… on the mushroom They should look like mushrooms you want to eat This portobello mushroom is good for making spore prints. This shiitake mushroom may be a little old—notice the brown … In the morning, carefully lift your bowl and the individual mushrooms and see what you get. If the paper absorbed a lot of moisture from the mushrooms, it may need to dry before you … gills. Shiitake gills are not as straight and rigid as portobello gills, so you’ll get less gill definition in the print and a more wavy, swirling print. If your mushrooms are too …
Type: Blog
… Start with the Basics A common and sometimes costly expense for many homeowners is lawn care. No matter whether you maintain your lawn yourself or hire a service, this is a good time to examine the best practices for growing healthy turfgrass. Don't invest more … infrequently, and then to let the soil dry out before you water again. The healthiest lawns get enough water at one time to moisten the top 6 to 8 inches of soil. Generally, an inch of …
Type: Plant Info
… starter kits have sprouted every spring for the last ten years,” notes Google. “‘Plant mom’ is the new ‘dog mom.’” In 2023, stories on plants in popular culture often reflected ways in … its list of suggested names for houseplants. “Button,” of course, for a tiny succulent. You get the picture. Which name is not on the magazine’s list? Spice Girls (for a group of herb … plant story Twenty-eight percent of Americans have hugged their plants, according to a Trees.com survey—but if the plants don’t respond to touch, does it still count? As it turns out, some …
Type: Blog
… hard—most can live up to a month—as long as you follow some simple rules of evergreen thumb. Get it? Here's how to get the most life out of your tree in a few easy steps. Pick a fresh tree If you’re shopping for … at a nursery or retail lot, never buy a bagged tree. It’s harder to know whether the tree is fresh if it’s wrapped in netting. The best way to tell which pre-cut tree will last longest is …
Type: Blog
… display on Bird Island prompts questions and reflection from the outset. That reaction is at the heart of the art installation Of Earth and Sky , created by poet Keli Stewart and … VeggieRx coordinator, who attended the youth workshop. “It was a way to express themselves and get them out of their shells a little bit.” After the workshops, Stewart took all the poetry and … fit. “So much of my own personal story and history is tied to Lawndale in particular, to a site right across from Farm on Ogden,” Stewart said. “My family’s church [was there], my daycare, …
Type: Blog
… three-quarters of all human food now comes from just eight species… Modern U.S. consumers now get to taste less than 1 percent of the vegetable varieties that were grown here a century ago." … year, make it mâche. Already famous in European gardens for its deliciously nutty taste, mâche is also famously cold tolerant—it can actually grow through Chicago winters in a cold frame or … catalogs or nurseries. A sample from the mixes available at Renee's Garden ( reneesgarden.com ): "Asian Baby Leaf Mix," Edible Landscape "Stardom," and "Heirloom Cutting Mix." A mix makes …
Type: Plant Info
… and keeps the display visually interesting late into the season.” Dahlias Simone Gore is an assistant grower for outdoor floriculture in the Garden’s Plant Production department. She … options, options Gore also weighed in on some of her other favorite fall florals. “Fall is a great time to think about plants like asters, heucheras, rudbeckias, anemones, dianthus, and … They hang over and cascade downward, creating movement and a nice lyrical flourish.” Balance is key When planning your display, says Pollak, “You're not always dwelling on a certain flower …
Type: Blog
… seed-starting pots, nursery pots, and containers are available. Bioswale A bioswale is a shallow channel that has been created in the landscape to temporarily store rainfall … require bioswales to reduce the need for larger sewer systems. Carbon Footprint Carbon dioxide is one of a handful of common greenhouse gases associated with global climate change. A carbon … mechanical practices to address challenges posed by pests and pathogens Composting disease-free plant material for later use as a soil amendment or mulch Rain Gardens Similar to bioswales, …
Type: Plant Info
… Obenchain describes it as an “I’m-happy-to-see-you-because-I’m-going-to-eat you” look. “I get a lot of, ‘Wow! I could never do that!’” says Obenchain, who’s helped keep the Garden’s … are a few of Obenchain’s tricks and techniques, gleaned in a recent interview. Where do you get your inspiration? A lot of times, the shape of the pumpkin has the idea. The pumpkin determines what you’re going to carve. How is it going to sit? Is it a “Bert” or an “Ernie”? (A Bert has a more elongated shape, while an …
Type: Blog
… language, and learn new skills. For scientists, patterns are also clues that something deeper is at work. “Nature is inherently random, so patterns indicate either selective pressures or a predictable process, … insects to attract hopeful mates. The butterfly orchid ( Psychopsis papilio ), for instance, is shaped, spotted, and named for its pollinator. Look for pollinator-attracting patterns at the …
Type: Blog
