Best tools for winter pruning in your garden
When you head out in the cold for winter pruning, be sure you have the right kind of pruners. Handheld bypass pruners are among a gardener's most basic tools. "Having...
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How to prune dormant shrubs and trees in winter
Do yourself and your shrubs some good by getting outside to prune them in midwinter. "This time of year, when shrubs and small trees are dormant, is an easy time...
How to protect garden plants from winter damage
As winter cold swirls about us, we can retreat to the protection of storm windows, quilts and puffer jackets. Our trees, shrubs and perennials just have to stand there and...
How to make plans for a better garden in 2022
The beginning of a new year, with the promise of a new growing season to come, is a good time to make some gardening resolutions. "It's an opportunity to reflect...
Pines and other evergreen trees are a Christmas delight, but they often struggle in Chicago-area yards
The scent of pine is one of the hallmarks of this happy time of the year. Perhaps that's what inspires so many homeowners to plant pine trees in their yards....
As plants go dormant for winter, it’s an ideal time to prune trees and shrubs
Leafless trees and shrubs seem almost dead in the winter, but they're not. Bright daffodils and tulips of springtime and colorful summer perennials may feel like faded memories, yet they're...
Gardening doesn’t have to end this time of year
So you thought the gardening year was over now that leaves have fallen, days are short and nights are cold? Only if you want it to be. "There's always something...
Snow-melting and de-icing products like rock salt are harmful to trees, plants. Here’s why — and one alternative.
As you get ready for winter snows, think carefully about using de-icing chemicals such as salt. The chemicals used to melt snow and ice help make walking safe, but they...
How to clean up your garden before winter — but still leave behind the stuff plants want
It's cleanup time in the garden, but that doesn't mean you need to whisk away every leaf and cut back every stem down to the bare soil. "Some garden cleanup...
How to choose the best semi-evergreen ground cover for Midwest yards
Many Midwestern homes have areas planted with ground covers. These low-growing, often vigorously spreading plants are generally easier to maintain than grass, but they are not carefree. For example, it's...