I received some bare root trees and shrubs as a gift and would like to know how to plant and care for them. — Jerry Rosen, Skokie That sounds like a great gift, just ahead of the growing season. Bare root trees and shrubs are shipped and planted in early spring. Growers dig the plants […]
When it comes to transplanting shrubs or small trees, the first rule is: Plan first, so you only have to do it once. “Plants can’t stand to be moved repeatedly,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist in the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “Transplanting is a stressful, shocking process for them.” You […]
You should also have a roof inspection if you suspect any storm damage, if you’re selling/buying a home and during routine maintenance.
I would like to try starting some of my annual flowers at home and would like some suggestions on how to do this. — Alberto Gonzalez, Waukegan This is such a great question, as cool-season annuals can really brighten your garden — picture larkspur, snapdragon, English daisy, and the like, depending on your growing space […]
You can bring a taste of the forest to your garden by planting a few of the wildflowers that bloom in spring in our native woods. Many woodland plants flower in early spring to take advantage of the sunshine that reaches the forest floor before trees open their leaves. “They’ve evolved to seize that opportunity,” said Spencer Campbell, Plant Clinic manager at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. These wildflowers are known as spring ephemerals, he said, because “you only see them for a short time in spring before they go dormant and disappear for the rest of the year.” Sharp-lobed […]
Most of the time, you probably don’t think much about your home’s electrical system. As long as the power is flowing into the home and the lights are still on, everything seems fine. But wear and tear over time can put a real strain on your wiring and system.
Wood is a true gift from God. We tend not to think of trees as an agricultural crop like tomatoes, wheat or corn, but in many cases they’re not much different.
The warmer than usual weather the past couple of months has been a blessing and a curse for area greenhouses, as owners say phones have been ringing consistently with customers inquiring about plants.
While many children are hunting for candy eggs, gardeners may want to hunt for another kind: insect eggs. “If you can spot those eggs and get rid of them before they hatch in spring, you’ll have fewer unwelcome insects to deal with during the growing season,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Insects are at their most vulnerable at the egg stage. “They can’t fly or wriggle away,” she said. In many cases, you can prune out the part of a shrub or tree where you find an egg mass. In others, you may need to […]
Cleaning the house is no one’s idea of a party. You keep up with your daily chores just fine, but it’s not like you look forward to them. So why not give yourself back the gift of time as you plan for spring cleaning?