Plants & Gardens Blog - Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Several orange flowers with many petals against a background of green leaves.

Urban Gardening

How to Garden on a Budget in NYC

Gardening can be surprisingly expensive, especially when you’re starting from scratch. Here are some tips.

By Hester Griffin

Lush green vines with orange flowers climb across the black metal gate of a community garden.

Urban Gardening | Plants & People

So, You Want to Join a Community Garden?

Considering getting involved, but don’t know where to start? Keep reading!

By Nina Browne

A group of six mushrooms with yellowish-white stems and purplish-maroon caps stand clustered in the soil.

Urban Gardening | Growing Food

How to Grow Your Own Winecap Mushrooms

Winecaps (or “garden giants”) are growing in the Discovery Garden. Here’s how to start your own supply.

By Hester Griffin

A large tree with snow covering its bare branches against a gray winter sky.

Urban Gardening

Ask a Gardener: Should I Water My Plants in Winter?

BBG’s Laura Powell answers your winter gardening questions.

By Laura Powell

Bright orange, red, and yellow trees fade into a brown and golden meadow.

Urban Gardening

Putting Your Garden to Bed for Winter

From mulching to last-minute garlic planting, here's how to wrap up the gardening season.

By Sara Epstein

A plant divided into four parts, with soil clinging to its roots, against a blue background.

Urban Gardening

How Do You “Divide” Perennials? (Video)

What's plant division, anyway? And how do you do it? Gardener Laura Powell demonstrates.

By BBG Staff

a layer of brown fallen leaves on the ground

Urban Gardening | Ecological Gardening

Autumn Leaves: Should You Collect Them or Leave Them in Place?

Leaving fallen leaves in place is often the best choice, ecologically and horticulturally. How do you decide when to let leaves be and when to remove them?

By Laura Powell

A cluster of pale yellow sunflowers with dark brown centers surrounded by green leaves.

Urban Gardening | Growing Food

How to Collect Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are easy to gather, whether you’re planning next year’s crop or eyeing a homemade snack.

By Patrick Austin

A lush landscape of flowering plants and shrubs starting to turn yellow and red.

Urban Gardening

Ask a Gardener: Can I Plant Perennials in the Fall?

In our fall installment of Ask a Gardener, gardener Laura Powell offers advice on planting perennials and what to include on your fall gardening checklist.

By Laura Powell