Chicago Botanic Garden – Page 6

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease common on peonies, other plants. Here’s what to do about it.

October 2, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

"The leaves of my peonies are covered with what appears to be a white mold, with some of the leaves even turning brown already. What is this problem, and will...

Stressed, browning plants and trees could be suffering from lack of water during dry summer

September 26, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

"Some of my trees and shrubs have leaves that are turning brown and dropping, so I have been doing extra cleanup recently. It seems like fall is coming early. Some...

New sod turning brown? Check watering habits during hot, dry end of summer

September 18, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

"I recently had some new sod installed and see that some of the areas are browning out. I have been watering the sod. Can you help me determine what has...

American pokeweed: The strange, tall perennial weed with berries birds love

September 11, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

"We did not plant it, but a good size, exotic wild plant is growing in our yard. We would like to know the name of the plant and whether it...

Watering new hydrangeas requires extra attention during stressful summer weather for gardens

September 5, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

"My new hydrangeas have been suffering, and some appear to be mostly dead. I have been watering a couple times a week with a sprinkler, so I am wondering what...

Most home gardeners work with gas-powered lawn mowers and other equipment while maintaining their gardens.

A first-time homeowner’s guide to gas-powered lawnmowers, leaf blowers and weed wackers

August 29, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

"My son just bought his first house, and I want to give him some advice on safely operating gas-powered equipment." — Brendon Anderson, Grayslake Most home gardeners work with gas-powered...

Pale, stunted annuals could be sign containers aren’t getting enough fertilizer, leaving plants hungry

August 21, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

"The annuals in my containers seem to have stopped growing, and the foliage of the plants has a bit of an off-green color and is even looking a bit yellow....

Oriental beetles look similar to Japanese counterpart, but there’s a key difference

August 15, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

"I have found a couple of these beetles on my flowers and would like a recommendation on what to do about it. My friends have been seeing Japanese beetles in...

How to kill grass growing between perennials and ground-cover plants

August 9, 2021 at 9:27 a.m.

"Grass has started growing in a couple of my ground-cover plantings and in some sections of my perennial border. Some of the perennials with grass growing in and around them...

A cicada killer wasp lands on a giant hyssop at the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park in 2013.

Large, dark red and good for your garden: Meet the cicada killer wasp

July 31, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

"I found some large holes in between the bricks in my driveway, along with some little piles of sand by the holes. I was wondering what insect might be making...

All Stories