This is a summary of Exploratorium’s website on the science pertaining to gardening. It’s really interactive with videos and activities which provide a fun-filled way to learn about the soils and conditions affecting plant growth. There’s a good amount of information on various topics including but not limited to: the make up of soil, creatures that live within the pedosphere, the importance of plant biodiversity, grafting, hybrids, transgenics, gardening in Antarctica, and the cultivation history of common edible vegetation. I was very impressed by the set up of the site and found it accessible to a wide audience spanning from teens to older adults. The site is the product of two foundations: the National Science Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation which is focused specifically on the environment and is based in California.
Try to find out when the tomato was first written about, what lives in your soil, and why burying rusty nails in your soil will turn your hydrangeas blue. Happy hunting!
All photos from flickr creative commons.
I’ve never really been in to gardening but the website had a bunch of interesting stories on it, definitely sparked my interest. The website design was very user friendly and easy to follow. I actually spent quite a bit of time watching some of the videos–the one about the greenhouse in Antarctica was pretty unique, something I had never heard about before. I really like how the website is interactive, especially some of the do-it-yourself tests (soil type).
I LOVE gardening and am so glad to see your review on the subject, Mierka. I enjoyed the interactive portions of the website, as well as the very visually appealing set-up. The website is easy to navigate, with intriguing videos and stories.