Short fast guide to propagation - Science 39

Plant propagation involves creating new plants from a single parent plant. Various methods can be used for propagating plants.

Image 01 - Plants, ready to be propagated. 

Here the short fast guide: find a tree that can propagate. Trim up unwanted branches or in our case was the mulberry. Cut branches or twigs to a preferred length.

The larger the branch the slower it is to root typically but depending on tree a bigger branch may save a few years of growth.

Optional: put a root stimulant on the bottom before you put it into dirt but I haven’t had much more success using it or notice much difference so do what you will with the info, also can mix root stimulant into water and let the branches soak in it for awhile or apply the stimulant to the dirt.

Image 02 - The Mulberry with fruit.

# Important postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Hydrangea Flowers Blooming in the Summer – Nature 32

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Cooked Snail is a Favorite Dish in Many Asian Countries – Food 18

Image 03 - Flowers, illustration

Last steps are put sticks into dirt below a node of the plant and water regularly, we will shove 20+ sticks into a pot and separate the ones that root from the ones that die out.

Image 04 - The trimmed leaves. 

Cutting them at a slanted angle gives more surface area from where a root can grow from. At most we should leave one small top leaf

The crape myrtles have to be trimmed differently than regular trees, pretty much cut off any crossing branches but not cutting branches shorter if that makes any sense.

Image 05 - Sticks, ready to be treated.

Good luck.

## Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Does Red Bell Pepper Contain more Vitamin C than Orange? - Part 1 – Food 21

- The Rainbow Before Evening : What does Hypertension Mean? - Part 1 – Cardiovascular 3

- The Rainbow Before Evening : The Four Weeks Old Baby Squirrel – Science 17

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Why does Gum Disease cause Alzheimer's?- Part 2 - Alzheimer's 8

- The Rainbow Before Evening : The White Spider Lily at our City Garden – Nature 36

JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ

Should We Install Solar Panels in Our Roof? - Part 2 - Science 38

You may read previous post (Part 1):
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Should We Install Solar Panels in Our Roof? - Part 1 - Science 38

Image 1- Solar panels on the roof.

Much research showed that housing value could increase by up to 20 times if we have a 5 kW solar system on our roof.

In term of dollar, solar panels could make housing value up to US$ 24,000 in the market. Quite good for investment.

It is estimated that 20 solar panels need roof space of 5 hundreds square feet, then, it would produce 5,000 watts.

However, in Louisiana, let’s say we pay US$ 150 per month for electric bill, we might need solar panels system to produce 9500 watts.

Image 2 - A lot of pumpkins, illustration only

Interestingly, the solar system may last for 25 years. We avoid rising cost of electricity for so long, hence, save thousands of dollars.

Image 3 - A small house with solar panels in Louisiana 

(credit to Sunpro Solar).

Should we install solar panels in our roof?

# Previous postings:
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Learning a New Language Against Alzheimer's Disease – Part 2 - Alzheimer's 9

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Asparagus Contains High Dietary Fiber – Food 23

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Why Should not We Take Aspirin Daily? - Part 2 - Healthy Life 24

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Dungeness Crabs from Gulf of Mexico – Science 19

Useful of Weeds and Wild Flowers in the yards – Part 2 - Science 36

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Useful of Weeds and Wild Flowers in the yards – Part 1 - Science 36

Image 1- Weed climbs a tree and fences, illustration

The weather in the last Summer was uncertain: too hot and then flood from heavy rain.

Flowers and my four month avocado tree dried out, I couldn't save it and the fig tree is dying.

Some fruits I have never picked up due to some squirrels and wild birds love to eat them.

Back to my yards, I have planned to clean and clear it form weeds and wild flowers.

Image 2- Weeds climb fences, illustration only

But I think back about sustainable environment as Christine mentioned in her posting (Please see at: Important for pollinators).

Image 3- Weeds and grass at the corner of city, illustration only

# To be continued to Part 3

## Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Growing Tabasco Peppers in My Yard – Part 1
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Recreational Fishing in the Louisiana – Part 2 – Nature 13
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Growing Tabasco Peppers in My Yard – Part 2
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Why the Moon Has Thousands of Small Aliens? - Part 1 – Science 7
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Traditional Books versus Electronic Books for Children – Part 1 – Reading 3

Should We Install Solar Panels in Our Roof? - Part 1 - Science 38

Renewable resources for energy such as wind and sun are getting popular in our state, and might be in many states in the USA right now.

Image 1- Solar panels, sold at Home Depot

There are plenty reasons why people eager to use these resources, one of them is stable prices.

In case of solar energy, our neighbors consider several benefits to install solar panels on their rooftops are:

- federal incentive of tax credit
- additional the tax credit incentive is provided by some states.
- increase housing value
- and saving electricity cost for years

Image 2- Roses, just for illustration

Louisiana state does not give additional tax credit, but provide property tax exemption. Let’s say, we as Louisiana residents will get:

- 30% tax credit from federal government of solar panels cost.
- excluded added value of property tax.

Image 3- A house with solar panels at our neighborhood.

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Are Freshwater Pearls Less Expensive? - Part 2
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Visiting the Oldest French City in Louisiana – Part 1
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Will We Live Longer if We Think Younger? - Healthy Life 14
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Visiting the Oldest French City in Louisiana – Part 2
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Hurricane Ida Hit Our Neighborhood – Nature 11

Do you Love Tomatoes? - Science 37

If you love tomatoes, there is good news for you. It is because science proves that tomatoes have several benefits.

Image 1- Tomatoes in the bowl

Just to let you know, as reported by Marina Savchenko (2021: What Is the Most Popular Fruit in the World? Top 5 Fruits Ranked) that tomato is the most popular fruit in the world. Other 4 most popular fruit are:

- apples
- bananas
- oranges and mangoes.

Moreover, based on several scientific journals that tomatoes have at least 4 benefits. What are they?

Image 2- Sliced of tomatoes.

The 4 four benefits are:

1. Contain more Potassium (American Journal of the College of Cardiology).
2. Reducing risks of sun damaged skin (Scientific Report)
3. Our body observes iron effectively (Center for Biotechnology)
4. Our wound will be heal faster (International Journal of Surgery)

Image 3- The Homemade tomato sauce

Do you like to consume tomatoes?

# Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Why the Free Meals Program could Attract Kids to Come to Library?
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Lobsters have Good Nutritional Values for Health – Healthy Life 13
- The Rainbow Before Evening : One of Ways to Make Barbeque in the Nature – Food 7
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Are Freshwater Pearls Less Expensive? - Part 1
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Are Freshwater Pearls Less Expensive? - Part 2

Useful of Weeds and Wild Flowers in the yards – Part 1 - Science 36

We are in the second week of April. The weather is getting warmer up, may reach up to 86 F (30 C) in our city, Baton Rouge, LA.

Image 1- Beautiful wild white flowers, eagerly to keep their existence.

It's a good time to work my yard that I left about over a month. Shrubs are growing in some spots and they are surrounding the house.

Normally, in early Spring whenever many kinds of plants spur up with lovely manner show their buds, we just let them growing and flowering.

My reasons are not only to enjoy the amazing views but also to keep small wild flower as the first flower to invite the bold bees and insects to do pollination to my fruit trees.

Image 2- Wild flower, Waiting for “helper” for sustainable.

So, I don't need to catch them or borrow from somewhere. Then, in the Summer, I (my planning) to avoid all weeds and wild flowers by clearing them all. 

Image 3- Grass and weed

Then, what happen?

# Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : The Pulmonary Hypertension Type – Part 2 - Cardiovascular 4
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Is Mockingbird a Smart Bird? - Science 32
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Could Parasite Control Human Mind? - Science 33
- The Rainbow Before Evening : How often Should we Consume Blueberries? - Part 2 – Food 35
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Are Bald Eagles not Endangered Species Anymore? - Nature 50

Can We Find Broccoli in the Wild? - Science 35

As reported by Cision PR Newswire (2022: Green Giant® Survey Reveals Broccoli As America's Favorite Vegetable in 2022) that 29 states chose broccoli as the favorite vegetable.

Image 1- A cooked Broccoli, healthy food

Then followed by “corn, carrots, potatoes and asparagus consecutively. The question: “Can We Find Broccoli in the Wild?” The answer is no. Why?

It is because human have developed this vegetable with breeding process through many years.

Human found the wild cabbage with scientific name Brassica oleracea. Unfortunately this cabbage produces:

- small flower buds every two years
- has no good taste and flavor.

Image 2- A bunch of Broccoli, sold in Walmart

Farmers manipulated environment to make wild cabbage reproduce several times in a year.

Image 3- The carnivore plant, illustration only

Luckily, farmers able to select the offspring based on their:

- big flower buds
- have very good taste and flavor.
- faster grow

Image 4- Broccoli as vegetable.

The plant is reproducing, and known as broccoli nowadays. Do you like broccoli tast and flavor?

# Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Paintings Exhibition of Local Artists – Art 10
- The Rainbow Before Evening : The Pulmonary Hypertension Type – Part 1 - Cardiovascular 4
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Green Parakeet in Our State – Nature 46
- The Rainbow Before Evening : How often Should we Consume Blueberries? - Part 1 – Food 35
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Million Chickens are Killed in the USA

Alligator Plants Grow Well in Louisiana – Science 34

There are several names for a plant with bell shape flowers, one of them is Alligator Plants, and the plant recent scientific name is Kalanchoe daigremontiana.

Image 1- Blooming of Alligator Plant flowers.

The plant is native to the island of Madagascar, Africa. Then it separates to other tropical regions.

Alligator Plants have been transported to America, moreover, the plants have adapted easily to several states.

We may find the plants in the states such as:

- Florida
- Hawaii
- Louisiana and other warmer states.

Image 2- Two alligator plants at the yard

Even thought some of our neighbors said that the plant is rare, but we have seen Alligator Plants are sold in some markets.

We bought it from a nearby farmer market with reasonable price about a couple years ago.

I think this bell shape flowers plant is easy to grow and maintain. Like other succulents, the plants no need much water, and may live for years.

Image 3- Bell shape flowers

Have you seen the Alligator plants?

# Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Do You Know Cashew Milk? – Part 3 - Food 27
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Cooper Hawks Love to Come to Bird Feeders – Nature 44
- The Rainbow Before Evening : What is Brain Plasticity? - Part 2 – Brain Plasticity 1
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Pickle Eggs in the Neighborhood Market – Food 30
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Leprosy is One of the Oldest Ancient Diseases - Part 1 - Healthy Life 27

Could Parasite Control Human Mind? - Science 33

There are many reports about infection of a parasite to animals and humans in some parts of the world recently.

Image 1- The cat, host of parasite

The parasite is a single cell protozoan with scientific name Toxoplasma gondii. Actually, the parasite is common worldwide, and causes disease called as toxoplasmosis.

What interesting, especially for me that this parasite could alter behaviors of infected living things.

In fact, as reported by Zeleb.es (2023: A mind- controlling parasite that affects hyenas - and humans too) that 33% of human population is infected by this parasite.

Image 2- Just for illustration

Then, we wonder: Could parasite, Toxoplasma gondii controls human’s mind?

The plain answer is not really. Highly possible that the infected animals and humans might eager to take risk than the normal ones.

Image 3- Community activities, illustration

As suggested by Zeleb.es (2023) that risk takers tend to success as entrepreneurs.

Do you believe it? What do you think?

# Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : The White Spider Lily at our City Garden – Nature 36
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Is America a Wine Exporting Country? - Part 1
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Swap Plants at Our City Botanical Garden
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Does Red Bell Pepper Contain more Vitamin C than Orange? - Part 2– Food 21