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  • … natural shape of the tree, selectively prune 1-foot-long bud-laden branches. Make cross cuts in stem ends or smash the ends of very large branches so they can quickly take up water. Place the branches overnight in a bathtub filled with room-temperature water to soften the wood and bud sheaths. After arranging the stems, keep the vase in a cool, 60-degree room out of direct sunlight and provide fresh water every other day. Good …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … or white. Plants will provide color for many weeks, especially if they are purchased while in bud. Cool temperatures of approximately 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit will prolong blooms as well as the life of the plant. The plant should be located in bright light away from direct sun. Soil should be kept moist; however, water should be applied … next winter, reduce water and fertilizer and keep it dry until at least midsummer. Repot in fresh potting soil, leaving half of the tuber exposed above the soil line. Begin watering and …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … Asparagus is a perennial vegetable crop that can be planted as soon as the ground is workable in the spring. Before planting, amend the soil with plenty of compost and apply a balanced … asparagus by seed, but that will add a year to the establishment of the bed. Plant the crowns in trenches that are at least 10 inches wide and 6 inches deep. Spread the roots and center the … of soil all at once. Growth will be spindly for the first couple of years. Plan to harvest in year three when the diameter of the stems is larger than a pencil. Please contact Plant …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … it? A. Asparagus plants should be well established before spears are harvested, usually in the third growing season. Since the plants are still developing their root system in the third year, spears should not be removed for more than one month during the first season, … the plants. During subsequent seasons, spears may be harvested from their first emergence in the spring for as long as eight to ten weeks. Harvest spears that are 5 to 8 inches long by …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … of creamy white flowers that bloom from May to June, round white fruit, and red foliage in the fall. Native to the Midwest, it grows 15 to 20 feet tall and is often found in the wild at the edge of woodlands. Although typically multi-trunked, it can be pruned to a … 40 species of birds. Members of the genus Cornus , commonly known as dogwoods, are welcome in the home garden for their multi-season interest -- be it flowers, fruit, foliage, and/or bark …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … 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 are native to temperate zones, most … derive moisture and nutrients from the air and support from another plant; few orchids grow in soil. Orchids usually prefer a diurnal temperature fluctuation -- meaning warmer days and …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … Native to higher elevations in Korea, China and Manchuria, the costata or Korean birch has multi-hued beige to yellow exfoliating bark. In the Far East, the wood of this very large tree is used for plywood and furniture. The primary … susceptibility to bronze birch borer infestations, birch trees can be challenging to cultivate in the Chicago region. The genus Betula includes an indeterminate number of species of the birch …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … Dawyck Gold beech features a columnar habit combined with foliage that emerges golden in the spring and turns lime green as the season progresses. It provides a distinctive vertical accent in the landscape. A wide range of cultivars of the European beech have been developed, many of … Asia, Europe and North America. Only Fagus grandifolia , the American beech, is native to the U.S. and Illinois. A single species, Fagus sylvatica or the European beech, accounts for the vast …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … strong vertical columnar habit combined with deep purple foliage, which emerges golden bronze in the spring and turns a similar color in the fall. A wide range of cultivars of the European beech have been developed, many of which … Asia, Europe and North America. Only Fagus grandifolia , the American beech, is native to the U.S. and Illinois. A single species, Fagus sylvatica or the European beech, accounts for the vast …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … 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 are native to temperate zones, most … derive moisture and nutrients from the air and support from another plant; few orchids grow in soil. Orchids usually prefer a diurnal temperature fluctuation -- meaning warmer days and …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant