Brussels sproutsSo I’ve been getting all angsty about my Brussels sprouts Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera. It turns out I planted them at the wrong time – curse you garden stores with attractive looking punnets. Apparently, I should be planting them now instead of 3 months ago.

Second thing I got wrong – they require a much firmer soil then the bed they are in right now. Well-limed, well-drained, well-firmed is the advice I’ve just received on the topic. Apparently, they’re a bit fussy. But I reckon these babies are going to be sooo worth it.

I realise this can be a very contentious issue. They are one of the least liked vegetables. But I think Brussels sprouts have just had really bad press. They’re delicious when grown well and cooked properly, with a really nice nutty flavour.

More on the joys of Brussels sprouting with recipes and nutritional info after the jump… Read more

New Zealand bushSunday night nature documentaries have been a tradition since I was a kid. Unfortunately, TV stations don’t have the same concern and it’s left me yearning for some good David Attenborough. Unfortunately again, he can’t make them faster then I watch them so I’ve had to turn to the internet to sate my nature voyeurism.

TERRA: The Nature of Our World is the first online science and nature film series. 100 short films from all over the world take a look at the planet’s diversity. Cascading Effects shows the most beautiful landscapes while looking at the effects of global warming. You can also see why frogs really matter, Yellowstone’s nature corridor,  learn about parasite/host co-evolution (more interesting then it perhaps sounds), and coronal mass ejections (not as dirty as it sounds). And who would have thought there would be a hippo – cocaine connection?

Of particular interest to us LovePlantLife types is Algal Biofuels and Gimme Green looks at America’s obsession with lawns — don’t tell me it’s not an obsession, it’s a $40-billion industry! But the sparkling diamond must be Jewels of the Jungle, 6 episodes about Dr. Gary Strobel’s hunt for medicinal plant compounds through the world’s jungles. This stuff is pure gold!

photosynthesisWant to know how photosynthesis works? Spend 5 minutes watching this illustrated presentation showing you how it’s done.

Aren’t things so much easier to understand when illustrated?

Robot flower

A giant mechanical flower that opens and closes at dawn and dusk, made by students at the University Of Buenos Aires in Argentina. (Via Suicide Bots – hot Bot on Bot Action. Photo by Don)

I like drum and bass, I love flowers. This video is fantastic. Thanks to tifftai for sharing. Check out more at Plants in Motion

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