We often think of nutrients as a good thing, and they are; however, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. When our streams and rivers see a large influx of nutrients it can cause something called Eutrophication. When this happens plant life, particularly algae, can have an explosion of growth. All the new plant life might seem great at first, but it quickly uses up resources from the water that are needed by the other species living in the river. Atlas Pro created a video outlining some of the causes and consequences of eutrophication, we highly recommend checking it out!

There are many mental and physical benefits to gardening, one of which is gaining a better understanding of how plants work.

If you’ve never tried to develop your green thumb before it can be a little daunting to get started. Luckily we’ve found a few guides that can help you along your journey, and there are lots of different ways to garden! You could grow a window sill herb garden, a raised bed in your yard, or set up a hydroponic system in your basement. Whatever route you choose, remember to have fun and treat it as a learning experience.

If you have younger kids, Kids Gardening has a wonderful guide for using recyclables for your new plant adventure. They’ve also got a lot of other great resources if you feel like you need more guidance. For older kids you might think about setting up a hydroponics system. While this is more advanced, it can give a clear picture of the various elements that your plants need to thrive. Epic Gardening has a kid friendly hydroponics guide that you can make using an old soda bottle.