Testing your garden's soil is important. If you live in West Virginia, you can get your soil tested for free through WVU's soil testing lab. John Morgan recently got his soil tested and documented the process in the video inside.
Read MoreSoils are complex mixtures of minerals, water, air, organic matter, and countless organisms that are the decaying remains of once-living things. It forms at the surface of land – it is the “skin of the earth.”
Read MoreI have always been interested in studying history, and in West Virginia we have a rich history that holds many secrets and stories.
Read MoreOver the next few weeks we’re going to take a look at 2017 gardening trends. Since we’re looking to the future, let’s start off by looking at some of the technology that is starting to crop up in our gardens and landscape. The technologies that we use to automate our greenhouses at Bob’s is now making its way into systems anyone can take advantage of at home.
Read MoreLike many gardeners, I like to save some of my seeds from year to year. Whether it is an heirloom variety or something new, a simple germination test can tell you if you should order replacements.
Read MoreThey might look harmless, but plants can kill! Some of the deadliest poisons on earth come from plants, and they can produce frightening effects. Here are five of the deadliest plants.
Read MorePermaculture is a system of agricultural and social design principles that seek to simulate natural ecosystems. It has many branches including design, construction, engineering, and, of course, agriculture. The basic philosophy is to work with nature, not against it.
Read MoreAtop giant cliffs covered with waterfalls is the land of Meghalaya, or “the abode of clouds” in an ancient tongue. Here people take generations to weave tree roots into majestic living bridges. Sound like something from a J.R.R. Tolkien story? Actually, this place is real!
Read MoreDuring my 40 minute drive to Bob’s HQ each morning, I like to listen to podcasts. Among my favorite podcasts is Freakonomics Radio. Last week host Stephen Dubner explored the complexity of making something as simple as a pencil. The episode featured a famous economics essay, “I, Pencil: My Family Tree” by Leonard E. Read. When you visit one of our markets, you are only seeing a small part of a huge supply chain. Let’s take a look at how a plant grown from seed gets to one of our markets. Since spring is just around the corner, let’s take a look at growing pansies.
Read MoreWe all enjoy the colors of autumn leaves. The changing fall foliage never fails to surprise and delight us. Did you ever wonder how and why a fall leaf changes color? Why a maple leaf turns bright red? Where do the yellows and oranges come from? To answer those questions, we first have to understand what leaves are and what they do.
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