Comments on: Eco Conservation Project Day 13 http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/eco-conversion-project-day-13/ Creating a more sustainable habitat Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:20:22 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Robert Sarkisian http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/eco-conversion-project-day-13/#comment-24 Robert Sarkisian Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:57:45 +0000 http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/?p=415#comment-24 I have an additional though here. What if that unusual plant you've ordered from a long distance locale, that plant you adore and have researched, finds a way to exist on it's own within a year of adoption, care and nurturing? If it takes a year of attention, and then can endure neglect; it's sustainable in my book. I never purchase plants this way; I agree with you Billy, it's all about the local opportunity to meet, greet and inspect in person. I have an additional though here. What if that unusual plant you’ve ordered from a long distance locale, that plant you adore and have researched, finds a way to exist on it’s own within a year of adoption, care and nurturing?

If it takes a year of attention, and then can endure neglect; it’s sustainable in my book.

I never purchase plants this way; I agree with you Billy, it’s all about the local opportunity to meet, greet and inspect in person.

]]> By: Robert Sarkisian http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/eco-conversion-project-day-13/#comment-22 Robert Sarkisian Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:45:47 +0000 http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/?p=415#comment-22 Thanks Billy for answering Matt's inquiry. I would have to agree that shopping locally is the more sustainable approach. The same principle applies to the food that we purchase. While out of season peaches from South America taste great during our winter, they require additional energy and cost to be shipped such a long distance. Thanks Billy for answering Matt’s inquiry. I would have to agree that shopping locally is the more sustainable approach. The same principle applies to the food that we purchase. While out of season peaches from South America taste great during our winter, they require additional energy and cost to be shipped such a long distance.

]]> By: Billy http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/eco-conversion-project-day-13/#comment-18 Billy Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:50:54 +0000 http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/?p=415#comment-18 Sorry - I meant to respond to Matt's question. I had the same thought this weekend when I was doing research for a new article and came across a local Santa Barbara retail nursery that was importing topiary conifers (juniper, arborvitae, chamaecyparis, etc.) from Oregon. I don't have the math mind to crunch the numbers, but how could a plant shipped from 1000 miles away be sustainable, regardless of its water or fertilizer needs? Shop locally; just like a good 500 mile diet, either homegrown or purchased from local farmers' markets, buy plants that are grown close to your home. Coastal Southern California has hundreds of wholesale growers and the embodied energy of shipping all that mass from nearby probably has a lot more impact than whether you have to drive your car to the nursery. Besides, I'd never purchase a plant I hadn't picked up and inspected. And if it's grown too far away, it's probably not adapted to our climate anyway. that's my 2-cents. Sorry – I meant to respond to Matt’s question. I had the same thought this weekend when I was doing research for a new article and came across a local Santa Barbara retail nursery that was importing topiary conifers (juniper, arborvitae, chamaecyparis, etc.) from Oregon. I don’t have the math mind to crunch the numbers, but how could a plant shipped from 1000 miles away be sustainable, regardless of its water or fertilizer needs?

Shop locally; just like a good 500 mile diet, either homegrown or purchased from local farmers’ markets, buy plants that are grown close to your home. Coastal Southern California has hundreds of wholesale growers and the embodied energy of shipping all that mass from nearby probably has a lot more impact than whether you have to drive your car to the nursery. Besides, I’d never purchase a plant I hadn’t picked up and inspected. And if it’s grown too far away, it’s probably not adapted to our climate anyway.

that’s my 2-cents.

]]> By: Billy http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/eco-conversion-project-day-13/#comment-17 Billy Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:45:46 +0000 http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/?p=415#comment-17 For what it's worth, here's my definition with regard to planting: Creating a landscape that minimizes negative inputs (chemicals, fossil fuels, precious resources) and negative outputs (non-degradable wastes, pollution, toxics) and most closely approximates a natural system. So, plants that originate in climates similar to your property (in your case, the 5 Mediterranean regions of the world) already have a predisposition to thrive for a number of reasons - low-rainfall adaption, naturally low-fertility soils (no forest canopy enriching the soil for a few millenia), similar pH due to low rainfall, and climatic conditions related to day length, high/low temperature, heat, etc. The trick is getting the aesthetic you desire while using plants that are adapted to your climate. That take imagination and design skill, but it's all doable. If you're main concern right now is water, do a Google search for WUCOLS. It's the best research for plant water needs, based on popular plants in "the trade" and grouped by climate regions. While you're clicking around, read my TV-show co-host's definitions on sustainability. His name is Owen Dell and here's a starter link... http://www.owendell.com/standards.html Let's keep up the dialog. Billy G For what it’s worth, here’s my definition with regard to planting: Creating a landscape that minimizes negative inputs (chemicals, fossil fuels, precious resources) and negative outputs (non-degradable wastes, pollution, toxics) and most closely approximates a natural system.

So, plants that originate in climates similar to your property (in your case, the 5 Mediterranean regions of the world) already have a predisposition to thrive for a number of reasons – low-rainfall adaption, naturally low-fertility soils (no forest canopy enriching the soil for a few millenia), similar pH due to low rainfall, and climatic conditions related to day length, high/low temperature, heat, etc.

The trick is getting the aesthetic you desire while using plants that are adapted to your climate. That take imagination and design skill, but it’s all doable. If you’re main concern right now is water, do a Google search for WUCOLS. It’s the best research for plant water needs, based on popular plants in “the trade” and grouped by climate regions.

While you’re clicking around, read my TV-show co-host’s definitions on sustainability. His name is Owen Dell and here’s a starter link…
http://www.owendell.com/standards.html

Let’s keep up the dialog.

Billy G

]]> By: Matt http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/eco-conversion-project-day-13/#comment-12 Matt Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:44:51 +0000 http://ecoproject365.wordpress.com/?p=415#comment-12 Heya Robert, I found this website http://www.plantsafari.com/ which seems to have a similar philosophy to yours. I wonder which is more eco-friendly: To go out and buy the plants, or order them on-line and have them delivered? Matt Heya Robert,

I found this website http://www.plantsafari.com/ which seems to have a similar philosophy to yours. I wonder which is more eco-friendly: To go out and buy the plants, or order them on-line and have them delivered?

Matt

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