Things We Learned Today

By Meryl

We always thought “hydroponics” was just a euphemism for “growing pot.” Apparently, it’s not—not always, anyway. It just turns out there’s no better way for urban gardeners to grow vegetables at home. And there may be no better place to learn about it than from Urban Garden Magazine.

The magazine’s contributors and experts talk readers through setting up their indoor gardens—everything from ventilation to lighting—doing it in more of a stoner than a Martha Stewart way. For example, in explaining how to plan a garden, they write, “Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to provide your plants with all the light they need to grow and bloom.”

Here are some headlines to further illustrate our point: “Chillaxing with Hydro Innovations: Part 2,” “Know Your Predators” and “Crochet Hydroponics: Part 3.” Putting the finishing touch on the stoner aura, they even review video games and aren’t afraid to take a stand against evil seed monopolies.

The August issue includes a visit to New York City’s first hydroponic rooftop-to-table restaurant Bell Book and Candle. And the September issue involves much hype about Grower Day 2010: If you live in the L.A. area, head to the L.A. Convention Center on October 1 and 2 for all things hydroponic.

We think the about page says it all: “It’s no secret that everyone involved with Urban Garden Magazine is completely crazy. Crazy about horticulture, that is.” But this we like even more: “Even somebody living in an apartment on the 37th floor can produce surprising quantities of their own vegetables and herbs.” We, of course, wonder what exactly they mean by “herbs.”