Free Republic

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

Place your virtual, non-monetary bets! This thread has one purpose: Predict the day in Traitor Zhoas administration that the female triumvirate (Feinstein, Pelosi, Heels-up) manages to remove the Pedophile in Chief from power. Rules: 1. Winner is the one who predicts correctly the day the VP takes the oath. 2. Winner is the one who predicts correctly the first day removal is mentioned in the criminal media (FoxNBC, etc). 3. Winner is the one who predicts correctly the day the Cabinet concludes Traitor Zhoa is no longer fit to be President. So there are three winners possible. One could probably...

In 1811, Tecumseh, the native American confederacy leader, and his men faced the United States military lead by William Henry Harrison. The battle at the Tippecanoe River ended in a defeat for Tecumseh and resulted in the death of his brother, Tenskwatawa. The battle meant to defend their territory from an aggressive American expansion to the west ended up in a horrific defeat for the Native Americans. Tecumseh died two years later in the Battle of the Thames in an effort to help the British in defeating the Americans, resulting in the collapse of the Native American confederacy. This is...

...just how bad is the situation? Our new paper shows the outlook for life on Earth is more dire than is generally understood.The research published today reviews more than 150 studies to produce a stark summary of the state of the natural world...Our paper was authored by 17 leading scientists... While the problems are too numerous to cover in full here, they include:a halving of vegetation biomass since the agricultural revolution around 11,000 years ago...about 1,300 documented species extinctions over the past 500 years, with many more unrecorded... Read more: What is a 'mass extinction' and are we in one...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

Frontal and lateral view of a Muna-type (AD 750-900) paneled flask with distinctive serrated-edge decoration. Credit: WSU ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scientists have identified the presence of a non-tobacco plant in ancient Maya drug containers for the first time. The Washington State University researchers detected Mexican marigold (Tagetes lucida) in residues taken from 14 miniature Maya ceramic vessels. Originally buried more than 1,000 years ago on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula, the vessels also contain chemical traces present in two types of dried and cured tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum and N. rustica. The research team, led by anthropology postdoc Mario Zimmermann, thinks the Mexican marigold was...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

Humans have them, so do other animals and plants. Now research reveals that bacteria too have internal clocks that align with the 24-hour cycle of life on Earth. The research answers a long-standing biological question and could have implications for the timing of drug delivery, biotechnology, and how we develop timely solutions for crop protection. Biological clocks or circadian rhythms are exquisite internal timing mechanisms that are widespread across nature enabling living organisms to cope with the major changes that occur from day to night, even across seasons. Existing inside cells, these molecular rhythms use external cues such as daylight...

For those who aren’t good at keeping their houseplants alive, don’t worry, LEGO has you covered. The Danish company is now selling plants you won’t have to (painstakingly) grow, but rather, you’ll just have to build. LEGO’s new Botanical Collection features sets that let you turn bricks into floral arrangements. One is called the LEGO Flower Bouquet, and it includes 756 pieces which can be customized into roses, daisies, poppies, asters, and snapdragons. Let the florist in you go wild; you can create a flamboyant bouquet as high as 14 inches tall, or make smaller arrangements and spread them around...

well, ok. maybe it is for Mike Pence? He is kind of stiff.

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

Dear Sisters, We have car insurance in case we get into a car accident. We have life insurance should something happen to us and our daughter needs to be taken care of. We have house insurance should we have a fire or storm and need to rebuild. We have health insurance should we need to be hospitalized or see a doctor. But another insurance that is a necessity for us is food insurance. We have food insurance in case of sickness, unemployment, or a tough season. Both of my grandmothers always had food insurance living in N.H. with the threat...

We are what we eat. While it may sound like a corny phrase, it’s very true. Our diets have an impact on everything in our lives, including our social interactions, appearance, health and even psychological condition. Food does more than provide fuel for our bodies. It can comfort us, add happiness and help create memories, traditions and unique experiences. Punta Gorda-based Registered Dietician Nutritionist Gisela Bouvier said, “Food is one of the greatest pleasures in life … it feeds us in many ways …” But food can be our friend or foe. While healthy eating habits can contribute to longevity,...

The foods we eat may have a direct impact on our cognitive acuity in our later years. This is the key finding of an Iowa State University research study spotlighted in an article published in the November 2020 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. The study was spearheaded by principal investigator, Auriel Willette, an assistant professor in Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Brandon Klinedinst, a Neuroscience Ph.D. candidate working in the Food Science and Human Nutrition department at Iowa State. The study is a first-of-its-kind large scale analysis that connects specific foods to later-in-life cognitive acuity. Willette, Klinedinst,...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack the...

(Vahtera et al, ZooKeys 2020) The Movile cave in southeast Romania wouldn't be top of your holiday destination list: no light gets down to it, the air is thick with poisonous gases, and it was cut off from the outside world for around 5.5 million years before its accidental discovery in 1986. Life does exist in the Movile though, and scientists have identified the largest creature they've found there yet. It's a troglobiont (or underground) centipede that has been given the name Cryptops speleorex, and it grows up to 52 mm (2 inches) in length. The discovery takes the number...

An integrated biorefinery approach utilizing agriculture waste biomass to produce renewable biomethane along with other co-products (for soil amendment, nutrient recovery, and transportation biofuels). Credit: Nazih Kassem, with images from Cornell University, Department of Energy ================================================================== Cornell University is developing a system to extract energy from cattle manure to meet the campus's peak demands for heat in the winter months. In the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, scientists involved with the project give a detailed analysis of the issues required to make this work, including scientific, economic, and energy policy considerations. The university is already involved in an initiative...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack the...

(J. Hermans, Curtis's Bot. Mag., 2020) ================================================================ Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but a newly discovered orchid isn't likely to be the top choice for many as a corsage centrepiece. Gastrodia agnicellus, from the forests of Madagascar, has been given the label of the world's ugliest orchid by botanists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK. And yet the plant is a fascinating one, unusual among orchids, and indicative of just how much we may miss of what's hiding in the forest undergrowth. In turn, this highlights how important it is to protect...

Clogged arteries are is the underlying cause of 50% of all deaths in westernized society, according to a new study published by the National Institutes of Health. Formally known as atherosclerosis, it is caused by chronic inflammation and experts says you can help prevent — and sometimes even reverse — the plaque buildup in our blood vessels by making lifestyle changes, including improving your diet. According to Prime, clogged arteries can also be caused by smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol, so tackling these medical conditions can also help keep your arteries healthy. Here are 6 foods that...