… Many gardeners remove the oldest stems in early spring, because the younger ones provide the best color. Members of the genus Cornus , commonly known as dogwoods, are welcome in the home garden for their multi-season interest -- be it flowers, fruit, foliage, and/or bark -- and their range of forms from small trees to suckering shrubs. The dominant display, however, varies among the species. Dogwoods are native …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… The American elderberry is an attractive and useful plant whose only vice is the tendency to send out runners and pop up where you didn't plant it. The cultivar 'York' is a compact selection about 6' tall. It is best paired with 'Nova' as a pollinator for better fruiting. The leaves are compound with usually 7 toothed leaflets. The light brown …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… and white produced on tall, branched spikes from November through March. This orchid is easy to grow, but needs space, bright light, and humidity for best results. The genus name was created to identify all of the offspring of crosses …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Q. How do I know when my pumpkins are ready to harvest? If pumpkins were planted at the proper time of the year, they will be ready to harvest in October. The most obvious way to determine if a pumpkin is ripe is when it loses its green color and turns a solid-orange … the pumpkins are not close to being ripe, you can place apples around them to have them ready for fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving festivities. Apples produce ethylene, which will hasten the …
Type: Plant Info
… bushes began unfurling their flower power in shades of bright yellow. " Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party. " — Robin Williams, American Actor While I’d like to party outside—sowing seeds and enjoying the spring blossoms—I’m keeping a cautious eye on the … gardeners like to wait until the end of May to plant their tomatoes to be on the safe side. Get sowing! Seeds of very hardy vegetables can be sown outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before the spring …
Type: Plant Info
… Native to moors, swamps, and grasslands in central Eurasia, purple moor grass is a slow-growing plant … green foliage 12-20 inches tall that turns yellow in the fall. Purple flowers bloom on 20- to 32-inch stalks in July and August. Purple moor grass grows best in full sun with regular moisture and is tolerant of both acidic and alkaline conditions. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… the foliage that steals the show. In the shade garden, Rodgersias give you a bold counterpoint to the delicate airy foliage common to so many shade plants in our area. The leaves of certain varieties can be 2 feet long, giving … and not reliably, at least in our climate. The drama's in the foliage. Give them time to get established, dappled sun, and consistent moisture, and they'll thrive. Archived Copy: This …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… by-16-inch hardy perennial. Descended from native parents, this cultivar is well-adapted to Chicago's climate and soil. It flowers best when planted in full sun and in well-drained soil. Protect the young plants from rabbits in …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… will take up water quickly and put on a growth spurt. This type of fast growth causes the skin to crack. Tomato cracks can be avoided by applying a few inches of organic mulch around the plants to prevent the soil from becoming overly dry. The best time to water tomatoes is in the early morning. …
Type: Plant Info
… weeping willow. It could make a nice lawn specimen in California, but in northern climes is best suited to a conservatory or a container. It needs full sun to partial shade, with low humidity and well-drained soil that is kept on the dry side. It …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
