gardening

Speak Kindly to the Plants

“Speak Kindly to the Plants… and the People!” It’s so easy to get busy with work and home and family and all the million little sticky notes, lists and pieces of paper that are flying around. Those reminders to do something, buy something, call someone, or submit something by a deadline. Life is one BIG deadline. The plant business has an added sense of urgency because we are working with a perishable item. Plants want to live, but they don’t like being ignored, left in a dark corner if they need sunlight or in hot sun when they want shade, not watered if they are thirsty, watered too much if they want to be dry.… Read More

Plant A Garden, Add a Kid, Watch Them Grow!

Every now and then, I get a reality check when it comes to my kids. I am sure this happens to every parent…you’ll be driving along or just working through your day and something occurs to you about how different your own childhood was compared to your kids today. I remember long summer days when I was set loose with a PB&J sandwich and my bike (no helmet). Time was measured by light through the neighborhood trees and the sound of the Ice Cream truck. My acceptable range of travel was about nine blocks. I didn’t have a cell phone. I was expected home for dinner in reasonable condition at a reasonable time.… Read More

Jim Mumford’s Thoughts on Union-Tribune News Coverage

Last Monday, I was thrilled to see the article on the front page of the Business section of U-T San Diego about our living walls and green roofs, with a large photo of me (above the fold) standing in front of one of our own living walls. There’s nothing like seeing your own grinning mug in the paper before you’ve had coffee on a Monday morning.  A friend and colleague in Arizona had already posted it on Facebook! I am happy that both our company names are mentioned (Good Earth Plants and Greenscaped Buildings) and that in a section labeled “learn more” gave details about our open house and plant sale coming up April 19.… Read More

Want A Garden On Your Wall? U-T San Diego, March 10, 2013

If you’re over the potted-plant look and have some tax money to spend on your home or business, one thing to consider is a wall garden or green roof. This special niche in the landscaping world remains relatively unknown but has in recent years attracted big-time clients like celeb chef Mario Batali, SDG&E and Fashion Valley Mall in Mission Valley, a major regional mall in Southern California. The firm that served those clients and many more is Good Earth Plants, which evolved from a downtown San Diego plant kiosk to a warehouse space in Kearny Mesa. It also birthed sister company Greenscaped Buildings.… Read More

GreenScaped Buildings Installs Living Wall at Fashion Valley – Mission Times Courier

Shoppers enjoying their next trip to the popular Fashion Valley in San Diego will be greeted by a beautiful and unexpected sight, thanks to the installation of a cutting-edge “living wall” at the property this week. The first of its kind at a San Diego County retail property, living walls or green walls are structures that allow plant materials to grow on a building, but have the added benefit of allowing them to grow on vertical spaces indoors or outdoors. Both types of walls grow in “found space,” using far less space than typical gardens. Living walls can be planted with a wide variety of plants.… Read More

Grow Your Own Salad with Tower Garden

Newly offered product uses NASA technology of aeroponic gardening to produce fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs on demand with little space. Missing out on fresh fruits and vegetables because you lack the real estate to plow the ground, sow some seeds and grow a garden? GreenScaped Buildings and Good earth Plants has every hobby gardener’s solution to the lack of space with the vertical Tower Garden by JuicePlus. Urban agriculture and small scale farming has never been so easy! With just sun and access to a standard electrical outlet, your garden can be up and running in no time on your patio or deck.… Read More

Seed Bombs in San Diego County

I saw a gumball vending machine, put in two quarters, turned the knob, and out rolled a brown seed bomb??  Wait a second…this isn’t a gumball machine! Recently, seed bomb vending machines have been popping up in San Diego and New York areas thanks to Jim Mumford at Greenscaped Buildings’ brilliant idea for unofficial planting.  He uses repurposed dispensers that hold little seed bombs of native flower seeds and compost held together by clay.  How cute is that?!  A little ball of flower seeds perfect for a mini explosion of native wildflowers on a neighbors’ lawn or between cracks in the sidewalk.… Read More