If you step outside one day to find a powerful stink in your freshly-laid mulch or new plants and you don't have a dog, a stinkhorn mushroom might be to blame. This unobtrusive fungi can pop up in wood chips, grass, or soil and they produce a very strong odor. Just like their name implies, stinkhorns produce a stink not unlike fresh manure. Stinkhorns are particularly prone to show up after heavy rains. Just like most fungi, they like … [Read more...]
Aerobin Review: Compost Kitchen Scraps and Yard Waste in Your Backyard
If you're looking for a large, sturdy, insulated composter, the Aerobin 400 Composter fits the bill. It is 47 inches tall by 29 inches wide and can hold up to 113 gallons of compost! Why Compost? Composting kitchen scraps with leaves and other yard waste creates great mulch for your garden. Compost adds nutrients back into the soil and also helps the soil retain water. When you compost yard waste and kitchen scraps, it also reduces the amount … [Read more...]
Belham Living Cedar Raised Garden Bed Review
Living in Georgia, our soil has a lot of clay in it. Our yard in particular has a lot of stones and broken up concrete from the activities of the previous owner. Last year, I was desperate to grow tomatoes but I didn't have the time to put in the work to install a proper vegetable bed, so I used very large planters. It worked pretty well, but it was hard to keep everything watered. This year, I installed three raised garden beds just for … [Read more...]
This amazing native plant actually moves when you touch it
If you haven’t been introduced to this tiny plant with fuzzy little pink flowers, you are missing out. It might not be much to look at, but sensitive briar does something pretty amazing. It moves. By itself. No, really. Sensitive briar – Mimosa spp. There are several species in the genus Mimosa that share the common name sensitive briar or sensitive plant. There are nearly 20 species in the central and southern U.S. alone. I saw one when … [Read more...]
The Puerto Rican Semi-Slug
On our vacation to Puerto Rico this past February, we had the pleasure of hiking up to the cloud forest in the El Yunque National Forest. We came across this cute little guy about halfway through our climb. I love seeing new critters and looking them up when I get home. Especially when they are as cool as this one. While it isn't found in the continental U.S., I still wanted to share it with you. This is Gaeotis flavolineata, the Puerto … [Read more...]
What are all these trees dropping on the ground in Spring?
It’s springtime! The sun is shining, the flowers are starting to bloom, and pollen is coating everything, including our cars. Even the trees are getting in on the action. We have been finding all sort of tree seeds and tree reproductive parts laying on the ground around our neighborhood. From the brown stringy stuff to the tiny helicopters and funny little worm-shaped things, spring tree droppings are clogging the gutters of our streets. The … [Read more...]
5 Fun Things to Do in Your Backyard During Social Distancing
Our daily lives are very different than they were just a few weeks ago. We have added new terms like “social distancing“ and “flatten the curve” into our daily lexicon. For many of us, it has been two weeks or more since we left our homes. As a result, you might feel like the walls are starting to close in just a little. Getting outdoors to enjoy some fresh air, to get a little exercise, and to find something beautiful in nature that makes … [Read more...]
Take a Peek Inside the San Juan Botanical Garden of Puerto Rico
The San Juan Botanical Garden covers nearly 290 acres and includes 30,000 plants. The garden features an orchid house, an aquatic garden, lowland moist forest, a heliconia garden, a Monet garden, a palm tree section, a Taíno garden, a bamboo chapel, and an herbarium. The garden includes two Sculpture Gardens with large sculptures. Our Visit to the Jardín Botánico of the Universidad de Puerto Rico After a day of solid rain in the mountains, … [Read more...]
The 5 Best Valentine’s Day Plants For Your Gardener
Give a living plant this year for long-term beauty It's almost Valentine's Day and you might be thinking of sending your loved one cut flowers - but wouldn't it be nice if you got the beauty of flowers but they lasted longer? There are several potted plants available at this time of year that would make a great Valentine's Day gift, especially if your loved one is a gardener :) 1. Cyclamen I love the looks of a cyclamen, but they can be … [Read more...]
Give Birds Water Not Ice in Winter: Unfreeze Your Bird Bath
Winter is here and the birds in your backyard are thirsty. Sure, they can get liquid from snow, but in order to process it, they have to warm it up. Birds have to expend precious calories and use the warmth of their bodies to melt the snow. When the temperature drops below freezing, how do you keep your bird bath from freezing over? Birds need fresh water even in the winter. Use these tips to keep your bird bath filled with water in liquid … [Read more...]
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