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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Tip of the Week: Seed Viability

Posted in Gardening Tips on November 22 2010, by Sonia Uyterhoeven

Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education.

In my last blog I mentioned that conditions for proper seed storage are basically the opposite of what seeds need to germinate. To grow they need moisture, warmth, and light; for storage they need cool temperatures, dry atmosphere, and darkness. Most seeds will last for about three years if stored properly—often they last much longer.

What should you do if you have some seeds that have been lying around for several years and you are not sure if they will germinate? There is a simple way to test a seed’s viability before you prep your seed trays and waste your seed sowing medium on something that has little life left in it.

Moisten a few paper towels with water. Place a dozen or so seeds spaced apart on the towel. Then either hold on to one of the edges of the paper towel and roll it up into a spiral, or place a few damp paper towels on top to create what looks like a seed-germination sandwich. Either way the seeds need to be encased on both sides by damp paper towels.

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Morning Eye Candy: The Azalea Garden in Yellow

Posted in Photography on November 21 2010, by Plant Talk

It’s an Azalea Garden of another color: Yellow. No, we’re not genetically engineering plants here at the Garden, we’re just planting for year round color. This new garden won’t open to the public until next Spring, but we’re hoping this beautiful image will entice you to come visit the Azalea Garden both when it opens and a year from now!

The Azalea Garden in Fall

The Azalea Garden in Fall (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)

It’s Official: The Holidays Are Here!

Posted in Holiday Train Show on November 18 2010, by Plant Talk

Sure, we know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet (somebody better tell Ms. Turkey here to go into hiding for the next few days), but that doesn’t mean we can’t start getting festive here at The New York Botanical Garden!

Setting-Up at The Holiday Train ShowFriday marks the unofficial start of the season here at the Botanical Gardens when members are invited to take a sneak peek at the amazing Holiday Train Show.

We've got so many great things planned for Saturday, the first public day of the Train Show. Get the full details below!

A Few of Her Favorite Things: Hannah Elliott

Posted in Shop/Book Reviews on November 18 2010, by Plant Talk

Hannah ElliottHannah Elliott, lifestyle writer and blogger for Forbes, has one of the more enviable beats we can imagine; she is tasked with writing about cars, fashion, luxury, and books in a way that doesn’t make “the muscle-heads hate the fashionistas in the process.”

If anyone can do it, Hannah can (Sample tweet: Do not buy the R8 Spyder if you’re shy or unfriendly. People love this car & want to know all about it, all the time. Huge attention getter). She’s stylish without being style conscious, intelligent without being nerdy, and can hang at the test track with even the most die hard gearheads.

And as might be expected, this breadth of interests and versatility of understanding surfaces in Hannah’s list of her “Favorite Things” for holiday gifts from the Shop in the Garden.

See Hannah's picks below.

Morning Eye Candy: Look What Landed

Posted in Photography on November 18 2010, by Plant Talk

The Holiday Train Show is almost here! We had a press day on Tuesday and the Member’s Preview is Friday, but you, our loyal readers, get an exclusive sneak peak. Please help us welcome Eero Saarinen’s iconic Trans World Airlines Terminal (now known as JetBlue Terminal 5) at John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Palm Gallery in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory!

TWA Terminal and Jet

TWA Terminal and Jet (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)