… Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) A dozen years ago, the three-acre Krasberg Rose Garden would start shutting down soon after Labor Day. That’s changed. “Back then, we were getting ready to … insect damage. Come fall, they’d cover their plants with styrofoam rose cones to protect them from freezing temperatures. Those tasks have evolved and now roses require far less maintenance … hard to find some of the newest and best breeding.” There are many newer roses to choose from these days. “Richard Hawke and I participate in the rose evaluation, so we see a lot of …
Type: Plant Info
… You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to fashion this charming star-shaped wreath from branches, raffia, zip ties, and a little duct tape. Heather models the finished star wreath. Just follow these step-by-step instructions from Heather Sherwood, one of our very creative senior horticulturists, to get your own star … and shorter bundles of branches, zip ties, raffia, floral wire, and optional Christmas lights. Start with the longer bundles of twigs: Lay the first bundle along a base branch, positioning the …
Type: Blog
… dedicate this Smart Gardener to the story of how bees actually produce the honey that you eat from the flowers that you (and your neighbors) grow. It’s a missing link that gardeners don’t … carbohydrates that bees need. While searching for and collecting nectar, bees spread pollen from one plant to another. This mutually beneficial relationship has co-evolved over millions of … gathering their body weight in nectar. Having stopped at many flowers (the “busy bee” movement from flower to flower on a single plant or crop), the bee flies back to the hive. Nectar delivery …
Type: Plant Info
… Some of the brightest holiday colors come from potted flowers, often presented as gifts. Here are some tips for keeping them healthy and … but not soggy conditions. Place the pot in a bright location, out of direct sunlight and away from cool drafts or warm heating vents. Because the flower stalk grows quickly and leans toward … holiday gifts and can last several seasons. Ivy prefers cool conditions and bright light, away from direct sun and heating vents. Mist the plant regularly with room temperature water. As the …
Type: Plant Info
… like swiss chard, lettuce, spinach, beets, brussels sprouts, or cabbage, you can protect them from freezing with a cover. Use frost cloth (available at some big box stores, garden centers, … reach freezing—can help prevent frost cracks. (Remove the wrap in spring.) Protect tree trunks from hungry rabbits by securing 12 to 16 inches of hardware cloth in the soil about 3 inches away from the trunk. If deer visit your garden, deter them from eating twigs or rubbing antlers by …
Type: Plant Info
… that’s just for you. How to Settle into Your Sit-Spot Try to visit your sit-spot once a week. Start with a five-minute visit and build from there. After you turn off your phone and get settled, take three deep breaths. Breathe in …
Type: Blog
… is grown in a clay pot year-round. Clay permits faster evaporation of water, thus aiding in quick drainage. Year-round container growth also eliminates the need to transplant the rosemary … is dry, and fertilize with a dilute 20-20-20 solution every two weeks. Rosemary benefits from frequent snipping or pruning, whether grown as a topiary or simply as a small herb. To …
Type: Plant Info
… and with candling in both spring and summer. What’s candling? In spring, we all know things start to grow again: seeds sprout, perennials push out growth from the roots, and trees break dormancy. In pine trees, these shoots of new growth are called “candles.” When we candle, we break off part of the new growth to stimulate growth from lower nodes. (In other plants, we often refer to this as “pinching.”) A closeup of this …
Type: Blog
… replicate that will help the children in your care understand why taking home a leaf or stick from a forest or park or other natural area affects animals and natural habitats. Avoiding … a natural space off-campus with their senses, and then, after learning elements of dance from dance artist Donna Mandel, created movement pieces to demonstrate their learning. This is a … Greeley Elementary School, Forest Preserves of Cook County, Kohl Children’s Museum, Natural Start Alliance (a project of the North American Association for Environmental Education), North …
Type: Page
… Russian variety with "a very salty taste," Hilgenberg says. Like many dark varieties, it comes from the area around the Black Sea. 'Cherokee Purple' is a burgundy tomato with a sweet, complex … in Germany by a Romanian refugee. Like many of the Garden's tomatoes, its seeds were ordered from Seed Savers Exchange . Not all heirlooms are sprawlers. 'Nebraska Wedding', another orange … range of colors, shapes, and flavors is available when you shop for seeds by mail order and start seeds at home , but a reasonable variety of ready-grown transplants is available in May at …
Type: Plant Info
