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Ben Barkan
Garden & Landscape Designer
Education
- Associate Degree in Sustainable Food and Farming, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Professional Achievements
- He has over 15 years experience leading HomeHarvest LLC
Certifications & Organizations
- General Contractor's License
- Permaculture Design Certificate
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Forum Comments (1)
While mushrooms play a vital role in soil health, some can pose a risk to pets. A mindful balance—respecting their ecological function while ensuring a pet-safe yard—is the best approach. If removal is necessary, do so selectively, rather than trying to eradicate all fungi, which are a natural part of the ecosystem.
If a large number of mushrooms suddenly appear in a yard overnight, it's typically a sign of healthy soil conditions and recent environmental changes that favor fungal growth, such as cooler temperatures combined with rain.
Q&A Comments (50)
Co-authored Articles (593)
How to
Care for Peace Lilies
Peace lilies are one of the most popular varieties of houseplants. They're easy to maintain, and they can make a lovely addition to your home. By properly caring for your peace lilies, you'll have beautiful houseplants f...
How to Kill a Tree with or without Chemicals
Fast and easy ways to remove a problematic tree Trees are great as long as they aren’t in the way, but they can become a nuisance if they’re at risk of damaging your property. While you can always pay a professional ...
A Guide to Spider Plant Propagation: 4 Easy Options
Root spider plant babies in soil, water, & moreSpider plants, also known as airplane plants and spider ivy, are beautiful houseplants that have long, grass-like leaves. After a spider plant flowers, baby spider plants ap...
How to
Build a Lean to Shed
A lean to shed is a great structure to keep in your backyard and fill with gardening supplies, landscaping tools, or whatever else you need to store. You can build a lean to shed relatively inexpensively with materials p...
How to
Prune a Schefflera Plant
Schefflera, or Umbrella plants, are common houseplants that are easy to grow because they can thrive in artificial or moderately bright light conditions and are susceptible to few pests. However, they may require pruning...
How to Revive a Dying Poinsettia: Easy Steps for Beginners
Top tips & tricks for bringing back a wilted or fading poinsettiaPoinsettias add a beautiful pop of color during the holidays, and they can also make a lovely houseplant year-round. But what do you do if your poinsettia ...
How to Make Your Lucky Bamboo Houseplant Thrive
A guide to growing your lucky bamboo indoors in soil or in standing waterCaring for a lucky bamboo plant is a relaxing pastime that's great for reducing stress. This houseplant is simple to take care of, and it's believe...
How to Plant an Acorn & Grow an Oak Tree
A guide to collecting, germinating, and planting acorns It’s hard to imagine that a mighty oak tree can come from a tiny acorn, but with enough patience and care, you can grow one yourself! Simply look for a healthy ac...
How to
Prune Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea is a climbing, flowering vine or shrub native to Brazil. This tropical perennial gained its nickname, "paper flower," for its delicate bracts that come in a variety of colors, including purple, red and oran...
Chia Pet Instructions: Getting Started & Care Guide
Follow these tried-and-true techniques to sprout the perfect, as-seen-on-TV Chia Pet Ah, Chia Pets—the gift that grows! If the image of a clay dog or President sprouting wild green hair fills you with warm, 90s-infomer...
How to Kill Weeds with Vinegar + How Long It Takes to Work
Make your own DIY herbicide with expert tips & household itemsIf you want a natural alternative for getting rid of weeds in your yard or garden, vinegar is the perfect option. The acids in vinegar kill whatever part of t...
How to
Prune Dracaena
There are over 40 types of dracaena species, and you can easily prune all of them with a pair of garden shears and a few snips! While pruning is not required, it is fun and gives you control over the shape of the plant. ...
How to
Prune Kalanchoe
The kalanchoe is a genus of plants with 125 species. This vibrant flowering plant requires minimal maintenance and can be grown indoors or out. Indoor kalanchoes may need a little extra care to keep them from growing too...
6 Ways to Make a DIY, Natural Rooting Hormone
Effective, safe rooting tonics for healthy growth and propagation If you’re worried about the synthetic chemicals in commercial rooting hormones or just want to take your green thumb to the next level and make your own...
Lucky Money Tree: Proper Care from Soil to Watering
The comprehensive guide on growing money trees at home Whether you’re a seasoned plant aficionado or a novice plant owner looking to spruce up their living space with some greenery, the money tree is an excellent house...
What Plant Am I Quiz
There’s no doubt about it: plants are a beautiful (and super important) part of the natural world. Just imagine you could spread your branches (or petals) and live as a plant for a day: which one would you be? To help...
When and How to Prune an Olive Tree: Your Questions, Answered
A guide to pruning and shaping olive trees Olive trees make for fantastic additions to orchards and gardens. But you’ll need to prune them if you want to keep them healthy. This guide will teach how to do this, step by...
The Complete Guide to Pruning Ficus Trees
Learn how to keep your ficus healthy with proper trimmingWhether growing indoors or outdoors, ficus trees are beautiful, low maintenance plants. Routine pruning is a great way to keep your tree strong and robust. By thin...
How to Replace Your Weed Eater String
Straightforward steps on restringing your weed wackerIf your weed wacker keeps getting caught on thick overgrowth or the string on your trimmer keeps getting tangled up, it may be time to replace the wire. This is typica...
How to
Measure the Height of a Tree
At a secret location somewhere in northern California, a tree named Hyperion has been measured at a world record height of 379.3 feet (115.61m)! Believe it or not, the measurement was made with an extra-long tape measure...
