Migratory Monarchs Monarch Butterflies take part in a natural phenomenon each year in which they travel from Canada to Mexico and back. The number of migrating monarchs has dwindled in recent years due to a widespread drop in numbers of a plant known as milkweed, that the larvae of the monarch butterfly relies on for the…
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I just spent last week in severely drought affected California. While I was there, I visited 15 different large scale garden centers to get ideas to bring our customers in the Midwest better service and so forth. While I was gone, it rained back home nearly 7 inches. The storms last night (6/30/14), helped cap…
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Different plants means different areas. Not all plants can tolerate the same elements as others when it comes to nature. There are many plants that can tolerate wet sites, sunny sites, dry sites or shady ones and others that would never survive in the same areas. This will point out several plants for those hard…
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We all enjoy the sight of deer feeding out in a field, but the ability for deer to adapt to human development and their tendencies to eat landscape plants and flowers they are considered to many people a pest. With designated hunting seasons, they are now protected, to a degree, by the government and for…
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Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) are the most widely ranging of the world’s 338 species of hummingbirds, all of which nest ONLY in the Western Hemisphere. Spring migration patterns bring them to the Chicagoland area around late April to early May. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is often found in the ecotome, or edge between woodland and meadow.…
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A garden that attracts butterflies all year long is full of surprises because it is constantly changing. With a little bit of planning you can make your landscape irresistible to these flying flowers while creating a colorful environment that is pleasing to your family as well. Planning Suggestions Use of Insecticides, Pesticides & Herbicides It…
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Our Green Team Experts are here to answer all of your pond questions in regards to suplies, fish, plants & more! Why do I have green water? The answers to this question could be a number of things. Is this a new pond that was just put in? In some cases a pond that has…
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Why To Prune Before pruning of landscape plants happen think about why it is being pruned, what is the goal? Pruning should be done to remove any dead, broken, injured, diseased, or insect infested branches. Pruning should also be done to prune out undesirable branches such as crossovers, suckers, sprouts, or those branches that are…
Read MoreWhen your lawn is healthy and properly maintained, you shouldn’t have enough weeds to require chemical treatment. If you have a persistent problem with crabgrass that you cannot control through cultural methods or spot treatment during the growing season, you can apply a crabgrass pre-emergent herbicide. This must be applied before the soil temperatures are…
Read MoreAdd 1 to 2 inches of good quality compost to your planting beds this spring. This will help break up heavy clay soils as well as adding fertility and beneficial nutrients to new or existing beds. Get a head start on summer bulbs now. Bulbs such as cannas, begonias, caladium, and dahlias can be potted…
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