Portage Park Garden Club

Portage Park Garden Club Portage Park Garden Club Mission Statement: The
purpose of the PPGC is to collect and distribute
information about topics of interest to the members,
to promote a spirit of cooperation, goodwill and
neighborliness, and encourage people to openly
communicate and participate in the exchange of ideas
pertaining to gardening.

Operating as usual

Free Zoom program with noted author and Ecologist Doug Tallamy on Tuesday, Jan. 18th!
01/13/2022

Free Zoom program with noted author and Ecologist Doug Tallamy on Tuesday, Jan. 18th!

Registration link: https://tinyurl.com/D-Tallamy

Award-winning author, ecologist, and T.A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, Doug Tallamy is joining us for a new virtual program on January 18th, 6:30 pm!

Tallamy is an expert on what he calls Homegrown National Parks—lawns replanted with North American flora to foster a healthy native ecosystem. his book Bringing Nature Home was published by Timber Press in 2007 and was awarded the 2008 Silver Medal by the Garden Writers' Association. The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, was published in 2014; Nature's Best Hope, a New York Times Best Seller, was released in February 2020, and his latest book The Nature of Oaks was released by Timber press in March 2021.

We'll be talking about nature, caterpillars, and how to turn your own yard into a haven for local wildlife! It's going to be a lot of fun, so be sure to visit tinyurl.com/D-Tallamy and register for the program today!

01/13/2022
Plant Tomatoes Deep - The Secret To Your Best Harvest Ever
01/12/2022
Plant Tomatoes Deep - The Secret To Your Best Harvest Ever

Plant Tomatoes Deep - The Secret To Your Best Harvest Ever

You’ve probably come across the common gardening advice arguing that planting tomatoes deeply is an absolute must. It seems to go against all gardening instincts – especially when proponents recommend the leaves should be buried

Popular shrub, tree found locally to be banned
01/11/2022
Popular shrub, tree found locally to be banned

Popular shrub, tree found locally to be banned

Japanese barberry, a red-berried ornamental shrub that graces many a yard in Lancaster County, and Bradford pear trees, still celebrated for their explosion of white blossoms on Lancaster city streets

01/08/2022

👏From the Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program! 👏 𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙜𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙚𝙨?

Geophytes! Geophytes are herbaceous plants with underground storage organs, rather than fibrous root systems.

Often lumped together under the term “bulbs,” these storage organs can also be corms, tubers, rhizomes, or other structures. These organs contain reserves of carbohydrates, nutrients, and water. Geophytes typically undergo a dieback or “dormancy” period, which varies depending on season of bloom.

Examples:
- Summer-blooming geophytes: Dahlia and hybrid gladiolus
- Spring-blooming geophytes: Crocus, tulip (Tulipa), and daffodils (Narcissus).

Spring bloomers are generally cold-hardy perennials, so are purchased and planted mid to late autumn. Just like holiday décor, spring bulbs are starting to show up in stores earlier and earlier – even in August. Do not plant until the weather is reliably cool and soil temperatures below 50 F.

More on geophytes: https://www.uaex.edu/.../plant-week/geophytes-4-1-11.aspx

--Chart text--
Geophytes!
Herbaceous plants with underground storage organs, rather than fibrous root systems.
Often lumped together under the term “bulbs.”

BULBS
Made of modified leaves or scales, with a compressed stem and a basal plate where roots emerge (picture an onion).

CORMS
Storage structure is a modified stem with a basal plate – described as "solid bulbs.” EX crocus, gladiolus

TUBERS
Thickened underground stem with no basal plate. Tubers such as Caladium have “eyes” – potatoes are tubers.

TUBEROUS ROOTS
Thickened root tissue; growth arises from buds at the top (crown) of the root mass. EX dhalia

RHIZOMES
Modified stems that grows horizontally at or below the soil surface. EX German Iris, lily-of-the-valley

~MB
#gardening #gardeningtips #geophyte #mastergardener #cooperativeextension #spring

How To Propagate Rosemary From Cuttings: Step-By-Step With Photos
01/07/2022
How To Propagate Rosemary From Cuttings: Step-By-Step With Photos

How To Propagate Rosemary From Cuttings: Step-By-Step With Photos

Rosemary features high on the list of essential garden herbs. This dense shrub is a vigorous grower with a million uses in the kitchen, from roasts to cocktails and more. Who wouldn’t want as much

DIY Glass Garden Flowers
01/07/2022
DIY Glass Garden Flowers

DIY Glass Garden Flowers

Learn how to make glass garden flowers from old plates, bowls, candleholders, and more. This recycled crafts project can be as simple or fancy as you like.

Timeline Photos
01/07/2022

Timeline Photos

This January calendar illustration (circa 1940s) is by May Theilgaard Watts, who pioneered the Arboretum’s education program under the direction of Joy Morton’s daughter, Jean Cudahy. Watts used drawings to enliven her classes and Arboretum publications. The Sterling Morton Library has more than 700 of her original pieces. You may find many of her works on ACORN, a publicly accessible online database at bit.ly/3eVHqpB. #throwbackthursday #MortonArbCentennial #Centennial

Agave Watch at Garfield Park Conservatory!
01/06/2022

Agave Watch at Garfield Park Conservatory!

Al turns 100 in March 2022, and while he’s not as mobile as he was a few years ago, he’s still beaming with life. The im...
01/04/2022
Meet the 96-Year-Old Man Who Turned Southern Idaho Into a Bluebird Haven

Al turns 100 in March 2022, and while he’s not as mobile as he was a few years ago, he’s still beaming with life. The impact he’s had on the populations of bluebirds in North America will remain his legacy, long after he stops building boxes.

https://www.audubon.org/news/meet-96-year-old-man-who-turned-southern-idaho-bluebird-haven

Al Larson has spent four decades building hundreds of nest boxes for Western and Mountain Bluebirds. Now these homes and their inhabitants are facing the test of climate change.

01/02/2022
www.chicagorecyles.org

Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation – Christmas Tree Recycling
How do you stuff a Christmas tree into a garbage can? You DON’T! Drop off your tree – will all lights, garland and ornaments removed – at any of the following northwest side locations between Saturday, 1/8/22, and Saturday, 1/22/22.
Clark Park, 3400 North Rockwell Street
Kelvyn Park, 4438 West Wrightwood Avenue
North Park Village, 5801 North Pulaski Road
Norwood Park, 5800 North Avondale Avenue
Portage Park, 4100 North Long Avenue
Riis Park, 6201 West Wrightwood Avenue
Warren Park, 6601 North Western Avenue
Free mulch will be available at North Park Village and Warren Park starting Monday, 1/10122 For additional information please call 311 or visit www.chicagorecyles.org.

Chicago ranks number 1 in plant biodiversity http://chicagonaturenow.com/blog/chicago-ranks-number-1-in-plant-biodiversi...
12/30/2021
Chicago Ranks #1 in Native Plant Biodiversity compared to National Parks!

Chicago ranks number 1 in plant biodiversity

http://chicagonaturenow.com/blog/chicago-ranks-number-1-in-plant-biodiversity/

The Chicago region is home to 1,867 native plant species, far more than any of the 59 U.S. national parks. The combined protected natural area within a 50-mile radius of downtown Chicago ranks 25th in acreage—greater than 35 national parks, including Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Mount Rainier, Zio...

12/27/2021

Now is the time to winter sow those native milkweed seeds using the milk jug method. If you need seeds, click here: https://tinyurl.com/MonarchFood

12/23/2021

The gardener's Christmas tree!

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Chicago, IL
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Videos

Pidgeons!
Pidgeons!

Pidgeons - I just don't expect to find one in the birdbath!

Monk Parakeets in Portage Park
Monk Parakeets in Portage Park

I thought I was lucky with the yellow finch - and then along came the Monk Parakeets - in beautiful, Portage Park!

Birds of Prey in Portage Park! Cooper's Hawk in the alley near Irving and Austin.

Oct. 28 Last meeting of the year
Oct. 28 Last meeting of the year

Our last meeting of the year! Our 12th potluck (thanks Michelle for organizing), raffle with great prizes (thanks Anita and Michelle) plus a seed exchange! Thanks, Jerianne for taking the video, for the board members and volunteers that worked very hard all year to make this club both a success and fun, and our wonderful members - what a year!

PPGC's 9th Garden Walk, Potluck and Raffle II

PPGC's 9th Garden Walk I

"The Night of 1,000 Jack O'Lanterns" had a wonderful series of carved pumpkins related to "Monsters In Your Garden". I didn't get pictures of all of them unfortunately! There was a pretty "city in a garden" one too. (From Katie)

Some photos from this weekend. Leaves are not quite at peak yet. Next weekend should be glorious here!

Garden in the City: A War on Squirrels LINCOLN SQUARE — I'm not sure how gardening ever gained a reputation as a peaceful pursuit, because as often as not, it sends me into a blind, murderous rage. You know of what I speak, my fellow growers. Squirrels. Squirrels, those conniving, demonic, taunting, fluffy-tailed rats, digger-uppers of plants, ravagers of flowers and killers of my corn (my apologies to actual rats, originally fingered in the crime). I declare war. The final straw came this week, as I salvaged what was left of my corn stalks. Though denuded of their ears by the aforementioned rodents, the stalks were still quite lovely. They reminded me of a thicker version of bamboo, which makes sense since both are grasses, and the stems had darkened in places to a burnished cherry-wood color. I decided to convert them into "harvest" decorations. As I dug up the stalks, I realized just how insane it had been for me to worry that they would topple over in the wind. The spidery roots ran deep and clung to the earth with the deceptive strength of an infant's grasp. It took me nearly an hour of hacking and tugging to free them from the soil. I had to call in reinforcements — Dave — to help carry the stalks home. Picture us walking along Lawrence Avenue: 10-foot-long stalks held horizontal, tassels pointed forward like jousting lances. Not a single passer-by gave us a second look or so much as blinked. I divided the stalks into two bunches, and attached them sentinel-style to the fence on either side of our building's gate. They didn't look as grand as I had pictured in my head — our fence is like 100 feet long and the stalks appeared more lonely than imposing — but for the first time in the history of our condo association, we were fall festive-ish. My work was done. Or so I thought. What happened next was utterly predictable. Squirrels, smelling fresh meat, attacked. I caught one of the little buggers red-handed, either chomping on the base of a stalk or

Speed Garden Walking at the PPGC's 5th Garden Walk 6/29! Awesome gardens!

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Comments

Is anyone interested in trading some plants? I have three healthy Sweet 100 Tomato starts that need a home. I originally traded to get them from a friend for some pepper plants. Honestly, I don't really need anything in return for them, but that would be fun.
Yellow Stripy Things Thanks, Irene! https://www.facebook.com/mcdonaldgardencenter/photos/a.108966235838727/2315029251899070/?
Where do you recommend buying seedlings,locally?
Hi all, I’m a designer and programmer living in Portage Park. I love graphic design, computer technology, and gardening! I’m trying to raise funds to hold a free creative technology workshop for kids in our community. I made these RAD T-shirts to celebrate the gardening community in Portage Park and to spread a little awareness about technology and the arts in our community! I’m new to this group and was introduced by a friend in another Portage gardening group. I wasn’t aware that there was an official club and I’m excited to attend a meetup soon! My goal is to get up to 50 shirts! Shirts will ship after 15 days if I’ve reached the goal! They come in 2 versions, a baseball tee and a white tee! Thanks for reading!
Has anyone here used the three sisters method of planting corn, beans and squash?
Hello Neighbors, This Sunday April 28th Kilbourn Park Greenhouse 3501 N Kilbourn is having an Open House / Tour from 12:30p to 2:00pm. Our Mission is to educate and develop a group of volunteers to work in the greenhouse and garden a few hours a week and help us plan for the sale that is open to all gardeners who want to grow healthy organic food for their families.
Hello Portage Park Gardeners! We're putting together some raised beds for vegetables, and we'll need about 2 cubic yards of topsoil to fill them. Does anyone have any recommendations for someone who will deliver that amount of topsoil? Thank you!
Tomorrow April 6th Compost Talk at Kilbourn Park Greenhouse https://www.facebook.com/events/324041644965301/ Come and listen to an expert share his knowledge & love of composting. He has been composting for decades and loves to help others learn how to dive into the joys of recycling Earth's nutrients. 3501 N Kilbourn
Hey all fellow gardeners do love your posts, full time work makes it had for me to be at your meetings, but want to share one of my favorite events of the year. I try to start lots from seed and have always found this event to be very informative and a real help to the gardening budget. Got a new LED grow light for Christmas and hoping for amazing seedlings. Anyone else start from seed? look for details on their seed swap *FREE* but sign upp for tickets so they have an idea of attendance.
Free garden class next Monday evening!
Monarach Butterfly in my yard today. Second siting in a week (and I was out of town 5 days). 🦋
Hello Everyone, I just wanted to share a fundraiser for OA Thorp's 8th graders that you might be interested in! It's our Flower Power Fundraiser. Anyone can purchase fall bulbs or other items and items are shipped directly to you! It's super simple and 50% of the purchases go directly to our 8th graders for graduation events and expenses. Thanks in advance for your support!