Headshot for Beth Botts - Original Credit: John Weinstein

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.

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Lawn grass grows badly in the shade of trees and competes with the tree’s roots. A layer of mulch is a better choice for both the lawn and the tree. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Turf and trees don’t mix

Nearly all the grasses used for lawns are plants that need full sun, so they won’t grow well in a tree’s shade.
Starting weeding early in the growing season, when weeds are small and easily uprooted. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Get an early start on garden weeds

There’s one garden task you can never escape: weeding. “Every garden has weeds,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist in the plant clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “There...
The time to prune spring-blooming shrubs such as forsythia, lilacs and this fragrant viburnum in within a six- or eight-week window after they bloom. If you wait too long, you will be cutting off buds that will form for next spring’s flowers. (John Weinstein /The Morton Arboretum)

After bloom, give shrubs a trim

Make plans now to prune spring-flowering shrubs, such as forsythia, lilac, viburnum and flowering quince, after they finish blooming.
Some trees that grow relatively quickly, such as this tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), can be good choices for home yards, but many fast-growing trees have weak wood and require extra maintenance. (The Morton Arboretum)

Choosing a tree? Not so fast.

Taking the time to select the right kind of tree can save homeowners substantial expense and trouble in the long term.
Pay attention to the trees on your property throughout the year so you can keep them in good health. Large, mature trees provide the lion’s share of benefits to people, such as providing shade, capturing stormwater, handling air pollution and making our communities more beautiful, safer and more restful. (Beth Botts/The Morton Arboretum)

Get to know your trees to keep them healthy

For a healthier landscape and a greener community, taking care of the trees you have is as important as planting new ones. “We often think about planting trees around Arbor...