Mugwort: A Magical and Medicinal Weed
Tall and robust with dark green lobes for leaves, mugwort, or Artemisia Vulgaris, is a weed that has many wonderful virtues. This perennial plant grows just about anywhere; find it along roadsides, railroads, and riverbanks to waste places and fields. It is so common that many of us will walk by it without giving it […]
DIY: How To Build Your Own Greenhouse
So, you want a greenhouse? Of course, you do! Who wouldn’t? A greenhouse is an awesome addition to any home gardening repertoire! Greenhouses pull in the sunlight and trap the heat inside – which your plants, veggies, and herbs, all need to flourish. And that also means you can start planting seeds earlier and keep […]
5 Easy Edible Plants You Can Grow At Home
Being able to grow some of your own food has always been a worthy goal. But in light of the current situation we all find ourselves in – isolated in our homes – the goal seems even more necessary these days. However, necessary or not, many of us have thumbs that are as far from […]
Growing: Good For The Mind
Researchers have been promoting the benefits of horticulture for years, as studies have repeatedly shown that the act of tending to plants can relieve stress and have an overall calming effect. Gardening is so good for the brain; it may even lower the risk of dementia!
Easy DIY: All-Natural Disinfecting Cleaning Solution
Maybe your local supermarket has run out of household cleaners and disinfectants. Or perhaps you’re looking for an effective, all-natural option without any harsh chemicals. In any case, it’s possible to make a homemade cleaning spray to keep your home spic, span, and germ-free! This household cleaner is easy to make and smells divine, courtesy […]
Featured Flower: Rare And Stunning Orchids On Display
Attention all orchid lovers! The 75th Annual Santa Barba International Orchid Show takes place this weekend, offering visitors a chance to admire rare and endangered blooms typically seen in native habitats of Central and South America, Asia, Australia, and Africa. Horticulturists and flower enthusiasts from around the world flock to the Earl Warren Showgrounds to […]
Study Finds Climate Change Will Expand Globe’s Agricultural Land
Living in the Canadian province of Quebec, I’ve dreamed of having a longer outdoor growing season. Like many places, our summers are beautiful here, but far too short. A new study says I might one day get my wish, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the findings suggest […]
The Foliar Frontier: Give Your Plants The Edge
Many growers are searching for nutrients that can give plants a certain edge. Is there something that can make them bigger, stronger and deliver higher yields? There are always new products and fertilizers on the market, but very few of them are original. The wheel is constantly being reinvented. If you want an edge in the world of growing, consider foliar feeding.
The Art of Gardening: North America’s Largest Tropical Bonsai Garden
A small town in Florida is home to the largest tropical bonsai garden in all of North America. Located in Fort Pierce, Heathcote Botanical Gardens is a permanent public display that offers visitors a whole lot to look at and appreciate. The gardens are set on 10,000 square feet and feature 30 different species of […]
Research Finds CBD To Treat More Neurological Disorders
These days, it’s common to hear someone talking about suffering from pain and someone else asking them if they’ve tried CBD. Cannabidiol is rising in popularity as a not-so-secret way to treat chronic illnesses and other health problems. You can find CBD in so many different products these days, from pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals to personal […]
Phytomicrobiom: What The Hell Are Mushrooms Doing In My Pots?
Phytomicrobiom, or phytobiome, is a complicated word for a straightforward thing: the community of fungi, bacteria, and destructors that live in the root area of your plants. An intact phytobiome supports plants in many different ways, but science is only just beginning to understand the connections between them. Optimizing the phytobiome is the key to […]
Frog-Friendly Gardens
What has four legs, can jump, swim, and is essential to the health of your backyard? If you guessed a frog, you got it right! While they might startle you when they jump out of the dirt, amphibians taking up residence in your garden is an excellent sign. Frogs and toads are all-natural pest control […]
Beehaviors: The Festooning Of Bees (Part 3)
We humans, with our particle accelerators and Wikipedia, like to think we are the smartest species on Earth. Yet still, a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise remains secret from us, even though other species seem to consider it elementary. For instance, there isn’t a single person who can fully explain the behavior of bees […]
Seed Saving Part 3: Harvesting & Processing Seeds
Saving seeds starts with growing and nurturing healthy plants, so the seeds are ripe and mature. The next steps are to harvest, dry, clean, and process the seeds, ready for storage until you’re ready to plant. Harvesting Guidelines Collect seeds only from the best quality plants you have identified for saving. Stop picking leaves or […]
Mushrooms Provide All-Natural Remedies For Humans And The Planet
Mushrooms are all the rage these days; from their magical healing qualities and health benefits to their impact on supporting and repairing our natural ecosystems, mushrooms are claiming their spot as the most health-promoting ‘superspecies’ today. Paul Stamets is a mycologist known around the world. He says mushrooms have the potential to solve some of […]
The 7 Deadly Sins of Growing
Many of us are familiar with the seven deadly sins. First outlined by Pope Gregory the Great in the sixth century, they are vices or negative character qualities that, if left unchecked, will result in a host of other sins and eventually kill a person’s soul. Heavy stuff, isn’t it? But it recently struck me […]
Beehaviors: Swarming, AKA, Looking For a New Hive (Part 2)
If you were ever lucky enough to see the incredible sight of hundreds of bees flying frantically above your head in a cloud reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s film ‘The Birds,’ you have witnessed the birth of a bee swarm. Intimidating at first, the cloud of bees disappears after a few minutes as if nothing happened, […]
Green Christmas Tree Disposal
Shortly after the chaos of the holidays comes the mad dash to get the Christmas tree and falling needles out of the house. But the endless stream of discarded, oranging trees waiting for curbside collection is a depressing sight. When the time comes, why not try some of these ‘green’ alternatives for disposal, courtesy of […]
Gardening Books For The Holidays And Beyond
The holidays are for traditions, relaxing, and taking the time to do things you don’t always have the time to do; like reading! One of Garden Culture’s holiday traditions is putting a list together of our favorite gardening reads. Make it a New Year’s resolution to grab a copy and read your way to becoming […]
The Mighty Burdock Weed: A Cornucopia of Virtues
Many people are already familiar with burdock. It’s tall and robust, but what makes it stand out the most is its pesky burrs that cling to our clothing after a walk on the roadside, in fields or pastures. It certainly takes some patience to untangle one of the burrs from the dog’s thick coat. While […]