Maximum Yield USA August/September 2020 | Page 34

max FACTS #StayPlanted Initiative Emphasizes Indoor Gardening Bored at home? Now’s as good a time as any to cultivate a green thumb. To emphasize CDC messaging for US residents to continue sheltering in place, a coalition of greenhouse growers and interior plantscapers launched a social media initiative they’re calling #StayPlanted. They’re encouraging people to place plants in their windows and share pictures on social media using the #StayPlanted hashtag, highlighting ways the leafy greens are beneficial to us. “Most people love their indoor plants for how they look, but many don’t realize the huge health benefits that come from access to plants and greenery,” says Mike Senneff, president of Green Plants for Green Buildings and CEO of Natura. By sharing pictures and stories of home foliage, #StayPlanted brings people together and encourages individual well-being. Studies show that close access to plants can improve mood and reduce the likelihood of stress-related depression, which is key during the COVID-19 pandemic. — sacurrent.com Strawberries Top Latest Dirty Dozen List The latest Dirty Dozen list is out and once again, strawberries came in first on the list for crops grown with elevated use of pesticides. Spinach came in second, followed by kale. Nectarines and apples were fourth and fifth respectively. Each spring, the Environmental Working Group (also known as the EWG) publishes a list of fruits and vegetables that experts at the non-profit say contain higher levels of concerning pesticides. Known as the Dirty Dozen list to health experts, it has long called conventional farming methods into question, especially as the EWG also publishes a similar list called the Clean Fifteen that highlights produce containing little to no pesticides when grown conventionally. The Dirty Dozen list has been published every year since 2004, mostly compiled on internal observations based on analysis of data from the US Department of Agriculture, which routinely tests produce samples for pesticide residues. — goodhousekeeping.com Home Hydroponics Flourishing During Pandemic With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic putting the squeeze on many businesses, people are reducing trips to the grocery store by using hydroponic kits at home to grow fresh produce. For New York professors Meg Urban and Jason Dilworth, reducing their carbon footprint has long been a goal. “We have a limited space. We can’t do the victory garden or sort of other things, but we can grow those sorts of basic necessities,” says Dilworth, adding the shutdown accelerated their plans to buy a home hydroponic gardening kit. Hank Adams is the founder of Rise Gardens, an Illinois-based company that makes and sells indoor smart garden kits that can fit comfortably inside a home or apartment. He says sales of their multi-tiered system were up 300 per cent in March and more than 600 per cent in April. “We are struggling to keep up with demand,” says Adams, adding supply chains have not been disrupted. — thedenverchannel.com 18 Maximum Yield