Understanding Beech Leaf Disease
The fate of the American Beech tree hangs in the balance, but the resilience of nature and the determination of those invested in its preservation offer a glimmer of hope.
Understanding Beech Leaf Disease
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The Parts of a Plant: The Root System
The Parts of a Plant: The Root System
Roots are almost always underground, but these hidden systems are responsible for a range of functions from securing the plant in the soil to absorbing water and nutrients. You can think of the root system as the foundation of a building: it's what keeps the plant stable, nourished, and capable of growth throughout its life cycle.
Parts of a Plant and Their Functions: Introduction and Basic Terminology
Parts of a Plant and Their Functions: Introduction and Basic Terminology
Part one of an in-depth series. Getting your hands dirty in the garden or diving into botany can be a much richer experience when you understand the various parts of a plant and their functions.
Featured in Botany
Ancient Plants from the Dawn of Time
Ancient Plants from the Dawn of Time
Millions of years ago, plants were the foundation of life as we know it today. So which ones are still around, and which are extinct? The answers might surprise you.
When Does Ginseng Have Berries?
When Does Ginseng Have Berries?
When you think of the ginseng plant, you might think about the full plant in all its green and red beauty with the berries shiny and ready to be planted; but American ginseng doesn’t have berries most of the year. The beautiful red berries are only on the plant for a small window of time.
How Do Plants Absorb Water?
How Do Plants Absorb Water?
Have you ever wondered how a great redwood can bring water from its roots to its leaves? It can seem like a simple process for a small shrub or food crop, but the uptake and transport of water that defies gravity is a feat of natural engineering.
Featured in Environment
Springtime Sighting of a Vulnerable Butterfly, the West Virginia White
Springtime Sighting of a Vulnerable Butterfly, the West Virginia White
One spring morning, eight botanists packed into carpools and drove to a small town on the far edge of western Massachusetts to find a small white butterfly, Pieris virginensis, and its host plant, Cardamine concatenata and C. diphylla.
The Bees in Your Backyard: Identifying Different Types of Bees
The Bees in Your Backyard: Identifying Different Types of Bees
There are so many more species of bee living within your local ecosystem than the common honeybee. Learning how to identify bees is one of the best ways you can get to know your backyard ecosystem a little bit better and begin overcoming any fear of the lovely insects you might have.
How to Use iNaturalist
How to Use iNaturalist
The naturalists of today may not spend most of their time sailing the seas and looking under crude microscopes, but there is still plenty to explore in the world. With the advancement of science comes an advancement in technology - which further aids science. While...
Featured in Gardening
Does Ginseng Have Thorns?
Does Ginseng Have Thorns?
When you’re first learning how to identify ginseng, you’ll hear a lot about ‘prongs,’ It may leave you wondering whether ginseng has thorns or not. Furthermore, there is confusion about a plant that commonly goes by the name ‘Siberian Ginseng’ that does indeed have...
How to Propagate Pothos
How to Propagate Pothos
Pothos is a great beginner plant and it is easy to propagate, but many people overlook how difficult first-time propagations can be. Find the right answers and the most efficient way to propagate your houseplant in this in-depth guide.
Is Mandrake the Same as Ginseng?
Is Mandrake the Same as Ginseng?
Is Mandrake the Same as Ginseng? No, mandrake is not close to ginseng either in composition or genetics. Don’t be fooled by names like ‘ginseng ficus’ or ‘human root’, as these common names largely serve to confuse between the two plants. Mandrake, like any good...
Featured in Microgreens
What Are Microgreens?
What Are Microgreens?
Learn everything you need to know about the nutritional baby plants known as microgreens and why they’re taking the food industry by storm in recent years.
Best Growing Mediums for Microgreens
Best Growing Mediums for Microgreens
What is the best growing mediums for microgreens, and how will it affect your overall yield? Do certain microgreens need certain soils? There are a lot of questions.
Fortunately, however, there are also a lot of answers despite indoor urban farming being a relatively new concept in agriculture.
Do You Need Trays with Holes for Microgreens?
Do You Need Trays with Holes for Microgreens?
In recent years, microgreens have become a popular choice for small-scale farmers for its ease of growing and fast turnaround. (1) Best of all, it doesn’t look like microgreens are going anywhere, as customers love them, too.“[…] quick-growing, high-yield crops...
Featured in Reviews
(Top 20) Plants Safe for Cats and Dogs
(Top 20) Plants Safe for Cats and Dogs
Keeping houseplants is a hobby that is on the rise in recent years. The more time you spend at home, the more you want to fill your home with beautiful foliage. In fact, plants are great at helping reduce the stress we experience on a daily basis. But what do you do if you also have pets?
Guide to Using Go Botany
Guide to Using Go Botany
This article has been updated. See these resources instead:There are many plant identification apps available online, but Go Botany is different. As a plant database, rather than an automatic detection app, it is the only resource dedicated to accurate self-guided...
Nasami Farm: Native Plant Nursery Spotlight
Nasami Farm: Native Plant Nursery Spotlight
Tucked neatly at the base of the Berkshire mountains of western Massachusetts, Nasami Farm is a unique native plant nursery with a wide reach. What makes this nursery so special? Let’s take a look:Spotlight: Native Plant Nursery in Massachusetts As a local plant...
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