Jim Mumford

The Nose Knows When It’s Springtime

| March 23, 2017 | Categories: Biophilia, Environment, Gardening, Nature and Wellbeing
People who live in climates with true changes of season say they love the cycle from snow to rain to sunshine to fall leaves. It’s true there are times of year when spring flowers and fall leaves are a truly beautiful sight. Transplants to San Diego will tell you they “miss” the changing seasons. Southern California seasons change, too. The changes are more subtle, that’s all. We know it’s officially Spring this week, even when we’ve been hit by more rain (and nothing wrong with that). We are getting more hours of sunlight. Human beings instinctively feel it as part of the biophilic connection we have to the rhythms of nature.… Read More

It’s Natural to Love St. Patrick’s Day

| March 16, 2017 | Categories: Biophilia, Blog, Good Earth Plant Company, Nature and Wellbeing
You don’t have to be Irish (or part Irish like me) to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Friday, March 17. We love any occasion focusing on things that are green! March 17 is the date of St. Patrick’s death. Yes, he was a real person. For many years St. Patrick’s Day was a serious religious holiday in Ireland, honoring the man who converted Ireland to Catholicism and who also reportedly “drove the snakes out of Ireland.” This is a historical headscratcher, because there are no snakes native to Ireland. Some historians now believe “snakes” refers to the ancient Pagans, especially the Druids who practiced the dominant spiritual belief in Ireland before the arrival of Christianity.… Read More

Healthy Houseplants Your Stuffy Nose Will Love

| March 11, 2017 | Categories: Gardening, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
Thanks to everything you’ve read on our blog (OK, and maybe elsewhere), you’ve decided to add plants to your indoor environment. It’s a smart move and with spring around the corner, it’s perfect timing. But for the one out of ten people who suffer from asthma and allergies, you need to make your choices carefully. We’ve known since the landmark 1989 NASA study we quote so often here that plants can greatly improve our indoor air quality by filtering harmful toxins and pollutants – things like benzene, formaldehyde, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). But many plants also produce pollen as part of their reproductive process.… Read More

Go Green Or Your Employees Might Go Home

| March 2, 2017 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Environment, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Nature and Wellbeing
The job market has been opening up. It’s great news for people who want to find a quality job. But it’s not such good news for employers trying to retain their most talented employees. Employers should pay attention to the findings in this year’s annual “State of the American Workplace” survey from the Gallup Organization. It gives them a game plan for developing the kind working environment talented people are looking for. A record 47 percent of the workforce say now is a good time to find a quality job. More than half of employees (51 percent) are searching for new jobs or watching for openings.… Read More

Hotel Del Coronado Gets Its Own Living Wall

| February 24, 2017 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Case Studies, Indoor Plants, Living Walls
Did anyone watch the TV game show “Wheel of Fortune” during its “San Diego Week?” The show backdrop featured classic symbols of San Diego. The most prominant was the unmistakable red turret roof of the Hotel Del Coronado. The beautiful Hotel del Coronado is a little more beautiful today thanks to its new living wall, installed in late January by Good Earth Plants and GreenScaped Buildings. This project has been a year in the making as it made its way through a lengthy approval process by the City of Coronado. The City and several organizations must maintain the historic preservation of the landmark and ensure any renovations or construction don’t harm the structure.… Read More

Bugging Out To Save Trees

| February 23, 2017 | Categories: Agriculture and Farming, Environment, Gardening, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Nature and Wellbeing
If UC Santa Cruz music professor David Dunn scores a hit with his latest composition, he’ll have millions of listeners, maybe even hundreds of millions. But they won’t be spending a dime, and they won’t be singing or dancing. They’ll be dying. For ten years, Professor Dunn has created music using sounds in nature, specifically the sound of bark beetles in California’s forest as they munch on trees. Aggressive bark beetles make a LOT of noise. They also contribute to widespread tree destruction, which has been made worse due to several years of drought. His recordings of bark beetles were turned into a CD called “The Sound of Light in Trees.”… Read More

Can Plants Save The World? Isn’t It Worth Trying?

| February 17, 2017 | Categories: Biophilia, Environment, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping, Sustainable Living, Water and Water Conservation
I started my career in the plant industry with a flower bucket stand in downtown San Diego. Now I’m heading toward my 40th anniversary in business at warp speed. It’s crazy! It took a lot of hard work, but it also took a little luck and lots of help along the way. I’m grateful for where it’s taken me. When you have the gratitude attitude, two things happen. First, you feel great. Second, you want to pass it on, and that feels great, too. In 2016, a presentation by Alpha Project Chief Operating Officer Amy Gonyeau opened my eyes to the growing scope of homelessness in San Diego.… Read More

Getting Down to Business on Valentine’s Day

| February 9, 2017 | Categories: Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
Part of the Good Earth Plant Company Anniversary Series Even if you’ve had a Valentine’s Day or two that was a disappointment, most people have overall pleasant memories for their Valentine’s Days over the years. My own memories of Valentine’s Day have nothing to do with love stories or gifts. They are all about business. And how many dozen roses in a vase I could make in an hour (14). Valentine’s Day means business when you are a florist. In just a couple of days, three months of sales are achieved. My first few years in business were running a flower stand named “Good Earth Plant & Flower Co.”… Read More

Shhh, Be Quiet – Your Houseplants are Sleeping

| February 2, 2017 | Categories: Biophilia, Gardening, Indoor Plants, Nature and Wellbeing, Plantscaping
When the weather is sunny during the first few months of the year in San Diego, it’s hard to remember it’s winter time. Yes, even in Southern California. The days are getting longer again but we have several more weeks to go before we are getting a full, healthy dose of sunlight and the days even out into spring. During these winter months, your houseplants are taking a nap. Like many other creatures, they slow down and “hibernate” during the winter. Living creatures including plants evolved to conserve their energy when resources are scarce due to the natural cycle of the seasons in winter.… Read More

Good Earth Plant Company Wishes You Happy 4715

| January 26, 2017 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Gardening, Nature and Wellbeing
Gung Hay Fat Choi 4715 (Happy Lunar New Year) from Good Earth Plant Company!
We never turn down the opportunity to celebrate a holiday at Good Earth Plant Company. So we are happy to wish you a Happy New Year, because Saturday, January 28, is the start of the Chinese or Lunar New Year 4715. It is celebrated by one-sixth of the world’s population. The Lunar New Year is the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese lunar calendar measures months the way most cultures did from the beginning of humanity, by following the cycles of the moon. The lunar calendar begins each month when the night sky is darkest, on the new moon.… Read More