Plants & Gardens Blog

How do trees know when it’s time to drop their leaves or form new buds? Read › How Do Trees Tell Time?

This beloved little bird will eat right of a person's hand. Or pull fur right out of a sleeping raccooon's coat! Read › Birds of Brooklyn: Black-Capped Chickadee

These lovely speckled berries are all kinds of trouble. Birds love them, so much so that the vine has become invasive. Read › Weed of the Month: Porcelain Berry

When plant scientists want to learn more about something, they open it up and examine it. Dissect a pumpkin to learn more about the botanical role of fruit parts. Read › Dissect a Pumpkin (Activity)

Take advantage of the abundance of late-summer peppers and tomatoes to make this delicious dish. Read › Eat Local: Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

This little blue and white bird is preparing to hitch a ride out of here on the northwest wind with 10,000 friends. Read › Birds of Brooklyn: Tree Swallow

Poisonous to people, this lovely weed provides nourishment to birds. Look for both its flowers and berries in September. Read › Weed of the Month: Bittersweet Nightshade

This woodpecker doesn't actually peck wood so much. Instead, it looks for ants on the ground. Read › Birds of Brooklyn: Northern Flicker

The Japanese tradition known as "forest bathing" has been shown to have positive effects on mental and physical health. Read › Shinrin-Yoku: Spending Time in Nature as a Form of Meditation

Most tomato plants actually produce well into September or even October. Maximize your late tomato harvest with a few tips, and use your bounty in this delicious and easy salsa recipe. Read › Eat Local: Late-Season Tomato Tips and Easy Salsa Recipe