Outline
Woolly Pockets
Shared Qualities
Ground Bed
Hangs easily
Eco-friendly
Laid in the ground
Self-watering facility
Rely on watering
Needs to be watered
Good drainage
Both can survive low and medium rainfall
Flooding problems due to rain
Enhances both indoor and outdoor spaces
Can only be done outdoors and enhances outside spaces
Modular & Portable
Cannot be moved
Less maintenance
Regular maintenance
Thesis statement: - Gardening is a common hobby and more awareness and interest is developing in people now. In this essay I would like to compare and contrast planting in woolly pockets and ground bed, emphasizing on the qualities and advantages of both, as well as how they are different.
Gardening is a hobby that mostly everyone enjoys, be it the old or the young. It gives immense satisfaction and joy to see little seedlings, buds and plants, which you plant with your own hands, to grow and bloom. Planting can be done in ground beds (open land spaces) and even in small containers, pots or in the most recent invention, the woolly pockets. Depending upon one’s needs, facilities and choices, one can choose to plant in the ground or in woolly pockets. Planting in either one works differently and in this essay I aim to bring out the similarities and differences of woolly pockets and ground beds.
Owing to the ever-growing urbanization and development people are confined to smaller spaces and feel deprived of open spaces in their homes or workplaces, where they cannot enjoy gardening. However, in this age of advancement there’s no dearth of ideas, therefore two brothers Miguel and Rodney Nelson from USA, invented consumer-friendly woolly pockets for gardening. These are eco-friendly, flexible and breathable woolly pockets made from recycled plastic bottles, with an internal moisture control. These woolly pockets are modular, durable and portable to use. There are two styles of pockets, one for horizontal use and the other for vertical gardening. They can be hung easily on the walls, railings or fences, thus giving the lush green look to homes, offices and school buildings. Woolly pockets meet the purpose of planting both indoors and outdoors, very well.
There are two parts of a woolly pocket, a felt layer and a built-in moisture control surface. There is a water wick attached inside which regularly provides moisture to the plants. Two to three different kinds of plants can be grown in a single pocket. It’s so user-friendly to use these pockets as one can use some indoors for plants which do not need sunlight, and install some outdoors for plants which need plenty of sunlight.
Many schools have started using these pockets in order to teach students about nutrition and plants. It’s easy to hang them up on the walls, and each child can have one pocket of plants to look after and grow. The best kinds of plants that can be grown are herbs, dwarf varieties of evergreen shrubs, bulbs, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions, dwarf strawberries, jasmine flowers, small roses, tulips, daisies, and many more.
Planting in ground beds is however the oldest and most natural form of planting. What’s better than being as close as possible to the Mother Earth after all? The nutrients and soil fertility that comes directly from the earth is best suited for plant growth. Just as we feel uncomfortable in tight clothing, similarly plants feel restricted and breathe better in open land space where they have space to spread over and enough depth for the roots to become firm.
Fruits and vegetables grow better and bigger in the ground due to ample space. The quantity and quality of production is definitely better than those growing in pots or woolly pockets. Therefore if more produce is desired its best to grow fruits and vegetables in the ground.
Open land space gardens have to be watered regularly and a proper irrigation system is a blessing for the plants. Drainage is not a problem in the ground as the water gets soaked in the ground and spreads well. But in extreme cases when there is excessive rainfall, flooding can be a problem and destroy the plants.
Extreme climatic conditions of heat, cold and wind can affect the plants adversely, which is not the case in woolly pockets as they can be moved. But at the same time plants which need a particular kind of temperature and climate are best grown in the ground itself. Pumpkins, pomegranates, asparagus, oranges, plums, etc. all grow better in the ground.
Ground beds need good maintenance such as regular watering, digging, and cleaning. Since plants are growing in the open space they are also exposed to predators which can destroy them.
All said and done, planting in both woolly pockets and ground beds is good and productive. Both require maintenance and care, watering, good soil and compost, and regular upkeep. Fruits, vegetables and flowers, all can be grown in both the settings. Be it planting in the ground or in woolly pockets, the lush green look and radiant colors enhance the beauty of the surroundings one lives in. Both ways of planting are educational for children in schools. Depending upon the purpose, need and choice of planting, one can either choose woolly pockets or ground beds.
References
Woollypocket. 2011. Woolly Pocket Garden Company. 20 March 2012 http:// www.woollypocket.com/plants
Gardening Gone Wild. 2011. Gardening Gone Wild. 20 March 2012
http:// www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=10449
Life on the Balcony. March 15, 2012. Life on the Balcony. 20 March 2012
http://lifeonthebalcony.com/when-you-cant-garden-outdoors-anymore-grow-vertically-indoors/
Homestead Gardens. 2012. Homestead Gardens. 20 March 2012
http://homesteadgardens.com/woolly-pockets/
Container Vegetable Gardening. 2001. Ohio State University Factsheet. 20 March 2012
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1647.html
Urban Gardening: You Can Grow Food No Matter Where You Live. 2011. Earth First. 20 March 2012
http://earthfirst.com/urban-gardening-you-can-grow-food-no-matter-where-you-live/
Growing Vegetables in Containers: Which Foods Grow Best? March 2012. Container Gardening For Food. 20 March 2012
http://www.container-gardening-for-food.com/Growing-vegetables-in-containers.html
