ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Urban Seedling is committed to improving our city and our environment by increasing urban biodiversity, providing places for natural pollinators in our urban ecosystem, and conserving resources such as water and energy.
Loss of natural pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds has affected agricultural production. The practice and promotion of organic urban farming, including the planting of diverse indigenous crops, can play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance of pollinators in the food production system. The harmony and balance that biodiversity creates builds fertile soils and contributes to pest and weed management, as well as water conservation.
Urban Seedling relies on permaculture principles to grow and maintain our organic vegetable gardens. All of our seeds are local heritage or heirloom varieties of vegetables, some dating back thousands of years.
“Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single product system” – Bill Mollison
We do not use any chemicals, fertilizers, or commercial products in our gardens. The vegetables are grown in a special blend of marine compost, green compost, coconut coir, peat moss, black earth, and vermiculite. For seedling production, we use worm castings blended with a specific seedling-starter soil type, and we continue to sprinkle worm castings and spray seaweed fertilizer throughout the growing season.
All pest and weed control is accomplished through careful weekly inspection, the use of insect netting, floating row covers, maintenance, and misting your plants with compost tea and natural pesticides such as TKO (a home-made pesticide made with garlic, soap, oil and chili).