… and often overwhelming. Gardeners often have many different sources or cultivars to select from at their local nursery, and not all are equal in their ability to survive and support … that many more sources are able to survive and provide wildlife support in small gardens far from natural areas than are suitable for large restoration efforts near natural areas. This means many gardeners can rest easy knowing that the nativar from their local nursery will likely be a fine choice for their yard as long as they are not near …
Type: Research
… and Bucknell University professor Chris Martine, Ph.D., talks about guiding students away from their electronic devices and into the plant world. It is a pretty spring day. The sun shines … by modern botanists for some time. The students beyond my windowpane, however, are suffering from an ailment of a different nature, something I have begun to refer to as the “Mantid … the details of the nature in their world—it’s a fundamental inability to tear their eyes from their screens long enough to know that nature is even there . This is dangerous, of course, …
Type: Blog
… involved in horticulture since, at age 12, she started working at a cut-flower farm was across from her home in Maryland. She received a bachelor of science degree in horticulture from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Before working at the Garden, she was employed by …
Type: Staff bio
… and general grounds. Johnson graduated with a bachelor of science degree in horticulture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1984. He worked as a foreman for Campbell's Garden Center, installing and maintaining landscapes. During summer breaks from college, he completed internships at the Beatrice Developmental Center in Beatrice, …
Type: Staff bio
… ) is an annual ornamental grass. It has no “ears” or “cobs,” and it can grow anywhere from 12 to 14 feet tall. Broomcorn seeds are planted in the early spring, and stalks are … growing in the Garden’s Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden. Where does broomcorn come from? Broomcorn originated in central Africa, where it eventually spread to the Mediterranean. … and broom press. How much broomcorn is used to make a broom? Spannagel orders his broomcorn from a supplier, and uses seven bundles of straw to make a broom. It takes about 45 minutes to …
Type: Blog
… in Ecuador. Another interesting thing about the naranjilla—a detail that separates it from other members of the family—is that the leaves look soft and fuzzy, but they can … grow sharp thorns along the veins. As you might expect, the thorns discourage large animals from eating the leaves. They are not as sharp and menacing as rose thorns, but you wouldn’t want … thorns on the plants in the Growing Garden. (The white things on this leaf are stamens fallen from the nearby “bunny tail” grass.) …
Type: Blog
… Bernice E. Lavin Plant Evaluation Garden . The observer was Christian Acevedo, a Garden intern from Miami Dade College through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. He did … them. The true native and the cultivar ‘Pocahontas’ received a greater proportion of visits from larger-bodied pollinators, like bumblebees and wasps. The two cultivars with smaller … year, Imeña is preparing to collect data on the fall-blooming aster species. Early results from the 2018 field season suggest that the true native received more pollinator visits than any …
Type: Blog
… the skewer or knife to poke three holes in the grapefruit. They should be about half an inch from the top edge and spaced evenly around the circumference. (Some people do this with four … the fruit is not tipping. When it is balanced, knot the strings together about 4 or 5 inches from the top. (The ends will probably be uneven, and that is all right.) Make a loop knot with those top ends, so you will be able to hang it from a branch. Finally, fill the fruit with birdseed and hang it outside for your feathered …
Type: Blog
… that gardeners can count on. (I was happy to note some of the winners are proven perennials from the Chicago Botanic Garden’s trials , as well as plants I’ve grown and loved for a long … inches tall and 48 inches wide) are covered with a continuous display of violet-blue flowers from spring into fall; if you’re thinking that means loads of pollinators, you’d be right! The … formal and naturalistic plantings, and because it is commonly seed-grown, flower color varies from orange to yellow to nearly red. The Perennial Plant Association named Asclepias tuberosa …
Type: Blog
… precaution of treating them to prevent fungal and bacterial diseases. Seeds can catch diseases from diseased parents or plants around them. Fungal infections are common because spores can … bacteria grows and infects the young seedling. Don’t worry! There is a way to save your seeds from this cruel fate. We use two methods to help prevent disease in seedlings: bleach treatment … you will want to give them the bleach treatment. These plants are rarely—if ever—infected from within the seed coat. Use heat treatment for seeds of the tomato family, (tomato, eggplant, …
Type: Blog
