I’m bright as an angel, and light as a feather,
But heavy and dark, when you squeeze me together.
Though candor and truth in my aspect I bear, Yet many poor creatures I help to insnare.
Though so much of Heaven appears in my make,
The foulest impressions I easily take.
My parent and I produce one another,
The mother the daughter, the daughter the mother.
–Jonathan Swift, "On Snow" (1667–1745)
So, you’d like to raise your own chickens? Be sure you’re ready to commit! Here’s the first article in our six-part beginner’s guide to raising chickens. Let’s “start from scratch,” so to speak.
Ponytail palms are a unique-looking, long-lived indoor plant that thrives on benign neglect. They are very easy to grow, provided you don’t overwater them! Here’s how to grow and care for a ponytail palm in your home.
Gardening by the Moonis a great way to plan your garden. Many of our readers follow the age-old practice of planting by the Moon’s phase for a healthier, more productive garden.
A gardener’s most useful tool is knowledge from past seasons. Don’t rely on sticky notes or memory! You’ll love our beautiful Gardening Notebook with its waterproof cover—easy to bring to the garden. Keep records so you know when pests arrive and when to put preventative controls in place to avoid damage. Also, track what blossoms when, first and last frost dates, what was planted where, what worked, favorite varieties, what you want to move, and other notes.
