Beth Botts – Page 17 –

Spring containers at The Morton Arboretum often include bulbs such as daffodils. Hardy bulbs can succeed in large containers if they are adequately chilled over the winter but protected from free-thaw cycles.

Plan for your spring garden in fall

September 23, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Think spring! Late September to early October is prime time for planting spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths and alliums — whether you plant them in the ground...

Wait until deciduous trees or shrubs have lost their leaves and are dormant, in late fall, before pruning them. Pruning them while they are still actively growing risks stimulating new growth that would be vulnerable to winter cold.

When will it be safe to prune this fall?

September 17, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

There's plenty to do in the garden in early autumn: planting bulbs, dividing perennials, preparing vegetable beds for next season and watering. But there's one thing you should not do...

When you bring houseplants indoors in fall or dispose of annual container plantings, you must balance trade-offs in deciding whether to keep potting mix for re-use next year.

Reusing your potting mix isn’t so simple

September 9, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Container plants are nearing the season's end. Gardeners will soon be discarding colorful annuals and potted vegetables. Meanwhile, houseplants enjoying a summer vacation in the garden or porch need to...

Planting spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips is one of the tasks gardeners can plan to do in autumn, after the weather cools off but before the soil freezes.

End of summer garden tasks to check off your list

September 2, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

The end of summer's heat brings a golden time, when it's not too hot, not too cold, and perfect for gardening. "There's still plenty to do in fall before the...

Hedgehog galls, like most galls that appear on trees' leaves, may look bizarre but they are not a serious problem.

‘Freakish’-looking galls are largely harmless

August 26, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

It can be unnerving to find that the leaves of an oak or hackberry tree are as bumpy as a rock-covered seashore in late summer. Other trees' leaves may break...

To rest easy in a hammock suspended between trees, do not tie ropes or chains around the trees' trunks, which can damage or even kill them. Instead, sink sturdy screw hooks into the wood.

Swing safely in your summer hammock

August 20, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

A lazy hammock swaying between trees sounds lovely, but it's important to hang it in a way that is safe for both you and the tree. "Never tie a rope...

Consider carefully before snapping up plants at end-of-season sales. They are no bargain if they are not appropriate for your garden.

Buy plants on sale with caution

August 12, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Toward the end of summer, plants go on sale at garden centers, nurseries and home centers. "Buying sale plants can make money go farther in your garden, but only if...

Shelf lichens growing on a tree's bark indicate that wood is decaying in the interior of the trunk. A professional arborist should assess the condition of the tree.

Wood rot could hide your tree’s decay

August 6, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

When you see mushrooms or other fungi growing out of the trunk of a tree, pay attention. It's a sign that the wood inside the tree is decaying. "It's something...

Resist collecting plants such as creeping bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides) from roadsides or alleys. They are likely to be aggressive spreaders that cause long-lasting problems in a garden.

Collecting roadside blooms can sprout chaos in your garden

July 29, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Oh, what pretty flowers growing by the roadside! Maybe I should stop and get some of those for my garden! "Don't do it," said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist at...

It's normal for many kinds of trees, such as this crabapple, to have more than one trunk. Make sure that the trunk, or trunks, are not planted too deep in the soil.

Trees trunks come in all shapes and sizes

July 23, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

What shape is a tree? For most people, it's like a lollipop or a feather duster: a single trunk topped by a green bunch of branches and leaves. "Not all...

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