Status of the InsidePlantsLive.org Blog

The reason for my absence from this blog is that I took time out to move across country from San Diego to Brooklyn the city of my birth. It was an extremely difficult move in that it involved moving the entire Inside Plants Science Lab as well as my possessions. Doing this by myself in a 26’ U-Haul truck was a nerve-racking odyssey and I’m still recovering from it.

I now live in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and the lab is temporarily stored in the science lab of the Ebbets Field Middle School.

If your interest is in modern 21st century methods of maintaining plants in buildings the archived contents of this blog are the equivalent of a book on the subject.

It is straight talk without all the mumbo jumbo mythology so common in the houseplant world.

Indoor Plant Hobbyists and Others

Although not organized as a book, topics are categorized. For example, click on Sub-irrigation or Inside Plant Care or Hydroculture/Hydroponics. There are other topics well worth reading if your interest is in modern methods of maintaining plants in buildings.

See additional Topics (left column).

There is also an extensive photo collection on Flickr.com. Have a look at Digital Age Indoor Plants.

Educators

If you are an educator read about the Inside Plants Science Lab donation program at InsideGreenNYC.org. There is also an outline of the program below.

If you have an interest in this project please contact me at bobhyland[AT}insideplantslive.org.

New Blog Coming

InsideUrbanGreen.org will replace InsidePlantsLive.org in the near future. The site is under construction. The scope of the new blog will include more emphasis on urban agriculture and methods of growing vegetables on rooftops and in small city spaces. The range of topics will cover food, foliage and flowering plants in and around buildings.

An outline of plans for the Inside Plants Science Lab project.

Using modern science based methods of maintaining plants in buildings will help in the early science education of young people. Urban horticulture, or agriculture, is a subject of ever increasing importance in the new urban green environment.

The growing of foliage, food and flowers should not be confined solely to in-ground gardening hobbyists who demonstrate a tendency to be techno-averse while resisting modern 21st century methods.

Learning about measurement and methodology instead of clay pot mythology will help on the path to higher science education for children of all ages. All students will benefit whether pursuing science careers or simply living in a densely populated urban environment having limited contact with nature.

Temporary Storage

The lab is currently stored in the Ebbets Field Middle School science lab, to be moved as soon as possible to an accessible location in Brooklyn. This will be used to demonstrate the program to interested schools and organizations in the New York City area.

Initial Beta Phase - Donated

Distribution of ten rolling rack “mini-labs” to a wide cross section of public and private schools and appropriate science based organizations in the New York City area.

• One rolling rack and an assortment of plants
• Measuring tools – digital foot-candle/lux light meter, digital scale and other plant care equipment
• Statistical uploading to an online database is required
• Supported by teacher training
• Supported by InsideUrbanGreen.org, a new website

Local Roll Out Phase – With Funding

New York metro area - Distribution of additional mini-labs to science classrooms in the NYC area.

Regional Roll Out – With Funding

N.E. Corridor – No. N.J., Philadelphia, Boston

National Roll Out – With Funding

Chicago, Los Angeles and other densely populated cities across the country