… offered in a bag of mixed seed, you'll see many different birds gathering at the feeder. This is the seed of choice for many because it's reasonably priced and does the job, but unfortunately … from yews are loved by many birds, and a thick yew hedge is an example of a good nesting site. Oaks attract about 300 different species of insects, and their nuts are favored by blue … house finches, sparrows, juncos, and chickadees. Once you start feeding birds, you'll get hooked and want to know more about various feeders, seeds, and birds. With its hundreds of …
Type: Plant Info
… plants that are pollinator friendly and play well with the rest of your blooms. Terracotta is a fantastic companion, so basic pottery can look luxurious next to Peach Fuzz. If you’re a … combining multiple kinds of plants per pot, thoughtfully playing with color and texture. Gray is stylish with Peach Fuzz, so silver-leaved plants make wonderful companions, maybe with white … ‘Firefly Peach Sky’ Yarrow With flat flower heads, yarrow is the perfect perennial for spiky or globe-shaped companions. It’s a taller perennial, 32 to 36 …
Type: Blog
… but many seeds come equipped with mechanisms that stall germination until the time is right. Without the inhibitors in the gel sack, nothing would prevent a tomato seed from germinating within the fruit while it is still on the parent plant. When a ripe tomato falls off the plant, it sits on the ground and … cool water over them. Swish them around to allow the gel to run out of the sieve. You won't get all of the gel off, but a thorough rinsing should be sufficient. Let the seeds drip dry, then …
Type: Plant Info
… One of the best things about visiting (and working at!) the Chicago Botanic Garden: you get great ideas for your own garden. I put one of them to work in my new "all vegetable" front … varieties in containers. Her solution was simple and elegant: gather up the paint stirrers and get out the chalkboard paint! The photos are testament to how easy it is: assemble a pile of paintable wooden markers-to-be, scrub-brush lightly under running water, …
Type: Blog
… says Tom Tiddens, supervisor of the Garden’s Plant Health Care department. “Companion planting is an interesting technique and organic growers swear by it, but you need to have all-around good … Aphids Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA , CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Tiddens is big on having plant and environmental diversity in the home landscape. “Rather than using … scouting or monitoring the Garden for pests, Tiddens says, “When I see my first aphid, I don’t get too worried. I’ll come back in a week and look at the plant. Often a beneficial insect is …
Type: Plant Info
… bumble bee ( Bombus affinis ), fuzzy and endangered, unseen here before. The rare sighting is a bright thread in a much larger tapestry being rewoven across the region. Once one of the … pollinators, wildlife, and people alike. Bee balm, the flower that drew the bee that day, is one of many resilient native species helping to reweave balance. Its tubular blossoms attract … much that they harm existing populations. With the help of volunteers, they clean, sort, and get to know every species, learning what each one needs to germinate and thrive. “We also bank …
Type: Blog
… Sensitive plants such as magnolias will particularly benefit from mulch. A good rule of thumb is to spread the mulch as wide as the reach of the branches. Do not pile it against the trunk, … they need a larger supply throughout the winter than deciduous trees. The second priority is any trees or shrubs planted within the year, followed by plantings of the previous three … fall. Take a tram ride for a broad perspective of the variety of hues from red to gold. Or, get up close in the Sensory Garden for an upfront look at the magical transformation of quaking …
Type: Plant Info
… seed to harvest of the crop) are coming into their own. The vines are laden with produce that is not only beautiful but also positively delicious. The Chicago Botanic Garden's Fruit and Vegetable Garden is ripe with treasures at this time of year. The historic bed known as "The Three Sisters" had … Americans. The sisters are squash, corn and pole beans–staples of a settler's diet. The corn is planted first since it requires the longest growing time. Pole beans are planted around the …
Type: Plant Info
… to the icy winds of winter, and growing a houseplant that buds and blooms inside while all is dormant outside is particularly satisfying. This winter, as an alternative to the brightly blooming azaleas, … flowers. Equally important, the straplike, dark evergreen leaves are virtually blemish free, making clivia an attractive foliage plant, even when not in bloom. Clivia Flowers Clivia …
Type: Plant Info
… garden, and kitchen waste? Make your own compost—it can do magic for your garden. Compost is simply a mixture of soil and pieces of plants that have decomposed to the point of being unrecognizable. Dark brown and crumbly, it is an attractive addition to any garden. And the things it does for the garden are nothing short … decompose, make a compost pile smell bad, and often attract animals. How hot does it have to get to kill fungi, insect eggs, or other pests that may be on the garden debris? Most fungi, …
Type: Plant Info
