The very short answer to this is osmosis. Osmosis, very basically said, is the naturally occurring phenomenon where water flows towards areas of higher concentration until an equilibrium of concentration is obtained. Trees take advantage of this phenomenon by increasing the concentration gradient with increasing height of the plant. This way water continues to flow [...]
podcast Top 12 Gardening Mistakes that Get in the Way of Gardening Success
by John on March 3, 2012
1. Ignoring Soil Health: attempting to grow high quality plants from a low quality soil There’s nothing better than sinking your teeth into your own home-grown, delicious, nutrient-rich food. That kind of food not only tastes amazing, it works wonders for your health. Where do plants get the nutrients necessary to create such flavorful and [...]
Accelerate Seed Germination
by John on October 10, 2011
Sometimes getting seeds to grow can take many days and even weeks depending on the species you’re trying to grow. One quick and easy way to accelerate seed germination without using chemicals is simply to dampen the soil with warm water. Since plants’ metabolic rates are temperature-influenced (see ‘Cold-Blooded Plants‘), watering with warm water (not [...]
Space Above the Soil
by John on October 3, 2011
When you plant seeds or seedlings in pots, be sure to leave at least an inch (2.5 cm) of space from the soil surface level to the rim of the pot. The reason for this is to leave room for watering so you’re less likely to splash over the edge of your pot and make [...]
Draining Indoor Plants
by John on May 12, 2011
It’s important, when watering indoor plants, to make sure the water has a way to drain out of the pot. This prevents two things. First, by preventing standing water in the pot, it allows the roots to breathe as needed. Unless your houseplant came from a swamp it’s important to remember that the roots of [...]
Lawn Care: Part One
by John on March 14, 2011
A Longer Lawn is a Lower Maintenance Lawn The basic idea: A lawn will be lower maintenance when it is cut at higher mow heights, such as 3 or more inches high (about 7-8 centimeters). Longer lawns crowd out weeds better, drink less water, require less fertilizer, have fewer insect and disease problems, actually [...]
Thanks!
John and Anni


