Beth Botts

Beth Botts is a staff writer for The Morton Arboretum, a 1,700-acre outdoor museum and garden of trees near Lisle. She works with the Arboretum’s horticultural and scientific staff to provide practical, reliable garden advice in her weekly column. The author of two books, she writes and speaks widely about trees, gardening and nature. She was an editor and reporter at the Chicago Tribune for more than two decades.

Rain may not actually deliver enough water to keep your plants thriving. Check to make sure there is
sufficient moisture in the top few inches of soil. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Rainfall may not be enough for plants

August 17, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Don’t be deceived by soil that looks dark and moist.

Mushrooms growing in a lawn or in mulch are nothing to worry about, but those growing on a tree’s trunk or roots may indicate there is decay in the wood. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Have expert check a tree marked with mushrooms

August 9, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

When a mushroom is growing on the trunk or roots of a living tree, it indicates that there is a fungus growing in the tree’s wood.

A stray saucer magnolia bloom in July, rather than April, means the tree has been confused by hot summer weather. It will still have plenty more buds to bloom next spring. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Blooms out of season are a trick of the weather

August 3, 2025 at 10:49 a.m.

Some weather anomalies in summer or fall, such as a stretch of hot days or a heavy rain after a long dry spell, can make plants think next spring is...

Nitrogen is the nutrient that promotes leafy green growth. Plants get most of the nitrogen they need from the soil, so fertilize them only when necessary. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Which nutrients do your plants really need?

July 26, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Gardeners are often told how important nutrients are to plants. But what is a nutrient, actually? “Nutrients are the chemical elements that plants need to build their tissues and operate...

A site surrounded by paving or walls — whether a narrow parkway or a garden bed next to a driveway — is harsh for a tree or any kind of plant because it limits root space and the masonry heats up and dries out the soil. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Plants near paving need extra help

July 20, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Placing plants near masonry is a source of stress, especially if they aren’t getting enough water.

Replacing a small front lawn with native plants, shrubs or ground covers can reduce maintenance, create a wildlife habitat and improve the soil to reduce storm runoff. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Find a better use for that tiny lawn

July 12, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Ground covers, perennials, shrubs or even a slender tree would be easier to care for and could add color, texture and interest to a smaller yard.

Storm damage to a tree may reveal hidden rot that weakened it. Call in a certified professional arborist to inspect a storm-damaged tree and make it safe. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Be ready if storms damage trees

July 6, 2025 at 2:05 p.m.

Here’s some advice on how to safely deal with a storm-damaged tree.

When you water new plants, be sure to place the water right near the stem or trunk where it will reach their limited roots. (The Morton Arboretum)

9 tips for successful summer watering

June 28, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Summer brings dry, hot weather that makes life hard for all the plants in your garden. To keep them healthy and beautiful, plant to water.

The branches of a sycamore tree can be distorted and its leaves lost if it is infected by anthracnose, a fungal disease that strikes hardest after cool, wet springs. (The Morton Arboretum)

Watch sycamores for signs of disease

June 21, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Sycamores are sometimes affected by a disfiguring fungal disease called anthracnose.

Amethyst Falls American wisteria, shown blooming at The Morton Arboretum, is a cultivated variety of a native vine that is not invasive like Chinese or Japanese wisteria. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Native wisteria vines are a beautiful blue

June 15, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.

Choose American wisteria for your garden over other invasive species of the plant.

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