The science of gardening

Gardening, that most agreeable of gerunds, is also among the most democratic of human pursuits. For sustenance or pleasure, from multi-acre botanical masterpieces to chia pets, from clinical cross-pollinization to blowing the seeds off a dandelion stalk, just about everyone has contributed to the existence of a plant at some point in their lives. (Even I have been responsible for a few blossoms of my own - from a select, private crop of mesh-bagged potatoes and carrots that lay forgotten under my kitchen sink for a very, very long time.)

Of course, for those who prefer something a bit more hands-on than simply neglecting your groceries, there can be a good deal of science to the art of a successful garden. Now the Exploratorium, the website of the Museum of Science in San Francisco, has expanded its Accidental Scientist series, after having already looked at such subjects as hockey, baseball, and music, into the horticultural field. Whether you consider it a lifelong passion or strictly a spectator sport, the Science of Gardening has something for anyone who's ever planted a seed or sniffed a blossom.

Launched during the last planting season (May 15), Science of Gardening provides more a general education than a collection of gardening tips, so nothing is lost if you haven't visited before starting your summer crop. Divided into three sections, the site uses articles, interactives, slide shows and embedded videos to cover everything from the history of peas to the biology of soil. (No mention of kitchen cabinet agronomy, though.)

The first section, Feed, reflects on the intersecting dietary requirements of plants and animals, and opens with "Everybody Gets Lunch" - a four-part video introduction to a home garden in California's Sonoma Valley, where weeds and insect 'pests' are allowed to exist in natural harmony with food crops. And while cucumber beetles may be dining on old zucchini leaves in Sonoma, "Peter's Savage Garden" demonstrates that sometimes the food chain runs in the other direction - as it shows Venus Flytraps in action and reveals the impressive appetite of the common Pitcher Plant.

Less dramatic, but more broadly relevant, is an interactive feature sharing the history and biology of common garden edibles. For example, gardening fact: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and collard greens are all of the same species. Strawberries are members of the rose family. After the edibles education, Feed closes with an article encouraging us to give Dirt a little more respect.

Next, Control looks at deliberate human interventions, ranging from a hydroponic greenhouse at McMurdo Station in Antarctica to such homey customs as adding rusty nails, fingernails, and pickle juice to the soil to improve results.

Other essays explain both the need to create new varieties and to save 'heirloom' varieties, while also examining the curious cultural and agricultural phenomenon of growing giant pumpkins for competition. (A practice that reaches its illogical conclusion in the annual Pumpkin Regatta, held every Fall in Windsor, Nova Scotia, home of the "Atlantic Giant" pumpkin variety.)

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