… is effective to 5 degrees, but it is also corrosive. Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) is a salt-free deicing compound. It is effective to 20 degrees, causes little or no damage to plants, and …
Type: Plant Info
… with the diverse plants appropriately themed to each specific garden. A fine starting point for this walk is the Great Basin, the Garden’s central lake, which is surrounded by gardens that … the roses, irises, daylilies, bulbs, and sages are massed by the hundreds, even thousands, for their color impact visible across the water. This time, too, is when the waterlilies and … is every gardener’s dream. Look and listen for all our water sources on your next Garden visit. …
Type: Walks
… Resale stores, antique shops, and garage or estate sales can be rewarding if you’re looking for inexpensive, unusual containers to hold your plants. The only caveat is that if the container … pots that sit on narrow trays to catch any water. The windows face south and are perfect for her sun-loving succulents planted in old empty spice tins that have a few drainage holes in … ( Streptocarpus ), nerve plant ( Fittonia ), and money plant ( Pilea ). And, the next time you visit the Garden, stop by the Greenhouses where fragrant flowering plants, seasonal plants, and …
Type: Plant Info
… the way through the plants' root zones. "People ignore that," he says. "They may work the soil for a couple of inches, but they are not really getting down where the roots form." Who wants to … dirt is not the way most of us want to spend our Saturday. Yet good soil, whether purchased for pots or created in the garden by adding organic matter, is the absolute foundation for … in the ground. To save headaches, spend the money to get a reputable potting mix that is weed-free. However, it's not critical for potting mixes to be used for mature plants, Pollak says. You …
Type: Plant Info
… he fell in love with “how resilient and amazing nature is.” Clarence Smith’s family has farmed for generations in Michigan and Mississippi; Windy City Harvest programs “brought him back to his roots,” and helped him discover that he has a knack for the business side of farming. Put these three Chicagoans together, and the Big Three—their … tastes different because it doesn’t have any pesticides, it’s organically grown and chemical-free. It makes a big difference." In the name of keeping their food local, Smith is constantly …
Type: Blog
… May is the month to look for warblers, vireos, thrushes, sparrows, and some shorebirds, as they migrate through the … the weather report if you want to see these beauties while they are passing through. The good news is that there are a few warblers that actually nest in our area, so if you miss them during … but its song sounds like one. Join me and #birdthepreserves. My top five migration places to visit in the spring are the Chicago Botanic Garden, Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary (the magic …
Type: Blog
… Persistence can be a good trait for prairie plants. Take this tale of the return of the Hill’s thistle ( Cirsium hillii ) to the Dixon Prairie at the Chicago Botanic Garden. I’m the assistant ecologist for the natural areas at the Garden. While managing some tall vegetation on the gravel hill of … prefers drier prairies with less competition from taller plants. A number of species of bees visit and pollinate this plant. The plant is believed to be monocarpic, which means the plant …
Type: Blog
… of all climes, and knowing no bounds—how many human aspirations are realized with their free, holiday lives, and how many suggestions to the poet in their flight and song.” — John … tanagers, flycatchers, orioles, hummingbirds, and others will cruise through, stopping for insects and water before they continue their journey north. Many of the songbirds spotted at … roam your garden, do not place bird seed on the ground.) Spring is an important time of year for bird feeding. That’s because the seeds in many natural areas and forest preserves are often …
Type: Plant Info
… The aggressive root systems of these plants can go down 6 to 7 feet into the soil and travel for many yards underground before surfacing in another spot. These extensive root systems make … thistle Cirsium discolor Pasture thistle Image By Fritz Flohr Reynolds - https://www.flickr.com/photos/fritzflohrreynolds/15143788606, CC BY-SA 2.0, … being impaled by the spines. As you might imagine, the spines provide effective protection for the plants against herbivores. They tend to increase in pasture land, due to the fact that …
Type: Plant Info
… a future on this planet,” said Kayri Havens, Ph.D., chief scientist of the Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action at the Garden. “It is so gratifying to see our studbook … Wood, National Tropical Botanical Garden. The sea cliffs of Kauai were one of the last refuges for alula in the wild. Photo by Jeremy Foster. Seed collecting on a sea cliff Alula’s swollen, … 50% of known flowering plants are estimated at risk of extinction . And you don’t need to visit Hawaii to find rare and endangered species, they are also holding on in the face of habitat …
Type: Blog
