

Dec 1, 2020
Getting Rid of Unwanted Woodies
I often address unwanted woodies in my talks and assessments. While the topic brings a lot of snickers, it is an especially important...


Oct 31, 2020
Python Vine
Asiatic (Oriental) Bittersweet AKA Python Vine or Round-leaved Bittersweet is a monster. This woody vine is an east Asia native that has...


Sep 30, 2020
Compost
I am a big advocate of compost. I make it, use it and occasionally buy it. Plants love it. Compost and worm castings are my primary...


Aug 31, 2020
WORM POO AND YOU
Worm castings (aka WORM POO) is a product and topic any serious gardener should want to know about. Some, the germaphobic and squeamish...


Jul 31, 2020
River Birch -- Overused
One of the most overused ornamental trees is river birch (Betula nigra). Do not presume that I mean it is unattractive. The bark can be...


Jun 30, 2020
Miscalculating
One of the most common gardening mistakes is miscalculating size and then mislocating based on this miscalculation. It seems almost no...


May 31, 2020
Failing to Get There, Again
I had a rant about Asiatic Bittersweet (aka Python Vine) ready to post and will post it closer to fall, but hours before my first of the...


Apr 30, 2020
Asian Bush Honeysuckle
Regrettably, most of the wood edge, understory and blocking roadside shrubbery you see in the Midwest is Asian Bush Honeysuckle (ABH)....


Mar 31, 2020
EARTH DAY - Golden Anniversity
What were you doing April 22, 1970? It was a perfect spring day in my south-central Illinois hometown. I was a high school senior, the...


Mar 1, 2020
Would That It Were That Simple
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map was originally compiled at the Arnold Arboretum, first published in 1938 and most recently updated (for...