What’s in Bloom Summer is in full swing and I wanted to share some pictures of lesser grown perennials for your garden. All six of these plants are native and do well in an urban setting. Most of these plants do need a little extra care the first year they are in the ground. After…
Author: grobigred
Weekly Update July 15
It’s been a quiet few weeks and I wanted to share some of the things that we have seen coming into the office. Japanese Beetles Japanese beetles have returned and this summer and they are feeding on our favorite herbs, fruits, veggies and ornamental plants. This introduced insect has been recorded feeding on over 300…
Weekly Update June 17
Phlox Plant Bug Tall garden phlox are looking a little ratty this season thanks to the phlox plant bug. This insect has a piercing/sucking mouth part (similar to aphids) and they will suck the life out of the plant. Damage will manifest as downward cupping, stippling, dead terminal growth, and lack of vigor. There can…
Goats and Ladders
Every year, I discover a new plant to obsess over. Some have thrived in our garden, like the bush clematis, hairy beardtongue, and camas. This summer, I added Creeping Jacob’s Ladder and goat’s rue to my must-have list. While the former is a lovely ground cover, the latter has a complicated history as a milk production aid and natural insecticide. Careful not to confuse it with the invasive Goatsrue, I look forward to seeing how these newcomers fare in my urban garden.
Spring Tree and Shrub Planting
On the Heels of Arbor Day – May is a great time to plant trees and shrubs. Once the site has been analyzed for adequate room and the purpose of the tree has been identified (shade, fruit, screening, color), it’s time to focus on getting the roots in the ground. First Things First First, dig…
Bird Feeding Problems
Bird feeding is huge! It’s one of the top 5 outdoor activities and really grew in popularity recently as property owners of all sizes became more in tune with their landscapes during the pandemic.
As my colleague Dave Robson with the University of Illinois indicates, when you try to provide food for songbirds, many other outdoor creatures consider themselves invited to the feast. Following are some suggestions for reducing problems from squirrels, mice, rabbits and other critters.
Seeing Spots? Could be the Lawn…
If you’re seeing spots before your eyes, it could be some sort of dizziness syndrome, or it could be that you’re looking at your lawn, and it’s got a particular fungus disease…which shows up as spots. Actually, there are several lawn maladies that show up as spots, but one in particular, especially at this time of year – Dollar Spot.