Wheaton Garden Club

General Garden Care

Plant warm-season flowering annuals, vines, herbs, and vegetables after the Chicago area’s average last frost date of May 15. Cautious gardeners often wait until Memorial Day before setting out cold-sensitive plants such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and squash. Pinch back one-third of new growth to encourage stocky habit (except vines). Continue reading “Horticulture Report – May 2014”

General Garden Care
Remove winter debris from lawn and garden beds.
Consider a soil test if you have not had one before. Soil temperature must be 50 degrees for a proper reading. Tests can also be performed in the fall.
Continue reading “Horticulture Report – March 2015”

General Garden Care

Continue to order seed, bulb, and nursery catalogs to assist in planning your garden for the upcoming year.
Unseasonably warm and dry winter weather will further stress plants that were not watered adequately during a dry Chicago autumn. During periods of winter thaw, water evergreens, broadleaved evergreens, and conifers as needed. Water newly planted trees and shrubs and all plants, including turf, that might be in the path of salt spray from salted roads. Continue reading “Horticulture Report – February 2015”

General Garden Care Order seed, bulb, and nursery catalogs to assist in planning your garden for the new year. Recycle Christmas tree branches (cut into 2- to 3-foot sections), swags, wreaths, and other evergreen material as mulch for garden and perennial beds. Continue reading “Horticulture Report -January 2015”

General Garden Care
Mulch perennial beds once the ground has frozen hard. Apply 2 to 4 inches of shredded bark, composted manure or garden compost, if not done already. Evergreen boughs from seasonal wreaths or small sections of Christmas tree branches may also be used as winter protection on garden beds. Continue reading “Horticulture Report – December 2014”