… natives are great for crafts, decorations and food. A member of the squash family, pumpkin is high in beta-carotene, potassium and vitamin C; low in fat; and high in fiber. Smaller, three- … October 15, theoretically providing almost 150 frost-free days, although we're lucky if we get 120. Pumpkins prefer well-drained, fertile soil in full sun. Sow seeds directly into the … and the seasons often go from winter directly into summer. Sow three to five seeds per hill, 1-1/2 inches deep, spacing the hills 6 feet apart. A hill is a 1- to 2-inch mound that is 1 to 2 …
Type: Plant Info
… supervisor of plant health care, said an insulating blanket of snow on the ground helps. Snow is a good insulator for plants that are exposed to extreme cold temperatures, so any plants that … can sometime fool plants into acting as if spring has arrived. If, after a polar vortex, we get a mid- or late winter warm up that lasts more than a few days, some plants could be tricked … breaking dormancy and start sending water to their buds; the buds will swell. Those buds could get damaged by more cold temperatures that are sure to come. We need winter to stay winter for …
Type: Blog
… plants that are pollinator friendly and play well with the rest of your blooms. Terracotta is a fantastic companion, so basic pottery can look luxurious next to Peach Fuzz. If you’re a … combining multiple kinds of plants per pot, thoughtfully playing with color and texture. Gray is stylish with Peach Fuzz, so silver-leaved plants make wonderful companions, maybe with white … ‘Firefly Peach Sky’ Yarrow With flat flower heads, yarrow is the perfect perennial for spiky or globe-shaped companions. It’s a taller perennial, 32 to 36 …
Type: Blog
… offered in a bag of mixed seed, you'll see many different birds gathering at the feeder. This is the seed of choice for many because it's reasonably priced and does the job, but unfortunately … from yews are loved by many birds, and a thick yew hedge is an example of a good nesting site. Oaks attract about 300 different species of insects, and their nuts are favored by blue … house finches, sparrows, juncos, and chickadees. Once you start feeding birds, you'll get hooked and want to know more about various feeders, seeds, and birds. With its hundreds of …
Type: Plant Info
… 1. Turnips, carrots, and a prescription for a healthier life with VeggieRx If you had asked … training to help patients with diet-related diseases who are also food insecure. VeggieRx is a partnership among the Chicago Botanic Garden, Lawndale Christian Health Center, and the University of Illinois-Chicago’s Chicago Partnership for Health Promotion, and is headquartered at the Farm on Ogden in North Lawndale. Williams goes to the VeggieRx program at …
Type: Blog
… nobody has really looked there before. Camping on the Mongolian steppe. it doesn’t get any better than this! A little background first. Mongolia is a large country in Central Asia with a population very close in size to the city of Chicago … million). But that is where the similarities end. More than half of the population (roughly 1.7 million) lives in one large, sprawling city, the capital, Ulaanbaatar (also spelled Ulan …
Type: Blog
… Horticulturist Tom Soulsby uses small, visually interesting plants that would otherwise get lost in a mass planting in the Garden. People look forward to these 41 containers each spring, which is something Soulsby keeps in mind when he’s planting them. By the time April rolls around, … after months of dreary gray, so he “overplants” the troughs to make them look full from the get-go. Poking through the red, orange, and yellow flowers this year is an unusual, edible treat: …
Type: Blog
… days click on, and we are led farther away from the beloved fall season. The days continue to get shorter, and the sun doesn’t seem to shine quite as bright so naturally; moods shift, and … it all: lackluster moods, low energy, and even mild depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder is defined as depression associated with late autumn and winter, thought to be caused by a lack … activity is our ‘ Holiday Greens Ornament ’ project. For this activity, participants get the opportunity to create a beautiful ornament out of fresh, seasonal greens. When I bring …
Type: Blog
… and relaxing, and something the whole family can do. Ephemeral art uses found materials and is created and left in the environment. It is temporary and evolving. The materials can include … bet there’s a collection of sea glass or shells under somebody’s bed. Here are a few ideas to get you started: Create patterns of color and texture with leaves Weave sticks and dried grasses … and stones. Don’t forget to snap a photo and share it with us. * Next level: After you get comfortable with the concept, try making nature art on a walk or in your own yard for someone …
Type: Blog
… Wall at the Grunsfeld Children’s Growing Garden. That leaves us with four empty walls. So we get creative and make an “alternative” living wall. These burlap pocket planters contain … and v oila! We had a vertical garden again. You can do this at home. Making planting pockets is simple and fun. 1. Plant seeds or transplant small plants and let them sprout. We used biodegradable Fertilpots …
Type: Blog
