… They’re all over the Learning Center and maybe around your house, too. They are boxelder bugs , and although they are a nuisance, they are harmless. So while they are bugging us, let’s find … bite you! These insects also have two pairs of wings that cross in the back. The forewing is thicker than the bottom of the wing and this gives true bugs a distinctive “X” or inverted “V” …
Type: Blog
… winter forcing so you can enjoy a preview of spring in the midst of winter’s chill. Forcing is the act of putting plants through a cold period in order to stimulate blooming during an … well into the garden. The best plants for forcing tend to be on the smaller side. Tulips and narcissus work very well, especially the smaller cultivars. Larger blooms will require … if they don’t receive enough sunlight. Iris reticulata , Scilla siberica , Crocus , and Muscari are all wonderful bulbs for forcing: they stay small, and come in beautiful jewel …
Type: Blog
… Looking for a feel-good, beautiful, reasonably priced gift? Plants are all that and more. Here's a quick guide on which plants to buy—as a gift or for yourself. If you buy them at a store, wrap them up completely and get them back indoors as soon as you can. Holiday plants come in all shapes, sizes, and … It's beautiful because the red, cream, or sparkle-laden plants are dazzling. But it is also dreaded because the plant will drop its leaves in warm and dry air, cold drafts, or …
Type: Blog
… These days, we text hearts. But in Victorian times, flowers acted as the instant messaging and emojis of the day. In nineteenth-century Europe (and eventually in America), communication by flower was all the rage. A language of flowers … paused for a very long moment before responding. Clearly, her answer would have weight. “It is the single most outstanding donation in my tenure as director,” she replied. …
Type: Blog
… Looking for a fun and novel table decoration for a special event? Here’s an idea. We turned our table decorations … We paired unusual plant containers with plants that had some relationship to those planters and asked teachers to guess the connections. We provided an easy example to start. You can … A pitcher plant growing inside a beverage pitcher was a favorite table display. (This pitcher is a species of Nepenthes.) Home tips Since these containers were not made for plants, you may …
Type: Blog
… as we are, you might like to try forcing branches to bloom indoors. Spring-flowering trees and shrubs form their flower buds in late summer or fall before the plants go dormant for the … indoors in water it may take one to four weeks for the blossoms to open, although two weeks is typical. The closer to their natural bloom time you cut the branches, the sooner they will open. Prune branches for forcing carefully, using proper pruning techniques , and cutting off only those branches that are not essential to the plant’s basic shape. On a day …
Type: Blog
… that attracts flies. The plants are easy to care for. Give them plenty of indirect sunlight and water as the soil begins to dry. Have a heart Ceropegia These tolerant plants have captivating flowers that look like they escaped from a Dr. Seuss book. The foliage is heart-shaped, with blushing purple undersides. The purple hues will fade with low light … Just drop one pellet of fertilizer into your pitcher plant every few months to keep it fed and happy. Keep this plant moist; it does best in a humid and bright area. Your rock for the …
Type: Blog
… , Ph.D., of the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, together with lead author Monica Carvalho and Carlos Jaramillo —researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute—among others, … Science , shows that the event caused an approximate 45 percent extinction of plants in what is now Colombia. This research took almost two decades, discovering more than 6,000 fossil leaves …
Type: Research
… It’s that time of year when the sun finally comes out and temperatures go up, allowing you to get some outdoor planting done. But beware the fickle … old bedding, especially fitted sheets. They fit snugly around the bottom of the containers and keep out the cold air. If you do cover your containers, it may be helpful to prop up the … the temperatures drop too low, the covering can freeze to the plant and damage it. Circulation is always good, so give your plants “breathing room” if you cover them. Leave some plants alone. …
Type: Blog
… When a coyote pirouettes in the snow, you start to wonder. Where was it going? And what made it turn? After a big snow, I love looking for wildlife tracks and the stories they tell. The paw prints and other tracks in the snow are among the small … paths that people walk, but instead ran closer to trees. This makes sense for an animal that is trying to stay hidden from other animals. I also found a spot where the coyote seemed to run …
Type: Blog
