Information
from Past Shows
She can compost and she can grill! Christine Nye of the Shedd Aquarium cooks at a Midwest Ecological Landscaping Association picnic. Mike's behind the camera waiting for his corn on the cob.
The Tribune's Beth Botts exhibits the form that has made her Chicago's best garden reporter.
Mike and Roy Diblik hold up a tree after participating in a panel at Northwind Perennial Farm
Mike with Dr. J. on World Environment Day at the Chicago Botanic Garden
OOne tree closer to a green, green world . . . one very small tree.
Debra Shore, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District ,
and Mike at the WCPT booth at the Chicago
Green Festival
Brian Brothers and Mike at the Plant Corner,
3760 N. Broadway
Mike in his trusty 1978 Toyota pickup
Mike's boss at Chicagoland Gardening Magazine, Bill Aldrich, does his Tim Conway imitation for the camera as the legendary Ken Benson, coordinator of ornamental horticulture at Triton College, tries not to look like Harvey Korman.
Mike demonstrates bulb planting in containers at Smith and Hawken
The Morton Arboretum's Doris Taylor proves a great audience for Mike's offbeat humor in a broadcast from the Chicagoland Flower and Garden Show.
September 28, 2008
She’s the fastest talking woman in horticulture. At least that’s what I call her. That may or may not actually be true. You may have seen her talking about plants on Channel 7. That is definitely true. Regardless, Jennifer Brennan sure knows a lot about horticulture and it’s always a pleasure to have her on my show to chat and to answer gardening questions. She also happens to work for one of my great sponsors, The Chalet. So the next time you’re up in Wilmette at Lake Avenue and Skokie Boulevard, stop in and try to stump the Jennifer. I don’t think you can.
I don’t think it’s an accident that the initials for The Land Conservancy in McHenry County are TLC, because that’s what this organization gives to threatened natural areas. This not-for-profit organization is dedicated to preserving and protecting open lands, farmland, prairies, wetlands and oak-hickory groves. Lorna Gladstone, who I’ve known for a couple of decades from my work in radio (you’ll have to ply me with wine to get the details), stopped by to talk about their upcoming benefit at Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills on Sunday, October 12 from 11am to 3pm. I don’t mind telling you that WGN Radio’s Spike O’Dell and former WGN and WSCR personality Anne Maxfield will be featured, if only because it for such a good cause. However, I promise never to mention those call letters again (I already have a headache). Anyway, for more information go to the TLC website or call 815/337-9502.
One of the new jewels of Chicago is the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park. In a short few years, this oasis of perennials in the heart of downtown has taken its place among the best attractions that the city has to offer. Head horticulturist Colleen Lockovich took me on a tour of this stunning garden last week and that conversation is the basis of the second hour of my show today.
By the way, just because the growing season is coming to a close doesn’t mean that there won’t be anything else to see or learn in Millennium Park as we head into winter. You can check out the free fall and winter programs at the Lurie Garden HERE (it's a pdf)–and you can take advantage of them all the way through February.
Finally, Pivot Eco-Fashion Boutique is the Green Business of the Week. You can find out more about this eco-friendly company by going to the Green Business of the Week on my home page.
September 21, 2008There’s a new feature on the show today, the Green Business of the Week. Each Sunday my highly paid and horribly overworked staff (and only half of that statement is true) will help me introduce a local company or organization that is helping to make our planet a little greener.
Our initial offering is Greenmaker Supply, located on North Pulaski Road in Chicago. I know something about them because Kathleen and I bought no VOC paints and a few other products from them recently to do some badly needed work on the homestead.
You can find the link on the home page of this website, under Green Business of the Week, ‘natch.
Joel Greenberg knows a lot about nature. And history. And, I suspect, I bunch of other things. You can tell just by cracking the cover of one of his books. His latest is Of Prairie, Woods, and Water: Two Centuries of Chicago Nature Writing. Now, aside from the introduction and a few footnotes, he didn’t actually write this one. He just decided which prose about the Chicago region during a two hundred year span should be included. That makes him the editor of this book, of course. If you want an example of his actual writing, you should pick up a copy of A Natural History of the Chicago Region, which he wrote in 2002.
I’m not really a fan of lawns...but... if you’re going to have one, I suggest that it be organic. In fact, in February of this year, I attended a two day organic lawn care workshop sponsored by Safer Pest Control Project. It was remarkable in the depth and breadth of the information presented. Well, Steve Pincuspy of SPCP says that they’re offering that workshop again, though they’re each a day long this time.If you’re a lawn care professional–or you just interested in the subject, like I am–the October 1st (College of DuPage) and October 3rd (U of I at Springfield) gatherings will feature in-depth look at natural lawncare for school fields and athletic turf. On October 2nd (College of DuPage) the seminar will be geared towards helping landscape professionals make the transition toward a new business model based on natural lawn care principles. If turf is your thing, I highly recommend this intensive day of classes. Register at www.spcpweb.org/training or contact SPCP at general@spcpweb.org or call 773-878-7378 ext. 207.
A couple of the interviews today might sound familiar. That’s because they’ve already been broadcast. I’m still doing performances of Dashiell Hamlet (which has received quite nice notices, thank you very much) at City Lit Theater and that includes Sunday matinees at 3:00 pm. Which means that I have to hit the road a little early. Which means that for about the next six weeks, you’ll be hearing some of my favorite interviews of my first five months on WCPT 820AM. Today, I’m replaying a talk with former astronaut Dr. Mae C. Jemison which first aired on June 1, followed by my talk with Brian Urbaszewski of the Respiratory Health Association of Greater Chicago, which aired on May 4. If you want more information and links, click on to Information from Past Shows on the left side of this page and scroll down to those dates.
September 14, 2008
While the remnants of Hurricane Ike pour down around us, think about these facts:
- An average roof (1,000 SF) sends down 630 gallons of water for every 1” of rain.
- During summer months, 40% of our water usage is for outdoor and landscape activities
- In the U.S., the average person uses about 80-100 gallons of water per day
- That comes to 36,000 gallons per year.
No wonder rain barrels are becoming popular again. They’ve been around for more than a hundred years, capturing the rain water that would otherwise end up as part of a toxic stew in our sewers. And since rainwater contains no dissolved minerals, chlorine or fluoride, plants respond favorably to rainwater (when compared with well or treated municipal water).
Best of all, the water in your rain barrel is free.
Mike Schatz’s company, Chicago Rain Barrel,uses 50-60 gallon food grade barrels, previously used to store pickles, olives and syrups. If not converted to rain barrels, many of these barrels would end up in our landfills. If you haven’t gotten your rain barrel yet, you might want to log onto his website and take a look at part of the future of water conservation.
A few weeks ago I went to Cook County Jail. No, it’s not what you think. I visited the garden, which is part of a program designed to rehabilitate non-violent drug offenders while providing food for Chicago’s poor and the homeless. The garden is run by the Department of Community Supervision and Intervention (DCSI), a department in the Cook County Sheriff's Office, and was the brain child of Executive Director David Devane. For sixteen years, educators and Master Gardeners from Cook County Extension have worked hands on with the inmates to turn teach them about gardening both in the field and in the classroom. This year, their efforts produced 38 new Master Gardeners. Congratulations to all who work with this program
September 7, 2008
There are still tickets available for the benefit performance of the play Dashiell Hamlet at City Lit Theater, this Thursday, September 11 at 8pm. Don't forget that the $30 ticket goes towards the great work of the Chicago Recycling Coalition, of which I am a board member (non-paid, of course). City Lit is at 1020 W. Bryn Mawr in the Edgewater Neighborhood of Chicago. For tickets, call 773-293-3682 and reference the Chicago Recycling Coalition. After the show, there will be an opportunity to talk to Mike Nussbaum and the actors over a glass of wine at Francesca’s Bryn Mawr just across the street
Dashiell Hamlet is a retelling of Shakespeare’s most famous play as a film noir mystery set in 1945 post-war Hollywood. Chicago acting and directing legend Mike Nussbaum directs.
As I mentioned last week, yes, I'm one of the authors. Yes, a have a role in the play. And, yes, if you can't make the benefit, it's really okay if you show up to see the show sometime before it closes on October 26. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm.
When I took my Master Gardener training eleven years ago, one of my instructors was Illinois Extension specialist Jim Schuster. Jim is somewhat of a legend in horticultural circles in this state, especially when it comes to talking about his remedy for trees that he declares doomed: "One cut--bzzzt!" he says, swiping his hand at ankle level. I have to confess that I've stolen that line for a number of my garden talks.
At the same time, he's one of these guys who is a bit intimidating because he knows so much about plant pathology...and I know so little. Oh, well, c'est la vie. It's great to have him on the show. By the way, if you're looking for some answers for your gardening questions and Jim won't come to your house, you can always go online to the University of Illinois Extension Hort Answers site. You can search by plant or problem. Another terrific site from Illinois Extension, and one that I've recommended for years, is the Hort Corner. Both are great gardening tools.
The Lincoln Park Conservatory is one of Chicago's great treasures. If you want to learn more about it and impart that information to others, you can join the docent program, sponsored by the Lincoln Park Conservancy and the Chicago Park District. LPC board member Norm Raidl says docents receive six weeks of training from area experts on horticulture, interpretation, the history of Lincoln Park , and landscape design. The training starts on Saturday, October 4, 2008 and ends November 11, 2008 . Classes are 8:30 AM to 12:00 noon .
Once docents have their history and horticultural knowledge down pat, they give free tours of the Lincoln Park Conservatory on weekends and some weekdays. Tours are available to the general public and organizations during the week by appointment.
The first docent program started in the Fall of 2003. Currently there are 70 docents who volunteer their time at the Lincoln Park Conservatory, Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool and the North Pond Nature Sanctuary.
For more information, please call Julia Bachrach , Chicago Park District Historian, at (312) 742-4698 or julia.bachrach@chicagoparkdistrict.com or write Norm Raidl at nhraidl@sbcglobal.net
Did you know that Cook County has a county fair? Complete with live animals, pony rides, a farmers market, recipe swaps, kids' activities, music and storytelling? Yes, Virginia, it's a real county fair, right in the heart of the big city.
And if you enter the Harvest Competition, you could win a ribbon for flowers or vegetables that you or your kids grew in your own garden this summer. Robin Cline, Public Programs Manager for the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, says that now is the time to register. You can do that by logging on to The Garfield Park Conservatory and filling out the form online, or by picking up a form at the Conservatory.
The 8th Annual County Fair is Saturday, September 20 from 11am to 5pm, in and around the Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Avenue in Chicago.
Oh, by the way, I'm one of the judges for the Harvest Competition. And I can't be bribed. Well, probably not. I don't really know. Nobody's ever tried.
August 31, 2008
Some of you may have heard me on Jake Hartford’s show yesterday morning talking about a benefit for the Chicago Recycling Coalition on Thursday, September 11. It’s a play called Dashiell Hamlet that will be performed at City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr in the Edgewater Neighborhood of Chicago. For benefit tickets, call 773-293-3682 and reference the Chicago Recycling Coalition.
Dashiell Hamlet is a retelling of Shakespeare’s most famous play as a film noir mystery set in 1945 post-war Hollywood. Chicago acting and directing legend Mike Nussbaum directs. Yes, I had a hand in writing the script and, yes, I have a part in the play (and it's not just a walk-on).
Tickets for the benefit are $30, which, of course, goes to the excellent work of the Chicago Recycling Coalition, the people who helped defeat the ineffective and wasteful Blue Bag program in Chicago. After the show, there will be an opportunity to talk to Mike Nussbaum and the actors over a glass of wine at Francesca’s Bryn Mawr just across the street. Hey, you can even talk to me. I’m an approachable guy. Really.
There’s a new Graduate Program at Northwestern University in Plant Biology and Conservation--a collaboration between NU and the Chicago Botanic Garden. Student Diane Huebner was the person who alerted me to this, and she dragged Dr. Nyree Zerega and Dr. Patrick Herendeen to the south Pulaski studios to talk about how this program is preparing students for future leadership positions in botanical science and plant conservation. I wish I had known about this kind of thing when I was in school. I probably wouldn’t have majored in Pinball (hmm, I think I just dated myself).
Do you have problems with deer munching on your plants? You probably need a copy of Peter Derano's new book, Creating a Deer-Proof Garden . He says a lot of the things that I’ve been saying for years about this problem–namely that you should start by planting things that deer are less likely to eat. And he has a huge list of those plants in his book. If you insist on doing things the hard way (having a tulip garden, for instance), he tells you which deterrents work and for how long. Now I’m waiting for his book on rabbits...
Some quick links:
• Hosta Happening at Rich’s Foxwillow Pines, Saturday, Sept. 6
• Chicago’s Largest Pot of Mulligan Stew at Hobo Fest in the Historic Pullman Neighborhood
• I’m happy to announce that West End Florist and Garden Center (a proud sponsor of The Mike Nowak Show, is recycling their plant containers! Stop by West End Florist & Garden Center, 3800 Old Glenview Road, Evanston, IL
• The Daily Herald’s Giving Garden is still accepting produce for shelters and pantries all over Chicagoland. Give ‘em some zucchini, okay?August 24, 2008
It isn't easy keeping track of all the political doings of a city the size of Chicago, but that's kind of what columnist Mick Dumke does in Clout City, the political blog for the Chicago Reader. He and fellow reporter Ben Joravsky do their best to hold the city's feet to the fire when it comes to all kinds of above board and sometimes not-so-above-board doings, including environmental activities, like recycling. And since I have some strong feelings in that regard, it's a pleasure to welcome Mick to the show.
Vicki Nowicki is on a mission. She's determined to get folks on the road to self-reliance when it comes to their food sources. That's why she took the concept of Victory Gardens and put her own spin on it to come up with Liberty Gardens, complete with its own website. Of course, Vicki and husband Ron are not new to suburban agriculture and incorporating it into landscape, as witnessed by their landscape design business, The Land Office.
August 17, 2008
I did some radio on Thursday evening but it wasn't on WCPT 820AM. Paul Tukey, who I've interviewed on my program and who is the bright light of the SafeLawns.org campaign, asked me to be a guest on his web radio program, Safe Lawns and Landscapes. It was a free-wheeling conversation about organic lawn care, consumer attitudes and yes, even the Chicago Cubs. and you can link to the podcast HERE (look for Podcast #22). My thanks to Paul for the invitation.
Melinda Myers is another great garden communicator. Based in Wisconsin, she is seen on radio, TV, the Internet and in print. She recently launched a new Green Tips section on Melinda Myers.com, and features a "greet tip of the day" 365 days a year. How does she find the time?
Two of her books that might interest you are Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening book and her new Illinois Lawn Guide. Both are available at major bookstores and garden centers as well as at Amazon.com
If you're serious about saving energy in your home, whether you're planning to rehab, build or buy, the place to start is an energy audit. Corbett Lunsford, Director of Green Dream Group paid a visit to my humble abode this week to see where Kathleen and I were wasting resources and, of course, money.
One of the things Green Dream does is hook up a powerful fan to an outside door and pump air out of the house. This allows you to see exactly where drafts are occuring and where sealing will do the most good. It also lets you see where you have cobwebs and dust bunnies, but that's another matter.We learned a lot, believe me, and this will go a long way towards lowering our utilitiy bills this winter.
Some of the basic services that Green Dream Group provides:
- Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Energy Audits (EnergyStar Standards)
- Recommendations of Cost-Effective Home Improvements for Ergonomics and Comfort
- Referrals to Our Highly-Qualified Group Affiliates in Building Trades, Retail, and Maintenance
There's pest control. I ran into Rick Moskovitz at a the Green Home Fair at the Chicago Center for Green Technology in July. He intrigued me with his green approach to pest control. His company, A-Plus Pest Control, Inc., uses their own product called Plus Natural Enzymes, an organic, yeast based cleaner. If that isn't good enough for you, Rick tells me that it will even soften your skin. Now that's what I call pest control. There's more about the products Rick uses at www.plusnaturalsolutionsworldwide.com. To see a condensed version of one of the videos, go to www.getfave.com and type in the words Plus Natural.
You can contact entomologist George Manning at his own company, American Eagle Pest Elimination.
And then there's Dr. Bob Passovoy, who's not a pest at all. In fact, I welcome his visits, when he waxes poetic on things like Koi and water pumps. He's here this week to remind me that the Midwest Pond and Koi Society is having its
16th Annual Koi and Goldfish Show at the Darien Sportsplex, August 22-24.Don't forget that you can catch "The Water Garden" in Chicagoland Gardening Magazine, where Dr. Bob answers your questions about ponding.
August 10, 2008
Sometimes it takes a field trip. That’s what happened with me and the idea of ecological restoration. I’ve known Jack Pizzo for several years and have interviewed him a number of times, but I didn’t really get what he was up to until I visited his operation out in Leland, Illinois. The occasion was the twentieth anniversary of Pizzo & Associates and Jack took a group of us on a tour of the land he has transformed from farm to prairie.
It is magnificent.
Jack believes that we can and must change the world around us for the better and that it makes business as well as environmental sense.
Dr. Sarah Warren has many of the same goals, though she approaches things from the psychological side of things. She calls herself an “eco warrior” and she uses behavioral science to help people to make the changes necessary to green up their lives. You can find more at her website: www.ecoactionplan.org.
She’s also organizing what she calls The Spheres of Influence Salon, a live roundtable event followed by an intimate dinner with the experts during the Corporate Climate Response Conference on Navy Pier in September. For more information on this unique event, visit her website or email Dr. Sarah at DrSarah@ecoactionplan.org.
What can you say about The King? The man, the legend is spreading the gospel of green and I, for one, am glad to see it? Eco Elvis’s CD, “Burnin’ Globe” is available at his website: www.ecoelvis.com.
Speaking of performing, that’s what I’ll be doing this Thursday at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theatre, 77 E. Randolph. Once a month, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation and Friends of the Parks present topics for discussion on what's new in the city and how citizens and visitors alike can creatively participate in the urban experience that makes Chicago special.
This week it’s me, doing my talk “What The Heck Are You Doing To My Yard?” where I teach you the kinds of questions that you should ask your landscapers and yard maintenance people.It’s free and open to the public. You can’t beat that. More info at http://www.fotp.org/events/creativeliving.asp.
August 3, 2008
Cathi Edman has been doing good for the Chicagoland community for a long time. And I'm not talking about the beat she covers for The Daily Herald. I'm talking about the thousands of pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables she collects each year for shelters and food pantries as part of the Giving Garden campaign ).
One little known aspect of Cathi's participation is that she is required to haul tens of thousands of pounds of produce in her very own Radio Flyer Wagon. Go ahead. Google it.
But while I kid Cathi about how hard she works, she isn't the only one. People like Debbie Walusiak from the Self Help Pantry and Closet of Des Plaines are out on the front lines, witnessing first-hand what food insecurity means in America.
So if you have a few spare vegetables this summer (hey, you can buy them in your favorite grocery store and donate them to the Giving Garden), pass them along to somebody who otherwise might not taste a ripe tomato very often.
Bill Aldrich is another hard worker (though he tries to hide it). As publisher of Chicagoland Gardening Magazine, he's one of my many bosses. No, it's not that there are a lot of bosses at CGM, it's just that I work a lot of different jobs. One of them is as columnist for Chicagoland Gardening. As I often say, I make stuff up and they pay me for it. Great gig.
Anyway, if you're a gardener and you've never picked up a copy of this terrific magazine, WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU? Go online today and get yourself a subscription. (How did I do, Bill?)
July 27, 2008
When you visit the Shedd Aquarium, you probably don't think much about the plants. You're there to see fish, right? And lizards. And stuff like that. But somebody has to take care of those plants, in and around that world-renowned institution. And that somebody is my friend, horticulturist Christine Nye. Not only does she find plants for the many exhibits indoors, but she is working on creating sustainable landscapes outdoors. She has been employing organic techniques like compost tea applications to the lawns and gardens around the aquarium. And she has worked with Roy Diblik (remember him?) on plant palettes that make sense. Christine recommends that if people are interested in brewing their own compost tea, the easiest way to begin is to check out this website: www.simplici-tea.com.
She is also a fan of organic lawns (who isn't?) and suggests these websites for the homeowner who is trying to get off of the "perfect lawn" merry-go-round:
Illinois Extension's groundcover suggestions
Wild One's "No Mow" Lawn
No Mow GrassInterested in urban agriculture? At one time, that was considered an oxymoron. But thanks to groups like Angelic Organics Learning Center, more and more people are reaping the benefits of the connection between urban and farm living. You can learn more about this next Saturday, August 2 during the Urban Farm Field Day in Chicago from 10AM to 1PM.
Angelic Organics' Martha Boyd says that it starts at the Resource Center's City Farm at 10AM for a farm tour and chat with Grower, Tim Wilson. He'll explain their urban farm model and growing methods, and answer questions.
Then it's on to Green City Market at 11:30AM to shop and talk with Farm Forager Sheri Doyel and Dennis Fiser of Tomato Mountain Farm. The Market also serves as backdrop for an Author Talk with Holly Bishop at 12PM. She will read from and discuss her book Robbing the Bees. Chicago Waldorf teacher and beekeeper, Brian Gleichauf, will facilitate the discussion. This event is sponsored through the Chicago Public Library's SummerReads (PDF) program (see p23 for Food System events).
Bring a sack lunch and picnic afterwards - or buy your lunch at the Market!
View a Map of the Day.
You can register for the Urban Farm Field Day on the Angelic website, or send an email to chicago@learngrowconnect.org . The $5 fee helps to pay speakers for their time with us. (Pay via Paypal or in person.)
This is also a CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) event -
Learn more and join CRAFT to attend more excellent on-farm events for FREE.
From Rick DiMaio: Wildfires in Saskatchewan and Manitoba are filling our skies in Chicago with elevated smoky and hazy layers. That's right, nearly 2 dozen wildfires across the Canadian prairie nearly 1000 miles to the northwest is producing enough smoke that is able to make it all the way down to northern Illinois at heights of 15,000 to 25,000 feet. Even though the clouds have cleared and the humidity is low, the sky has a milky white appearance to it due to the smoke that is blanketing the southern portion of the Canadian province and extending southward over the Great Lakes and eastern United States. The image below shows the smoke, and you can click on it to get a larger view. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC .
July 20, 2008
Ken Haller has to be the frontrunner for the title "Bee Guy," although Aristotle is a close second. He has all the latest information about everything from colony collapse disorder to how to easily and humanely rid yourself of an unwanted swarm.
For more information about Ken and the Illinois State Beekeepers Association, check out their website. And to find out what those things flying around your garden are,, go to Viking Honey Farm's homepage and click on insect identification.
The Prairie State Bonsai Society has more going for it than an apparently paradoxical and highly evocative name. (Just think little tiny prairies.) It has the amazingly knowledgeable Dan Costa, who has been known to call in to the show to correct Mike from time to time. And not necessarily about bonsai, either.
A couple of weeks ago, Paul Tukey talked on the show about the Washington Mall project. Bradfield Organics provided the fertilizer for that highly successful experiment in growing a completely organic lawn. Bill Sadler heads up the Bradfield Organics® product line for PMI Nutrition International, LLC and knows what it took to make things work.
Ricky and Fred may not be gardening experts, but that won't stop them from putting in their two cents worth, aided by Chicago improv comedians Dan Gately and Randy Craig.
July 13, 2008
Harold Washington once called her "Bitsy Boots" (not on purpose, of course). While I find that hilarious (and she doesn't), it truly does short change the accomplishments of the Chicago Tribune's garden writer, Beth Botts. One of the things I like about Beth is that she has a serious environmental side to her garden writing. So serious, in fact, that she has just received an award from the Garden Writers Association for a series she did about the difficulty in recycling all those plastic pots in which we purchase our plants. In fact, she just did a follow up on that article, which you can read here.
Good for you, Bitsy, er, Beth! (Oh, heck, I'm just jealous 'cause I didn't win a writing award this year.)
On my very first show on WCPT in April, I interviewed the University of Illinois Extension's AmySue Mertens about the looming crisis in Springfield concerning funding for Extension. At that time, the money that helps fund Master Gardener and 4-H programs (among many others) throughout the State of Illinois was restored, but the issue reared its ugly head in the past couple of weeks. Once again, though, thanks in part to the outcry generated by citizens who know the benefit of these programs, Governor Rod Blagojevich spared the ax, choosing instead to trim certain line items. You can get specifics by logging onto the Extension Partners website.
Meanwhile, Jeanne Harland, Legislative Chair for Extension Partners released a statement, in which she says that the work must continue:
"Fortunately, summer presents an excellent opportunity to show legislators first hand the projects and community efforts completed by Master Gardeners, 4-H clubs and various commodity groups. Remember that even though this budget is now technically law, we know from experience that the money is not truly real until the check is in the bank."
Two of the great garden walks that our great city has to offer are happening next week...and now I can say that at one time or another I've judged the gardens in both of them. The Sheffield Garden Walk's Laury Lewis honored me this year by asking me to be one of the judges of that terrific walk, which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. It's one of those events that you can attend and never see a garden at all, thanks to all the other diversions, like music and food and drink. Not that I would ever encourage you to skip the gardens. The Sheffield Garden Walk happens over two days, Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20. Donations are $6, and $10 after 4pm.
The Dearborn Garden Walk is hitting an even more impressive milestone, as it celebrates 50 years of great gardens on the Gold Coast. I helped judge these gardens several years ago...and I hope that the gardeners have recovered by now. This is a much more traditional kind of walk, but the gardens are just as spectacular. It occurs one day only, Sunday, July 20. Tickets are $30 until noon on July 19, and $35 after that.
If you're more interested in greening from the inside, you might want to take advantage of the Chicago Green Home Fair on July 19 at the Chicago Center for Green Technology. Come explore how you can create a more environmentally-friendly home for you and your family. Whether you're planning to remodel or just want to learn what's new on the green building scene, spend some time meeting vendors and retailers with sustainable products to help you make a greener home. And the best news? It's free. Knock yourselves out, kids.
July 6, 2008
Here are the basics about the remarkable Roy Diblik.
* He has been growing plants professionally for more than thirty years.
* He knows absolutely everything there is to know about perennials.
* He is a gentleman and a gentle man.
* He is a midwest treasure, horticulturally speaking.
* He knows absolutely everything there is to know about perennials.
* He worked with Piet Oudolf on the Lurie Gardens at Millennium Park.
* His Northwind Perennial Farm is quiet and beautiful and as exciting to a plant-lover as Disneyland is to a seven-year-old.
* He knows absolutely everything there is to know about perennials and now he's written a book that puts all that knowledge within the reach of the average
gardener.Roy's new book is called Roy Diblik’s Small Perennial Gardens: The Know Maintenance (TM) Approach. You can find more information about the book at the American Nurseryman website.
Northwind Perennial Farm is located in Burlington, Wisconsin, just northwest of Lake Geneva. Check out their website.
And speaking of remarkable people, you can include the inimitable Randy Schultz in that category. You see, Randy has been touting the Mailorder Gardening Association on my shows for years. These are the people who provide those gorgeous catalogs that keep your gardening jones satisfied during the hours and/or months that you can't actually be outside with your feet in the dirt. As Randy points out, the name seems a little out of date, especially because so many orders are done over the Internet. And yet, what would you call it? The Internet Gardening Association? The Mailorder and Internet Gardening Association? The We-Used-To-Do-A-Lot-Of-Snail-Mail-Gardening-Orders-But-Now-It's-A-Lot-Faster-'Cause-We're-On-The-World-Wide-Web Association?
See what I mean?
For now, they're sticking with the MGA. It's a venerable name, and there are more than 200 organizations under that umbrella, which means that you can find pretty much anything you want in the gardening realm if you just log on to the link above. Give it a try.
You don't have to be a gardener to love the earth and its products. Truly Organic Apparel sells clothes made of organic cotton that has been colored with natural dyes. As they put it, "Fast fashion, like fast food, causes many ailments, both environmentally, with pollution, and socially, with cheap labor. We believe in slow fashion- our garments require more time to make, as plants need to be collected in season for dyeing. People are paid fair wages, and everything we use is made as eco-friendly as possible, right down to the packaging: tags made from recycled paper and bags made from bio-compostable potato."
June 29, 2008
WCPT listeners new to my program may not be aware of my philosophy regarding lawns, which can be summed up in the phrase: “When in doubt, rip it out.”
However, I know that many of you LOVE your lawns to the point of obsession, meaning that you would rather give up your kids than your 4-Step Program. And that raises a good point, which is that turf grass isn’t in itself so bad. Grass is just a plant, after all. It’s what we put on it and how we think about it that causes all the trouble.Which is why I’m a fan of Paul Tukey and his organization, SafeLawns.org. He’s attempting to transform the landscapes of America from chemical dependency to organic freedom, one lawn at a time. In fact, he’s taken that mission to Washington, D.C., where SafeLawns is attempting to transform the National Mall with Organic techniques.
Entrepreneur Carol Brewer is trying to take that even one step further in Chicago. She knows that when you hire a lawn care service, even thought they might use organic techniques, they’re probably still contributing to global warming by using internal combustion engines like lawn mowers. That’s why she started MowTown, Chicago’s first and only 100% eco-friendly lawn mowing service.Not only does MowTown provide organic services, they take it one step further by using NO POWER EQUIPMENT. Yep, that’s right, they use PUSH mowers. Which means that you’ll never have to worry about hearing a leaf blower when they visit your yard. They even use bicycles and trailers to transport their mowers. Brewer admits that it’s a challenge, even for typical Chicago-sized lots, which are relatively small. But it’s one that she’s willing to take on in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint that is left by lawn owners all over the city.
If you want more information about organic lawn care:
Safer Pest Control Project (This link contains organic lawn care tips, plus a pdf of local organic lawn care companies)
Finally, if you want to know about the REAL cost of lawn care mania, check out this link that I received from Openlands:
Lawn Care Costs (It's a PDF.)
We knew this day would come. And it has with a vengeance.The Emerald Ash Borer has arrived in Chicago. Like gypsy moths, Japanese beetles and the Asian Long-Horned beetle before it, EAB is on a mission of destruction. In this case, the city’s 96,000 ash trees are at risk.
The Morton Arboretum’s Edith Makra has been following the destructive path of this tiny insect and educating people about it for several years. Truly, it’s been less than a decade since the devastation of ash trees in Michigan, Ohio, Ontario and elsewhere became apparent. More than twenty million ash trees have already been lost in the Midwest and many more are likely to follow.
In the past few months, EAB was discovered to have arrived in various suburbs around Chicago, the latest being Naperville. And then, about two weeks ago, the City of Chicago was added to the list, as noted in the Chicago Tribune.
City of Chicago Senior Forester John Lough is one of the people on the front lines of the battle against the insect. He’s teaming with TreeKeepers (I'm TreeKeeper #417) from the Openlands Project, to teach them how to identify EAB and infested trees. The first training session is Tuesday, July 8, 7 p.m., at the North Park Village Nature center, 5801 N. Pulaski. TreeKeepers are the general public are welcomed. For more information call Jim DeHorne at 773/282-5374.Meanwhile, here are some links with comprehensive Emerald Ash Borer info:
The Morton Arboretum
City of Chicago
June 22, 2008
To help launch my new two-hour format, I'm bringing in my Chicago Master Gardener buddies MaryAnne Spinner and Chris Kelsey, who not only have the best hair in horticulture but are a couple of the brains behind the Cook County Master Gardeners Electronic Plant Clinic. Just click on the link if you have a gardening question, and the Master Gardeners will get back to you within a matter of days.) MaryAnne and Chris have been helping me answer gardening questions for years now, and they really know what they're talking about, which makes me look better than I have any right to look.
The Master Gardeners program is important in so many ways you don't want to get me started. And it is one of the programs that was endangered this year when funding was withheld for the Illinois Extension Services. If you want to find out what that was all about and why the issue is not yet completly resolved, click here. That's one of the stories we're keeping a close eye on.
If you're a gardener, you're obsessed with bugs, and I use that to mean everything from beetles to bees to spiders to slugs. The problem is, many of us just aren't sure how to tell the "good" bugs from the "bad" bugs. That's why I'm talking to Jessica Walliser, who has put together an easy-to-use book called "Good Bug, Bad Bug: Who's Who, What They Do, and How to Manage Them Organically." This handy field guide will keep you from squashing (or, heaven forbid, nuking) the wrong bug at the wrong time. For more information about Jessica, go to theorganicgardeners.com.
I'll also be talking to Elizabeth Hoffman, of West End Florist and Garden Center in Evanston, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this week!
The greenhouse at 3800 Old Glenview Road was built by Mathias Hoffman in 1908. Since then the Hoffman family has been growing perennials, roses, mums, succulents and more for their clients. They have a full garden center store, in addition to their floral department. It has been a great century of filling lives with flowers. An Open House from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 28 th , will feature food, fun, music and more. There will be a planting table for children to plant their own begonia to grow at home, as well as free children's games. For the adults, there will be door prizes all day long. Their summer tropical plant sale will begin at the open house and continue until July 19 th .
I'll be there on Saturday to help celebrate one family's contribution to the community.
June 15, 2008
It's hard to find anyone who has been more involved in getting and keeping Chicago green than Commissioner of the Chicago Department of the Environment Suzanne Malec-McKenna. After we celebrated the beginning of the blue cart program, Suzanne and I went on to talk about permeable paving to make the city's alleys greener and an improved hazardous waste disposal program, among other things.
To see some of the many wonderful city projects, click on the DOE website.
June 8, 2008
It’s no secret that the Bush Administration has not been a friend to science. Time after time, whether regarding climate change, mercury emissions, reproductive health, lead poisoning in children, workplace safety or nuclear weapons, the administration has done everything in its power to manipulate, if not downright suppress, scientific fact in favor of political spin.
Even knowing this, I was shocked when I learned, just a couple of months ago, that the administration had begun emptying and closing down the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s network of technical libraries. And this had begun in 2006!
Obviously, I missed the story. But it’s not as though it was front page news, either.
Fortunately, there are people who have been vigilant against what can only be described as Bush’s scorched earth policy regarding the dissemination of scientific information.
The woman who told me about the EPA libraries is, predictably, a librarian, and passed along a link to the American Library Association, which has been alarmed about the situation. Here’s how the ALA described it on their website:“The $2 million cut initially proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and included in Bush's budget proposals for fiscal year (FY) 2007 would reduce the 35-year-old EPA Library Network's budget by 80 percent and force closure of at least some regional libraries. EPA administrators have repeatedly alleged that these closings will not affect access to the important environmental and scientific collections and data sets since online functions will meet the needs of the EPA staff, researchers, and the public.”
I talked to one EPA staffer who said that the reorganization of the libraries would result in so-called “Centers for Excellence,” where information would be easier to access for citizens. The staffer told me that the move was a stroke of marketing genius. After all, he said, “Who’s against ‘Centers for Excellence?” Welcome to 1984, kids.
Another watchdog group has been the not-for-profit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. Executive Director Jeff Ruch says they’ve been following this story from day one. In fact, you can follow that progression in a series of their press releases written over the past year and a half.
A group that has an obvious interest in what happens to the libraries is the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). John O’Grady is the Treasurer of the AFGE National Council 238, which represents more than 600,000 Federal and D.C. government workers nationwide and overseas. He’s also President of AFGE Local 704, which covers workers in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. O’Grady, too is concerned about the lasting effects of the cuts, and passed along information that 1) details Congress's involvment in the issue, 2) outlines that the EPA is an agency in crisis and 3) exposes EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson for the government tool he is.
Congress did act, in its omnibus legislation in December, to restore funding to the EPA libraries. But it may be too late. It’s possible that documents have been destroyed or irrevocably lost. And, in reopening the closed libraires, the EPA is acting like a petulant child (a speciality of our President and his administration), grudgingly allocating a fraction of the space that they occupied before the cuts. And in the case of the Chicago office, which serves the entire six state Great Lakes Region, the re-opened library will be in a vacant reception area on the 16th floor of a federal building and will be only slightly larger than the typical men’s restroom in that same building.
Even more troubling, the EPA is issuing a series of edicts placing virtually every aspect of library operations under centralized control of a political appointee.
These moral bankrupts will finally leave office in January. This is their science legacy:
June 1, 2008
When I was a kid I wanted to be a priest, a baseball player or an astronaut. Hmm. I'm sensing some kind of disconnect here. Anyway, like most boys, I wasn't good enough to be either a baseball player or a priest. And when I got to college and I thought I would study astronomy, I realized just how much MATH was involved. Sheesh! I thought it was about looking at stars.
Anyway, because I know how hard science is and for a zillion other reasons, it's thrilling to have a real, live astronaut on the show. Chicago native Dr. Mae C. Jemison was the first woman of color to go into space, as the science mission specialist on the space shuttle Endeavour in 1992. However, her life since she left NASA in 1993 is at least as impressive, as she is the founder and president of two technology companies, a professor at Cornell University, an author, and the recipient of numerous awards.
Not only that, but she appeared on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Now that's awesome.
Dr. Jemison is in town to participate in World Environment Day, a global celebration of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at the Chicago Botanic Garden on Thursday, June 5. At that event, an exhibition of the International Children's Painting Competition, sponsored by Bayer Corporation, will be unveiled for the first time. The theme is "Climate Change: Actions We Can Take Now To Reduce Our Negative Impact."
More than 700 entries were received in North America alone, and thousands throughout the world. Dr. Jemison, who is the founder of the international science camp, The Earth We Share, is meeting with about 400 local elementary school student for an interactive session.
She's fighting the good fight--getting kids to understand that science and math are cool, so they end up in laboratories and not on radio, like you know who.
I'm not sure whether I'm going to have to put on a tux again, but I'm Emceeing another benefit on Tuesday, June 10. This one is for yet another worthy organization (there are so many of them, aren't there?). It's called Growing Home and its mission is to provide job training and create employment opportunities for homeless and low-income people in Chicago within the context of a non-profit organic agriculture business.
Harry Rhodes is the Executive Director, and while he'd love to have you show up at the benefit, he says that you can also support Growing Home by buying their organically grown products at the Chicago Green City Market, through their CSA, direct from their farm, and by visiting the restaurants they supply with produce.
By the way, I'm only the Emcee at the benefit. The main attraction and keynote speaker is Art Smith, who just happens to be Oprah's chef. You're heard of her, right? She's one of those people who doesn't need a last name. You can get more information about the festivities HERE.
May 25, 2008
When you buy plants do you ever wonder where they were grown? If you don’t, maybe you should. That’s because locally produced plants have certain benefits. Mary T. McClelland of Beeson’s McHenry County Nursery is also a member of the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois. She lists three immediate benefits of buying locally grown plants:
- They are more adaptable to the weather and soil conditions of this region
- Buying locally grown plants supports businesses in our area
- Buying locally reduces the energy consumption needed to transport plants across the country.The OGA is also involved in a program with the Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Botanic Garden called Chicagoland Grows®. It’s an innovative plant introduction program developed to promote and encourage the use of new and recommended plant cultivars that are well adapted to growing conditions in the Upper Midwest.
Rich’s Foxwillow Pines in Woodstock is an OGA member. Every year, Rich Eyre, his wife Suzie and his mother, the lovely Margaret (going strong into her tenth decade!) put on their “Hosta Happening” at the nursery. They sell hostas (naturally) and donate the proceeds to Heifer International. Stop by next Saturday, May 31 from 9 am to 4pm at 11618 McConnell Road in Woodstock and help a very worthy cause. All proceeds will benefit Heifer and will be matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support the new East Africa Dairy Development Project.
May 18, 2008
What’s a gardening show without a weather segment? No, that’s not a riddle, it’s a rhetorical question. I’m saying that so much of gardening is about weather that having a weather person in the house is a pretty good idea, dontcha think?
That’s why I’m excited to welcome meteorologist Rick DiMaio to the program today. You probably remember him from his days on Fox News Chicago. Nowadays he’s teaching at the Art Institute of Chicago, but he’s still a meteorologist and he has a passion for educating people about global warming. All in all, a good fit for me and my show.
Anyway, the goal is to provide a comprehensive weather forecast on the show each week that you can use to plan your gardens and your lives. For more information on Rick, click here to go to his website.
Bob Passovoy (or Dr. Bob, as he is known in his column for Chicagoland Gardening Magazine) is a “pond person.” You know the type: they love their koi more than they love their kids. It’s okay. We’ve been friends long enough for me to know that he’s harmless. I think. However, he knows a ton about backyard ponds and the fish and plants that go with them. And I have him on the show once in awhile ‘cause I know practically nothing about that stuff, though he keeps trying to get me to dig a pond in my yard. Good luck, Bob.
For more about his organization and their activities, go to the Midwest Pond and Koi Society website.
May 11 , 2008
Allan Armitage is one of those people who makes me humble. He’s a world-renowned author, speaker and writer. He’s written more than 360 articles and papers in the most respected horticultural magazines and journals in America. He’s authored eleven books. He’s a respected teacher and speaker. And he’s a nice guy. Ooh, that makes my blood boil.
Anyway, he’s on my show because of Lis Friemoth, who calls herself “The Garden Hoe.” She’s a friend of his and coaxed him into speaking up at Northwind Perennial Farm in Wisconsin on May 17 and 18.
He’s doing two talks for Northwind, one on Saturday at the nursery and one on Sunday at Hawks View Golf Club in Lake Geneva. The event on Saturday is $50, the one on Sunday, $75. For reservations call 262-248-9229. In either case, you’re going to be inspired.
May 4 , 2008
I’m not the first to say it, but let me be the first to say it really, really loudly:
BLUE BAG IS DEAD! LONG LIVE BLUE CART!
After thirteen years of recycling insanity, the City of Chicago finally decided to abandon the ineffective and much-hated program, thanks to pressure from the media and many environmental groups, including the Chicago Recycling Coalition. I’m proud to say that I’m a board member of the CRC, though my role in bringing down Blue Bag was minor, at best. Anyway, go to our website above and discover just how many ways there are to make this planet better through recycling.It’s not news to anybody that it’s been an unusually cool spring. Global warming has found itself on the back burner, so to speak.
But hang on to your inhalers. We’re already a month into the Ozone Season (I didn’t even realize that there was such a thing), and the number of Ozone Action Days is likely to climb this year. But it’s not necessarily because Chicago’s air is getting dirtier.
Brian Urbaszewski of the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago stopped by to tell me about the new EPA standards that went into effect on March 12 (insert RHAMC pdf). And even though the new standards are tougher, if you read the following article, you’ll understand why the RHAMC is still not happy.
Associated PressSays Urbaszewski: “Unfortunately, the EPA simply ignored the recommendations of their own scientific advisors, as well as major national medical and public health organizations; both claimed that the medical evidence supported a tighter ozone limit. In the end, EPA set a health standard for dangerous ozone smog that is still too weak to protect public health.”
I’ll let that comment speak for itself.
And, if you think that people are the only things being affected by bad air, you're wrong. Look what it's doing to flowers:
You might have heard about Prairie Crossing up in Grayslake, which calls itself a “Conservation Community.” It was designed to combine responsible development, the preservation of open land and easy commuting by rail. And another thing they’ve been doing up there is teaching kids how to grow things. That might not sound particularly special, until you ask a child where tomatoes come from and they respond, “Dominicks.”
Rosalyn Deigan and Nicole Jain Capizzi were in studio to talk about the Prairie Crossing Charter School and the Prairie Crossing Learning Farm and, in particular, the 3rd Annual Growing With Nature Organic Plant Sale. (insert pdfs) They’re helping to teach and inspire a new generation of gardeners, who will probably be closer to the earth than their parents. Pretty inspiring stuff. Check out the links, and if you’re up Prairie Crossing way on May 10, spend a few bucks on some great plants. It’s definitely a win-win thing.May 10th at Station Square (PDF)
Plant Sale Flyer (PDF)
April 27, 2008
More and more gardeners are beginning to appreciate the importance of native plants.
They increase biodiversity, provide habitat, adapt better to local growing conditions, conserve water, need less fertilizer and more. Grace Koehler is a long time friend who works for Midwest Groundcovers out in St. Charles, Illinois. Midwest has been growing plants for landscapers, retailers and the public since 1969, and Grace is on the show to talk about their partnership with American Beauties. If you haven’t seen the green containers with the American Beauties logo at your favorite nursery, you might want to ask them to carry the line. Meanwhile, check out the website for the various types of native plants that they grow.
Jeff Lowenfels is another friend, and he is, simple put, an unforgettable character. Jeff has his own radio show called “The Garden Party” at KBYR AM 700 in Anchorage, Alaska. But that’s not all. He has produced the longest running garden column in North America for the Anchorage Daily News, having an unbroken string that stretches back to 1976!
And that’s not all. He is also the co-author of one of the most important horticultural books to come out in years: Teaming With Microbes: A Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web. Believe me, if you’re a serious gardener, this book will change the way you garden. Along that line, here’s one more link, where Jeff breaks down the “Soil Food Web” concept and makes it pretty understandable: Jeff Lowenfels' Lecture Notes and Gardening with the Soil.
April 20, 2008
First, let me tell you how excited I am to have " The Mike Nowak Show" on WCPT 820AM. And, judging from the response I've had so far, a lot of you are happy to have me here.
I'm going to talk about gardening, horticulture in general, the environment, green living, and sometimes just do stuff that doesn' t have anything to do at all with gardening.
Please call in to 773-838-WCPT whenever you have a gardening question or you want to discuss something about horticulture or you just want to say hi. It' s okay. Really.
So let' s get to work. The first topic on my very first show was the crisis in funding for the University of Illinois Extension. In a nutshell, it 's politics as usual in Springfield, with the Governor withholding about $18 million in funding and the legislature wringing its hands and saying, "Oh, dear." And if you don' t know that there is a funding crisis, it 's partly because Extension services don' t seem to be on the radar screens of papers like the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. You have to go to the downstate papers to get any real coverage of this issue:
Bloomington Pantagraph
Canton Daily LedgerThat 's why I had Cook County Extension Public Information Specialist AmySue Mertens in the beautiful Showcase Studio on south Pulaski Road to explain the value of this program. She brought along these two pdfs, which explain what an important role Extension plays in the lives of thousands of people:
The Case for Agriculture in Cook County 2008
Cook County Hearing Testimony 04-08The point is that we need the funding restored. Now. You can contact AmySue about this issue at amertens@uiuc.edu or 312/575-7844. And, of course, contact your state senator and representative: http://www.ilga.gov/ .
Next up was Guy Sternberg, the man with the deepest voice in horticulture, who runs Starhill Forest Arboretum in Petersburg, IL ( www.starhillforest.com). He was reporting on the demise of part of Illinois history that most of you had never heard of B the IndianTrail Tree in Menard County.
The tree, a white oak ( Quercus alba ), core-dated to 1730, was located south of Athens, Illinois and fell in late March 2008. R.J. Fehl, Guy Sternberg, and other volunteers suspected it might be in trouble, and had worked with the landowner to install a prop, which protected it from the weight of the terrible ice storms of the past two winters. But a strong north wind gust pushed it over from the side, breaking it at the base. Attempts are being made by Guy Sternberg to have the tree cloned, and some wood pieces will be salvaged for use as future award plaques for the International Oak Society and for other commemorative uses. Most of the tree will be left in place as a fallen monument to history, and the stump will be protected from browsing in case it sends up a new shoot from the base. This was one of the last pre-settlement trail-marker trees remaining in the Midwest, and had been visited by people from many states and foreign countries.
I took this photo of the tree in May of 2004.
click on the image for a larger version
click on the image for a larger versionFinally, a couple of links. I'm MC for The Conservation Foundation's Earth Day Benefit Dinner 2008 on Thursday, April 24. Click through for more information.
And if you're down Crown Point, Indiana way on Saturday morning, I'm speaking at the Illiana Garden Pond Society's Waterscape Weekend Garden, Pond & Patio Show at the Lake County Fairgrounds. I' ll be doing my talk, "Good Planets Are Hard to Find," which takes a look at environmentalism in your backyard. Don' t worry, I usually manage to inject some humor into a pretty serious subject. Admission is $5 and children under 15 are free. What a deal. Click through for more information.
