… the shape of the pumpkin has the idea. The pumpkin determines what you’re going to carve. How is it going to sit? Is it a “Bert” or an “Ernie”? (A Bert has a more elongated shape, while an Ernie has a round, well, pumpkin head. Obenchain is cultivating a large pumpkin this year that has a sort of crocodile look to it.) What are your …
Type: Blog
… of Japan. One of the two pines species most popular in a Japanese garden, the black pine is symbolic of the seashore and referred to as on-matsu (the male pine), because of masculine … acidic soil and full sun to grow well. As these requirements imply, the black pine is not very suitable for our region. Japanese black pine before pruning. Notice how its shape is restored and more light can reach the inside and lower branches of the tree after pruning. In …
Type: Blog
… trap the seed and ruin the activity.) As soon as your plant has grown a root and a stem that is 1-2 inches long, turn the bag one quarter turn and put it back. You may have to wait a week – less if your bean is warm, more if your bean is in a cooler location, like my office. This is what it may look like at this stage after I …
Type: Blog
… to nature’s other big show—spring color. This year, the annual Woman’s Board Fall Bulb Sale is online only. You’ll be able to shop at your leisure for hundreds of varieties of bulbs … in Holland. The members’ presale, with discounted prices, starts September 1; the public sale is September 9 to 25. Order pick-ups are October 9 to 10 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, where you … planted between established shrubs, perennials, and trees, and are selected so that something is in bloom all spring. Helen Bartlett, horticulturist One of my favorite combinations is an …
Type: Blog
… responding to human impacts, such as climate change, on the environment. One of the projects is on nativars, or cultivated varieties of native plants. Researchers are studying whether … wild cousins. Understanding variation in pollinator attraction between natives and cultivars is critical to designing effective pollinator habitats. Do cultivars of native plants attract as … Red’, were more frequently visited by small bees and flies. The nativars research project is also looking at four other native plants in the Midwest and their cultivars: Eastern red …
Type: Blog
… yourself back from buying every type you see on the shelf, you also know that this feeling is fleeting. Those beautiful colors and unusual varieties are in their prime now, when the hot … couldn’t pick a peck of them. You have to pickle them yourself. Luckily, pickling peppers is perfectly painless. Hot or not Just how spicy do you want your peppers? Go ahead and take a … the outside of the pepper on the grill, in the oven, or with the broiler. Once the skin is blistered on all sides, let the pepper cool and the skin will slide right off. If you don’t …
Type: Blog
… rate to brain waves to protein markers—indicate that when we spend time in green space, ‘there is something profound going on,’” said University of Utah cognitive psychologist David Strayer. … mental health, musculoskeletal, etc.—simultaneously.” Other studies show that nature is essential to the well-being of children. Children learn and focus better, and are healthier … guidelines on encouraging nature play, the National Wildlife Federation says, “Nature play is defined as a learning process, engaging children in working together to develop physical …
Type: Blog
… the garden looks entirely different. The process that our staff uses to prep roses for winter is the same process you can use in your rose garden, too. Step 1: Prune canes. While early spring is the major pruning season for roses, end-of-the-year pruning protects the plant from winter … 2: Clean up leaf litter. This simple step can prevent major problems later, as leaf litter is a prime source of diseases and pest problems. As you can imagine, we have a lot of leaf litter …
Type: Blog
… Spring is here, and the birds are returning from their winter homes. Some birds fly through the Chicago … area to their nesting habitats up north, while others return and stay in the area. Spring is the season for laying eggs, because it gives the juvenile birds all summer to mature and … in Scraps of yarn or strips of fabric cut 1/4 inch wide and at least 6 inches long (longer is fine) Optional — metallic thread or any other attractive loose materials Let’s put this empty …
Type: Blog
… even when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate with our harvest, she doesn’t let us down. Nature is generally consistent, and when it isn’t, it is surprisingly consistent in its inconsistency. We can trust in it to adapt and evolve, to … journal of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The essay can be read here , but I think it is important to share a bit with you: “It’s a long row to hoe” were the first words that came …
Type: Blog
