The idea of DIY VeggiePatch is to get involved in the process of growing vegetables for families and communities and in some ways nip food miles, packaging, food processing, and flood irrigation at the top of the food chain process. The project proposes to reduce eco-footprint by using materials like cardboard, banana paper and tire crumb to construct the patch. The pros of the patch include eliminating the need for transportation, refrigeration, and storage of vegetables plus the health benefits of organic food.
The VeggiePatch is versatile and fits perfectly in any environment. Basically what you are doing is getting individual pockets of pots, and growing your own veggies. You don’t need to own garden space for this, any amount of space, big or small will suffice. The base patch can be bought by the meter, in 30cm increments, off a roll or sheet. Its size and contours depends on what you require and you get to chose from four base contours. Modularity also allows the garden to grow and be expanded or transported from one location to another with flat packed components.
VeggiePatch has the capability to vermicompost food waste within each one of its pockets, closing the loop in the food cycle. In a meter long patch one can cultivate 15 pockets of veggies. To maintain this sized patch one will require to water it for 10 minutes and this will consume approx 12.5 liters of water, which is more than sufficient for most vegetables. The irrigation system makes use of the drip irrigation method whereby the drippers can be adjusted to control the flow speed of water. The slow rate of water flow allows all the water to be absorbed by the soil, removes spillage and reduces evaporation.
The seeds for the plants come in specialized package made from recycled paper pulp, and soy based dyes. Called the SeedDisks, they eliminate the need for excessive packaging, and provide nutrients for seedlings as they grow. The SeedDisks protect seedlings from animal and insect attack at infancy, keeping them grounded during windy weather. They also prevent overcrowding of seeds when you sow them.
The open source design of VeggiePatch allows it to evolve organically and freely, reaching even more urban gardeners and communities.
Designer: Jo Szczepanska
