

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...
Dec 1, 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...
Oct 31, 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...
Sep 30, 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...
Aug 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...
Jul 31, 2020


Miscalculating
One of the most common gardening mistakes is miscalculating size and then mislocating based on this miscalculation. It seems almost no...
Jun 30, 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...
May 31, 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)....
Apr 30, 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 31, 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...
Mar 1, 2020