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  • … This evergreen shrub needs full sun to partial shade and moderate moisture conditions to reach a height of 3 feet. It is a specimen. Archived Copy: This content was captured before February 2022, and is no longer being updated. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … —And Kind Neighbors How Nature Preschoolers Embrace Friends of All Abilities This past summer … was flying with her daughter Keira, age 5, when another young child at the airport got upset and started to shout. Other travelers stared as the child became increasingly distraught; Keira asked her mom what was happening, and Shannon explained that the child was having trouble because traveling wasn’t going smoothly. …
    Type: Blog
  • … be too complicated or difficult or messy. But nature makes it easy. A seed exists to sprout, and given the right conditions, it will do so with great determination. Sowing Seeds Seeds of many species can be sown outdoors once the ground thaws. But others—especially annuals and vegetables that come from places with a longer growing season than Chicago—are best given a … some plants. Expert greenhouse growers carefully fine-tune conditions for different species and varieties, as outdoor floriculturist Tim Pollak does when he supervises hundreds of thousands …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … in our past. We associate them with happy memories of childhood, with family celebrations, and with traditions. Lilacs, most certainly, are a part of many of our fragrant dreams, whether … Quite proud of her family tree.            —Elizabeth Gordon Extensive cultivation and hybridization of more than 30 known lilac species have led to 2,000 varieties blooming from … May through mid-June. Syringa vulgaris , the common lilac, is the oldest lilac in cultivation and was brought to this country from Europe before 1700 by the earliest settlers. Hybridization …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … your food waste. Composting with worms, also known as “vermicomposting,” can be an easy and fun project for your whole family that also teaches children about nature’s cycles. View all … is especially beneficial because food buried in a landfill causes production of methane gas and contributes to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. When done correctly, home composting … They are informative but can be confusing because they show many different variations and much more information than you need to get started. Below are simple directions with minimal …
    Type: Blog
  • … It’s that frightfully fun season again at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and so we encourage you to set the tone with plants we’re certain would be found in the home of any respectable witch or goblin, and are easy to care for, too! Snap! Watch a Venus flytrap snag its next meal. Our top choices are the spider plant ( Chlorophytum comosum ), snake plant ( Dracaena trifasciata ), and Shrek’s ear jade plant ( Crassula Ovata “Gollum” ).      Kalanchoe, also called “mother of …
    Type: Blog
  • … because of the plant's ability to reseed. Birds consider the small black fruit a delicacy and contribute to the plant's invasive spread. Because birds relish the fruit, it is more than … consult your municipality to verify local ordinances. A good way to remove stands of buckthorn and lessen the risk of spreading the plant is to remove the plants before they flower and set seed. Buckthorn plants bloom from May to June and seeds are produced and ripen from …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … the usual last frost (around May 15 in the Chicago area). Use a sterile seed starting mix and any containers that will hold soil, provide drainage, and accommodate growing roots. Moisten the soil, place two seeds in the pot, and cover lightly with more soil mix. Cover the pots with clear plastic to keep the soil evenly …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … Q. What is the difference between June-bearing and ever-bearing strawberries?  A.  Types of strawberries are named according to their harvest time. June-bearing strawberries are the most familiar type and produce the largest fruits as well as large yields. Ever-bearing plants produce two smaller crops, one in June and another in early fall. June-bearing varieties also produce larger numbers of runners than …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … pot without cracking it? A: The following process can be successful, but it is not guaranteed, and it is intended for adults with cordless drill competence. Materials/Tools: Ceramic plant pot … drill Safety goggles, dust mask, gloves, towel, clean water Wear safety goggles, dust mask, and gloves, and follow the drill bit manufacturer’s package directions. Turn the pot upside down … cool if needed. Don’t push hard. Let the drill do the work. Please contact Plant Information Service at (847) 835-0972 or [email protected] for additional information. …
    Type: Plant Info