Many people, myself included, cannot recognize and understand much of the flora around us with much expertise. It is often said that American children recognize more logos than local species, and the Go Wild Education Company in the UK offers a quiz, in which you can test your own logo vs. leaf identification skills.
In the past three years, I have moved several times. And as I settle in to each new space, I always end up adopting various plants to scatter around my place. I have always tended toward ivy or spider plants, since I can’t kill them easily, and most recently I have taken some new succulents under wing. For me, having plants is partially for the aesthetic; a little green in my living space is refreshing and reminds me of being in nature, a place I enjoy very much. However, keeping indoor plants has just as many physical benefits as it does psychological.
The end of the growing season for passionate gardeners can be a bummer. But, to anyone who wants to grow food longer and start it out earlier, this is the article for you.
Being self-sustainable in every way possible is great, so growing your food – and as much of it as you can – is important. Cold frames are a great addition to any garden because you can use them to lengthen your growing season, both by giving plants longer to grow before it gets cold and also by allowing you to start some seedlings early.
To reduce your garden’s carbon footprint, try organic pesticides… Be safe, be sure!
To be eco-friendly, otherwise known as environment friendly, means to practice not harming the environment. To act in accordance with the natural phenomena of our living planet, rather than to rule or control it. It means having a friendly relationship between humans and nature, while taking care of our surrounding environment. Being eco-friendly is a great goal to have because you are trying to accomplish the least negative impacts on land, water and air. Here are 11 easy ways to be eco-friendlier in your day-to-day life.
If you’re someone living in an urban setting, yet still trying to live as close to the earth as possible while doing so, then you may have considered urban gardening in the past.
My backyard is a paved-over pocket in the city that I call “the oasis.” It’s just enough room for a few reclining lawn chairs, a grill, and six potted plants. It’s not much, but it’s just enough to feel like I have a little nature right out my back door.
Living in an urban area, you have to make the most of all your spaces, especially if you have any outdoor room. A well-planned
Due to the recent Zika spraying, massive use of neonicotinoid pesticides, and other environmental factors, bees are now on the endangered species list, effective October 31, 2016. If bees go extinct, honey won't be the only thing we'll be missing: A third of the food humans eat would disappear with the bees. To put things in perspective, that means no more blueberries, apples, pumpkins, or almonds – all those plants (among others) need bees. Worried yet?
It’s not easy to combine one’s gifts and passion for agriculture with a need for housing and a salary in an urban environment. Farmer-in-Residence Zaro Bates has been lucky enough to do just that in the courtyard of a Staten Island apartment complex, known as Urby. Bates runs this 4,500-square foot organic city farm and the business Empress Green Inc. with her husband and co-worker/beekeeper, Asher Landes.
Trees are one of the greatest gifts anyone can give to future generations. Our increasingly urbanized environments are enriched by trees—carefully tended by previous generations—a priceless inheritance and practice worth sustaining for posterity.
Anyone can contribute to a greener future by caring for trees, whether that’s planting, pruning or simply giving a thirsty sidewalk tree a drink of water once in a while. Someone 100 years from now will appreciate it.
Knowing how to save seeds will help you garden more effectively and sustainably. Seeds that have been stored appropriately not only germinate better, they also last longer, too. Whether you are saving your seeds for short- or long-term use, it is always a good idea to know a few things about storing and maximizing your seed storage life. With this in mind, I’ve provided 7 tips that will help you store seeds effectively.