot, have no fear:

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2 mins read
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