Without a doubt, the best thing you can do is to plant or protect host plants for butterflies. The Louden Wildlife Conservancy in Virginia posts similar, citing the spring rains for increasing nectar and host plants.
I also recognize your address, because I patrol that area. "No," said I, "please tell me." (Oh gag, what a wimpy reply,) "Well ma'm, you were going 70 in a 55 mph zone. My first attempt at growing roses was a total disaster.
The garden is always tidy and full of healthy-looking plants. I do like all the vegetables that we get from our own garden, but I'm most proud of the improbability of the steep cliff site.
“We have created a system that works so well, we never have to think about it,” says Jeff Opperman, PhD, senior freshwater scientist at The Nature Conservancy. “The problem is that until we know where something comes from, we can't prioritize it...
Not sure why, but I've always kind of wondered. I just don't do it. For some reason I can't bring myself to have any of them. My mom has offered me divisions and cuttings from them several times, but I always say “No thanks.” My sister has my Nana's...
Cattleyas and phalaenopsis, for instance, tend to bloom in the spring while cymbidiums and oncidiums generally bloom in the winter. As long as the orchid is healthy and growing conditions are right, it will put out a new spike for the next bloom season.Phalaenopsis...
This is a fruit that is often seen in health food stores and it originates from several different places.Dragon fruit has white flesh dotted with black seeds.Originally, the dragon fruit came from tropical America, including southern Mexico, Costa Rica...
The CAST authors reviewed the science behind the FAO's claims and looked at steps taken by the U.S. to protect land and water resources and came up with a different picture. A report from the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology shows that...
What really drew him to this particular mantra though, was growing up in what he describes as “not a well-to-do” family, in which he said he had to become self sufficient by age 11 and had to work to pay for everything he needed or wanted.
I had a lot of free-range experience to share, and I forged new friendships and made meaningful connections. But before I get ahead of myself, let's go back to where it all began: chickens.
I brought in a couple of subsequent melons in for our food bank clients to enjoy. I greet them all with a smile and a good morning and carry on with my daily routine. As time goes by I plan to share all my future bounties with my fellow brothers and sisters...
You'll find these huckleberry bushes in the wild in cooler mountainous areas like Alaska, Montana, and the Cascade and Rocky Mountains, where it grows as an under crop in subalpine forests.
It is a hard time of year for a gardener. The remaining bees keep themselves and the hive warm by beating their wings and constantly swapping places. Have you ever wondered what the bees do during these long winter months?
It is the same process that makes brown spots on fruit, rusts metal and burns wood.Plants do not get all of the oxygen they need for respiration from their stomata. This can seriously interfere with the plants' ability to breathe.
Finding domestic suppliers was the toughest job, as the discount stores didn't carry them. What started out in a small shop with a few workers has morphed into more than 200,000 square feet of facilities filled with the latest technology and skilled craftsmen.
Each insect has its own particular way of dealing with cold temperatures during the long winter months. Ever been curious about why you rarely see bees flying in winter? The outside edges of the cluster stay at about 46-48 degrees.
Does canola oil come from canolas?" Read on. Canola oil has been sold in the U.S. since 1986. Unrefined rapeseed oil has 30-60% erucic acid, but canola oil has less than 2%.Canola as a word or brand name is only used in North America.
« More Dirt on Gardening » We're just getting 5 hens as they will lay enough to supply our little family and our gracious neighbors who have agreed to take care of the hens when we go on vacation (which is hardly ever it seems).
Annuals fill gorgeous hanging baskets andtoo. In areas with winter freeze, most annuals are summer grown and die at frost time. There you are wandering the aisles of the big box store or huge nursery.
Roses will adapt to most soil types but prefer a fertile spot. For roses that bloom repeatedly, apply another light fertilization in the middle of July, but do not apply any more after mid-August as it may promote growth that will not survive the winter.Keeping...
Although not all gardenias are poisonous, some varieties of gardenia are toxic to some living creatures.The beautiful gardenia may be toxic to living beings.According to University of Arkansas, the gardenia is generally considered non-toxic to humans.
This also improves the appearance of the plant. Water deeply on a weekly basis and apply balanced fertilizer monthly to encourage root development and support fast growth and abundant flower production.Removing old blooms allows petunias to put energy...
Community kitchens are social events.” As one of the larger community kitchens in Seattle, the Wallingford Community Kitchen, which is held at the Wallingford Community Senior Center at the Good Shepherd Center, draws an average of 20 participants to...
Sheaves are often used in parables to represent other things or events, and therefore the word can have meanings beyond its literal definition.A sheaf can be defined as a bundle of many items, usually the same, tied together."Sheaves" is the plural of...
Sunlight and carbon dioxide are readily available to plants. Plants have adapted to this possible stress. ATP, another chemical called NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase) and carbon dioxide through a chemical process called the...
Some roosters are large, gentle protectors, but many more are misguided aggressors. Only a small number of roosters land in backyard flocks, but not many are well behaved enough to lead the hens.
These are sometimes called "tender" perennials.The different shapes and colors of succulents in an outdoor garden provide interest in the winter and complement other plants in the spring-to-autumn growing season.