… You never know what you’re going to find. At the least, you’ve spent enjoyable time outdoors in nature. Examining a woodland specimen My tools are simple I use a hand lens, knife, and a … that prevents any mushrooms I’ve collected from scrunching together. I like to wrap my finds in wax paper or wax paper bags. Paper bags can work too, but mushrooms tend to dry out after a while. (At the other extreme, mushrooms wrapped in plastic tend to sweat and can develop undesirable molds.) I typically head out in long pants …
Type: Blog
… Reflections on a season of blooms in plant evaluation garden The Chicago Botanic Garden dedicates an entire garden to plant … Garden, but their big show is at an end. This applies more broadly to the other plants in the evaluation garden too. The final set of blooms come from the grasses, which are putting on … hold their own against each other, and I’m really interested to know if this could be used in a design setting to play off plants that bloom for shorter periods and could complement the …
Type: Blog
… tips to help gardeners navigate Chicago’s spring: Wait until the soil dries out to get back in your garden. If the soil can form a sticky ball when you squeeze a handful, it is still too … Clay soil holds more moisture and requires a longer waiting time. Avoid excessive walking in garden beds and on lawns. It can compact and damage your soil. Soil is ready for planting when it crumbles in your hand. Working the soil when it is too wet can increase compaction and break down the …
Type: Blog
… The ootheca was produced by a female praying mantis last fall. She laid her eggs in this foam of protein that hardened around a stick and protected the eggs through the winter. The eggs usually hatch in mid-June to early July. The 1/2-inch-long immature praying mantis nymphs resemble the adult, … mantis nymphs emerge from the ootheca all at one time. During their first hour, they darken in color to blend in with their surroundings. After our praying mantises hatched inside an insect …
Type: Blog
… trees or remove nuisance buckthorn. DON’T prune conifers. Needled evergreens can be pruned in late winter or early spring, before growth begins. Arborvitae should be pruned during spring and early summer. DO water newly planted trees and shrubs that might be in the path of salt spray from salted roads during periods of winter thaw. Consider wrapping … overwater houseplants. Because of shorter days and reduced humidity, most houseplants aren’t in an active growth phase, so they’ll require less water and fertilizer. DO keep houseplants …
Type: Blog
… A couple years ago, in early spring, I got the kind of call that puts a “plant doctor” like me on edge. “Come look at the roses right away,” someone said. In my 25 years at the Chicago Botanic Garden, no one has ever called me to say, “Hey, Tom, come look at the roses; they look great today!” I’m in charge of plant healthcare at the Garden, so when I pick up the phone, there’s usually a …
Type: Blog
… crops: kale, carrots, and cabbage. This harvest season, we unveiled our cookbook, Cooking in Season with Windy City Harvest . This cookbook is a collection of our favorite seasonal … dried ½ cup vegetable oil, divided ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for bread 2 garlic cloves, cut in half ½ loaf of sourdough bread (cut into ¾-inch thick slices) Dressing: 3 large garlic cloves, … cut off the thick end of the stems about 3 inches from the end of the leaf. Compost the stems. In a large bowl or large plastic bag, toss the kale with ⅓ cup of the vegetable oil and salt, …
Type: Blog
… then too much rain, then...this is a challenging year for gardening. For those who garden in northeastern Illinois, Here are some tips to keep your garden in shape this summer: What do all of these moisture fluctuations mean for our gardens? The … but many trees and shrubs were stressed by inconsistent moisture, not only this year but in the last several years. Both drought and extreme wet conditions can have a profound impact on …
Type: Blog
… questions asked by visitors this week, our favorite came from 8-year-old Prairie! In the video below, Prairie wants to know, in essence, if she can transport Spike’s malodorous odor from the Chicago Botanic Garden to her …
Type: Blog
… and functional. Kwanzaa also offers opportunities for using recycled materials, such as in the woven mat, unity cup, or kinara. There are plenty of books and websites with eco-friendly … suggestions for this newest of the seasonal holidays. Just start your search engine and type in key words! Enlist Mother Nature . Even in winter, when most plants are dormant, nature offers items perfect for holiday decorating. …
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