Botany

I had bad luck with my impatiens last year. They turned yellow and lost all their leaves in summer. What can I do to avoid this happening again? — Jerry Hopkins, Evanston Your plants may have had downy mildew. This disease of impatiens has been...

If a tree falls in La Cañada Flintridge, there's a pretty good chance a city staffer will hear it. But officials are tweaking the city's tree ordinance, looking to make it easier for residents to work with local rules. The moves the city is...

SOUTH BEND — Because of a local infestation of the emerald ash borer, the city is removing more than 100 ash trees. The highest concentration of ash trees is within the downtown area and will be the most affected area for removal, according to a...

Preparing your trees A hurricane can turn a shade tree from backyard friend to monster. Falling limbs and flying debris from trees often add to injuries and damage during severe storms. Things you can do to lessen the danger: Inspect your trees every...

Here are 100 tips from 13 new gardening books; read about those 13 books at www.roomandyard.com. These books, which cover vegetable gardening, rain gardens, green roof gardening, flower gardening and flowering shrubs are chocked full of valuable...

Who doesn't love a tree? Apparently, criminals. Researchers have found that leafier places in Baltimore tend to have lower crime rates than those with few or no trees. A new study looking across Baltimore City and Baltimore County has found that with few...

Dan Heims makes no apologies: "I'm a plant nerd and proud of it," he says. Heims is president of Terra Nova Nurseries, a Canby, Ore., company that has introduced 600 new plants to horticulture. "That's almost a world record. Luther Burbank introduced...

Can I move my tropical houseplants out into the garden now? — Jerry, Evanston Can I move my tropical houseplants out into the garden now? — Jerry, Evanston Tropical plants add interesting foliage color and texture as well as flowers to...

Q: Some of the leaves of different shrubs in my garden are curling at the ends and turning brown. Some new growth has turned completely brown at the ends. Is there a new disease attacking shrubs? — Bob Jackson, Winnetka A: Considering the...

Somerset Garden Club received an Environmental Education and Youth Horticulture Education Award at the Garden Club Federation of PA Convention held in Philadelphia, April 21-24. The club members worked with 22 students at the Children's Aide Home. The...

I have a few roses in my garden that look funny, with reddish-colored stems and many more thorns than normal. This started happening last year. I fertilized the roses once this year so far. Do you think that I have applied too much fertilizer or not...

HORTISCOPE I have been reading your columns and enjoy them very much. I am wondering if you can help me with a problem that I have been having with my tomato plants for the past four years. I buy them through a reputable garden center in Minot, so I...