It’s easy to assume that all evergreen shrubs are tough as nails, but winter can be hard on the plant.
Help your evergreens get ready for winter
Category: Home and Garden
Water will protect your evergreens
Evergreens that were planted recently should not go into winter under stress from being too dry.
Many materials make good mulch
Fallen leaves make a fine mulch for garden beds and trees and shrubs, but they aren’t the only possibility. “Any kind of organic matter can make a good mulch,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “Your plants just want a layer of something that also comes from plants to […]
My horse chestnut tree is in trouble
It appears that your tree is suffering from a common fungal disease called horse chestnut leaf blotch.
Good seeds: Stewards make sure native plants stay in Calumet area preserves
At Calumet area forest preserves, seed-saving efforts ensuring native plants repopulate plots cleared of invasive species.
Make the most of fallen leaves in your garden
When autumn leaves fall from the trees, welcome them as though you’d found a treasure chest. “There are so many ways to use leaves in the garden,” said Spencer Campbell, Plant Clinic manager at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “Don’t let them go to waste.” When you use leaves in the garden, you’re doing what […]
Can I mow over the leaves that have already started falling in my garden?
Can I mow over the leaves that have already started falling in my garden? I’d prefer to leave them on the lawn rather than raking. — Terence Coleman, Grayslake I am also seeing early leaf drop in my home garden due to the recent dry weather. The leaf drop will increase in coming days and […]
Watch the weather, not the date
Are you still planning your autumn gardening based on the first frost date? It may be time to rethink that.
Heidi Stevens: Saying goodbye to a childhood home that was so much more than a house
We don’t talk enough in our culture about the emotional weight of saying goodbye to a house. A house changes hands. But it becomes part of you.
Look around for more spots where spring bulbs could bloom
Fitting in more spring bulbs will do more than brighten your yard.