… relief. When the containers are massed together, a visually stunning color and texture story is revealed. Container #1 Mauerelli Abyssinian banana ( Musa ensete 'Maurelli') Million Kisses® … oertendahlii ) Horticulturist's tip: String of pearls grows quickly and trails beautifully—and is easy to share with fellow gardeners! Dwarf Conifer Garden At the top of the stairs to the … apartment, distill the idea of a trio all the way down to a single plant. Rosa 'Savalife' is better known as RAINBOW'S END ™ for a good reason: it combines three of the colors of the …
Type: Plant Info
… in. It’s that time of year when a gardener’s thoughts turn to spring, but planting season is months away. What can you do? Grow some spring-blooming bulbs indoors right now, says Tim … they don’t overpower the other plants.” This diminutive, buttery yellow heirloom daffodil is lightly fragrant and blooms for ten days or more. Hyacinths “Hyacinths are some of my … the pots,” he said. “If you put the pots outside, you could cover them with leaves.” The goal is to gradually acclimate the bulbs to freezing temperatures before you transplant them into the …
Type: Plant Info
… hate, focusing on the top ten weeds most commonly found in gardens in the Chicago area. What is a weed? Essentially, it’s a plant that’s growing where you don’t want it to be. Weeds are … arrow-shaped leaf and search for the first tendrils at ground level while weeding. If the weed is already established, pull and clip the plant repeatedly to exhaust its roots. Our plant … stake. #2: Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica North Shore residents know buckthorn well. It is the shrubby tree that pops up in a hedge or wooded area, then chokes out every other plant, …
Type: Plant Info
… damage entire landscapes. Introduced as a food source, garlic mustard ( Alliaria petiolata ) is now invasive in woodlands in the Chicago area and beyond. Most of the plants and animals … Action at the Chicago Botanic Garden. “It’s easy to assume the sea of green you’re looking at is beneficial, but buckthorn and other invasive plants can change soils, cause the loss of many … Forest Preserves of Cook County. When adding new plants to your yard or container garden, do a quick web search or check against the Garden’s Invasive Plant List to make sure you’re not …
Type: Blog
… “Gardening is something you learn by doing—and by making mistakes. Like cooking, gardening is a constant process of experimentation, repeating the successes and throwing out the failures." — Carol Stocker, American author “If gardening is like cooking, let me just say that I’ve burnt dinner many times.” — Nina Koziol, Smart …
Type: Plant Info
… For now, it’s scout and monitor your garden once or twice a week.” Be Proactive Tiddens is taking preventive measures before critters can damage the Garden’s new spring plantings. “We use a lot of different repellents. The key is to apply them before you get the first hit.” Spray and granular repellent products for … flowers, and stems. Others must be reapplied after a rain and when new growth appears. Timing is critical when using animal repellents. Pansies are among the annuals that deer will demolish. …
Type: Plant Info
… level. They play an important role in small landscapes, especially in urban sites where this is no room for a large tree. The individual flowers may be exceptionally small —like those of the … Eastern redbud—but so plentiful and eye-popping that you just can’t miss them when the tree is in full bloom. Magnolias are also spectacular, but they have large, primitive-looking … (Cornus alternifolia) Pagoda dogwood, also called alternate-leaved dogwood, is an uncommon native tree occasionally found in the northern half of Illinois. The common name …
Type: Plant Info
… start to germinate when the top inch of soil reaches about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. (This is when an inexpensive soil thermometer comes in handy. Look for one at your local garden center … leaf lettuce and spinach are ready to harvest in as little as 30 days and all you need to do is snip off enough leaves for a salad. Within a few days, the plants sprout more leaves and … and high in fiber, they offer plenty of vitamins A, C, and K. Their culinary potential is impressive—you can stir-fry, steam, sauté, braise, or grill them. Use the small, …
Type: Plant Info
… but it often overshadows the concerns ecologists have about our own native bees. Illinois is home to about 500 species of bees that are important pollinators in natural areas, in … bees. (I picture carpenter bees wearing little tool belts around their waists.) Nick Dorian is a postdoctoral researcher with the Garden’s Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science … Bees of the Eastern United States: Your Way to Easily Identify Bees and Look-Alikes (Adventure Quick Guides) by Heather Holm (2022) Nina Koziol is a garden writer and horticulturist who …
Type: Plant Info
… any seed starting are time, light, a growing medium, cleanliness, water, and attention. Time is critical. Some species need weeks longer than others. Impatiens, for example, need to be … a couple of standard fluorescent tubes in a utilitarian shop light works fine, if the fixture is hung on chains with S-hooks so its height can be adjusted. Install it securely in an … very well and allow the delicate roots to find their way between its particles. Potting mix is generally too dense; it's better to buy a sterile seed-starting mix. The mix must be sterile …
Type: Plant Info
