… covers it is called the velamen. Thin and rather papery, but spongy and protective, it’s a one-way water barrier that allows moisture to soak in—and keeps it from oozing out. If the velamen appears dried or rotted, it should be … stabilize the plant once it’s in the pot. Roots Signal Plant Health At the Orchid Show, you get to see lush, healthy roots close up. At home, your orchid’s roots will usually be contained …
Type: Blog
… at the Chicago Botanic Garden! Our day included these snapshots of the early morning visitors to the rare phenomenon of a corpse flower in full bloom. We chatted with the early birds and met … the corpse flower that bloomed last September. Maxwell and Lexi (in her Alice T-shirt) Kirchen visit Sprout early this morning before school. Harper, 14 months old, waves at #CBGSprout the … And it is very stinky. Carrie: I happened to see the Facebook post. And we were here every day for Spike (a titan arum that previously was on display at the Garden). Jamie Smith of Highland …
Type: Blog
… Q: I have some tulip and daffodil bulbs left over from fall planting. How do I "force" them for indoor bloom? A: If the bulbs are still dry and firm, pot them up in clean pots, using … with soil with just their tips exposed. Water the bulbs well and put the pots in a cool (40- to 45-degree Fahrenheit) spot for approximately 14 weeks. When the bulbs begin to sprout, move the pots into bright but still very cool (60-degree) rooms. When flower buds …
Type: Plant Info
… This small, rapidly growing hosta features foliage that progresses from green to chartreuse to gold as the season progresses. Gold Edger forms a dense mound (1 foot tall by 1½ feet wide) of … flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… It’s that time of year when the sun finally comes out and temperatures go up, allowing you to get some outdoor planting done. But beware the fickle Chicago spring. Perfect gardening days are … be moved . If you were planning on just disposing of your empty soil bags, reuse them this way to protect your containers instead. Sherwood also recommends covering plants with old …
Type: Blog
… I sat there in front of a group of plants that produce lovely-smelling flowers, waiting for their impressive pollinators to show up. And when they did, I snapped some of my very first photos of these beauties: … volume and sugar content, floral scent, who pollinates and when (hawkmoths come at dusk and visit overnight; bees generally visit in the morning), how populations grow and shrink over time, …
Type: Blog
… Q. I am growing ornamental gourds for the first time and would like to know when to harvest them. A. Harvest your gourds when the shells harden and the tendrils near the fruit …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. I want to recycle my fallen leaves into a compost heap. Please give me some advice on starting one this autumn. A. Nine cubic feet, in a neat pile or container, is a good, manageable size for a backyard compost heap. Begin the layering process with a few inches of twigs, which allows for air circulation under the pile. Then add 5 to 10 inches of leaves, grass and shredded garden debris; 1 to 2 inches of manure or synthetic …
Type: Plant Info
… you can see the family resemblance in the spiky succulent leaves and rosette form. It's native to deciduous tropical forests and open land from the Caribbean well into South America. In fact, one of the common names for it is Brazilian aloe. </p> <p>After maturing for years, it flowers just once, but … goes on for weeks. Then, instead of seeds, it produces plantlets along the flowering stalk to begin the next generation before it dies down. It's an easy plant to grow, happy in part shade …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… plant. It is a sport of Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans.' Hostas are shade tolerant, easy to grow, and long lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and … are common, and new introductions abound. Hosta cultivars range in size from several inches to several feet; it may take 3 to 8 years for hostas to reach their full size. They all prefer …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
