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Green Building Bible, Fourth Edition
Green Building Bible, fourth edition (both books)
These two books are the perfect starting place to help you get to grips with one of the most vitally important aspects of our society - our homes and living environment.

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General: Ultimate efficiency

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    http://www.capitalbay.com/uk/300475-the-sealed-bottle-garden-still-thriving-after-40-years-without-fresh-air-or-water.html

    A plant grown inside a sealed glass bottle is still thriving despite not having water or fresh air for more than 40 years.
    Gardener David Latimer, 80, from Cranleigh in Surrey, first planted his bottle garden in 1960 and finally sealed it tightly shut 12 years later - yet it's still going strong.
    He recently took a picture of the 53-year-old bottle garden along to Radio 4 Gardener's Question Time, where it was hailed by members of the programme's expert panel.

    It absorbs solar energy from daylight, water from the moisture it creates, carbon dioxide and nutrients from the composted leaves that it drops and produces oxygen in the cycle.
    Expert Chris Beardshaw said: 'It is a great example of the way in which a plant is able to recycle and what it can achieve in a totally isolated environment.

    The surviving plant, called spiderworts or tradescantia in Latin, has a healthy green foliage which has filled the over-sized round jar, which once contained sulphuric acid.
    Just like any other plant, Mr Latimers's bottled specimen has survived and thrived using the cycle of photosynthesis despite being cut off from the outside world.
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    That's mad Ted!
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    This is vitally important. I first got hooked on bottle gardening after reading how the Victorian plant collectors could get there specimens from the 4 corners of the world without people looking after the plants by the use of bottle containers. I have now developed the system using IBC containers for growing a wide range of vegetables in harsh weather conditions.
    • CommentAuthorEd Davies
    • CommentTimeJun 6th 2013
     
    There are many bits of Earth with lots of solar energy available but not enough water that would be fine places to live if a) they weren't full of nutters who want to impose their world-view on everybody else and b) you could hang on to whatever water you've got even after it had transpired out of the vegetables you planned to eat. I.e., make the bottle a bit bigger and build your house in it, too. Shades of Biosphere 2 or Dune.
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      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJun 6th 2013
     
    Posted By: Ed Daviesa) they weren't full of nutters who want to impose their world-view on everybody
    Alway the downside of an Eco-community :bigsmile:
  6.  
    It also works very efficiently closer to home. Many gardens on the west coast find it difficult to grow crops due to high winds. My IBC containers will grow crops in areas where it is to exposed to erect polytunnels.
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    Posted By: renewablejohnIt also works very efficiently closer to home. Many gardens on the west coast find it difficult to grow crops due to high winds. My IBC containers will grow crops in areas where it is to exposed to erect polytunnels.

    Very intesting.
    Do you know if anyone has tried it in NW Scotland? I'm wondering about the combination of the lower light levels here and the usually translucent material of the IBCs?
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      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJun 7th 2013
     
    I think you need to know what you wish to grow and then see what light levels, temperature ranges and humidity that plant likes best.
    Or get a copy of 'Energy Exchange in the Biosphere' by David M Gates, that explains it all quite clearly.
    Can be summed up by:
    S+R+LE+G+C+s=0
    S = Solar Radiation Flux
    R=Thermal Radiation Flux from Ground
    L=Latent Heat of Evaporation
    E=Rate of Evaporation
    G=Sensible Heat Flux by Convection from the ground though the soil
    C=Sensible Heat Flux by convection in the air
    s=a storage term for energy over a short period of time

    Easy really.
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    Steamy

    Not a great fan of the above more accustomed to JFDI
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    <blockquote><cite>Posted By: skyewright</cite><blockquote><cite>Posted By: renewablejohn</cite>It also works very efficiently closer to home. Many gardens on the west coast find it difficult to grow crops due to high winds. My IBC containers will grow crops in areas where it is to exposed to erect polytunnels.</blockquote>
    Very intesting.
    Do you know if anyone has tried it in NW Scotland? I'm wondering about the combination of the lower light levels here and the usually translucent material of the IBCs?</blockquote>

    Don't know of anywhere in Scotland but similar results have been obtained in Southern Norway which I would expect to be similar to Scotland.
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      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeJun 7th 2013
     
    Posted By: renewablejohnNot a great fan of the above more accustomed to JFDI
    I can do both :wink:

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