Home and Garden – Page 17

A monarch butterfly climbs on verbena blooms Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, in Oak Park. Land managers of rights-of-way throughout the area are increasingly implementing monarch-friendly practices such as installing native plants and mowing less frequently. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

As monarch butterflies head south, they’re getting an assist along utility rights of way, roadways

By Susan DeGrane

October 8, 2026 at 2:51 p.m.

The Illinois Department of Transportation, ComEd and other agencies are implementing practices along rights of...

Even spectacular bulbs such as these peony-flowered tulips are most effective groups. Plant them in fall for spring bloom. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Plant bulbs now for spring bloom

By Beth Botts

October 4, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

There’s no more satisfying way to spend a crisp fall day than planting bulbs for...

Ageratum is a sun-loving annual that can provide color in gardens that are challenged by rabbits. (Jeff Carrion/Chicago Botanic Garden)

Rabbits nibbling your garden? Here’s what to do.

By Tim Johnson

October 3, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

The best way to prevent rabbit damage in the growing season is to exclude them...

When you water new plants, be sure to place the water right near the stem or trunk where it will reach their limited roots. (The Morton Arboretum)

9 tips for successful summer watering

By Beth Botts

June 28, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Summer brings dry, hot weather that makes life hard for all the plants in your...

The flowers of goutweed are white and last about a month, starting in late spring and lasting until midsummer. (Julie McCaffrey/Chicago Botanic Garden)

How big of a problem is aggressive goutweed?

By Tim Johnson

June 22, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

I have a very aggressive plant that is spreading in my shaded garden, and the...

The branches of a sycamore tree can be distorted and its leaves lost if it is infected by anthracnose, a fungal disease that strikes hardest after cool, wet springs. (The Morton Arboretum)

Watch sycamores for signs of disease

By Beth Botts

June 21, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Sycamores are sometimes affected by a disfiguring fungal disease called anthracnose.

Amethyst Falls American wisteria, shown blooming at The Morton Arboretum, is a cultivated variety of a native vine that is not invasive like Chinese or Japanese wisteria. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Native wisteria vines are a beautiful blue

By Beth Botts

June 15, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Choose American wisteria for your garden over other invasive species of the plant.

Properly installing and caring for your plants will translate into healthier plants with fewer problems that require intervention. (RJ Carlson/Chicago Botanic Garden)

Reduce pesticides in your garden with eco-friendly integrated pest management

By Tim Johnson

June 14, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Integrated pest management is an environmentally sensitive approach to managing pests in the garden.

The degree of shade in your garden needs to be considered when choosing plants for a shady garden. (RJ Carlson/Chicago Botanic Garden)

Shady gardens require strategic plant choices

By Tim Johnson

June 8, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Understanding the growing conditions in your garden is an important first step in making good...

If you need to transplant a tree or shrub, it’s best to do it in early summer or wait until fall, not in the hottest months of July and August. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Transplant trees and shrubs before hot weather

By Beth Botts

June 7, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

If you’re planning to plant or transplant a tree or shrub, it’s best to do...

Lawn grass grows badly in the shade of trees and competes with the tree’s roots. A layer of mulch is a better choice for both the lawn and the tree. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Turf and trees don’t mix

By Beth Botts

June 1, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Nearly all the grasses used for lawns are plants that need full sun, so they...

A simple container planting can be effective and beautiful. (RJ Carlson/Chicago Botanic Garden)

Apartment-friendly garden containers can offer creativity

By Tim Johnson

May 31, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Containers planted with annuals can add a lot of interest to a garden, and they’re...

Hydrangea leaf-tier moth (Exartema ferriferanum) attacks several hydrangea species but prefers Annabelle and Incrediball® hydrangeas.(RJ Carlson/Chicago Botanic Garden)

Why are my hydrangea leaves curling up?

By Tim Johnson

May 25, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

A moth may be the culprit of hydrangea leaves curling upward in your garden, but...