… Pumpkin Baby Boo Pumpkin Move over, big jack-o'-lanterns. There's a new kid in town. Baby Boo is a miniature pumpkin that’s white as snow. These cuties measure 2 to 3 inches wide and 2 inches … near West Kalimantan, a province in the southern Indonesian section of Borneo. Its common name is derived from its near-black leaves, but the plant is not nearly as dark and ominous as its namesake. Monstera, Cliff from Arlington, Virginia, …
Type: Plant Info
… in height and width. Often seen in local forest preserves, woodlands or roadsides, elderberry is sometimes overlooked as a good shrub for the home garden. Give it a spot with full to part … habit, and more prolific flowering. Common Ninebark ( Physocarpus opulifolius ) Ninebark is occasionally found growing along streams and in dry woodlands in the northern half of … and once it’s established it can withstand drought conditions and works well in a hot, dry site. With age, lead plant becomes increasingly woody. (If deer are an issue, the plant will need …
Type: Plant Info
… lepiota, was the mushroom du jour. Three of the cases involved this toxic mushroom that is commonly found in yards after summer rains. It looks lovely, and it usually won’t kill you, … vomiting and/or diarrhea, often severe, starting one to three hours after ingestion. This is the most commonly eaten toxic mushroom in the United States. It might seem like a bumper crop … lawn mower’s mushroom, is also nonedible. (Photo with permission Michael Kuo, mushroomexpert.com .) Not all mushrooms growing in lawns are toxic. But the only way to tell is to know what …
Type: Blog
… scratches, soft or rotten spots, and cracks, and should feel heavy relative to its size. Shape is unimportant. There should be 3 to 4 inches of dry stem attached to the pumpkin. If you are … with dark markers or paint instead of carving your pumpkin will prolong its life. Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A and fiber, and can be prepared in a number of ways besides … roasting. The larger decorative pumpkins are not good choices for cooking, as their flesh is often bland and very stringy. Smaller pie pumpkins with sweeter, firmer flesh are preferred. …
Type: Plant Info
… garden this winter – any suggestions? A. When attempting to attract birds to your garden, it is important to know what species are in your area as well as their food preferences and feeding … to various species. Be sure to keep suet cakes cold or they may become rancid. Water is essential to birds in the winter. Placing water basins in sunny locations will often keep the … freezing. Commercial water heaters designed for birdbaths can be used to keep water open. It is important to thoroughly clean and dry bird feeders, houses, and water basins on a regular …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. Do you have any suggestions for plants that can be used in a fall container? A. September is a perfect time to plant a beautiful fall container when many annual plants are beginning to … snapdragon thrive in cooler temperatures and contribute a large variety of color. Blue lobelia is perfect for unusual fall color and loves cooler temperatures. Stock, Sweet Alyssum, … for a long time and add interesting foliage texture. Swiss chard ‘Bright Lights’ is an edible grown for its colorful leaves and stems. Other cool-season edibles such …
Type: Plant Info
… To feed, or not to feed, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of empty bird … There are positive and negative things about feeding birds. On the negative side, there is the way feeders concentrate many birds in a small area, making it easier for diseases to … populations of some species. More chickadees may survive a severe winter if food is provided than if they are totally on their own. (There is the question of whether it is truly …
Type: Blog
… One of my signature projects at the Chicago Botanic Garden is designing and building the hypertufa troughs for the Heritage Garden spring display. While our … winters growing the unique and beautiful plants that we feature in the troughs, another team is hard at work making the troughs. Hypertufa is a simulated stone container that is durable in all weather conditions, but lighter-weight than …
Type: Blog
… For many bonsai tree species, early spring is the best time for repotting. As the days get longer and the temperatures slowly increase, the … up into the tree branches. As this happens, the dormant buds begin to swell. This swelling is the first sign that the tree is beginning to break dormancy. Over the next few weeks, the amount of energy from the roots to …
Type: Blog
… Q: I'd like to divide and store my Iris plants for the winter. What is the best way to do this? A: Iris plants are best divided after flowering in late spring but … to assure that the roots become adequately established before the onset of cold weather. It is not advisable to remove the rhizomes from the ground and store them indoors for the winter. …
Type: Plant Info
