with Vimeo Lecture: http://vimeo.com/10810856
Cut a small slid on the mesh or shade netting and place the plants (shake-off all soil) into the planting media. The slid should be ‘sewn’ to secure the plants.
To maintain the moss, the wall is fed by the water from the pond below. A constant water source is about the only way to sustain a moss wall.
The wall is covered in porous volcanic rock which would obviously help with water retention and providing a rough surface for the moss to attach
Patrick Blanc’s book “Vertical Gardens” includes a brief section on vertical garden design. Blanc’s book makes it clear that his technique is to grow plants between layers of cloth, staple the plants in place on sheets of expanded pvc, and use hydroponics to feed the plants. However, Blanc’s book leaves many unanswered questions. The Institute’s mission is to answer those questions with science-based research.
Moss Collection:
To begin the project we used the natural environment as our catalyst. We embarked on a walking tour of The University of Oregon campus and outlying areas collecting moss that we found growing in the cool shadows. We found the most variety of species growing on the north stone face of Hendricks Hill along Franklin Boulevard. We also found several ferns and flowers that were growing within the moss with almost no soil. Our intent is to identify the different type of mosses and determine which would be the most suitable for propagation within a constructed environment. We also noted the coloration, size, and texture each species offered and their potential to mosaic together as in some of the precedents we had looked at earlier. We took the samples back to studio and let portions go dormant and dry while other portions we kept in cups with water to see how each species looked in both conditions. Eventually, the moss species that we determine to be the most suitable for our moss wall project will be put in a blender with buttermilk to begin the propagation process and applied like a paint to test-rocks for display.
http://horticulturalbuildingsystems.blogspot.com/2010/07/mid-term-earth-bank-by-matt-brooke-and.html
and
http://horticulturalbuildingsystems.blogspot.com/2010/08/earth-bank-living-building-system-by.html
In order to test the different mixtures for the Earth Bank, we decided to pour several small test blocks in improvised brick molds (recycled vent housings from Bring Recycling Center). With eight brick molds, we are able to test eight different mixtures a week. We plan to do three sets of eight blocks a piece and after each round to further clarify and refine the mixture.
In order to give ourselves the best possible chance of finding a viable mixture for the Earth Bank, we have acquired a broad palate of possible materials. They list as following:
Mortars:
lime – acquired from Jerry's hardware
Portland cement – acquired from Jerry's hardware
Aggregates:
perlite – acquired from Aqua-Serene hydroponic supply
red cinder lava rock – acquired from Lane Forrest Products
sand – acquired from Lane Forrest Products
Organic Substrates:
organic soil – acquired from Lane Forest Products
organic compost – acquired from Lane Forrest Products
Organic Fibers/Binders:
straw – acquired from Lane Feed Supply
coconut fiber – acquired from Aqua-Serene hydroponic supply
peat – acquired from our professor, Rich Hindel
Seeds:
different varieties of turf grass indigenous to the Willammette Valley – acquired from Irwin and Son's seed supply
wildflowers native to the Willammette Valley – acquired from Irwin and Son's seed supply
various wild sedum, vines and weeds – acquired from various wild locations in Eugene, Or.
Hypertufa is an artificial stone product made by adding various low-density aggregates to portland cement. It is similar to the Earth Bank concept in that it is a light weight version of concrete which can be poured and shaped like traditional concrete. Hypertufa has not been conceived as a living plant medium; it serves us as a precedent because it successfully lowers the weight and density of a concrete mixture by using peat and perlite as aggregates, a concept which we have incorporated into our various Earth Bank test mixes.
BASIC recipe:
OR
Mix Materials: Several formulas can be used to create ”hypertufa” artificial stone containers. Here are three.
1 part Black Gold Peat Moss, 2 parts Black Gold Perlite, 1 part Portland cement (as used in our pre-mix)
1 part Black Gold Peat Moss, 1 part Black Gold Sand, 1 part Portland Cement (Sandstone appearance)
1 part Black Gold Peat Moss, 3 parts Black Gold Perlite, 1 ½ parts Portland Cement ( more rocky apperance)
Concrete tips: Wear rubber gloves and avoid contact with eyes and skin. Mix gently to avoid stirring up dust, which can be harmful to lungs. Avoid mixing on windy days or in extremely hot or cold weather because the concrete will set incorrectly. The ideal temperature is between 45 and 85 degrees.
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