… Spring is seed season—and a good time to think about gifting seeds to gardeners, friends, and green-thumbed moms (think Mother’s Day). … thinks seed balls make an ideal gift item—they’re easy to make, easy to “plant,” and an easy way to teach kids about germination. Clay powder gives seed balls a reddish color and even … helps to break down the clay and compost, giving seeds a good dose of food and water to get started growing. Throw one in your garden. Fill an empty space. Gift a brown- or …
Type: Blog
… rise above freezing, select branches that have numerous, healthy buds, taking care not to disfigure your tree or shrub. Using a sharp blade, cut a few more branches than you need just … Once inside, re-cut the branches 1 inch from the base, and then carefully split the cut end 1 to 4 inches up the stem. Place the stems in water immediately. Entire stems can also be totally submerged in water for several hours to replace moisture lost during winter. During the forcing period, place the …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. Is it possible to grow dwarf citrus trees indoors in the winter without a greenhouse? I have a large, sunny … dwarf citrus trees make excellent outdoor warm-weather container plants. Most are hardy to 30 degrees and do quite well when provided with warmth, humidity and full sun. To successfully … In early September, move your plants from the sunny patio to a shaded outdoor spot for several weeks. This will help them to acclimate gradually to less light. Check your plants …
Type: Plant Info
… the willowy stems from spring into mid-summer. Use in containers and directly in flower beds for their eye-catching color and motion in even slight breezes. The flowers are very attractive to pollinator insects searching for nectar. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Related to the American elder, 'Guincho Purple' is grown mainly for its bright leaves. This cultivar has dark green leaves, turning blackish purple and then red … pink-tinged flat umbels of flowers with purple stalks. This plant makes a nice shrub suitable for the wild border. …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… a vigorous, deciduous, woody vine. Pruning should be done in the late winter or early spring. For mature plants, trumpet creeper tolerates heavy pruning to control its spread and maintain a desired size. Prune annually, spur-pruning lateral shoots back to within two or three buds of the main stems. Remove weak and diseased growth. Renovate by …
Type: Plant Info
… can take a bite out of this pleasurable pastime unless preventive strategies are taken to minimize problems. West Nile virus is a disease that targets primarily birds, horses, and … ill. Chicago Botanic Garden Recommendations The following preventive steps can be taken to eliminate mosquitoes in gardens. Eliminate Areas of Standing Water Efforts should be focused … can develop into larvae and then into adult mosquitoes in water that has been left standing for seven to ten days. Beginning in April until the first hard frost, weekly check your property, …
Type: Plant Info
… If you carve a pumpkin for Halloween or make a pumpkin pie from scratch, you’re going to have a lot of pumpkin seeds. You can put them to good use by turning them into “dice” and … the seed. I write all the numbers with the point of the seed on the bottom so 6s and 9s don’t get confused. To make a game of “Count the Dots,” draw dots on one side of each seed as shown. … is the whole point of this game. To play, toss the seeds, then move the blanks out of the way. Line up the numbers so they are easier to see and add up. Addition and Subtraction Working …
Type: Blog
… <p>'Eyecatcher' may be small for a <Weigela</em> but it is indeed an eyecatcher...and not just when it's in bloom. After the … while giving it some shade will promote stronger variation in the foliage. The choice is up to you. <p>Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love <em>Weigela</em>, ad so do gardeners. For a plant that gives you so much to look at, they're very easy to care for. No particular disease or pest problems. No special …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… white blossoms followed by bright red fruit, which persist into spring. This cultivar is noted for good disease resistance. Its smaller size makes it a good street tree under power lines. It … are small flowering trees that provide a showy display in the spring landscape for 1 to 2 weeks. In addition to the eye-catching buds and flowers, their foliage, habit, and fruit make them attractive plants …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
