Blogs Posts in General Information category; 309 blog posts

9 ways to save money gardening

I'll be the first to attest to my infectious black thumb. Every green endeavor always ends with a brown, emaciated plant banished to the back porch, then the back yard, until I officially pronounce it deceased and ship it off with last nigh [...]

Posted On : Aug, 17 2009 | Comments : 0

How to prepare and protect plants over winter

All the past mayhem was undoubtedly brought on by the presence of too much moisture – around the roots of your plants as well as in the atmosphere of the polytunnel. First the roots: the potted cannas and dahlias should be dried out c [...]

Posted On : Aug, 15 2009 | Comments : 0

What Are Your Seasonal Gardening Tips for Summer, Fall, Wint...

For summer, water deeply but not often. For fall, don’t clean up right away; dead seedheads can feed goldfinches and other wonderful wildlife. For later in winter, try pruning the shrubs that don’t flower in the spring. Learn [...]

Posted On : Aug, 13 2009 | Comments : 0

Greendays Gardening Panel - Tropical Plants That Thrive in t...

Northwest native plants are a natural choice for our gardens. Surprisingly, some tropical plants flourish here too. Maybe you want to add a little Mediterranean flair to your garden, or an Asian theme. We'll have some suggestions for you to [...]

Posted On : Aug, 11 2009 | Comments : 0

In gardening as in life, we learn best from each other

There is a community of gardeners and it is everywhere around you. We find one another at parties, while walking the dog, on garden tours, at neighborhood gathering spots and at community gardens. We sometimes swap plants and cuttings. But [...]

Posted On : Aug, 04 2009 | Comments : 0

When not to worry about your tree

Evaluating tree health can be tricky. How can you sift the false alarms from the real deal? If the tree looks otherwise healthy, with nice-sized leaves and good growth, you can probably relax. Here are some harmless symptoms the public asks [...]

Posted On : Aug, 03 2009 | Comments : 0

Gardening is good for you, finds survey

The poll of around 1,000 people found 70 per cent of the population think that spending time in gardens is important for their quality of life. Given the choice, many would rather spend time in their gardens than in front of the tel [...]

Posted On : Aug, 01 2009 | Comments : 0

Straw bale gardening

We have been asked to comment and explain the advantages and disadvantages of gardening on straw bales. Probably some of our readers have never heard of such a thing, and rightfully so, because most of us are out here where soil is rich, pl [...]

Posted On : Jul, 24 2009 | Comments : 0

Flowers plants for your garden and house

Flowers are most powerful as living plants. Flowers are made to heal emotional and spiritual pain, stress and bring sunlight into your heart and life. There is no one on earth you can truly say he needs no healing, no love at all - hence [...]

Posted On : Jul, 23 2009 | Comments : 0

Gardening tips - Heirloom Tomatoes

It is possible that there is nothing tastier than a home grown tomato picked right off of the vine. There is a world of difference between your own tomatoes and the tasteless things you find in the grocery store. Tomatoes are probably the m [...]

Posted On : Jul, 22 2009 | Comments : 0

Discover gardening tips at MCC facility

Two master gardeners will be on hand each Saturday this month at the Demonstration Garden at McHenry County College. The master gardeners will be available from 9 a.m. to noon to answer questions and to show visitors around the “vario [...]

Posted On : Jul, 17 2009 | Comments : 0

Gardening Tips for Dealing With Infected Plants

Late blight symptoms include greenish-brown, greasy-looking lesions on stems, leaves and, eventually, fruit or potato tuber. They measure one to two inches. Also look for delicate, whitish, spore-producing mold under leaves. What to do: Be [...]

Posted On : Jul, 16 2009 | Comments : 0

WHAT ARE CARNIVOROUS PLANTS

Carnivorous plants are plants that lure, capture, kill and digest bugs and small vertebrates to obtain nutrients for growth and survival. Most plants grow well because there is sunlight, rain and nutrients in the soil where they grow. But c [...]

Posted On : Jul, 15 2009 | Comments : 0

July - What to do in the garden

Pests: Insects are at their peak of activity now. Weekly garden walks will alert you to potential problems. Pests to watch for include Sri Lankan weevil, mealy bug, scale, whitefly, thrips, aphids, mites, caterpillars, beetles, chinch bugs [...]