SciWhys: Why are plants green?

By Jonathan Crowe

After the greyness of winter, the arrival of spring is heralded by a splash of colour as plants emerge from the soil, and trees seemingly erupt with leaves. Soon, much of the countryside has moved from being something of a grey, barren wasteland to a sea of verdant green. But why is it that so much vegetation is green? Why not a sea of red, or blue? To answer this question let me take you on a colourful journey from the sun to within the cells of plant leaves.

As humans, our waking hours are punctuated by mealtimes: we must consume food on a regular basis if our bodies are to be able to generate the energy we need to survive. Plants, however, fuel their survival in an altogether different way. Plants don’t need to ‘eat’ as such; instead, they generate their own food supply. This manufacturing of food is powered by energy that plants capture from sunlight.

It might seem odd to say that sunlight contains energy, but our everyday experience shows this to be so: if we sit outside on a sunny day, our skin quickly becomes warm. This warmth is the result of our skin cells absorbing the energy contained in the rays of sunlight.

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Green the garden with a rain barrel

By Jenelle Watson • Contributor • June 21, 2009

Just a few years ago, Bob Mason didn't pay too much attention to his water bill. He accepted the fact that if he wanted a lush lawn, big tomatoes and a happy green-thumb wife he had to have water — and lots of it. "It was the price I paid for a beautiful summer," the Augusta County resident said.

It was a hefty price. Mason estimates he spent hundreds of dollars each year to grow a lawn that would be the envy of any golf course grounds keeper. But now, given his tighter-than-ever budget, Mason has changed his mind — about the cost of water, not about gardening.
"When my wife lost her job late last year, we had to cut back," Mason explained. One way to do that, they decided, was to add on to their tiny tomato garden. "As soon as the ground was warm enough to work, we put in a large vegetable garden so we could cut back on groceries," he said.

They also made several rain barrels and connected them to their gutter system down spouts.

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Go green and save money by creating an edible landscape

More and more people are becoming increasingly concerned with protecting the environment and are choosing to go green. The green movement not only makes sense environmentally but also financially. We can save money, for instance, on our energy costs. We can also save on our grocery bills by growing our own fruits, vegetables, and culinary herbs. However, not everyone has enough room in their yard to devote a sizable plot of land to use for just vegetables. You really do not need to separate your vegetables from the ornamental plants in your landscape. In fact, you can intermix your fruits, vegetables, and culinary herbs with your ornamentals. In this way, all of your plants can share resources and actually work together to attract beneficial insects and repel harmful insects, thereby eliminating the temptation to use harmful chemicals in your garden..

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Go green and save money by creating an edible landscape

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