Urban Permaculture & Rooftop Gardens

We can defeat hunger in the Urban Core - on the roofs, on balconies, in small yards and across patios! Food is so easy to grow in the harshest of places, with little of no soil and even when water supply is limited.  All it takes is a basic understanding of the important factors impacting growth, such as wind, light and available water vapor.

Though permaculture has always addressed simple food growing principles, most of the time this focus has been about ground level growing.

Growing food on walls, roofs, buildings, and shacks up off the ground is important in the crowded urban core, high rises and slums.  Ground level food production is many times impractical in cities because of the lack of open land.  But there are plenty of walls and roofs to grow food on!

We believe educating the young about how to grow 'rooftop gardens is a way to capture their interest, create economic opportunity for them, create habitat, restore ecology and bring peace to the world.

Harvesting Green Roof Seeds, Educating the children

It is really exciting to see students become interested in urban agriculture.

Young children's minds are so fresh and thinking so quickly!  They see opportunities to improve and enhance our green roofs, living walls and rooftop systems.

Offering the next generation hope through empowerment is what we need to be doing every day.  Placing control of their food and water supply into our children's hands is so important.

Making educational videos about rooftop permaculture to teach the children.

It is a path to world peace and freedom from those who may want to try and control other's lives through food and water.

And growing food and recycling water does not have to be expensive or difficult.  This is why education is so important.

But we have a fight ahead of us.  Large corporations see opportunity through control of food, water, seeds and the knowledge of how to grow food and collect water.

The 'I don't have a green thumb and can not grow food' storyline is often repeated and many of the world have come to believe they can't grow sufficient supplies of food in the urban core.

We must show our children the path to breaking reliance from those who would control our lives and souls in exchange for food and water.

A small living wall or rooftop garden can provide enough seeds in a growing season to grow five more gardens the same size the following year.  Seeds are free.

Systems can be designed to cheaply capture and store water and to grow food on even shacks made from rusty tin.

The students harvested a giant luffa sponge from the roof this week.  Organic luffa sponges cost five dollars or more in the store.  The enterprising young person growing luffa gourds across the roof of their inner-city barrio could earn hundreds of dollars each season.

Plants not only provide food but they provide security, shelter and medicine.

I love Lydia Cabrera's quote I use over and over, paraphrased "there are more spirits in the plants than in the sky".

Aloe growing out of walls and on roofs becomes the local doctor's office in many instances.

Low cost Barrio-type house with living walls, food roofs & water recycling

Structure walls made from wire with grapes abundantly growing provides fruit, sugar, vine and community opportunities.

Rooftop beans and peas can feed the masses, not only providing daily food but offering up the following years crop of seeds.

Reusing water and controlling flooding

Native wildflowers planted across window openings and on the roofs and walls bring in the pollinators, crucial for food production.  One must have native wildflowers growing side by side with food plants.

Collectively we have found a way to travel to the moon, harvest the atom and talk across the globe.

But this awesome generation has forgotten how to feed themselves.

Now is the time to relearn.  Now is the time to show our children how to break leashes and create freedom.

Give me one month and the seeds I can carry in my pocket, a few wiling youth from the urban core and  the plants of medicine, food, fiber and economy will be growing across the landscape.  It can be done in a desert or a wetland, hurricane or earthquake prone areas.
We've answered the critics who say it can't be done, designed systems withstanding cyclones, created highly productive food systems in 30mm of sand, implemented bee hives on roofs, built water storage systems for practically no cost and are working now on a rooftop chicken system.

Control of your food is the path to freedom and peace.  Reliance on the corporations for food is the path to bondage.

Irrigation Efficiency, Rainwater Reuse

Water is such an important resource.

Urban Sustainability.  Recycling and attenuating rainfall is one of the many proactive measures we can take in helping conserve water use.

All too often I take for granted the necessity of clean water for all the earth and inhabitants thereof.

Clean water forms the basis for all life continuance and survival.  Many times we've mentioned here how Green Roofs and Living Walls, along with other measures of Urban Green can clean and filter contaminants from our rainfall runoff.

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Though I always recommend allowing rainfall to resupply the ground water, rain barrels can slow (attenuate) the rainfall runoff from roofs.  This allows the homeowner to reuse the rainfall for irrigation where then the water makes its way back into the ground.

Here is a pic from our Jacksonville Urban Farm where we captured rooftop runoff for reuse in our Urban Gardens.

Every bit of water recycle and reuse helps preserve our world's water quality.

We are Overlooked Assets! #Marfan #EDS #LDS

Sometimes we as a nation can't see the trees for the forest.  When people make fun of those with disabilities, that jesting can foster cultural underestimations of talent values.

Connective Tissue Challenged Persons.  We are assets!

In the last week I've been declined for life insurance and jeered at while driving along with the other typical situations someone with a health challenge encounters daily.  Our van has a disability tag and I purposely drive the speed limit.  Other drivers often gun their engines to pass me by, blowing their horns loudly and usually flipping fingers my direction.  This week a man about my age rolled his windows down while flying by and twisted up his hands and face as if he were having a seizure then laughed as he sped on into the traffic ahead.

Today I take it all with a grain of salt assuming these people are probably having a really stressful day, pumped up on coffee and probably dealing with dangerously high blood pressure.  I am very happy with who I am, health challenges and all.  In fact I think my health challenges make me special.

Not everyone I encounter treats me this way.  Many are courteous, notice I am walking with a cane and treat me with kindness.  My doctors and nurses and their staff seem to really care and for this I am grateful. But our alpha nation, in its fast paced bootstrap mentality often treats those of us with pronounced health challenges as a discardable class.

Attitudes of disregard for the disabled can even be found in our governments.  Since my dissection in 2011 I've had my drivers license medically revoked and I've even been handcuffed, threatened and put on the ground by Flagler County Florida sheriff's department, hands on their guns and tasers as I walked to the grocery store one afternoon with my cane, a limping man that was an obvious threat to society.

Inevitably within the business community my resumes are politely returned, with a thank you but not interested response once my dissection issues surface.  Some say don't disclose the issue but I believe in transparency and it is hard to otherwise explain away the hospitalization time gap.

The 'forest' of mis-information and unfounded assumptions surrounding people with disabilities masks an amazing pool of talent though.

Over the past five years I've come to know others living with connective tissue challenges, aneurysms and dissections, scoliosis and pumphead, chairi and other conditions.

They are some of the most ingenious, brilliant, kind, enthusiastic and talented people I have ever known.

They are also surprisingly some of the healthiest persons I know, despite walking a fine line between life and death in many cases.

And they are certainly some of the most shrewdest and analytical persons on the planet.

Our communities, our nation and our world would be so much better off taping into this talent pool instead of pushing us to the side.

When living with a life threatening issue one realizes that time is truly borrowed and holds great value.  We can be better time managers than the most productive wall street executive for we know the value not only of each moment but of each breath.

And in spite of our challenges, many of us are more healthy than most.  Our diets are focused on  non-processed foods while we avoid inflammatory, artery clogging junk.  Our CT scans may reveal a dissection flap but they also reveal clean arterial pathways and healthy organs.

Yes, we may have physical or mental limitations but we've learned to adapt a better way and work around those issues.  Adaptation is a key component of long term evolution and survival.

Our awareness allows us to deal with and address our limitations - giving us an advantage over many of those who like the ostrich with its head in the sand, don't know what their arteries look like or haven't been to the doctor in a long time.

Besides, as someone recently reminded me, all of us are dying.  Those of us with diagnosed health challenges are just more keenly aware of this fact.  We are some say, better prepared than most when an incident occurs and in the meanwhile make the most of our allowed time.

Because of our focused efforts on our health I would suggest that we are a better class of individuals to issue life insurance policies for, rather than being rejected time after time for 'heart conditions' or other generic but unsubstantiated factors.  Yes we've disclosed these limitations on our applications.  They may sound 'un-insurable' at first take. Yet I still contend those of us with health challenges may be a better insurance wish than those in the population who appear healthy but may be walking time bombs themselves.

Over the years I've met some of the greatest artists, poets and well read intellectuals who each battle with serious or debilitating health issues.  There is an amazing pool of knowledge and creativity waiting to be tapped by a society willing to embrace differences.

And we would make the very best of employees.

All we need is a chance.

But the life insurance rejection letters, the returned job applications, the brush-offs, dismissals and cold shoulders, exhaust smoke and fingers still keep coming.

Fortunately, we are a resilient group.  We don't give up easily.

Many of us describe ourselves as 'survivors' or 'warriors', a fitting description for a group who have experienced trauma and difficulties most can not even imagine, and come through to the other side with strong fortitude and unspoken yet perfected resilience.

The world would be so much better off if this pool of talent was brought into the fold instead of being pushed to the side.

We truly are an overlooked worldwide asset.

And so we ask the world to take note of what we can offer.  We ask all the support organizations out there that provide us with wonderful resources on our afflictions to also advocate for our acceptance into mainstream society.

Those willing to take a risk on us will be rewarded far beyond their expectations.

Living a life challenged by connective tissue issues, cardiovascular and skeletal, vision and other maladies is the best training ground for human creativity and enlightenment.

All the world has to do is to ask for our help.

And if they don't then they'll be missing out.

Xeriscaping Importance and Water Conservation, Coastal Landscape Design

Xeriscaping is the practice of landscape design focused on the form of water conservation function using native or water conserving plants.

Florida Hurricane Landscape - Coastal Xeriscape plan.  One year post planting. No irrigation required.

Native plants are particularly useful in successful xeriscape design.

Irrigation is used primarily to assist during the initial period of the landscape plants establishing their roots and adapting to their new environment.

A successful mature xeriscape design should have either no added irrigation or at the most, very limited irrigation - such as micro-drip, for long term survival.

Regardless, xeriscaping design can be a challenge.

Coastal xeriscaping can present even greater challenges because of the added salt spray variable.

Here is an example of a successful coastal xeriscape project completed on Live Oak Island, Florida.

The first photo below is of the site after a tropical storm, debris littered across the water-front yard.

Hurricane damage, Site was cleaned and replanted with a xeriscape design

The second photo below is a snapshot of the new xeriscape landscape installed and mulched.

Xeriscaping, Initial planting installed only with temporary irrigation

Finally the very first photo above is of the landscape one year subsequent to the initial xeriscape plantings.

The plants include; Yucca filaamentosa (Adam's needle), Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), Cabbage/Sabal palms and including Florida Friendly plants such as; agave, rosemary and more.

For more about coastal landscape and salt tolerant design, check out Kevin's Designing Coastal Green Roofs video here.

Intense Small Scale Urban Permaculture, Urban Sustainability

Truly amazing how much food can be grown in a tiny space.

Urban Permaculture Genius. Maximize food and flower production in tiny city spaces.

Tried and proven permaculture methods can ensure fertilization, efficiency, pollination, irrigation and wind protection for maximized food production.

Though the above may sound industrial or way too mechanical, with plants the ends result is beauty.

Beauty and food.  Sense of place and habitat for pollinators.  Soil stabilization and enrichment. Urban heat island cooling remedy.  Carbon and nutrient sink.  And much better than turf grass lawns.

Kudos to Judy Songer on one of her urban permaculture garden designs!

DIY Green Roofs for Rabbit Hutches

Here are a couple of green roofs for our rabbit hutches.

DIY Green Roof & Urban Permaculture - Stacking Example of Green Roof over Rabbit Hutch over Worm Bin

The roofs are made with available materials, most recycled and repurposed items.

The rabbit hutches are an example of the 'stacking premise' found in permaculture methods.

The top layer is the green roof which provides food, shade, shelter, cooling (and warming through thermal adsorption), and much more for the rabbits below.

The rabbits eat the forage from the green roof and drop rabbit pellets through the rabbit cages into the worm bins below the rabbits.  The worms then digest the pellets and produce mulch for the green roof.

Urban Green with recycled materials can be completed with minimal cost and surprising effectiveness!

Extensive Green Roofs, Lightweight With Only 50mm Soil Media

Green Roofs can be successfully grown in shallow layers of green roof soil media.

Florida Extensive Green Roof on sloped deck with 50mm soil media

Here is a succulent green roof I built in 2010 where the rafters were 2" x 6" 's with a wood decking (so very light weight loading was required).

The roof slope was 4:1.

A waterproofing layer was added first.

Then came a wind stabilization mesh followed by placement of soil media.

Finally the plants were installed that grew well without added fertilization or irrigation.

Total calculated live load of less than twenty pounds per square foot.

And still looks good!

Xeriscaping. Drip Irrigation DIY for Growing Locations Without Running Water

Not all locations have running water available for drip irrigation of food crops and other cash plants.

Urban Green and Permaculture sometimes requires irrigation where water supplies do not exist. DIY Drip irrigation can provide water efficient irrigation and nutrient systems and can be constructed from readily obtainable, even recycled materials.  Here a drip systems is made from a 5 gallon bucket, tubing and bamboo.

Here is an awesome DIY idea for an easy to construct yet very effective drip irrigation system.

If you are ever in the vicinity of Fort Myers be sure to stop by and visit ECHO Global Farm for permaculture support systems like this they refer to as 'appropriate technologies'.

With this portable and inexpensive but highly effective drip irrigation system a five gallon bucket is used as a water tower or water storage unit.  The five gallon bucket is covered with a filter cloth to keep leaves and debris out of the collected water (rainwater or added water) and hung from a bamboo stand..

Attached to the bottom of the bucket is a drip irrigation hose placed through the bucket wall in a drilled out hole, caulked around the edges.

The irrigation hose is woven through the planted crops needing irrigation, staked into the ground and fitted with drip nozzles.

Water conservation is an important part of sustainable agriculture.

Drip irrigation and water supply systems don't have to be expensive or complicated.  With a little creativity one can incorporate simple, appropriate technology growing systems into their permaculture project, green roof or urban farm.

Some Good Days Some Bad Days but they are all Marfan Days

Some days are better than others.  This principle applies to all but may be especially relevant to those of us with chronic illnesses.

#IknowMarfan Become Involved! February is Marfan Awareness Month  www.marfan.org 

Others may see my smile, glossy nature photos on social media, and long walks as a sign that all is good.

But  I know the real truth.  Yes some days are better than others.  But every day is a Marfan day.

Most days I try and portray an upbeat attitude, usually answering a 'how are you?' question with 'everyday is a good day' answer.

And much of the time my positive answers and attitude convince even myself that connective tissue disorder life is not really that bad after all.  Especially on those days that are better than others.

Unfortunately, as I've said before, even the better days are still Marfan days.  This truth applies to all other connective tissue syndromes too; Loeys-Dietz (LDS), Ehlers Danlos (EDS) and so many others.

Even the best connective tissue disorder days are still connective tissue disorder days.

Amazingly a good Marfan day can instantly change and become a day some days are better than.  A wrong step, a bump against the door frame, a twist of the neck in the wrong direction, and even a hard sneeze can turn a 'better than other day' into the start of a painful, hurting week.

#IKnowMarfan Coumadin plays into Marfan days for many.  Here is my arm today - internal bleeding and hematoma 

Unless the torn tendon or ligament bleeds enough for a huge hematoma to form, or an arm or leg subluxes to where crutches are needed just to move, most others never even know how bad those with chronic connective tissue challenges may hurt.

Many of us look really fit, trim and healthy and we often hear the stinging compliment, "you look so good - so how can you be sick?!"

But even on those good days when we glow, smile and laugh the chronic monster of painful potential hovers just over our heads, ready to pounce at the first unexpected chance.

The concept of 'I may look somewhat ok' and 'this may be a better day than others but expect the unexpected' can really wear us down.

A Marfan day is a challenge, even if it may be one of the best of the better than other days.

Marfan can manifest in a number of ways including scoliosis, retinal detachment, muscle and joint disfunction and as in my case, mouth and teeth malformation to where I required braces, multiple hernias and worse - aortic dissection.

Today I live with a dissected descending aorta.  My ascending arch and aortic valve are mechanical and Dacron but my descending aorta is torn and blocked by about 70%.  Unfortunately I was unaware  of my connective tissue challenges until the night I dissected.  Had I known I could have potentially avoided my traumatic emergency surgery and subsequent surgery for graft infection.

Awareness is critically important.  And so we must share.  The Marfan Foundation provides educational and support resources concerning aortic dissection and other connective tissue challenges. To learn more about dissected aortas be sure to read the helpful information shared through the John Ritter Foundation website.

February is Marfan Awareness month.  So be sure to check out the #IknowMarfan hashtag across social media platforms and read more about Marfan Syndrome here.

Finally, many times a Marfan day will include more than just one connective tissue challenge.

For me the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from two open heart aortic surgeries always looms just below the surface of daily activities.  Many days my upbeat approach to life masks the PTSD, other days something small or seemingly insignificant may trigger a rush of fear, dread and worry .  Some days are better than others but all Marfan days take their toll.

Most people in the world don't go through life aware their aorta is dilating every day, expanding and enlarging to the point where like a ballon, it may burst.  Living with the dread of imminent aorta replacement surgery is really stressful.  Even on the best of days the dread is hard to cope with.  But the aorta surgery worry is real and a part of most Marfan Days just as scoliosis, retinal detachment and other health challenges too manifest themselves most Marfan days.

Yes those of us challenged with Marfan Syndrome and other connective tissue disorders try mostly to 'get on with life' and 'keep on keeping on' or 'hanging in there'.  We try.

And many days that is just what we do and we are good at masking or hiding the hurt.

Then there are those less than better Marfan days where all the challenges just seem piled up way too high for us to deal with.  We want to let out a big sigh but our chest hurts way too much to let the sigh out.

No one understands so it seems.  Some days I feel like we are up the creek without a paddle, all alone, all by ourselves.

Social media support groups really do help but we long for an understanding touch, a personal hug from someone who does more than feel sorry from us.  We need someone who understands; really understands.

This is why becoming involved with The Marfan Foundation with local, but also national and worldwide efforts is so very important.

Each one of has so much to share and teach and receive from others.

We've been through those Marfan days.  We live them each and every day of our lives.

We've 'been there done that'.  Some of us have 'been there done that' for years now.

Whether it be retinal, muscular, cardiovascular or skeletal we all have some words of understanding to offer others.

Read through The Marfan Foundation's Get Involved website.  Become involved.  We have so much to share.  We need each other. Its all about awareness and sharing.

#IKnowMarfan

Living Walls, Celtic Cross Fabricated Using DIY Recycled Material

Here is a green wall I easily and inexpensively constructed from recycled materials.

The wall is four feet wide by five feet tall and fashioned out of rigid recycled plastic milk jug crates for the rear and side structural support.

The growing media is mineral wool and the celtic cross cut from old copper gutter sheet.

The Florida Green Anoles absolutely love it, providing them with habitat to escape the larger exotic predators here, the Cuban anoles.

Bringing Urban Green back to the cities doesn't have to be complicated and require high tech materials engineering or mechanical systems.

Recycled material technology is a sustainable approach to take when implementing Urban Green.

Designing Coastal Green Roofs, Tropical Green Roofs, Florida Green Roofs

Greenrooms.com video "Designing Coastal Green Roofs"

A must see video for all green roof designers, especially those with complicated, coastal projects.

Green roofs for Birdhouses too! Urban Greening for all.

Green roofs are found on a wide variety of structures and not just commercial, institutional or residential buildings.

Green Roof Birdhouse - Plants and seed added...

Cedar Roof Decking - Birdhouse Green Roof

Included are several DIY photos of how to put a green roof on a birdhouse.

Birdhouse Green Roof - Double Sided Roofing Tape

First photo is of the birdhouse roof decking.

Green Roof Birdhouse - Membrane Installation

Next photos is the double sided tape allied to the cedar decking.

Third is the waterproofing membrance serving also as a root barrier.

Green Roof Birdhouse - Grow Weave Mat

Fourth is the grow weave mat, then the ridge cap (made from recycled copper flashing) and trim work.

Green ROof Birdhouse - Copper Ridge Cap

Agaves and succulents are added, along with a mixture of drought resilient wildflower seed.



The concept here is exactly the same process we use on large, large green roofs.  This type of system is called an extensive green roof and on the sloped birdhouse roof the soil is stabilized with a natural stabilizer such as agar (you can use flour also if you cannot find agar)...

Plants Can Clean Wastewater - Corkscrew Swamp's Living Machine

Audubons' Corkscrew Sanctuary treats its wastewater onsite with plants in a system know as a Living Machine.

Urban Sustainability.  Plants Cleaning Water!

The system has been in place for years now and has proven its functionality and reliability over time.

If you are ever in southwest Florida consider visiting the Sanctuary and viewing the Living Machine.

Plants are amazing.

Plants are key to world-wide sustainability.

Check out the Living Machine info below:

Urban Sustainability.  Plants Cleaning Water!

Urban Sustainability.  Plants Cleaning Water!

Urban Sustainability.  Plants Cleaning Water!

Urban Sustainability.  Plants Cleaning Water!

Urban Sustainability.  Plants Cleaning Water!

Urban Sustainability.  Plants Cleaning Water!

Dog House & Green Roofs

Quick post this morning on urban sustainability.

Green Roof for a Frank Lloyd Wright style doghouse here in Florida

Want to learn more about green roofs?

Thinking about adding a green roof or living wall to your house or condo?

Try starting off with a smaller green roof project - like on a doghouse!

Green roofs can add so much to the urban core.

Raised Growing Beds & Permaculture Gardens

Below is a repost of a summer 2012 note on Urban Permaculture and raised beds.  It is never too early to start thinking about the upcoming planting seasons in the community gardens!

Summer is half over and that means we are thinking about raised bed fall and winter plantings.  Ordering seeds for the next season's crop is so much fun!  We love going through the catalogues, admiring the photos, thinking about the upcoming seed starting and transplanting efforts.

Here are some of our tried and true, favorite cooler weather plants we like to have started by mid September.  The links will take you to either a description or catalogue page. 


Don't forget to download our Urban Farming book from Amazon with all the secrets about gardening, coop building, hens and more by clicking here!

Florida Permaculture Raised Bed Chives & Lettuces

Arugula

Also known as rocket, arugula with her bitter, earthy flavors is one of my favorite winter plants.  Excellent on sandwiches, in salads or by herself, arugula is easy to grow, hardy and a must for every Urban Farm garden.

Florida Permaculture Raised Bed Arugula

Mary Washington Asparagus

Famous heirloom varieties, both Mary and Martha Washington varieties were developed around at the beginning of the twentieth century for greater disease resistance. The 1930 Ferry catalog states that Mary Washington asparagus is  "A vigorous growing and productive asparagus bred to resist the disease known as asparagus rust". Mary is a Martha cultivar with oval tipped stalks and comes highly recommended by most asparagus growers.

Calabrese Broccoli 

Another well-known heirloom variety, use dating to just after the Civil War in the Americas but earlier in Europe, Calabrese broccoli is a dark green plant, twenty to thirty inches in height, producing fist-sized central heads, and many side shoots until frost. Noted for her texture and flavor.

Broccoli Mix - Hybrids

Use a variety of Broccolis, cultivars including Belstar, Premium Crop, Packman, Gypsy, Major, Nutribud and Waltham all produce large amounts of food.

Golden Beet

An 1820’s heirloom variety, the three inch, round, golden beet bulbs are known for their desirable sweetness. Golden beet’s unusual color adds to her versatility.  Very sweet beet.

Early Wonder Beet

The early 1900’s heirloom Early Wonder Beet produces well before the other full-sized beets, has medium to tall size tops that can be harvested and served as delicious greens. Early Wonder possesses a deep red color and rich, hearty flavor.

Red Cloud Beet

Deep crimson, dark red, vigorous growing beet producing ample greens. Red cloud beet is know for her resistance to bolting.  She can be harvested throughout most of the growing season.

St. Valery Carrot

St. Valery Carrot is an 1885 heirloom carrot and, according to James Vicks’ 1924 catalog, is the "best and most handsome main crop carrot. Enormously productive, very desirable for private gardens as well as for markets." St. Valery has ten inch roots and a strong sugar content (sweet).

New Kuroda Carrot 

The New Kuroda carrot is a strong preforming hybrid, exhibiting a deep reddish orange color. Kuroda may be used as the main carrot crop as it produces well on most small homesteads and growing operations.

Adelaide Carrot

Adelaide is a Dutch hybrid know by its more popular common name, Baby Carrot.  Easy to grow and a solid producer, Adelaide keeps its texture and fresh, sweet flavor longer than most carrots.  Very sweet carrot and great for salads.

Long Island Brussel Sprouts

Long Island Brussel Sprouts is an 1890 heirloom dwarf brussel sprout variety growing on average to approximately two to three feet depending upon climate. The Long Island Brussel variety can set up to one hundred sprouts per plant and was considered the primary commercial variety for years.

Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage

Early Jersey Wakefield has been considered one of the best varieties of early producing cabbages for several hundred years of homestead agriculture.  Early Jersey is a 1840 heirloom variety growing to approximately three pound.  She exhibits a pale green leaf color and can be planted close together. According to DM Ferry in 1930, "this most excellent variety is the earliest and surest heading" and one that resists yellowing.

Quick Start Cabbage, Hybrid

Another cabbage variety highly resilient to yellowing and splitting, Quick Start hybrid is a strong grower, one that can be planted close together in raised beds and relied upon for steady production of three pound cabbage heads.

Danish Ballhead Cabbage

Danish Ballhead is an 1887 heirloom late fall, blue-green producer. Danish Ballhead was originally introduced by Burpee Seed and has been a popular variety for years.  This cabbage keeps well in storage.

Mammoth Red Rock Cabbage

Mills says that Mammoth Red Rock 1880 heirloom cabbage is the “largest of the red cabbages and the most sure heading, also the best for pickling". Mammoth Red had reddish purple leaves and produces a five pound plus cabbage head.  Strong producer and stores well.

Early Snowball Cabbage

This 1890 heirloom cabbage heirloom variety was introduced in the mid-1800's by P. Henderson, president of Henderson Seed Company.  Early snowball cabbage is a reliable early producer of firm texture.  Very popular variety among urban farmers.

Bright Lights Chard

Bright Lights Swiss Chard is a stunning plant, certainly desirable for garden appearance but most appreciably important because of her delicious taste and reliable food production.  Leaves are bright deep green, moderately savoyed with veins of stunning bright warm and hot colors, most commonly red, orange, or yellow.  Developed by Johnny's Selected Seeds, this variety is perfect for the smaller garden or those gardens looking to capitalize on visual effect.  Bright Lights is highly recommended by both judy and myself.

Fordhook Chard

Fordhook, while not as visually stunning as Bright Lights, is a reliable performer producing strong and plump white stalks with savory, bright green leaves.

Pink Lipstick Chard

As with Bright Lights Chard, Pink Lipstick offers amazing bright pink-red color. Use Pink Lipstick Chard in salad mixes for color and taste.

Early Snowball Cauliflower

This 1890 heirloom cauliflower heirloom variety was introduced in the mid-1800's by P. Henderson, president of Henderson Seed Company.  Early snowball cabbage is a reliable early producer of firm texture.  Another variety popular variety among urban farmers.

Starbor and Redbor Kale

Another great cooler weather plant, Starbor Kale is perfect for raised beds because of her beautiful blueish-green hue, firm leaves, great texture and compact growing characteristics. Greens can be eaten cooked or raw in salads.

Dinosaur Kale

An 1885 heirloom variety previously referred to as Tuscan Black Palm.  Dinosaur Kale offers large, rounded, succulent greens. Plants are hardy, exhibit vigorous growth habit and are popular among urban farmers as a crop that will feed the family.  We have grown Dinosaur Kale reliably for years.  Greens are good either as a salad component or cooked.

Ethiopian Kale

One of my favorite urban farm Kales, the Ethiopian variety will produce like none other.  Very tender and tasty and very drought tolerant.  Grows well in raised beds and seems to be root-knot nematode resistant.

Grand Duke Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is also known as a ‘cabbage-turnip’ and the Grand Duke Variety produces a larger, non-woody edible part.  Very interesting plant for the garden and reliable producer.

Early Purple Vienna Kohlrabi

Excellent pre-Civil War heirloom Kohlrabi variety.  According to DM Ferry Early Purple Vienna Kohlrabi can be considered "early with small top, the leaf stems being tinged with purple. Bulbs of medium size, purple; flesh white. Desirable for forcing and early outdoor planting."  Another excellent vegetable for the urban farm homestead, preforming will in raised beds.

Lincoln Leek

Leeks are an important part of all urban farm gardens.  Lincoln leek is a long , succulent variety that can last for much of the year.  Used in salads, stir fry and other dishes.  Here in the south, established leeks offer good winter color and texture to the urban farm garden.

Garlic Chives

One of my favorites, this variety is evergreen, drought tolerant and produces well year around.  Offers brilliant white flower spikes.  This is probably one of the most hardiest of the urban farm plants, almost always reliable to out-preform any other crop.

Asian Red Lettuce

Beautiful red-green, crisp standard lettuce, this variety is a cornerstone of any winter garden in the urban core.  Asian red thrives when picked, producing more and more throughout the season. 

Year Round Lettuce

Another popular lettuce variety, especially in Europe, year-round lettuce is as what her name states, a reliable producer except in the hottest of climates where she does best grown in the shade.

Florida Permaculture Raised Bed Lettuces

Lettuce Mix

Ours favorite mix includes; Green Ice, Midnight Ruffles, Black Seeded Simpson, Simpson Elite, Matina Sweet, Buttercrunch, Red Velvet, and May Queen varieties.  Perfect for adding color and a variety of textures to salads.  The urban core farm animals love lettuces too.

Cherry Belle Radish

A 1949 heirloom, mild radish, Cherry Belle is a standard for urban core farming.  She will produce up to one inch in diameter radishes, perfect for salads and snacks.  Another reliable producer, Cherry Belle is a standard for urban core farms and gardens.

White Icicle Radish

A mid-1800’s heirloom, this white radish has her history in reliable production and ease of growth traits.  Wonderful, narrow, finger-like radishes they are perfect for salads.  Serve crisp and cold.

Giant Noble Spinach

A 1920’s heirloom and described by James Vick as a spinach that, "grows about ten inches high. Large deep green leaves, thick and tender, with rounded tips."  Giant noble spinach needs cooler weather but will faithfully give the urban farmer plenty of tasty greens for both salad and cooked dishes.  

Tyee Spinach

Tyee spinanch is a slow to bolt spinach growing well in raised beds and intense urban core farm settings.  Tyee spinach leaves are smaller than Giant Noble but heavy producers.  Good companion spinach plant to grow alongside with Giant Noble.

Florida Permaculture Raised Bed Lettuces

Herbs/Spices

Borage

Borago officinalis grows to approxiately two to three feet in height and loves the cooler weather.  I’ve grown this plant successfully on urban core green roofs and in urban farm homestead raised beds.  The bright blue and purple flowers are visually an eye-opener and are often used as garnish for vegetable and fruit salads.  Good urban farm plant selection.

Vulgare Dill

Standard pickling plant and herb, dill is an extremely drought tolerant urban farm plant with many culinary uses.  Our rabbits love the fresh picked leaves and the tall but tiny yellow flowers serve as an excellent attractant for pollinators.  Grows well in dry, neglected areas across the urban homestead.

Fernleaf Dill

An All America Winner in 1992 and introduced by W. Atlee Burpee Company, Fernleaf Dill exhibits a more compact growth habit than most of the other, sprawlingly large dill varieties.  Fernleaf dill is perfect for container growing or planting in heavily used raised beds.  As with the standard dill varieties, Fernleaf Dill provides good drought tolerant production as well as tasty culinary uses.

Vulgare Fennel

Fennel is popular for her licorice or anise-flavored seeds and bulbous base, both used in cooking.  Fennel is also a choice pollinator plant and brings a spray of light airy green to the urban core farmstead.  

Bronze Fennel

An awesome landscape perennial, Bronze Fennel brings visual and culinary benefits to any urban farm garden.  Highly sought after by several Lepidoptera species, this hardy fennel can be used in cooking or as a tea.  Bronze fennel will grow about three to four feet high depending on climate and soil conditions and adds beauty and flavor to the herb patch.

Marjoram

A relative of oregano, marjoram is slightly sweeter and enjoys the cold weather.  She is very drought tolerant and her smaller leaves can be used to flavor meat dishes.  Marjoram is also used ethnobotanically in the Caribbean as a tea plant for both stomach and respiratory issues as she possesses an strong aromatic quality.

Flat-Leaf Parsley

Standard flat-leafed parsley is a mainstay of urban core farms.  Used in Italian and Mediterrian cooking and for a variety of other uses (including keeping garlic fumes repressed in healthy diet breath), flat-leafed parsley is also sought after by many butterflies as larval food.

Curly-Leaf Parsley

Curly parsley is a very hardy cultivar of the parsleys, reliable and useful as garnish, in soups, salads or to flavor meat dishes.  As with flat-leaf parsley, curly parsley is commonly used in Mediterranean dishes such as tabouli, hummus and other dishes.