… soil in fall for next spring. “Feed the soil, not the plants.” We kicked off the May article with the same quote, a thought from organic gardening expert Robert Rodale. It is a reminder that … allows you to fine tune the amendments you’ll add, since there will still be time to react with improvements before winter. Soil tests seem daunting, but our Plant Information Desk … or lightly turned under, it will have time to break down over the winter, leaving the soil with the plant-accessible nutrients it needs next spring. 5. Add a layer of mulch Fall is the …
Type: Plant Info
… rose and red rose—into the Tudor Rose, the symbol of a united kingdom, usually shown with the white rose at the center of the red. The ‘Sweet Briar’ or eglantine rose Rosa … a hybrid perpetual and a tea rose that yielded a new look and a coveted prize: a flower with large petals wrapped tightly into a pointed, high-centered bud. Grandiflora Rose Rosa … recent roses, this hybrid tea has two names. ‘MEIzeli’, its registered cultivar name, begins with the first three letters of its breeder’s surname (Alain Meilland introduced it in 1992). …
Type: Plant Info
… all sorts are perfect forms against which ivy can grow. It is perfectly suited to a north wall with the exception of the yellow-leaved varieties and those with yellow variegation. These types need light to bring out their color. 'Buttercup' and … dieback might occur when the vine is exposed to the bitter cold and wind often associated with midwestern winters. On a protected, warm wall, however, this vine can perform admirably. …
Type: Plant Info
… This got us thinking: how does a smart gardener care for orchids in the depths of winter? With just a few adjustments to the basics. Today's temperature is… Did you know that cold … First, pick up the pot. Does your orchid feel light? Then it's probably dry. Second, orchids with pseudobulbs (the swollen stem that stores water) tell you when they need water—if the … in a small way is to set up a pebble tray. Fill a shallow tray (a boot tray works great) with river rocks or pebbles, then add water about half way up the rocks. Set orchid pots, loosely …
Type: Plant Info
… stalks in a summer meadow, rural roadside, or cottage perennial border. Some may remember with affection the flower they picked in younger years to make romantic predictions, chanting the … rigor. Winter protection consists of cutting the stems back to their basal growth and covering with mulch. The cultivars 'Amelia' and 'Becky' have performed the best at the Chicago Botanic … through the fall. Short little plants, perfect for edging, they sport a common yellow center with varying shades of rose, red, salmon, or white ray flowers. Ox-eye daisy Ox-eye daisy While …
Type: Plant Info
… in its under wings, indicating that the bird belongs to the yellow-shafted race. Flickers with red beneath their wings belong to the red-shafted race and are found mostly in the western … nest-building begins. Flickers carve a cavity in a dead or dying tree and then line it with wood chips. Five to eight eggs hatch in about 11 to 16 days. Both parents feed the young, …
Type: Birding
… family can be seen and heard around the Garden. The blue jay is undisputably a handsome bird. With its deep blue plumage and matching crest contrasting with a white belly, a blue jay serves as a beacon of color on a cold, leafless winter day. Though …
Type: Birding
… an insect full of protein. The pewee sports gray-olive upper parts and pale gray underparts, with two whitish wing bars. Males and females look alike; young of the year have buffy wing bars. … family. The female builds a well-camouflaged nest of grass, plants, fibers, and lichens bound with spider webs on a horizontal branch of a deciduous tree. If you're lucky in July and August, …
Type: Birding
… to wait until the foliage dies back in late fall so you don't damage the other plant material with your feet while scrubbing the limbs of the tree. We were fortunate this year to have a warm … and rinse. Cleaning the trees is as easy as moistening down the limbs, scrubbing them gently with a sponge and a bucket of warm water, and rinsing the algae and dirt off. You can add the …
Type: Plant Info
… they begin to grow. When buds form on Brussels sprouts, remove the lower leaves. Taller plants with more sprouts will result. Sidedress plants with balanced fertilizer when sprouts are marble-sized. Keep vegetables picked so the plants will …
Type: Plant Info
