From the overflowing window boxes of Bay Ridge to the patchwork of urban farms in East New York, gardening in Brooklyn means tradition, therapy, discipline, beauty, and can-do resilience. But when the second spring since Sandy came this year, many gardeners in coastal Brooklyn did not see the buds and blooms they were used to. Read Restorative Gardening on Brooklyn’s Coast
Plants & Gardens Blog
Urban Gardening & Ecology
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Urban Gardening & EcologyClimate Change & Sustainability
Restorative Gardening on Brooklyn’s Coast
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Urban Gardening & EcologyChildren & Families
Trees are for Kids!
Young gardeners learn best by doing, and street trees could use their help! Here are some tree-rific tips to get started: Read Trees are for Kids!
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Urban GardeningUrban Gardening & Ecology
Weed of the Month: Mugwort
Mugwort is a common weed with bittersweet-smelling leaves that was once believed to guard against evil spirits. It's a close relative of wormwood, an ingredient in absinthe. Read Weed of the Month: Mugwort
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Plant ChoicesUrban Gardening & Ecology
Weed of the Month: Dandelion
Most gardeners think of dandelions as a nuisance, but they are also a pretty interesting plant. Did you know that European settlers brought them to North American intentionally? Read Weed of the Month: Dandelion
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Sustainable GardeningUrban GardeningUrban Gardening & EcologyChildren & Families
School Gardens: Plan(t) for Succession and Success
So your new school garden is beautiful. Students nurture and nibble kale, carrots, tomatoes, and garlic. Science classes observe and calculate plant growth. Young poets write odes to flowers. You have albums of gorgeous photos. The principal is 100 percent committed. Then, the dynamo volunteer—parent or teacher—leaves the school or changes priorities due to tighter schedules or revamped curriculum. The “uh-oh” moment hits hard: What will happen to our garden? Read School Gardens: Plan(t) for Succession and Success
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Urban GardeningUrban Gardening & Ecology
Spring Spruce-up for Street Trees
Pamper your street tree bed with some seasonal TLC. Read Spring Spruce-up for Street Trees
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Plant ChoicesSustainable GardeningUrban Gardening & Ecology
Healthy Lawns
What's BBG's secret to resilient, sustainable, chemical-free lawns? Read Healthy Lawns
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Urban Gardening & EcologyEdible Plants & Recipes
Making Brooklyn Blue
What’s blue, sweet, healthy, and native to Brooklyn? Highbush blueberries! Vaccinium corymbosum is beautiful and bears delicious fruit bursting with nutrients. Read Making Brooklyn Blue
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Urban Gardening & EcologyEdible Plants & Recipes
Saving Seed for a Stronger City
Last spring, I helped launch North Brooklyn Farms (NBk) on the grounds of the defunct Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg. Once a weedy symbol of lost industry, it’s now a showcase for how to grow a variety of edibles. Read Saving Seed for a Stronger City
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Garden DesignPlant ChoicesUrban GardeningUrban Gardening & Ecology
Street Tree Bed Care: Tales from the Trenches
Everything you ever wanted to know about gardening on a city street...but were afraid to ask Read Street Tree Bed Care: Tales from the Trenches