Earth Day April 22 – Invest in Our Planet

Bloodroot
Bloodroot

The theme for this year’s Earth Day, on April 22nd, is invest in our planet. We ask you to invest in our planet by planting native plants this spring. Native plants are adapted to our local environmental conditions and as such, require less maintenance, less water, and no fertilizers or pesticides. In addition to adding beauty to our gardens, native plants attract local wildlife and support pollinators like birds, butterflies and bees.

If you want to help save monarch butterflies, plant one or more varieties of milkweed. If you love birds, plant natives such as golden alexander or purple coneflower to attract the beneficial insects that baby birds eat. If you want to plant a tree that has a significant positive impact on the environment, contact tree services to help you plant an oak tree. Oak trees support more life-forms than any other trees in North America.

There are many native plant sales in our area, staffed by knowledgeable gardeners, to help you with your questions and decisions.  In addition, their website plant listings contain helpful information on sun exposure needs and whether they attract butterflies, birds, bees, etc.

In-Person Plant Sales

Wild Geranium
Wild Geranium

Purple Milkweed

Wheaton Native Plant Sale

Saturday April 23, 8:30am – 11:00 am 

City of Wheaton Public Works Yard

821 West Liberty Dr. Wheaton

https://wheatonparkdistrict.com/events/native-illinois-plant-sale/

White Wild Indigo

DuPage County Forest Preserve Plant Sale

Ticketed presale Thurs. May 12, 4:00 – 7:00 pm

Open to public Fri. May 13, 10:00 – 7:00 and Sat. May 14, 9:00 – 2:00

Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 31st St, Oak Brook
https://www.dupageforest.org/native-plant-sale

SCARCE Growin’ Green Garden Market Sale

Saturday April 30, 9:00am to 1:00 am

SCARCE 800 S Rohlwing Rd (IL Rt 53), Addison

College of Dupage Spring Plant Sale

Technical Education Center (TEC), West Campus – Greenhouse

Friday, May 13, 8:00 – 5:00

Saturday May 14, 8:00 – 5:00

Sunday, May 15, 9:00 – 3:00

Native plants will be included in this sale of flowers, herbs and vegetables.

https://www.cod.edu/academics/programs/horticulture/special_events.aspx

Pre Order Sales  

Conservation Foundation

Order plants online from April 11 to 26

Pick up plants May 13, 3:00-7:00 and May 14,8:30 – 1:00

Kane-DuPage Soil and Water Conservation District

April 29, 2022 – Last Day to order plants

Pick-up plants May 27, 8:00 am– 4:30 pm

Kane-DuPage SWCD Office, 2315 Dean St., Suite 100, St. Charles

Horticulture Report September 2019

Perennials, annuals, and bulbs

During the fall months of September, October and November, after soil temperature drops below 60°F., the bulbs of spring flowering tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, scilla, dwarf irises, anemone, and crocus should be planted. Select healthy, disease free bulbs. Add Bone meal or Bulb fertilizer into the planting hole, as you prepare the soil.

Winter pansies, flowering Kale, flowering Cabbage, and fall mums may be planted now, to give a little color to the garden when the summer flowers have faded away.

Scatter the seeds of perennials in a row or in open beds this month so that the young seedlings will be ready to be transplanted into their permanent spot next spring.

As the weather cools, perennials which have overgrown their space or become crowded should be dug and divided, or moved to a new area of the garden. New or replacement perennials can also be planted this month.

Continue reading “Horticulture Report September 2019”

Horticulture Report – November 2018

It’s really hard to get motivated to do much of anything outdoors, but there are a few tasks and chores which you should do on those days when the weather is favorable! For a much cold ambiance use the ceiling fans atlanta ga !

Here are a few gardening tasks and projects that you can do this month to help keep your garden looking it’s best for the rest of this season, and prepare for the long cold winter and upcoming spring, learn more from Landscapers Fort Wayne.

Perennials, annuals, and bulbs
Make sure that the canes of your climbing roses and other vining plants are securely fastened to their supports. Winter winds can whip and severely damage unprotected plants. Don’t tie them so tightly that the string or twist-tie cuts into the stem. I recommend using a length of an old nylon stocking because it will stretch as the plant grows, rather than cutting into the stem, as string will do. Continue reading “Horticulture Report – November 2018”

Horticulture Report – September 2018

Perennials, annuals, and bulbs
During the fall months of September, October and November, after soil temperature drops below 60°F, the bulbs of spring – tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, scilla, dwarf irises, anemone, and crocus should be planted. Add bone meal or bulb fertilizer into the planting hole as you prepare the soil.

Winter pansies, flowering kale, flowering cabbage, and fall mums may be planted now, to give a little color to the garden when the summer flowers have faded away.

Scatter the seeds of perennials in a row or in open beds this month so that the young seedlings will be ready to be transplanted into their permanent spot next spring.

As the weather cools, perennials which have overgrown their space or become crowded should be dug and divided, or moved to a new area of the garden. New or replacement perennials can also be planted this month.

Continue reading “Horticulture Report – September 2018”

Horticulture Report – April 2018

Lift and divide perennial plants now to improve their vigor and create new plants for your garden.

Divide Hostas before they come into leaf.

You can start to move evergreen shrubs and trees now provided the soil isn’t frozen or waterlogged.

Plant summer-flowering bulbs such as Lilies, Gladiolus and Ranunculus into beds, borders and containers.

Feed trees, shrubs and hedges with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer by lightly forking it into the soil surface. Roses are greedy plants and will greatly benefit from feeding as they come into growth. Continue reading “Horticulture Report – April 2018”

Horticulture Report – March 2018

Shrubs and trees
In most areas it is still possible to do dormant spraying of fruit trees until the 15th, after that date dilute the spray by 1/2. Spraying should be done on a still day with the temperature above 40 degrees F.
Late March and early April is a good time to transplant shrubs and trees. As soon as the soil is workable, but before buds have swelled or broken open, you can move shrubs and trees.
Fertilize shrubs and trees if this wasn’t done in February. Use an acid type rhododendron fertilizer to feed evergreens, conifers, broad leaf evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. Use an all-purpose fertilizer to feed roses and other deciduous trees and shrubs. If you use granular type fertilizers, be sure to water it in thoroughly.
Finish pruning fruit trees this month – before the buds swell.
Perennials, annuals, and bulbs
There is often a strong temptation to start removing winter mulches from your flower beds…. WAIT!!! Pull the mulch off gradually as the plants show signs of new growth. Continue reading “Horticulture Report – March 2018”

Horticulture Report – February 2018

February Gardening

Zone 5
Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Shrubs and trees
Deciduous shrubs and trees are still dormant enough to transplant this month, once the buds have begun to swell, it will be too late. Click these links for information on transplanting azaleas or moving specimen plants.
Trees which weren’t fed last fall should be deep fed by punching a series of 1-2 inch holes two feet apart around the drip line and filled with an appropriate food. A mulch of well composted manure is also an excellent treat for your tree.
Mid to late February is the time to fertilize shrubs and evergreens. Use an acid type rhododendron fertilizer to feed evergreens, conifers, broad leaf evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. Use an all-purpose fertilizer to feed roses and other Continue reading “Horticulture Report – February 2018”

Horticulture Report – January 2018

Please feed the birds and provide them with unfrozen water. If there is snow on the ground and you don’t have a feeder, a simple piece of plywood, a scrap of carpet or even cardboard will create a very good feeding area. It’s easy to clean. Just turn it over if it happens to get covered by a fresh snowfall.

We had a few warm days in December and if some bulbs got the foolish idea that spring was coming, add a little compost and a thick layer of mulch to protect the tender new growth. This is an excellent use for the branches of your discarded Christmas tree or Continue reading “Horticulture Report – January 2018”