… June is the month of total abundance in the rose garden, even if your garden contains only one rose. Whether growing hybrid teas, … all come into bloom. Some might say it is a cruel twist of floral fate to have all this excess in one month. For the gardener who possesses heirloom roses that bloom only once in the summer, … While her husband was acquiring an empire, she was acquiring property, gardeners, and 250 different roses from all over the world to add to the gardens of Malmaison, her chateau …
Type: Plant Info
… A cold spring—or, as some of us in the Second City affectionately call it: Second Winter—can test our ability to feel connected … forsythia, are hit with the reality of the snow outside our windows, causing a short circuitry in our minds and a yearly re-questioning of “Why do we even live here?” However, small signs of …
Type: Blog
… In the Victorian-era language of flowers, a bunch of violets meant faithfulness. In the language … evidence by itself, but it might prompt you to dig down and investigate or get a soil test. "Any time you see a lot of weeds in your lawn, it's an indication you're not hitting things … quarters, which prefers the high pH of alkaline soils. It's a good reminder to get a soil test that will tell you what you're really dealing with. Adding organic matter can help a bit, …
Type: Plant Info
… during the season. Given good weather, tens of thousands of these spring migrants may fly over in one night alone. You might not see them right away, but at dawn and dusk, they put on a great performance with myriad melodies and courtship calls. Invite them in You can encourage migrating as well as year-round birds into your garden by offering them … the ground.) Spring is an important time of year for bird feeding. That’s because the seeds in many natural areas and forest preserves are often depleted by now. Sunflower seeds, millet, …
Type: Plant Info
… I always look forward to seeing Indian corn in the market and finding it in autumn decorations. Indian corn—in its range of hues from blue to deep maroon to oranges, … a pot of water and boil for 30 minutes. (This isn’t hot enough for the corn to pop.) Test for doneness by removing three kernels. If you can push a needle through each of them …
Type: Blog
… you also know that this feeling is fleeting. Those beautiful colors and unusual varieties are in their prime now, when the hot summer days and good strong rains are perfect support for a fruiting pepper plant. In just a month or two, the number of varieties will start to dwindle and your hot spicy recipes … chopped onion. For Thai Chilies, add sesame seed for richer tasting pickles. Time out to taste test! Take a sliver of your pepper and a bit of your pickling liquid and set to the side. Let the …
Type: Blog
… you noticed some of the neighbors’ lawns are a bit taller this month? They may be taking part in No Mow May—a movement that began in Great Britain in 2019 and has spread to North America and beyond. The goal is to leave the … even native plants like poison ivy. In an ironic twist, this year’s Chelsea Flower Show in London, England, branded weeds as “hero plants”. The Royal Entomological Society’s exhibit and …
Type: Blog
… Frost descended on area pumpkins shortly before Halloween. Our gardens will soon settle in for a winter’s sleep, but for now, let’s carry the taste of summer into our holiday mocktails … brought the pots indoors. But if you didn’t, there are plenty of stores that sell fresh herbs. Buy them in small pots and place them on a sunny window, or on a kitchen counter near under-cabinet …
Type: Plant Info
… Johanna Hutchins was on a summer hike in Illinois when she rounded a bend, stopped, and stared at the rare sight before her. A wild … the floriculturist who oversees the Orchidarium at the Chicago Botanic Garden. “It stopped me in my tracks.” The irony? That kind of abundance in the wild is rare. More than half of the world’s orchid species could disappear within this …
Type: Blog
… what do chickens have to do with the environment? There are a number of ways that having hens in your backyard can be environmentally beneficial. Poultry Pest Patrol Jennifer Murtoff of Home … colleagues at Oregon State University recently conducted a study with red ranger chickens to test the insect-finding power of poultry. They placed hundreds of insect pest decoys in leaf … food and water. These barns are considered concentrated animal-feeding operations, and the U.S. EPA cites them as being “a significant source of water pollution.” In addition, the air …
Type: Blog
