Articles written by Karen Bledsoe - Page 5

What is Helium

About me - Karen Bledsoe

Dr. Karen E. Bledsoe teaches biology at Western Oregon University, where she specializes in science education for adult learners. A lifetime gardener, she naturally gravitated toward botany in college, and earned a master's degree in botany from Oregon State

+ more bio information

RSS Feed

Home & Garden > Weeds & Pests Snakes in the garden environment: 2 of 7
If you're living in rattlesnake country, you'll want to use my advice in reverse, because I'm going to tell you how to attract snakes, not drive them away. If you understand what sort of environment snakes like, you can use that information either to attract or discourage snakes.Why in the world would you want to attract snak... More..
Home & Garden > Landscaping Cheap as dirt: Saving money on gardening: 4 of 13

The gorgeous photos in those fancy gardening magazines have tempted you long enough. The garden of your dreams floats before your eyes and you're ready to make it a reality. Off you trot to the garden center with your sketches and your list of plants and materials - and "clang!" goes your jaw on the ground when you see how mu... More..
Health & Fitness > Hypertension & High Cholesterol Hypertension & high blood pressure: Symptoms and treatment: 8 of 25
It's called the silent killer. It can sneak up on a person over years, causing only a few vague symptoms or none at all. If it's not caught and halted, it can kill with a suddenness that takes a person's family by surprise. It's hypertension, or high blood pressure, and while it can be easily diagnosed in a few minutes at the... More..
Home & Garden > Gardening (Other) How to attract hummingbirds to your yard: 4 of 12
If you live in a major migratory bird flyway, chances are you have hummingbirds in your area. Attracting these tiny feathered jewels to your yard isn't hard. Simply supply the foods they prefer and the hungry little birds will come.Hummingbirds need lots of food to store up enough fat for their migrations. Most species of hum... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Care & Health How to administer first aid for cats: 2 of 6
A new kitten is a bundle of fun. Watching Fluffy bounce around, pounce on toys, and play with the ribbons you dangle in front of you is more entertaining than any television show. Fluffy is a curious kitty, however, and just like a young child, her curiosity can lead her into danger, whether it's falling down the stairs, swat... More..
Hobbies & Games > Yarn & Needle Crafts Knitting basics: The garter stitch: 2 of 6
The beloved garter stitch, the first stitch that most beginning knitters learn! Many a washcloth was once made from cotton yarn or string by children in years past in their first knitting lessons. While some knitters spurn the garter stitch as a beginner's stitch, it's a highly functional stitch that deserves a place even in ... More..
Home & Garden > Trees & Shrubs Tips for growing a Christmas tree: 1 of 3
When I was a kid, I spent summers on my hands and knees with Felco pruners in hand, clipping branches at the base of young fir trees. Fall weekends were spent slogging through the mud with buckets of seedlings for planting. I lived on a small Christmas tree farm where the whole family worked hard to produce high-quality trees... More..
Home & Garden > Landscaping What is a sustainable yard?: 1 of 3
The perfect lawn is America's obsession. Advertising shows us perfect, weed-free lawns, and subtly suggests that if you have anything less in front of your house, you are lacking in moral fiber. Each year, homeowners shell out hundreds of dollars on fertilizers, weed-and-feed, moss killer, pesticides, mole traps, fuel for the... More..
Pets & Animals > Cat Training How to train your cat to use a scratching post: 1 of 3
I live in a house with six indoor cats, and believe it or not, the furniture is still largely intact. Why? Because I took the time to train my older furbabies to use a scratching post, and they've set the example for the younger set.The problem that most people have with getting cats to use the scratching post is that they ex... More..
Sciences > Botany Botany science projects for high school students: 1 of 3
If you're a high school student with an avid interest in botany, you're already way past the bean-in-the-paper-cup phase, you've done the, "Which fertilizer makes the plants grow best?" experiment to death, and you already know the answers to, "What conditions make seeds germinate fastest?" and, "How well do plants grow if th... More..