GO blog- from Glacier Oaks Nursery

Spring Fever!

2011-03-17T16:54:00.002-05:00

If the Sandhill Cranes are right...

...Spring is on the way!

Next Generation of Oaks

What, then, is a tree? read Olivia Judson of the New York Times view on the Tree-mendous influence trees have on our modern lives.

Quercus macrocarpa seedling insists it is spring!
photo ©mtreem

Oak Trees and Fall Season

2009-11-05T11:47:00.023-06:00

November 2009

It's harvest time and that's not all,
we're planting acorns and trees for Fall.
The fruit is there
when the tree is bare.
One must know to look
into nature's book
and be grateful for
what is at her core.
Opportunity knocks
like south-flying geese in flocks.

Oaks of McHenry County

2009-09-15T12:15:00.003-05:00

Oaks of McHenry County:

Oaks of McHenry County -by Dan Deters
at The Land Conservancy of McHenry County website
The Future Mighty Oaks of McHenry County -Truveo video 28 min
The Future Mighty Oaks of McHenry County -YouTube video 10 min

Acorn to Oak - Plant Trees

2009-05-12T09:49:00.018-05:00

Acorns sprout when
corn-planting full moon is out.
its not enough
to cut back on stuff-
we need to care
about the air
and not to spoil
water, plants and soil
plant trees,
for yourself and others, please
its right before our very nose,
the only investment that really grows.

To learn the true story of STUFF, click here
then, plant trees far and near.

Project Quercus

2009-02-17T09:57:00.003-06:00

Protecting the future of our oak-hickory groves
Basic Growing Requirements for Oaks

Green Collar Jobs

2009-02-05T10:13:00.003-06:00

The Winter 2009 American Forests magazine featured an article about 'Green Collar Jobs', a term that has become increasingly common in recent years. Defined as 'blue-collar work force opportunities created by firms and organizations whose mission is to improve environmental quality' by Raquel Pinderhughes, 'Green Collar Jobs' seem to address environmental concerns as well as boosting our economy.
More information available at American Forests

Winter's not done with us yet...

2009-01-20T17:39:00.013-06:00

“In the midst of winter,
I finally learned there was in me
an invincible summer."

~Albert Camus

Call for availability, we are coming out of hibernation, propagating and counting native plants for the spring.

Acorns Fall into Winter

2008-10-22T16:04:00.009-05:00

white oaks
have hopes
many fell
look well
make a tree?
we'll see
depends on
how
the winter flows
and weevil goes

Fall Color at Glacier Oaks

2008-10-03T12:13:00.013-05:00

Colors are coming and insects are humming. Fall is for planting! Call for availability in our container line of native trees and shrubs.

The intensity of fall leaf color depends a lot on weather in early fall. Optimum color results when soil moisture is good, days are clear and nights are cool. So far so good!

Signs of Summer #2 - Lightning Strikes White Pine Afterall

2008-07-18T14:26:00.003-05:00

White Pine (Pinus strobus) is one of the great 5 needle natives for the midwest. One of the more ornamental pines in maturity, it is thought to be somewhat resistant to lightning. Mother Nature is always making exceptions to our rules...

Signs of Summer #1

2008-07-18T14:13:00.004-05:00

For a fast-growing, shade tolerant, heat resistant, all season colorful native shrub, Diervilla lonicera (Dwarf Bushhoneysuckle) is one of the best. For a woodland border plant, it is extremely site tolerant and works well in many urban locations.

If honeybees are any indicator, Diervilla is high on the scale of fine nectar as well.

2008-05-13T11:03:00.005-05:00

It's a Spring thing!

The sequence of leafing-out this spring is the same, but the time frame much condensed. A walk a day will keep the doctor away --and you won't miss the flowers and fragrances of spring.

On your walks, take note of plants along the way. This time of year lots of little treasures will be popping up under thickets of weeds. Native plants provide food for insects and birds passing through or native to the area. Although non-native ornamental plants have their place, and attract winged wildlife, they may not be able to sustain all of the life cycles that a native plant does. A plant that attracts butterflies with its nectar, may not have leaves to support the butterfly larvae. Taking note of the biodiversity around us will help us take care of our native species as well as our ornamental gardens.

Spring is Here! (knock on wood)

2008-04-04T14:18:00.007-05:00

Corylus americana

American Hazelnut

wakes up

after a very long winter.

Thoreau's Winter

2008-02-12T13:59:00.002-06:00

I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree,
or a yellow birch,
or an old acquaintance among the pines.
Henry David Thoreau 1817-1862

2008-02-04T10:43:00.001-06:00

Saving McHenry County Oak Groves

The Chicago Tribune article today highlights the efforts of The Land Conservancy of McHenry County, McHenry County Conservation District, Glacier Oaks Nursery and Project Quercus.

McHenry County coalition works to return oaks to full splendor
In McHenry County, coalition taking steps to restore shrinking forests
By Carolyn Starks- Tribune staff reporter

"The oak saplings at Glacier Oaks Nursery in Harvard are bundled like children in a snowstorm inside warm tunnels that will help them thrive until spring. They may look fragile, but their spindly branches carry a heavy burden.

Conservationists are counting on these baby trees as a small step in helping assure that mighty oak forests remain rooted in McHenry County..."

Another article on Project Quercus in McHenry County appeared in the Northwest Herald, on 12/28/07.
'County's Oak Population Getting Bare'

The following is a breakdown of oak forest coverage in McHenry County by the year.
1838: 143,000 acres.
1872: 72,000 acres.
1939: 26,350 acres.
2005: 18,000 acres.

Winter

2008-01-23T08:40:00.001-06:00

This month we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of 'making a difference'.

At Glacier Oaks, making a difference comes in the form of propagating and growing native plants used in woodland and savanna restoration, native and sustainable landscaping.

It may be cold outside (there is a wind chill of -15ºF) but we are busy inside planning our native plant propagation for our contract growing program. (inquire by calling Mary Tree at 815-482-7404).

See the Jan/Feb'08 issue of Chicagoland Gardening for our contribution entitled Chicagoland Natives - Native Plants to Attract Wildlife.

My Favorite Shrub- Sweetspire

2007-11-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Itea virginica- Sweetspire

Native Shrub
Fragrant white flower spikes in summer
Glossy green leaves in summer
Round arching shape
Stems are purple red where exposed to sun
Spectacular long lasting fall color is a blend of yellow, orange, crimson and maroon
Adaptable shrub, tolerates dry or wet sites
Relatively pest and disease free

'Henry's Garnet' is a hardy selection with the same attractive features of the species (4'x6')
We have 'Henry's Garnet' in 3G and 7G

Scarlet Beauty™ is a hardy Chicagoland Grows Selection with upright habit and scarlet fall color (4'x6')
We have Scarlet Beauty™ in 5G

Thinking Spring

2007-11-01T09:52:00.000-05:00

Glacier Oaks Container material can be purchased wholesale through our sister company Beeson's McHenry County Nursery
To help you plan for future projects, call, or fax or email your plant lists for a quote.

Feedback

2007-10-08T12:00:00.000-05:00

We welcome feedback- feel free to leave comments on any of our posts, simply click under the post where it says 'comments'. They can be anonymous if you prefer.

My Favorite Shrub- Winterberry

2007-10-01T09:45:00.000-05:00

Ilex verticillata- Winterberry
A Native Shrubs with Lustrous dark green foliage turning bronze to purple tinged in fall. Naturally disease and pest resistant. Adapts well to wet conditions. Abundant red berries provide winter food for birds.

We have a good supply of 3ft #7 container Winterberry selections. Click the button on the left for current availability and pricing.

Berry Heavy® (8'x5')
Masses of bright orange-red berries. Use Jim Dandy to Pollinate.

Winter Red® (9'x8')
Profuse, persistent red fruits. Use Southern Gentleman to Pollinate.

My Favorite Shrub- Black Aronia

2007-09-10T10:21:00.000-05:00

Aronia melanocarpa elata- Glossy Black Chokeberry
Last year we put together an article 'Landscaping Not Just For the Birds', about landscaping with edible plants, and we were inspired to try some of the fruits we listed. The Black Aronia shrubs had a bumper crop of berries last fall, so we picked buckets of them, and experimented with wine, jam, cookies, and bread recipes. They are really quite good and freeze well.

Purplish black fruits have a dry flavor. The fruit clusters ripen in the fall and are best picked when fully black but before the first frost hits. They can be cleaned and used right away, but freezing the berries will release more juice. Aronia berries have a high concentration of anthocyanins and flavonoids, five to ten times higher than cranberry juice. They also contain beneficial nutrients such as antioxidants, polyphenols, minerals and vitamins.

See page 4 of the article for Recipes to try with Black Aronia berries.

We currently grow Glossy Black Chokeberry and the Iroquois Beauty™ compact selection available in 2-3ft #5 containers. Click the button on the left for current availability and pricing.

Tuliptree- Liriodendron tulipifera

2007-09-06T11:09:00.000-05:00

Large fast growing Shade Tree
Yellow-green flowers with orange accents in late spring to early summer
Unique leaf shape, bright green in color, turning yellow in fall
Ornamental fruit clusters persist through winter and are a food source for squirrels
Few insect and disease problems

A magnificent specimen for large sites with some protection from exposure. Grows naturally with Sugar Maple, Beech, Yellow Birch, White Ash, Red Oak, American Linden, and Hemlock.

Tuliptree, as well as many other trees that are difficult to dig, respond well to growing in containers. We currently have available 1", 1.5" and 2" in #15 and #20 containers in our GO Trees Container Growing System.

Sustainable Landscaping Conference

2007-09-01T09:56:00.000-05:00

TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY:
DESIGNING TOMORROW'S LANDSCAPE TODAY
A symposium sponsored by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) and by the Midwest Ecological Landscape Association (MELA).
Friday, October 26, 2007, 9am - 3pm
Northwest Community HospitalWellness Center
900 West Central Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 60005
847-618-3500

Topics Include:

Sustainability and the Green Industry
The Ethics, Aesthetics & Psychology of Sustainable Design
How Regional Identity Developed in Midwest Landscaping
How Designers Can Help Achieve Healthier Soils
Native Plants of Note to Designers
More Sustainable Hardscape Materials & Tips

Virtual Open House

2007-08-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

GO Yard is our Above Ground B&B Yard

Click the ‘Current Availability’ Button below the logo to download GO Yard and Container Availability List

*Virtual GO Yard- Camera Icon next to plants opens a picture of the actual plant

Please come by and look around GO Yard at the corner of White Oaks and Graf Road off 173 West of Harvard, IL (Map)
Stop by the office at 8501 White Oaks Rd for customer service and container plants

Update- Project Quercus

2007-08-01T06:41:00.000-05:00

Our post earlier this month McHenry County Oak Conservation Collaborative Kicks Off covered the launch of Project Quercus. This event was also covered by Green Screen MC- Environmental Television for McHenry County which shows Mondays 8:30pm on Comcast Public Access Channel 17, and is also available online.

July 16, 23, 30 -The Future Mighty Oaks of McHenry County.
It's been estimated that most of the county's oaks (and the oak savanna ecosystem they host) will be gone in twenty years unless large scale replanting and public education begins immediately.

Watch the launch of the ambitious Project Quercus planting program and the young people committed to turning back the accelerating loss of McHenry County's signature tree, the oak.

...watch the video on YouTube