plants

Not all creepy-crawlers are welcome in the garden, but some insects are very beneficial to the success of your flowers, herbs and veggies. According to Almanac, beneficial bugs fall into three categories: pollinators, which help pollinate plants; predators, which feed on garden pests; and parasitizers, like parasitic wasps and other insects that lay eggs inside […]

With spring settling in across the U.S. and days lengthening, many people are ready to spend more time outside. But after a walk outdoors, have you ever found seeds clinging to your clothes? Lodged in your socks and shoelaces? Perhaps tangled in your pet’s fur? While most of us don’t give these hitchhikers much thought, seeds and burrs may be the first signs of invasive plant spread.

In the dreary winter months, the spring feels a long way out — but warmer days are approaching fast! Pretty soon it’ll be time to dust off the gardening supplies and plan out your plots for the growing season. Vegetable gardens are already a money-saving venture, and the initial input costs lead to a season […]

A major 20-year-long study has revealed devastating impacts on native plants in UK and Ireland from climate change and agricultural activities. The findings show that native plants are now outnumbered by non-native species. The study, called the Plant Atlas 2020, was conducted by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) with the help of […]

If you’ve ever cared for an orchid, you know that they’re pretty special. From their practically microscopic seeds, to their tasty seed pods, to their worldwide range, these flowering beauties are nothing short of amazing. Here are a few things you probably didn’t know about them.  1. They Are the Largest Family of Flowering Plants  […]

In basic terms, plant-based diets are composed mostly or entirely of plants: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains. Contrary to its colloquial usage, “plant-based” doesn’t automatically mean “vegan.”

The vast majority of the populated planet cannot see the natural night sky because of light pollution; fewer still are the number of Americans or Europeans who can.

Despite the importance of pollinators to the world’s food supply and ecosystem health, surprisingly little is known about which flowers many pollinator species prefer, which flowers are pollinated by which insects and how these interactions fluctuate over time. To help address this issue, University of Sussex researchers have developed a new online database that documents […]