This week’s link love gives you 75 reasons to get in the garden. It’ll make you happy and we’ve got the scientific proof of how that works. Louis C.K. is finally back. The Met Gala stunned and Annie Leonard takes the helm at Greenpeace.

75 Gardening Ideas to Kickstart Your Food-Growing [via Eat Drink Better]

How to Get Happy, Scientifically Speaking [via Well+Good]

This Way Back to His Discomfort Zone: Louis C.K. Returns With His Brand of Dark Comedy [via New York Times]

With hits like these, we don’t have time for misses: Vogue’s look at the best of the Met Gala. [via Vogue]

A happy ending! Annie Leonard of “Story of Stuff” will be new head of Greenpeace USA [via Grist]

Related on EcoSalon

Link Love: Turn Tea Into Dye + ‘Mean Girls’ Turns 10 + Designer Agnes B Makes Her Directorial Debut

Link Love: Stella McCartney Goes All Out for Animals  + Yoga Dates + How to Shop Vintage Like a ProA

Link Love: Diane von Furstenberg’s Morning Routine  + Vegan Cinnabon + Snails are Basically the Cutest Ever

Image via Vogue

The post Link Love: The Science of Happiness + 75 Gardening Ideas + The Met Gala’s Hits appeared first on EcoSalon.

What are we reading this week? Link Love dives into spring with the best jeans to wear, gardening tips, how to really clean your yoga mat. Plus fast fashion gets called out and Julia Louis Dreyfus strips down for Rolling Stone.

Get growing your garden–here are 35 ideas to get you started. [via Eat Drink Better]

When was the last time you did it? How to really clean your yoga mat. [via Well+GoodNYC]

Zady blasts fast fashion in a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal. [via Ecouterre]

The 30 best jeans to wear for spring. [via Vogue]

Finally. Julia Louis Dreyfus is naked on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. At age 53. Go girl. [via Huffington Post]

Related on EcoSalon

Link Love: the Coachella Diet + Courtney’s Bringing Hole Back + NYC’s Sad Gentrification

Link Love: Moby on Veganism + Quinoa Milk! + The Roos in Your Shoes + The Kimye Spoofs

Link Love: Ikea Saves Space + Secrets of Coffee Pods + Vaccines by the Numbers

Image via Rolling Stone

The post Link Love: Fast Fashion Gets Called Out + Cleaning Your Yoga Mat + The Veep Gets Naked appeared first on EcoSalon.

Thanks to the UrbMat all you need to start growing vegetables is a thumb (and it doesn’t even have to be green!).

I know it’s freezing cold outside, but now is the time to starting thinking about growing vegetables. It’s extremely rewarding to cook a meal made with stuff grown in your own backyard. Unfortunately more than a few of us find home gardening confusing and often unsuccessful. And if you live in an urban area, good luck finding the space.

For us lazy gardeners, high tech tools for growing vegetables are extremely attractive, but few will take you from seed to sprout faster than the UrbMat from grow-it-yourself social food company UrbnEarth. This plug-and-play gardening system makes it possible for anyone to start growing vegetables immediately–so you can get past the “am I doing it right?” phase and on to the “look how awesome gardening is!” phase.

Designed for use by families, educators and kids (aka gardening novices), the 3′ x 2′ UrbMat looks like a miniature Twister mat. Only the colorful dots aren’t for your left arm or right leg–they’re for 12 different types of non-GMO herbs, vegetables, and flowers. Just roll it out on top of the soil or in a raised bed. Press the seedball starters (a mix of chili powder, compost, worm castings, clay, and non-GMO seeds) into the correct circle on the mat, and you’re done. The UrbMat has a weed-control layer and a hose-ready irrigation system for care of your growing vegetables.

Among the veggies and herbs, you’ll notice marigolds and catnip, which are included as natural pest repellents so your UrbMat can remain organic. “Marigolds and catnip not only look pretty, but are also some of nature’s best pest-control agents. Marigolds deter nematodes and worms that will feed on your plants roots. Catnip attracts lacewings, which feed on aphids and mites,” explains the UrbnEarth website.

And for every mat purchased, the company gives two meals to kids suffering from hunger in the U.S. Meals are donated in partnership with 2 Degrees Food and Feeding America.

Related on Ecosalon

10 Ideas for Sexy Urban Gardens

7 Items You Can Reuse To Improve Your Garden

The 10 Easiest Vegetables To Grow At Home

All images via UrbnEarth

The post UrbMat: A One-Step Tool For Growing Vegetables appeared first on EcoSalon.

ColumnEcoSalon’s best gardening articles to get you going.

We’ve sprung forward. Now it’s time to coax life from your own backyard soil. Get out there and start those starts, sow those seeds, and grow your own food. Here’s a handy roundup of our best gardening articles to help you get started.

It all begins with the soil. Without healthy soil, your plants won’t thrive and create great tasting produce so here’s a step-by-step guide to building what I like to call, sexy soil.

1. If you’re worried about what dangerous heavy metals and contaminants might be lurking in your urban loam, get the dirt here.

2. Not sure what to plant? Start with the 10 easiest plants to grow at home.

3. Lack the luxury of a traditional backyard? Don’t despair, you can grow in milk crates, on walls, and even in your front yard.

4. Need a little more direction on exactly how to plant and tend your garden? This article breaks it all down for you.

5. Kids can learn so much about food and the cycles of nature from gardening, so don’t get all hung up on creating the perfect garden, get the kids involved, and let them loose. Here’s how.

6. Maybe you don’t want to go it alone? Need some moral support? Try yard sharing.

7. Got the vegetables down? Try raising backyard chickens, or maybe even fish.

This is the latest installment in Vanessa Barrington’s weekly column, The Green Plate, on the environmental, social, and political issues related to what and how we eat.

The post The Green Plate: Get Your Soil On appeared first on EcoSalon.

Having fresh flowers in your home or office can brighten up a room literally and improve your mood, too. If you’ve created a gorgeous garden of blooms, why not use your hard work in the garden as your source of flowers rather than forking out cash at the store or market? If you follow our tips for cutting fresh flowers, you’ll be able to enjoy them to their fullest. And you can read our guide to flower arranging to make sure your bouquet is one to impress.

When to Cut

You may be tempted to snip a few blooms when you’re outside midday, but this isn’t the best idea. If you cut flowers first thing in the morning, you’ll get ’em after the cooler temps at night have helped to restore their strength. If you cut them at night, they’ll be filled with food. Either option is a good way to maximize the longevity of cut flowers.

How to Cut

Picking flowers might sound like a fine idea when the feeling strikes, but you should never break or pull flower stems. Instead, bring a sharp pair of pruning shears, or scissors if you’re cutting thin stems, outside, so you’ll make clean cuts. You don’t want to damage delicate stems.

Keep Them Wet

When you go out to cut your flowers, take a bucket or cup of water with you. This way, as you cut each flower you can place it in water. If the stem is left to fly in the breeze, the air will start to seal up the flower so it will wilt before you get a chance to enjoy it.

Re-Cut the Stems

Once you get your cut flowers inside, you’ll want to re-cut the stems. Do this underwater for the best results. Also, this time, take care to cut the stems at a 45-degree angle. The angled cut will help ensure your flowers will absorb the maximum amount of water in the case, as it keeps them from sitting flat in the vase.

Blooms from Bulbs

Some flowers need special care when cutting. Blooms that grow from bulbs can struggle to drink water unless you snip of the white part at the bottom of the stem before you put them in water. Watch out for this with daffodils, crocuses and tulips.

Milky Stem Flowers

Sunflowers and zinnias are what green thumbs call milky stem varieties. To keep the flower from losing all of their nutrients, which are important for them to keep looking beautiful once you take them inside, you should dip each stem in boiling water for about 30 seconds before placing them in the vase.

Woody Stem Flowers

If you have a dogwood or lilacs, you’re in luck with great blooms, but you have to be sure to cut the stems properly to enjoy them in the house. Use a hammer to smash the thick stems at the bottom until they’re frayed.

Food for Longevity

Since you won’t get a packet of powder (which contains who knows what!) when you get a bouquet of flowers from your backyard, you can use DIY solutions to make the flowers last. Everyone has their own recommendation for what you should put in the water. Since bleach and aspirin don’t appeal to our eco side, try a copper penny and a cube of sugar; two tablespoons of both apple cider vinegar and sugar; or a few drops of vodka and a teaspoon of sugar – yes, vodka.

Images: eedrummer, per Ola Wiberg-Powl

The post 8 Garden Secrets for Making Outdoor Blooms Last Inside appeared first on EcoSalon.

Earlier this year, I started my first container vegetable garden. I have peppers and spinach coming along and some bright red grape tomatoes that I think are ready to pick – or are they? Even though they are red, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to pick them and add them to a salad just yet. Since I’m a novice gardener, I need to learn (and want to share) tricks for harvesting your vegetable garden at the perfect time. Gardening can be easy, we promise.

Cucumber: If you’re growing fresh slicing cucumbers, wait until they reach about seven to nine inches long and are a bright dark green color. They should be firm and smooth. When you harvest, be sure to leave a short stem on each one. You’ll need to check and pick cucumbers daily when they’re ready.

Leaf Lettuce: Once your plant has grown to about 4 inches in height, harvest the outer leaves, while allowing the inner leaves to grow. You can keep reaping the benefits of your lettuce plants all summer long.

Spinach: When leaves are four to six inches long, cut them off at the base. You want to do this before you see a flower stalk start to shoot up amongst your leaves. After you harvest, new leaves will grow in their place so you’ll have more spinach later.

Eggplant: Eggplant is one fruit that should be harvested when it’s slightly immature – experts say this leads to better flavor. Look for firm, shiny eggplants that are bright purple to black in color. Don’t pull your eggplants off the plant — cut them instead.

Summer Squash: This is one veggie that you want to pick young. Keep a close eye on summer squash, checking it daily even. Test the skin to see if it’s tender enough to poke your fingernail through – that’s a good indication that it’s time to pick. If you’re growing zucchini, ripe ones are typically between four and eight inches long and about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Beets: Once you see beet shoulders popping out of the soil line, you can harvest them whenever they look like the size you like to eat.

Tomatoes: Should you pick them when red? Yes, but make sure they’re fully colored and slightly soft. Some green thumbs suggest waiting five to eight days after the tomatoes turn red. If you’re new to gardening, be sure to check their firmness daily. They can become soft quickly if overripe. The best way to pick? Twist and pull from the vine.

Onions: You might think onions are a bigger challenge because they’re hiding beneath the soil. However, they’re relatively easy to harvest. Watch for the top to ripen and fall over. Then, dig them out and allow them to dry in the sun. Be sure to harvest before the frost.

Carrots: These veggies can be tricky since it’s hard to know how long they are when they’re in the ground. Watch for orange tops of the carrots to appear at the soil line. When the diameter looks appropriate for the variety you’re growing, don’t stress about how long it might be, just pull one out of the ground to see if the length is good. If so, go ahead and harvest. But there’s no harm in pulling your carrots out later in the season long after they’re ripe – some experts swear a light frost gives the veggies a sweeter flavor.

Sweet Peppers: Pick your green peppers when they reach full size and feel firm. Red, orange or yellow peppers take an extra two or three weeks. They should remain on the plant until they turn the appropriate color.

Radishes: You don’t want radishes to get over ripe because they’ll get tough and woody – and they mature quickly so watch out! Once you see the tops of the bulbs showing at the soil line, pull them.

Peas: Don’t wait for your peas to develop seeds fully. Pick them when the pods look and feel full? They’ll be sweeter if you harvest them before they plump all the way. Too hard to tell? The best way to determine if you should pick your peas is by tasting one for sweetness.

Are you an expert in picking veggies at the right time? Have you grown sweet and flavorful harvests worth bragging about? Tell us in the comments below.

Images: Kelly1878, me’nthedogs, Arlington County, Gare and Kitty, Lizard10979

The post Under Ripe? Too Ripe? Or Just Ripe? appeared first on EcoSalon.

Growing vegetables in your garden? How predictable. Sure growing your own food like tomatoes and cucumbers is planet-friendly, but gorgeous blooms add color to your greenery and many of them can be eaten, too. Add one or all seven of these nosh-worthy flowers to your garden and you’ll soon have something new to experiment with in your kitchen – and an easy way to woo your foodie friends.

Nasturtiums

In the garden: This pretty and tasty summer flowering annual is easy to grow if you have a sunny garden. Green thumbs say, “Be nasty to nasturtiums; they like it.” The soil should be very well-draining, a bit dry and surprisingly, nutrient poor. If you have too much nitrogen in your soil, you won’t get any blooms.

On the table: The flowers are spicy, with a bit of sweet nectar found in the spur. Even the leaves are edible – they have a peppery taste similar to watercress. Try adding them to salads or sprinkle them over veggies. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, try nasturtium soup.

Borage

In the garden: A unique addition to your garden, borage grow two to four feet tall with purplish-blue star-shaped flowers. They’re easy to grow, preferring full sun yet tolerating some shade. However, because they get blown around easily, it’s best to protect them from wind.

On the table: With a cucumber taste, borage blooms are a nice addition to salads or as a garnish on canapes. Because they’re so light and fresh – not to mention strikingly beautiful – try freezing these pretty blooms in ice cubes to serve in summer drinks.

Lavender

In the garden: If you’re up for the challenge, lavender can be a beautiful and fragrant addition to your garden, but they’re not the easiest flowers to grow. Try growing lavender in a small to medium-sized pot keeping it in the sun as much as possible and being careful that the soil isn’t too damp due to humidity in the summer or cold in the winter.

On the table: The flowers will have a perfumed flavor of well, lavender. They’re also sweet and spicy offering a nice addition to savory dishes like rice pilaf or sweet recipes like lavender shortbread. A word of caution: Don’t go overboard, the flavor can be intense.

Hibiscus

In the garden: Great for warm climates or the summer season, hibiscus plants prefer partial shade to full sun. Watch out for soggy pots – hibiscus plants are prone to root rot. And you should watch out for insects like aphids.

On the table: Hibiscus flowers have a tart cranberry flavor and since they’re so showy, they’re a fun drink addition whether in a cocktail like a wild hibiscus mojito or a cinnamon-infused hibiscus iced tea.

Violet

In the garden: A variety of easy-to-grow violas including Johnny-jump-ups, pansies and sweet violets are edible. They flower best in cooler climates, so if you live in the Pacific Northwest for example, this may be an easier bloom to cultivate.

On the table: Violets offer a sweet, wintergreen or perfumed flavor. They’re a popular bloom for salads, but many make candied violets or use them in sweet recipes such as raspberry and violet tartlets or violet flower jelly.

Lemon Blossom

In the garden: Before citrus plants grow fruit, they blossom. Little lemon trees can be purchased at a nursery and are easy enough to grow indoors year round as long as you have a lot of light. One caveat, for a better chance of fruit inside, you’ll need to play the part of bees, pollinating flowers with a paintbrush or cotton swab.

On the table: Because they’re heavily-scented, these sweet blooms, like lemons, should be used sparingly so as not to overwhelm a dish. They’re best as an edible garnish or for making citrus waters.

Sunflower

In the garden: Just about anyone, even kids, can grow sunflowers from seeds. The only thing you need to consider is where to plant your sunflowers. They need full sun and will grow tall – some varieties reach heights over 10 feet – so choose a spot with a fence to support towering stalks or plan on adding stakes later.

On the table: While you probably typically think of eating sunflower seeds, the petals can be eaten, too. They tend to have a bittersweet flavor, but steaming makes them more pleasant. Better yet, steam unopened buds – their flavor is very similar to that of an artichoke. You can also try making pickled sunflower buds.

Images: CommandZen, OliBac, Fabrice Rose, Sansreproache

The post 7 Ways to Indulge in the Edible Flower Garden Trend appeared first on EcoSalon.

If you love gardening, and would like to include your child in your hobby, you’re more than likely to find an eager and enthusiastic teammate! Children have an inherent love and awe of nature and the outdoors, and gardening affords them the miraculous opportunity of watching amazing fruits, vegetables and flowers sprout from tiny seeds, right before their very eyes. I was overjoyed to learn that my two and a half year-old daughter would happily spend hours on end tending to our garden. Yes, there’s an unlikely green gardening tool that captivates her attention and keeps our flowers blooming.

1. Hand a young child a spray bottle filled with water, and watch them excitedly go to work spraying everything green in sight. You can thoroughly wash and re-use any household spray bottle and turn it into your toddler’s most treasured gardening tool. (This is my daughter’s favorite outdoor toy!) Using a spray bottle also alleviates a little one’s unintentional drowning of plants and flowers with hoses and watering cans, and it also helps conserve water.

2. Decorate potted plants with handcrafted pet rocks that your child brings to life with paint, felt and googly eyes!

3. Have your children help you feed your plants with breakfast scraps. Let them scatter eggshells and coffee grounds into the soil to help make plants grow.

4. Spend an afternoon decoupaging terracotta flower pots with your kids. The one-of-a-kind flower pots will add instant flair and originality to your garden.

5. Equip your budding gardener with a cute and compact matchstick garden, and let them grow their choice of herbs, flowers or mixed greens.

6. Short on outdoor space? Your child can still reap what she sows inside the house with Green Toys’ Indoor Gardening Kit. The kit includes everything you need to help your child’s love of gardening blossom: a peapod shaped planter tray and three planting pots, a trowel, soil, and three packs of organic seeds (Teddy Bear Sunflower, Basil, Zinnia).

7. Make a DIY watering can or plant holder out of an empty plastic milk jug. Simply cut the top off of the carton to make it into a watering can. Do the same to make it a plant holder, but poke holes in the bottom for drainage.

Refer to this helpful Gardening At Every Age guide for more insight into your child’s skill and understanding level when it comes to tending the garden.

Images: Beth Shea, Petite Planet, Green Toys

The post A Green Thumb? Trust Me, Your Kids Have One appeared first on EcoSalon.