… Q. I would like to grow some unusual bulbs in containers this summer. What are the basic guidelines to ensure good growth? A. Late winter or early spring is a good time to consider the wide range of exotic bulbs available for container planting. Summer-flowering annual bulbs are colorful and unique choices for …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. I have a new pond with hardy waterlilies and other aquatic plants. I would like to add some fish. Any suggestions? A. When considering fish for a new water habitat, even a contained one in your own backyard, avoid introducing any that might be related to an invasive species. Unfortunately, some gardeners (as well as former pet owners) discard …
Type: Plant Info
… The end of the growing season is often a bittersweet experience for gardeners. It signals the end of months of work—but also marks the end of the splendid time when each day offers up something new, from the bold bloom of a rhododendron to the subtle emergence of flower heads on ornamental grasses. The late-autumn and winter gardens … But healthy, well-tended plants, sited in their preferred environments, can turn out to be the unexpected treasures of the winter garden. Blue For gardeners partial to blue plants, …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. What is the recommended fertilizer for a small aquatic tub garden? A. A balanced formula of 10-10-10 should satisfy the needs of the … lily or lotus in your tub. Slow-release fertilizer tablets are quick and easy. They also help to prevent the accumulation of algae, which can be a problem with granular fertilizers. …
Type: Plant Info
… go on your way—but Budburst volunteers stop what they’re doing and take the seasonal changes to heart. Volunteers for Budburst , a community science program of the Chicago Botanic Garden , make simple … Garden on October 8. Taran Lichtenberger, Budburst community engagement manager, will be there to show people how to use the Budburst app, which is available on iOS or Android . The event, …
Type: Blog
… Q. I would like to plant varieties of tulips and daffodils this fall in addition to smaller bulbs. Any suggestions for planting techniques? A. Most tulips and narcissi can be planted throughout autumn until the … early and allow bulbs to develop a strong root system during the fall. Bulbs always look best when planted in large drifts. …
Type: Plant Info
… For the new orchid grower, selecting an orchid may seem overwhelming. Here are a few tips to get … for most of the year, and others from which you can get multiple flowerings in a year. 3. Only buy a healthy plant. Soft brown scale ( Coccus hesperidum ) and offspring on Phalaenopsis . The …
Type: Blog
… Saving your own tomato seeds Prepare for the future while preserving a part of the past. Here are some simple instructions for saving … off the plant, it sits on the ground and rots away, gel sack and all, and the seeds are left to germinate. Home Grown Germination You can replicate this rotting process at home. Cut open a … to continue to bear throughout the season. The most important benefit of saving seeds from the best fruits of your best plants is that you will eventually have a strain especially well-suited …
Type: Plant Info
… 5-6, Unit 3 Climate Change in My Backyard Activity Descriptions Unit 3: Earth system responses to natural and human-induced changes In Unit 3, students learn about how living things and … or in small groups make observations of actual phenological events. Activity 3.3: Preparing for Budburst This activity serves as an introduction to phenology and Budburst, and will prepare … students to start collecting data. In this activity students learn how to use the Budburst website, begin to collect and record data on plant phenology, and add that data to the Budburst …
Type: Page
… grew a prairie on my balcony—and how you can, too City spaces may seem limiting when it comes to plants, but even a small balcony can become an oasis. When we moved into our condo, I turned … is Real First hurdle: winter. Chicago winters are no joke, and pots are a tough environment for roots compared to deep and insulated prairie soil. I felt I had to be choosy with materials, … I couldn’t totally recreate the complexity of prairie soils, but I tried to mimic them the best I could. I used commercial potting mix as a base and tweaked each pot to simulate different …
Type: Blog
