Book Review: Little Seasons Spring Seeds
Karen Meyers Mirka Hokkanen explores the coming of spring and the lifecycle of seeds in her book, Little Seasons Spring Seeds. Written for children ages 2-6, the author shows the great diversity…
Book Review: The Good Garden
Chris McLaughlin’s book, The Good Garden, outlines a sustainable approach to gardening that respects the long-term health of the environment and emphasizes biodiversity, conservation, and stewardship. The author covers all…
Book Review: A Year in the Edible Garden
Karen Sarah Raven’s book, A Year in the Edible Garden, shows how to have a beautiful garden and a bounty of delicious, fresh, edibles all at the same time. She gives…
Book Review: Gus and Button
Gus and his dog Button live in a beige monochromatic town made entirely of mushrooms where life seems very dull and boring. When something bright green drops into the town…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Chickpea (Cicer arientinum)
Also known as carbanzo bean, chickpea is an annual in the legume family, Fabaceae, that also include lupine, acacia, and scotch broom. It was domesticated about 7500 years ago and…
Book Review: Be A Plant-Based Woman Warrior
Be a Plant-Based Woman Warrior by Jane Esselstyn and Ann Crile Esselstyn, is no ordinary vegan cookbook; it is an introduction to a way of living that is based on…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Carrot (Daucus carota)
The carrot is a herbaceous biennial in the parsley family, Apiaceae, that also included celery, anise, and parsnip. It is probably native to Persia where it was cultivated for its…
Common Diseases of Tomato and Their Control: Late Blight
The fungus-like water mold, Phytophthora infestans, causes late blight in tomatoes and potatoes as well as in some other members of the nightshade family, Solonaceae. It appears first as dark…
Plants of Ancient Pompeii: Cucumus (Cucumber and Melons)
The genus Cucumis is in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, and includes at least two species valued by the ancient Romans for food: cucumber (Cucumis sativus,) and muskmellons (C. melo). Plant…
Common diseases of Corn and Their Control: Goss’s Wilt
Similar to Stewart’s wilt, this bacterial disease has two phases. The first appears early in the season and is characterized by orange to brown discoloration of diseased vascular tissues and…