Jennifer Fishburn

A lot of rain falls on impervious surfaces that can’t soak up water. Instead of allowing all of this water to uselessly drain away, home gardeners can create an aesthetically pleasing area that will allow the water to drain back into the ground, away from the house. This is the idea behind a rain garden. […]

We have all heard of the three “r”s: reduce, reuse and recycle. There is a fourth “r” of integrated waste management: rot. This “r” also eliminates waste from entering landfills. Rot refers to recycling food waste and other organic material through composting or vermicomposting. By allowing these products to rot into compost, materials are cycled […]

Gardening can be a low-cost activity or an expensive hobby. In these difficult economic times gardening is receiving newfound interest. So how can we enjoy gardening without breaking the bank? My mother and grandmother were able to garden on a shoestring while providing an abundance of food. Of course I learned some of these thrifty […]

It’s time to begin thinking about adding new plants to our gardens. One of my favorite colors is blue. Unfortunately there are only a handful of blue-flowered perennials. Recently I had the privilege of attending a program given by Richard Hawke, plant evaluation manager at Chicago Botanic Garden. Richard does comparative evaluation of herbaceous perennials […]

The number of people growing a vegetable garden is on the rise. Some mail order seed companies are reporting a 40 percent increase in sales, while a typical year may see a 15 percent increase in sales. Reasons for this growth spurt include the increase in food prices, food safety issues and concerns for the […]

As temperatures get warmer most of us are starting to dream of the first juicy ripe tomato or the heavenly fragrance of a garden-fresh rose. While we may be ready to get out and garden, it may be a little too early to plant some vegetables and flowers. Understanding the growing needs of plants, and […]

A holiday cactus in full bloom is a great holiday gift. This easy-to-care-for plant generally lives a long life and will easily bloom year after year. In fact I often hear about holiday cacti being passed down from generation to generation as a family heirloom. When selecting a new plant, look for sturdy, healthy green […]

Don’t let recent cool temperatures make you think that the gardening season is over. Fall is a great time to get a few last chores done and get a head start on next spring. Here are a few items to add to your fall garden “to do” list. It’s not too late to plant spring […]

Fall leaf colors, pumpkins and cool temperatures are all signs of fall. As the temperatures become cooler, leaf color changes will become more dynamic. So, why do leaves turn from green to vibrant red, orange, yellow or purple? Leaf color comes from pigments. There are three pigments that color leaves: Chlorophyll are green pigments. Carotenoids […]

The most important test a gardener can take is a soil test. A soil test is used to determine the level of nutrients and pH in the soil. Soil tests can reveal why some plants aren’t growing well in a particular area. Soil sampling can be done any time of the year. However, the ideal […]

This is the time of year when flower gardens start to look tired. However there are a few plants that love the cooler temperatures and brighten the fall garden. Chrysanthemums, asters, pansies and ornamental kale are some popular fall selections. Ornamental kale, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, adds a splash of color during the fall and […]

Just when you think that the perennial garden is starting to fade, fall-blooming anemones add a splash of color to the garden. These prolific bloomers will continue blooming for up to five weeks. As a group, the genus Anemone consists of 100 species of plants, including spring, summer and fall blooming flowers. The fall flowering […]