Plant Something Day
The goal of this day is to highlight the importance of plants to our environment and to encourage people to add vegetation to the Earth. Over 80% of original forests have been cleared and nearly 70% of plants are at risk of extinction. While there are more than 80,000 edible plant species, 90% of our food derives from about 30 plants. This varies with country and culture. Modern and traditional medicine utilize 70,000 types of plants to treat ailments. There are other health benefits: plants absorb toxins in the air and produce oxygen. Of course, you know I dug in the dirt today: I replaced an ailing Clematis with a healthy new specimen. I look forward to a proliferation of dark pink blossoms. I installed a watering system for a new 3'x6' metal raised bed filled with three types of peppers, eggplants, chamomile, and marigolds. This setup will also serve three other areas with asparagus, strawberries/rhubarb, and melons. In addition, I planted seeds in a 2'x20' raised ...