… A plant is one of my favorite gifts, both to give and receive. I am, however, not inclined to throw out … of anything bright, colorful, fragrant, and alive! Tossing out leftover wrapping paper is one thing, but pitching out a moth orchid whose blossoms have withered is a dastardly deed. A few simple conservation techniques applied through winter and spring will …
Type: Plant Info
… the heavy malted barley taste. Medicinal uses and herbal restoratives aside, the hop vine is, ironically, a member of the hemp family, Cannabaceae, but is sometimes grouped into the larger and more diverse mulberry family, Moraceae. Native to Europe and western Asia, Humulus lupulus is an attractive perennial vine suitable for Chicago-area gardens. During July, soft green …
Type: Plant Info
… pollutants poison the water and choke plant and animal life. Planting a rain garden is a way to enhance your landscape's aesthetic while absorbing and cleaning rainwater. The garden … as it replenishes groundwater levels. Visiting the Chicago Botanic Garden's Rainwater Glen is a good way to see how the process works and to gather ideas for your own rain garden. DIY Rain … great place to create your own rain garden. Before planting, be sure the rain garden location is at least 10 feet away from your home's foundation, and be sure to avoid underground utility …
Type: Plant Info
… compound called capsaicin. The body often reacts to capsaicin by sweating, which some suggest is one reason hot peppers are popular in hot climates. In northern climates, peppers tend to be bred for mildness and eaten green—perhaps partly because the growing season is too short and cool to get them really ripe. Recently, though, a vogue for hot peppers has led … kind of summer that is pretty much guaranteed in Bolivia, but not in Chicago. You'll need a site in full sun and well-drained, fertile soil, amended with plenty of compost or other organic …
Type: Plant Info
… many of our favorite vegetable crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, but there still is hope. By the third to fourth week of April, we can begin to plant a salad garden. Most leaf … by using only young and tender leaves. Unfortunately, the price of these tender young greens is staggering. Markets may charge as much as $7 per pound even though it takes less energy and … The mild flavor comes from the many varieties of leaf or Bibb lettuce. The piquant taste is characteristic of mustard greens. The bitter or tart flavor originates with radicchio, …
Type: Plant Info
… sun rocketing off the white of the snow, all plants are revealed in their naked glory. This is a moment when you really love your birch. But even if the following day is shrouded in gray and freezing drizzle has slickered your garden with ice — a day when even … out the moisture they favor), stress is bound to occur. With stress, insects and disease are quick to follow, most notably the bronze birch borer, leaf miner, and chlorosis. But if the …
Type: Plant Info
… A quick primer for successful combinations Every gardener is an artist. After all, you “paint” your garden with plants. Just as an artist moves paint from … coleus makes for a hot-colored tapestry that feels tropical and exotic. At the other extreme is a grouping of pale blue ageratum, pastel pink roses, and white sweet alyssum, which creates a …
Type: Plant Info
… and unplanted. What makes a miniature? The American Daffodil Society (ADS) refrains from an official definition or separate division for miniatures (although it sanctions a cultivar list: … ). Because daffodils' bulbs are site-dependent—putting out larger or smaller flowers each year, according to sun/soil/water/weather conditions—the term "miniature" is a moving target that's hard to standardize. In general, however, the ADS and reputable …
Type: Plant Info
… this variety for more than a hundred years and that his mother used it to make a dish that is similar to sauerkraut. Ellen Felton Dark As a Chicagoan, I have always appreciated that … it’s nice seeing their bright green stalks against the snow when everything else in the garden is long gone! And I love that I am almost always able to have some collards on the Thanksgiving table. Ellen Felton Dark is one of those greens that can thrive even in cold weather—down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. A …
Type: Blog
… ready for harvesting. Maintenance tasks continue. With autumn on the horizon, August also is the month to begin planting cool-season vegetables. Garden To-Do List Water judiciously In … hot, dry weather and/or water restrictions may create challenges. Some tips when water is at a premium: Established trees, shrubs, perennials, vegetables, and roses should receive 1 … grass, or lay down sod. Some tips: When seeding lawns, use grass seed appropriate to your site. If seeding in a shaded area, purchase a shade-tolerant mix. Cultivate soil down to a few …
Type: Plant Info
