The West Chicago Garden Club

Last November I bought my first amaryllis bulb, not knowing how easy it would be to grow and how much I’d enjoy it, all the way through April when it rebloomed! Here are some tips (courtesy of U of I Extension Service) if you’ve never tried it:

“When buying a bulb, select one that is at least 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Smaller bulbs will not bloom. Larger bulbs (4 inches) produce better, often developing two flower stalks instead of one. Make sure the bulbs are firm and free of soft spots and discoloration.

Plant the bulbs in a container that has drainage holes. The container should be about two inches bigger in diameter than the bulb. The planting mix should drain well; an equal mix of peat and perlite would be suitable. Plant so that about one third of the bulb shows above the soil level. After planting, the planting mix should be thoroughly watered. Keep the mix consistently moist. The mix should not be saturated. Do not water over the nose of the bulb. If water seeps into the bulb, it may cause it to rot. Continue Reading »

Several members of WCGC met on Saturday, July 30th, for a 2 to 3 hour guided tour of the West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve. The tour was led by Steve Sentoff, President of the West Chicago Prairie Stewardship Group. The 360-acre West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve in West Chicago is one of the region’s premier natural areas. In addition to wetlands and upland oak savannas, the preserve is home to one of the most biologically diverse sites within northeastern Illinois, the 126-acre Truitt-Hoff Nature Preserve.

Warm weather annuals can be found at garden centers very early (The Growing Place offers them the first weekend of May) but they must be kept warmer than 40 degrees to avoid damage or stalling of growth. Warm weather annuals include: impatiens, begonias, caladiums, marigolds and manymore. Cool weather flowers have been available since early April and include: all perennials andannual petunias, allysum, pansies, dianthus, dusty miller, diascia, stocks, callibrachoa and nemesiato name a few. Those plants can handle temperatures down to freezing. After May 15th there is less likelihood of frost although the last chance for frost is May 24th! Be ready to listen to the weather and plan to cover warm weather annuals with a sheet or plastic if needed. Tomatoes, peppers and basil are also very cold sensitive. Continue Reading »