Mycelium is the root structure of mushrooms, It is beneficial to bind together organic agricultural byproducts, such as wood chips, to produce durable, bio-based and 100% compostable materials. Hence mycelium is becoming more and more used and replacing other conventional packaging methods primarily. Using mycelium as planters is beneficial as the material will break down, acting as a food source for the plant.
We were asked to create planters made out of mycelium. Our group decided top use recycled cardboard boxes.
We had various routes to go through, however we wanted something very geometrical, clean and compact.
A planter with three rectangular shapes in order to host smaller plants in the smaller pits, and once they were to grow they could be repotted in the bigger pit.
We were inspired to create hanging planters which would be compact and save space in tiny Parisian homes.
Initial planters designed using mycelium- using strips of denim to act as a handle. We used denim as it was an organic material that would decompose into the soil over time along with the mycelium.
Through the images below, it is evident that the mycelium planter had been contaminated over its growing stage.
There are various reasons for why this could have happened.
- lack of sanitation
- unsanitary storage space
A contamination is an impurity in the air, the soil, and/or the water which can cause (serious) harm to the germinating spores, the growing mycelium and eventually the mushrooms themselves.
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In order to have a contemporary planter, we decided to use recycled cardboard which could be modified according to the owner.
We then added soil into each container.
We planted seeds into each of the containers.
We then watered the soil.
After this we let our planter sit in presence of some sunlight and we hope it grows beautiful flowers.
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While on the rooftop garden, I also participated in some gardening activities and learned more about the different types of plants they grow.
