Hi all,

I'm a 3rd Year Product Design student starting my major project.

For this i've chosen to look at the issues associated with growing vegetables and herbs in an urban environment with limited space.

I was just wandering the main reasons that people grow herbs and vegetables, other than the obvious such as, better flavour, money saving, human need to nurture, relaxation etc. ??

Also i was just wandering what the main crops that people like to grow are??

I'm currently looking at existing products which 'solve' the issues related with growing in an urban environment, so if anyone has examples of products that would also be very helpful.


Many thanks for all your help.

"ImAJellyTot" wrote

I was just wandering the main reasons that people grow herbs and
vegetables, other than the obvious such as, better flavour, money
saving, human need to nurture, relaxation etc. ??

Add ease of access. I need a tomato? Green pepper, cucumber, etc? 5 feet
out my own back door.

Also i was just wandering what the main crops that people like to grow
are??

The obvious ones. Container garden here so the dog can't 'water the
veggies' for me.
- tomatoes, bell peppers, butter and baby lettuce, spinach, green onions,
chives, various herbs, cucumbers, eggplant, chiles, summer squashes.

I'm currently looking at existing products which 'solve' the issues
related with growing in an urban environment, so if anyone has examples
of products that would also be very helpful.

Long containers work well in apartment settings if you have a porch. I have
7-8 of them, most are about 1.75 meters long, about a foot deep and near a
foot wide. They sit on raised wood platforms so I don't have to lean over
to tend them.

In article ,
"cshenk" wrote:

"ImAJellyTot" wrote

I was just wandering the main reasons that people grow herbs and
vegetables, other than the obvious such as, better flavour, money
saving, human need to nurture, relaxation etc. ??

Add ease of access. I need a tomato? Green pepper, cucumber, etc? 5 feet
out my own back door.

Also i was just wandering what the main crops that people like to grow
are??

The obvious ones. Container garden here so the dog can't 'water the
veggies' for me.
- tomatoes, bell peppers, butter and baby lettuce, spinach, green onions,
chives, various herbs, cucumbers, eggplant, chiles, summer squashes.

I'm currently looking at existing products which 'solve' the issues
related with growing in an urban environment, so if anyone has examples
of products that would also be very helpful.

Long containers work well in apartment settings if you have a porch. I have
7-8 of them, most are about 1.75 meters long, about a foot deep and near a
foot wide. They sit on raised wood platforms so I don't have to lean over
to tend them.


I want foods that are not available in todays market place, like NON-GM
foods. Next year heirloom corn will be added to my heirloom vegetables
and herbs. Another poster here has convinced me of this recently

You might be interested in this magazine?
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/urban-farm/home.aspx

Enjoy Life... Dan

--
Garden in Zone 5 South East Michigan.

ImAJellyTot wrote:
Hi all,

I'm a 3rd Year Product Design student starting my major project.

For this i've chosen to look at the issues associated with growing
vegetables and herbs in an urban environment with limited space.

I was just wandering the main reasons that people grow herbs and
vegetables, other than the obvious such as, better flavour, money
saving, human need to nurture, relaxation etc. ??

Freedom from chemicals is important to some. Improving the appearance of
the urban garden can also be done with edibles, in a limited space you can
eat the decoration..


Also i was just wandering what the main crops that people like to grow
are??


If they have any sense they like to grow edibles that suit their soil and
climate. This is an international group there is no one answer to that
question.

I'm currently looking at existing products which 'solve' the issues
related with growing in an urban environment, so if anyone has
examples of products that would also be very helpful.



A well trodden path, we get one here about every six months. I haven't seen
a solution yet that was sensible and likely to be cost effective, many tend
to be complex and over-engineered, perhaps you will do better.

David