… to talk orchids, yet they're at the top of our minds at the Garden this month, as we prepare for the Orchid Show. This got us thinking: how does a smart gardener care for orchids in the depths of winter? With just a few adjustments to the basics. Today's … is an upside to the short days and lower light of winter: it triggers the flowering process for many orchids. (A caretaking note: stay ahead of long flower stalks by staking them as soon as …
Type: Plant Info
… October’s falling leaves signal a major transition for Chicago-area gardeners. Although daytime temperatures may be pleasant and even balmy this … of next year’s growing season. Garden To-Do List Plant spring bulbs Fall is prime time for planting spring-blooming bulbs. Consider adding new varieties to the yard and bulbs that are … the coming winter weather. Excess fallen leaves can be shredded and kept aside to use as mulch for perennial and garden beds in November, after the ground has frozen hard. Mulch helps regulate …
Type: Plant Info
… scutellarioides brings tropical colors and waves of texture to garden beds and baskets. Grown for its vibrant flashes of foliage, which span the color spectrum from yellow and chartreuse to … is enjoying a revival from its earlier years as a popular Victorian houseplant. The reasons for the current rage center on the plant's adaptability and growers' creativity. Once confined to … soil, these plants survived southern summers with no major problems. This is good news for Chicago-area gardeners who lack shaded yards. Growers have been busily hybridizing …
Type: Plant Info
… days with a liquid 10-10-10 or 15-15-15 mix. The fertilizer is necessary to replenish the bulb for a new season’s flower display. In fall, before the Chicago area’s average frost date of October 15, bring the bulb inside for its resting period. If leaves have yellowed, remove them from the bulb. If they are still … the flower stalk begins to grow, thus assuring straight growth. Flowering azaleas will bloom for months in a bright window when provided with even moisture, occasional misting, and quick …
Type: Plant Info
… the late summer. The first line of defense against crabgrass is to minimize the opportunities for it to proliferate by maintaining a healthy lawn through appropriate mowing, fertilization, … early May in northern Illinois. Several synthetic pre-emergence herbicides are commonly used for crabgrass control. These are available to homeowners either as standalone granular products, … apply a synthetic pre-emergent herbicide, be careful to use a product that is clearly labeled for use on newly seeded lawns. Do not apply pre-emergent herbicides before the temperature of the …
Type: Plant Info
… not able to migrate north as quickly as the ice melted because many of the animals responsible for pollinating and transporting seeds or plant parts had become extinct. Members of the genus Amsonia are commonly known as bluestars for the abundant small blue flowers borne in clusters at the stem tips in late spring or early … and more than 3,5000 individual plants. A number of these varieties have been evaluated for their performance in our region; Plant Evaluation Notes can be found on the Garden's website. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… it produces large, fragrant, showy white or orchid colored flowers during Chicago winters. For gardeners of a certain age, this was the favorite flower for high school dates. Difficult but not impossible to be grown by homeowners, the following … cool in fall bring plants indoors and place under full sun spectrum grow lights on a timer set for approximately 12 hours in a basement or other area where temperatures are cool but well above …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… gold watch Mama and I gave you catches the sunlight and beams. “Neek, come here and hold this for me,” you say with gentle confidence. “Yes sir!!,” I belt. Little brown girl arms and gangly … and rocks in my shoes…I’m so happy. It was always my heart’s joy to serve you. You send me off for some other tool or gadget and I run through soft mushy grass - I smell its sweetness and … gold watch Mama and I gave you catches the sunlight and beams. “Neek, come here and hold this for me,” you say with gentle confidence. “Yes sir!!,” I belt. Little brown girl arms and gangly …
Type: Page
… Join us on an evening bird walk through the Garden’s Dixon Prairie as we search for songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors. No prior bird-watching experience is required, and …
Type: Item Detail
… Join The Guild for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a night of conversations on clean beauty with Laura White, …
Type: Item Detail
