… Q. Do I need to prune my roses in spring? A. Early April, or when the forsythia begins to bloom, is a good time to assess how … time, primarily to remove dead or winter-damaged wood, whether that is the tip of a cane, or in some cases, the entire cane. Following exceptionally harsh winters, it may be necessary to … loppers, depending on the size of the canes. If the roses were affected with fungal problems in past years, it will be necessary to wipe the pruner’s blades with a cloth that has been dipped …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. I have a small aquatic garden in my yard. How do I get it up and operating for summer? A. Performing basic maintenance on your … keeping them moist and protected from direct sun. • Carefully remove any fish, placing them in the bucket of pond water. • Collect all the snails and place them in a small bucket, rinse with pond water, and return to a protected corner of the pond. Do not …
Type: Plant Info
… is a chance hybrid seedling that produces smoky violet flowers on upright racemes up to 1 foot in length. The contrast between the flowers, the gray-green foliage, and the charcoal-colored … Garden, discovered this hybrid while evaluating a planting of Baptisia minor var. aberrans in 1996. Members of the genus Baptisia are commonly known as wild or false indigo due to their use by early Americans as a blue dye. Although "indigo" is in the common name, the blooms of native species may be blue, yellow or white and the blooms of …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… result of crossing two different genera, Brassia and Miltonia . Orchid enthusiasts, beginning in the early twentieth century, pioneered the hybridization of different genera and the embryo … to obtain living offspring. The orchid family, Orchidaceae, is the second largest plant family in the world, with 880 genera and more than 26,000 species. Orchid breeders have created more … the basic form of the flower, which consists of three petals surrounded by three sepals—often in dramatic and contrasting colors and in a variety of shapes and sizes. Although some orchids …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… Description: May be seen flying over, possibly in groups. …
Type: Birding
… of stress (a long, hot summer with very little rain) will cause a tree to abort its fruit in order to conserve energy. Apple trees require deep watering during drought. Lack of pollination can result in pea-size fruit that falls off prematurely. To encourage your fruit trees to yield the maximum … friendly ones, adherence to a strict schedule is important. The first treatment, applied in early March, consists of a dormant oil sprayed thoroughly over the tree's trunk and branches. …
Type: Plant Info
… I cut back my perennials to prepare them for winter? If so, when? A: Cutting back perennials in the fall can be confusing because there are different reasons to cut plants back or leave them … and can remain standing for the winter. Many perennial plants should be cut back to the ground in the fall for sanitation reasons. All plants infected with fungal diseases, such as peony (Paeonia) should be cut back in the fall to prevent the overwintering of fungal spores. Please contact Plant Information …
Type: Plant Info
… Q. Last year, my tomato plants didn’t produce as much fruit as in past years. Why is this and is there anything that I can do about it? A. There can be several … During extreme weather conditions, there can be low populations of insects, which will result in low fruit production. • Shallow watering can stress and weaken tomato plants. Soil kept … uniformly moist will promote the development of a large, healthy root system and will result in good fruit production. • High nitrogen fertilization encourages vegetative growth and can …
Type: Plant Info
… resistant, and very nutritious. Sage (filler) A great herb for full sun containers, sage comes in many varieties including variegated, purple, and silvery green. Nasturtium (spiller) An edible … you to make incredibly interesting and beautiful patterns using lettuce alone or mixed in with other annuals. Salad in a container Grow a mix of edibles. …
Type: Plant Info
… IL Download a registration form (due April 1, 2013) The MPC is a weekend symposium held in the spring, and is hosted by a different institution each year. This meeting emphasizes student participation in a relaxed and relatively informal setting. Although the format varies somewhat from year to … workshops, field trips, slide exchanges, and lots of personal interactions. MPC began in Chicago 30 years ago and the Chicago Botanic Garden is pleased to host its return to Chicago …
Type: Event for Calendar
