Guides
Not everything worth understanding is a calculation. These are animated, step-by-step explainers for processes worth seeing rather than typing numbers into.
The Nitrogen Cycle, Explained for Gardeners
Nitrogen moves through five stages in a garden: bacteria fix nitrogen gas from the air into ammonium, other bacteria convert that to nitrate, plants absorb it, decomposers return it to the soil when plants and animals die, and denitrifying bacteria release some of it back into the air — completing the cycle.
Tomato Growth Stages: Seed to Harvest
A tomato seed sprouts in 5–10 days in warm soil, then takes roughly 100–120 days from sowing (60–85 days after transplanting) to reach a ripe, harvestable fruit, passing through seedling, vegetative growth, flowering and fruit-ripening stages along the way.
Carrot Growth Stages: Seed to Harvest
Carrot seeds are unusually slow to germinate, typically taking 14–21 days, then the root spends 60–80 days total bulking up underground before it's ready to harvest — most of that growth is invisible from above ground.
Radish Growth Stages: Seed to Harvest
Radishes are the fastest common vegetable to grow: seeds sprout in just 3–5 days, and most varieties are ready to pull in as little as 21–30 days from sowing.