Beth Botts – Page 14 –

Egg masses of viburnum leaf beetle, laid on the undersides of viburnum twigs, are among the insect eggs you can hunt now to reduce pest problems later. (The Morton Arboretum)

Eliminate eggs now for fewer insect pests later

March 30, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

While many children are hunting for candy eggs, gardeners may want to hunt for another kind: insect eggs. “If you can spot those eggs and get rid of them before...

A sheet draped over tender, vulnerable plants will help protect them against freezing nights in spring. Crocuses and other hardy bulbs are more likely to withstand occasional freezes. (Beth Botts)

Be ready to protect early plants against cold

March 24, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Many plants have sprouted, bloomed or spread their leaves early this spring, which is a risky business. “It’s not too late for a hard freeze or a snowfall,” said Sharon...

Wet soil can easily be compacted, making it dense and difficult for plants’ roots. Wait until it has dried out before walking on it or digging in it. (Beth Botts / The Morton Arboretum)

Working wet soil can make it worse for plants

March 17, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Gardeners eager to get outside and work in this year’s early warm weather should take care: It’s all too easy to damage your soil in early spring. “The danger is...

Crocuses blooming in February were one indication of increasingly variable weather that should keep gardeners on their toes. (Kara Silva)

Unusual weather calls for unusual caution

March 9, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Even by Chicago standards, recent weather has been extra erratic.

New plantings normally look sparse for the first year or two, until the plants develop their root systems sufficiently to support more vigorous growth above ground.
- Original Credit: Beth Botts

Be patient until plants leap ahead

March 3, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

“The first year they sleep, the second year they creep, the third year they leap.” In a leap year — or any gardening year — this old advice is worth...

Chicago-area gardeners should be prepared for the emergence of 17-year periodical cicadas this May. The insects are harmless to humans and to most plants other than some young trees or shrubs.
- Original Credit: The Morton Arboretum

Plan ahead to protect young trees from cicadas

February 25, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Chicago-area gardeners can look forward to a spectacular natural event this May, as periodical cicada s emerge for the first time in 17 years. The good news: Seventeen-year cicadas are...

Gray-blue fruits and foliage with overlapping scales identify this shrub as a juniper, one of several different kinds of evergreens common in Chicago-area yards.
- Original Credit: Edward A. Hedborn

Get to know your backyard evergreens

February 17, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Here are a few common evergreen shrubs.

You can increase the yield from backyard fruit trees by regular pruning in the winter dormant season. Be sure to research proper pruning techniques for your tree’s species and cultivar.
(Beth Botts)

Winter is the best time to prune fruit trees

February 11, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Prune your trees to keep them healthy and flowering come spring.

Sharpen tools such as pruners and spades to prepare for the spring gardening season. (Michael Hudson)

Fight winter blues with gardening tasks

February 5, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Cabin fever can be a serious affliction in the middle of a Chicago winter. Fight it by keeping busy with indoor and outdoor tasks to prepare for your spring garden.

A canker, an area of disease in the wood of a plant, can look like a crack, peeling bark, a change of color of the stem, a sunken area or oozing sap.

Check bare branches for cankers

January 27, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

When the branches of your trees and shrubs are bare in winter, you have an opportunity to spot cankers that might be hidden by leaves in summer. A canker is...

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