* Average High Temperature: 33°F (1°°C)
* Average Low Temperature: 17°F (-8°C)
* Average Snowfall: 8.0″
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* Average High Temperature: 33°F (1°°C)
Location Echinacea does best in full sun in a relatively poor soil without fertilizer. The soil should be a light gravely clay type for optimum growth. Propagation Echinacea seed is very difficult to germinate if sown in the field there fore germination in a greenhouse or seed starter is recommended. Cover Echinacea seeds lightly, if at all, during germination. Germinate at 65°F. to 79°F., and transplant within 20 days to 30 days after sowing the seeds . Do not let E. angustifolia get past the first true leaf stage before transplanting. Their deep taproot is established early and is difficult to transplant. Sow seed in January or February to ensure well-rooted transplants by May or June. Growing Echinacea is known to be exceptionally drought tolerant and will require little or no water after the first year unless drought conditions exist. The plants should be watered during the first year if the soil dries on top. Fertilizer is not recommended. Make sure to cultivate around the plants to remove weeds during the first year because Echinacea does not do well with weed competition. Do not mulch as organic mulches can hold too much water at the crown, which results in poor root development. Harvesting Generally roots are harvested in the fall after the first frost when vegetative growth is dry and brown Usually during the 2nd year of growth. Rots are dug by hand and dryed. Leaves are generally harvested green while the plants are blooming and dryed in a dark place so the sun does not breakdown the active constituents. *Disclaimer : This information is not to be considered as medical advise it is strongly recommended that you consult your doctor before ingesting any medicinal herbs. Well I know that Spring is on the way and I really want t to get excited about it but this is Chicago. In fact officially 1 month 1 week 5 days and 10 hours it will be spring in Chicago . See doesn’t that sound exciting. As I said this is Chicago and the weather Gurus want to rain well more like Snow on my parade. The National Weather Service is calling for a major winter storm with 8″ to 10″ of snow between tonight and Wednesday morning. That can put a damper and a blanket on things. I really wish that we could skip over that part of February and get towards the Spring side of March. I guess I should not complain so far this year we have only had to plow once at the Urban Garden. All the rest of the snow events were handled by salt and even though there were a lot of them it is no where near as time consuming as plowing is. Well I guess we can’t stop it from snowing so we will just have to deal with it. I am excited though. It is time to start thinking about getting out the germination equipment and looking forward to seed to start arriving soon. The middle of March will be here before you know it and it will soon be time to start seeds for this year gardens. Usually about 6 weeks before your last frost date. Those of you who garden with cold frames can start think about lettuce, radishes, and other cold season crops as soon as the ground has thawed and be worked. So there are some things to get excited about. I am also excited because it is only a month or so before I venture back to the Woodland Garden. I can’t wait to get out there and get started on another year . It seems like the winter is so long yet when the snow has melted and the spring flowering bulbs start to put on their show the long cold months quickly start to fade. If nothing else looking forward to Spring is exciting because it is a promise of a new gardening year and all the possibilities a new start can bring! Container gardening can be a gold mine of new ideas and space for the urban gardener. The use of containers can turn even the smallest space into a great looking garden area. The nice part is that container gardening can be as economical or as extravagant as your budget allows. In urban areas space is usually at a premium and so to stretch your garden, containers are many times the perfect solution. Containers can enhance the appearance of your deck or patio. A few pots of flowers on a front porch or stoop is an inviting welcome to your visitors. Containers are also very versatile. Simply by moving the location of the containers you can change the appearance of the area. Tips For Starting A Container Garden
The goldmine of urban container gardening is the ability to plant many varieties in a small space. You can grow everything from petunias to zucchini in a container. For those in an urban setting this is a boon because many times urban yards do not always contain enough ground to grow a decent size garden. You can also be assured of good soil by using a good potting soil. This will help insure that your plantings will have optimal conditions to flourish. Another nice thing about container gardening almost anything that will hold soil can be used as a container. This can lead to all kinds of new and creative ideas. A small space does not necessarily limit you to a small garden. Let your creative juices take over and you will be surprised at what you can come up with. Well today is groundhog day . Right now it is snowing so with any luck at all Punxsutawney Phil will not see his shadow and Spring will arrive early this year. At Any Rate I Hope So!
Sweet Basil is one of the most popular herbs for cooking. The clove like flavor of basil is used in Italian cooking for pizza, sauces,pasta dishes , and salads. It is also the main ingredient in pesto. Sweet basil works well with tomatoes and garlic. Thai Basil is a red color and has an aniseed flavor as well as hint of citrus or mint it is used a lot in Thai cooking.. Basil is also very important in Mediterranean dishes as well. Growing Sweet Basil Location Basil will need a sunny location with 6 to 8 hours of bright sunlight a day. Care should be taken not to expose it to the mid day sun as direct sun ill scorch the leaves. The soil should be moist but as with most herbs well drained. Propagation The seeds can be sown directly in soil or pots in a warm location after danger of frost has passed. Sow thinly then cover with a 1/4 inch of soil. Keep moist and germination should occur within 5 to 7 days. Once the seedlings develop they should be thinned to stand 6″ to 12″ apart. Seeds may also be sown inside 6 to 8 weeks before planting out doors. Do not over water the seedlings. Growing Plants should be water well at least once a week . Depending if it is grown in containers then it may need watering more often as containers dry out faster. If you are growing in containers make sure to provide a lot of drainage so soil will not be soggy. Water the plants mid day whenever possible. Fertilize sparingly most herbs do not like a lot of fertilizer. Be sure to keep pinching off the leaves throughout the growing season to prevent the plant from flowering once it flowers the stems get twiggy and production is greatly reduced. Harvesting Pick leaves when they are young . Early in the morning is the best time. If pieces of stems are cut be sure to cut just above two leaves this will encourage branching. Regular harvesting will encourage new growth remember if the plants go to flower they will turn woody. Use fresh leaves within a few hours. he basil may be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for a couple of days. The leaves may also be frozen in airtight bags after you wash and dry them and should last up to two moths. Dried leaves will retain their flavor for up to 6 months if stored in a cool dark place. |
 Glenn Bronner is a professional grounds keeper with over 30 years expeirence in institutional and commercial groundskeeping. Gallery
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