While you may get noticeable joy from feeling the soil outside on your fingers or seeing your first tomatoes pop up on the vine, even indoor gardening can bring some helpful benefits for your well-being, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Helsinki, Natural Resources Institute Finland and Tampere University have uncovered […]
Winter is rolling in, and in many zones, our once-prolific tomato and cucumber plants are well past their prime. While the summer growing season is over, gardens still benefit from a little TLC before the snow falls. Here’s how to prepare your garden for the winter to prepare for next year’s harvest. Mulch The cold-weather […]
Have you ever wondered how much biodiversity is in your own backyard? Three housemates in Brisbane, Australia, decided to challenge each other to find out. Not only did they identify 1,150 unique plant, fungi and animal species in their suburban backyard, they wrote an academic research paper detailing the perhaps surprisingly extensive biodiversity to be […]
Trees and other plants are known for their air purifying capabilities, providing oxygen to the millions of species on our planet. Planting more trees and preserving the ones we have has been one of the strategies being used to help mitigate the effects of the climate crisis. A new study using more realistic modeling suggests […]
Wondering what to plant as the days get shorter and long shadows creep across your garden? There are plenty of shade-loving plants to keep your yard vibrant during months of low light or abundant cloud cover. Coral Bells (Heuchera) Heuchera in the Hudson Valley / Jenny Lee Fowler Coral bells, also known as alumroot, are […]
A new State of the World’s Plant and Fungi report from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew), presents the current conditions of Earth’s plants and fungi. Based on more than 25 scientific papers and the work of 200 researchers from around the world, the report looks at global biodiversity patterns and drivers, as well as […]
Many plant and animal species that originate from warmer regions are able to acclimate to more northern climates as temperatures increase due to climate change. A new study by an international team of researchers has concluded that, as climate change continues, the likelihood of alien plant species from regions nearer to the equator being introduced […]
The peels of the aloe vera plant — as aloe barbadensis is commonly called — are routinely thrown away as agricultural waste, but scientists have found that these rinds can ward off bugs, acting as a natural insecticide for crops. The aloe plant has been used for millennia in the treatment of wounds, skin problems […]
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the western United States has been experiencing some of the driest conditions on record, and according to the UN, more than 75% of the world could be facing drought conditions by 2050. Bottom line: as climate change continues to cause water stress, we need to find ways to […]