Gardening & Plants - Horticulture, Guides, and More - Ready Reference Center at Middletown Thrall Library - Web Research, Websites, Internet Resources

Gardening

Plants, Trees, Fruit, Vegetables

[ Ready Reference Menu ]

Library Catalog Topics

Browse related topics in the RCLS catalog:

Find in which library catalog?

Limit results to selected library? Yes No

Reserved items arrive at selected library.

Type of catalog:
library catalog eBooks

(Visit your library's catalog or website)

Web Resources

Jump to:

Botany
Databases & Encyclopedias
Guides & Tips for Gardeners
Invasive Plants
Landscape Gardening
Organic Gardening & Green Gardening
Trees
Weeds, Garden Pests, Herbicides & Pesticides

Plants & Gardening - Databases & Encyclopedias

Go Botany Glossary

From the Native Plant Trust.

Native Plants Database

"Welcome to the latest edition of the Native Plants Database where you can explore the wealth of native plants in North America. Use the options below to search for 8,593 native plants by scientific or common name or choose a particular family of plants." From the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

National Garden Association Plant Database (formerly Plant Finder)

Search for plants according to their characteristics or browse plants by genus. From the National Gardening Association (NGA).

Also from NGA:

Gardener's Dictionary: "Access more than 15,000 entries, including an extensive selection of plants and varieties, fruits, herbs, vegetables, botanical terms, pests, diseases, pesticides, fertilizers, soils, tools, materials, and techniques."

Plant Encyclopedia

"Find the best annual and perennial flowers, trees, shrubs, vegetables, roses, and more for your garden and landscape." From Better Homes and Gardens.

Plants & Gardening Visual Dictionary

Colorful, labeled diagrams. From Merriam-Webster Visual Dictionary Online.

PLANTS Database

"The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories." Provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

See also: Botany, Invasive Plants, Trees, and Weeds

Plants & Gardening - Guides & Tips for Gardeners

Adams Fairacre Farm

Easy As 123: "Seasoned grower Sue Adams has created two concise brochures to help novice gardeners 'get their hands dirty.' The first is about vegetable gardening. Sue has demystified the topic enough to make the most inexperienced gardener feel they are ready to experience the joys of growing vegetables. In the second brochure, Sue shows how to easily design and plant gorgeous flower container gardens. She also makes great recommendations about which flowers to use for various situations. Requires Adobe Reader.
Gardening Videos: Videos on gardening math, e.g. calculating the supplies you will need, grub control, watering, weed control, and tree planting.

Articles about Gardening 101

Regional Garden Guides; Edible Gardens; Saving Water and more. From Houzz.com.

Butterfly Garden and Habitat Program

"[C]reate a paradise for butterflies while encouraging habitat restoration, no matter the size of your area." From the North American Butterfly Association.

Cornell Cooperative Extension - Garden Guidance

"Provides resources for homeowners, schools, community groups, and other "non-commercial" groups that are interested in growing food and flowers, attracting wildlife, and being good stewards of the natural world. Many Cornell resources meant for commercial lawn and farm situations have been adapted here for the "backyard" enthusiast." From Cornell University. See also: Cornell Fruit for home fruit / fruit tree plantings and information for commercial growers.

See also:

Home and Garden Factsheets: From the Cornell University Cooperative Extension, Oneida County.
Home Gardening

Dave's Garden

"Our articles and videos show you how to start seeds and learn how to have your best garden ever." Registration is free to participate in forums.

Garden Advice Center

n addition to types of plants and gardening, includes Growing Zone Finder; Regional Gardening Guide; How-To Videos; How-To Articles; Encyclopedia; and Recipes. From Burpee.

Garden Guide

Topics include: Gardening 101; Advice by Class; Advice by Topic; Recipes and much more.

Garden Guides

Gardening how-to's, plant fact sheets and guide sheets, seasonal tips and garden techniques, garden recipes, and more.

Gardening Advice

"Learn how to garden like a pro with information and advice from the experts. Browse how-tos and tutorials for every garden task, plus tips for gardening in every season." From TheSpruce.com.

Gardening Articles

Categories include Garden Design, Gardening for Wildlife, Kitchen Gardening, Native Flora, Plant Profiles, Sustainable Gardening, Yound Readers and Composting. From the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Gardening For Birds

From Audubon New York.

HGTV.com (Home and Garden Television)

Articles, photographs, and videos. A few of the many sections here include Landscaping and Gardening.

Home & Garden Information Center

"Provides research-based information on landscaping, gardening, plant health, household pests, food safety & preservation, and nutrition, physical activity & health." From Clemson University.

How to Grow, Harvest, and Preserve Culinary Herbs

How to Grow Delicious Herbs in Pots

Indoor Gardening Articles

Topics include: Garden Design, Kitchen Gardening, Sustainable Gardening, Plant Profiles. From Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Topics include: Plant Database, Image Gallery, How To Articles, Explore Plants. For North America.

National Gardening Association

Articles, news, and more. Sections include: Plant Finder (search engine), Weed Library, Flowers (Annuals, Bulbs, Perennials, Roses), Edible Landscaping, Edibles (Small Fruits & Berries, Herbs, Fruit & Nut Trees, Vegetables), Landscaping (Container Gardening & Ponds, Lawns, Ground Cover, & Wildflowers, Yard & Garden Planning, Trees, Shrubs, & Vines), Garden Care (Pests & Problems, Soil, Water, & Fertilizer, Plant Care Techniques, Tools & Equipment, Seeds & Propagation), Home & Health (Cooking, Garden Crafts, Health, Houseplants, Garden Travel), Q and A Library (How-To Projects, Videos, Pest Control Library, Food Garden Guide, Fruit Gardening Guide, Herb Gardening Guide, Vegetable Gardening Guide), Plant Care Guides, Zone Finder, Event Calendar, Calculators, Public Garden Directory, Buyer's Guide, and Wallpaper.

Also from the Association:

USDA Hardiness Zone Finder: Enter your zip code and then search using common names or scientific names of plants. Narrow the search by type, moisture, light and height, color, season, soil type, and more.

Native Plant Trust

"Conserving and promoting New England’s native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes "

Native plants suitable for planting in New York State. Includes characteristics, distribution, growing conditions, propagation and description. With photos. From Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

The Old Farmer's Almanac: Gardening

Includes: Best Planting Dates for Seeds, Best Dates to Start Transplants, Plant Guides (Herbs, Vegetables, Fruit, Flowers, Bulbs, Roses, Shrubs, Houseplants), Frost Dates, Hardiness Zone Maps, a Gardening Blog and more.

Safe and Poisonous Garden Plants

Topics include: Safe Plants (by Common Name); Safe Plants (by Scienific Name); Toxic Plants (by Common Name); Toxic Plants (by Scientific Name); Hay Fever; Herbal Medicines; Mushrooms; Pesticides; Preventing Poisoning Exposures; Treatment for Exposures; and Plants Toxic to Animals. From the Unviersity of California.

SeedMoney.org

"SeedMoney is the new name for what was formerly called Kitchen Gardeners International...[O]ur emphasis has gradually shifted...towards offering financial and technical support to a wide variety of public food garden projects.These include community gardens, school gardens, food bank gardens, homeless shelter gardens and senior gardens, to name just a few."

Selected Internet Resources: Gardening

Includes links to government agencies, botanical gardens and societies and associations. From the Library of Congress

10 Container Garden Tips for Beginners

From TheSpruce.com.

Landscapes & Landscape Gardening

Articles about Urban Gardens: Front Yard Ideas; Lawn Alternatives; Ideas for Sloped Lots and much more. From Houzz.com.
Edible Landscaping: From Gardening Association.
Landscape Advice: "Create your dream front yard or backyard with our landscaping tips. Find the best plants for every project and learn how to design a beautiful, functional, outdoor space." From The Spruce.
Recommended Urban Trees for USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6 and Colder: From Cornell University.
Trees, Lawns, and Landscaping: Topics include: Trees and Shrubs; Turfgrass and Lawn Care; Ornamentals and Floriculture; Aquatic Plants and Algae; Home Gardening; and Christmas Trees. From Penn State Extension.

Organic Gardening & Green Gardening

Green Gardening Tips: From the Sierra Club.
Home Horticulture Fact Sheet: Other Fact Sheets can be found on the left of the page. From Nassau County Cornell Cooperative Extension.
How Organic Farming Works: Topics include: Composting and Crop Rotation, Genetically Modified Foods, Organic Standards and Certifications, Organic Farming Criticism, and more. From How Stuff Works.
Organic Lifestyles: Topics: Soil, Compost and Mulch, Flowers, Herbs, Lawns, Vegetables, Pests and Diseases. From Texas A&M.
Pollinator Pathways Northeast: "Establishing pollinator-friendly habitats and food sources for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinating insects and wildlife." From Pollinator Pathway Project.
Rockland's Fact Sheets: Topics include: Environment and Gardening; Water Qualtity & Stormwater Conservation; Flowers and Grasses; Lawns and Ground Cover; Trees and Shrubs and Hudson River Fish Advisory. From Rockland County Cornell Cooperative Extension.

See also these topics from our Going Green information guide:

Invasive Plants

Invasive and Noxious Weeds: "View Federal and state noxious weed lists, an invasive plant list, or an introduced plant list, each with links to more information." From the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Invasive and Exotic Species of North America: Has pictures as well as the scientific names and distribution maps for each plant. From the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Mistaken Identy? Invasive Plants and Their Native Look-Alikes: PDF. "An Identification Guide for the Mid-Atlantic...This guide covers the Mid-Atlantic region, defined here as Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the District of Columbia" Includes color photos, side by side, of each native and invasive species. Also includes species control methods. From the Delaware Department of Agriculture.
Weeds & Weeding Resources

Trees

Know Your Trees: "A Guide to the Identification of New York State Forest Trees." From Cornell University.
The Tree Guide: "Arborday.org offers detailed information on dozens of commonly planted landscape trees that grow throughout the United States. Here you will find information on height and spread, soil and sun requirements, leaves and fruit, history, wildlife habitat, and more." Browse or search this database. Other sections include:, Glossary of Tree Terms, Layers of the Forest, Tree Classification, Types of Swamps, Anatomy of a Tree, Tree Health Guide.
Tree Care Information: "[A] list of the brochures by category. Selecting the title will link you to the web version of the brochures." From the International Society of Arboriculture.
Tree Identification: "Browse our A-Z listing of trees, large and small, to find the best selections for your landscape." From Better Homes and Gardens.
What Tree Is It?: Identify by leaf, fruit, or name. From Ohio Public Library Information Network.
What Tree Is That?: "Our illustrated, step-by-step process makes it easy to identify a tree simply by the kinds of leaves it produces." From the Arbor Day Foundation.

Weeds & Garden Pests (+ Herbicides, Pesticides)

Insect Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell University: " [T]he Insect Diagnostic Lab can help identify insects and related arthropods, and provide management suggestions if needed. There is a $25 fee, for samples or photos submitted to the lab for an ID." From Cornell University.
Invasive Plants Resources
National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC): "NPIC provides objective, science-based information about pesticides and pesticide-related topics to enable people to make informed decisions. NPIC is a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency." Topics include: Health and Safety, Plants and Pesticides, Pesticides and the Environment, Pesticide Ingredients, Regulations, Emergency Information, and more.
Pests, Insects, Weeds - Gardening Pests and Problems: "The Almanac Garden Plant Pest and Disease Control Library has information on identifying and controlling your most common insect pests and critters-from aphids and hornworms to rabbits and deer. We also address plant disease from blights to wilts." From the Old Farmer's Almanac.
Pest Control Library: "Use our 'mug shots' to identify pest problems in your garden. Click on names for photos and complete descriptions." From Gardening Association.
Pesticides: What You Need To Know: Covers risks to children, pets, and beneficial insects such as bees. Also includes Integrated Pest Management. From the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Pests and Pesticides: Information from the New York State Department of Health on such topics as pesticide poisoning, mosquito control, bed bugs, rats, mice and more.
Weed Control & Herbicide: Includes tips for selecting and using herbicides. From the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC).
Weed Herbarium: Includes Life Cycle; Stems; Leaves; and Flowers along with common and scientific names. From the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program.
Weed Identification Guide: "Use our guide to help you identify and control these troublesome pests." From Better Homes and Gardening.
Weed Library: "We've chosen weeds common in gardens, lawns, and landscapes and provided the essential information you need for identifying and managing them. Click on a link or image to view the complete guide." From the National Gardening Associtiation (NGA).