• Learn about great corporate partnerships with The Morton Arboretum.

 • Who can resist Celebrating Chocolate in February!

February is Chocolate Month at The Morton Arboretum and we’re celebrating  with an entire calendar full of events each weekend sure to please chocolate-lovers of all ages. Kicking off the month-long celebration is the Chocolate Expo on February 4-5 with 20 Chicagoland-area chocolatiers offering tasty treats for sampling and purchasing. Hands-on workshops will be offered throughout the month, including truffle making and chocolate “sushi” made with chocolate and fruit. Enjoy a chocolate-themed brunch and a lively presentation on the “Sweet History of Chicago,” or participate in a wine- and chocolate-pairing class. You can even take a class to learn about the scientific history of the cacoa plant while sampling different chocolate varieties. Then, indulge in an afternoon of specialty beers paired with chocolate-infused foods. There are also activities and classes galore for kids! Check for details or call 630-725-2066.

Along with snowshoeing, skiing is an excellent alternative for you to explore and experience the Arboretum in winter when the grounds are snow-covered and difficult to traverse in clunky boots or skimpy flip-flops.

Here’s how it works. It’s a simple four-step process:
1) Let it snow.
2) Get skis.
3) Put them on.
4) Ski.

Wow!

Skiers, like snowshoers, are encouraged to go “off-trail” to enhance their experiences. The Arboretum will not be grooming trails for skiing. Skiers will need to make their own tracks or follow those of someone before them.

A leaflet is available at the gatehouse and Visitor Center outlining Arboretum guidelines for these recreational activities.

The Arbroetum has a limited number of snowshoes and ski equipment available for rent in the Visitor Center.

In addition, we will be establishing a volunteer program to develop a ski/snowshoe patrol, similar to the bike patrol, that will help monitor these winter activities around the grounds.

This popular event features a 12:30 pm seating in the elegant Founder’s Room at the Thornhill Education Center and also a second seating at 3 pm on February 22. You will sit at an individual table with your friends and enjoy specialized teas, finger sandwiches, scones and sweets. What a beautilful way to spend a wintery afternoon!

Tea Times
Wednesday, February 1, 12:30 pm
Wednesday, February 8, 12:30 pm
Wednesday, February 15,  12:30 pm
Wednesday, February 22,  12:30 pm / 3 pm
 
Call 630-719-5008 to reserve your table today! 

Adults only, please.
Reservation required. Seating is limited. 

In all seasons, from all corners of the globe, trees supply us with so many goods to enhance our lives, directly or indirectly. Wood chemicals and components are found in ice cream, salad dressing, shampoo and toothpaste, just to name a few. Wood chemicals can also be found in cosmetics, photographic films, food additives and fillers for many types of plastics, according to research by Rita Hassert, of the Arboretum’s Sterling Morton Library.

Have a headache? Thanks to willow trees, we have the aspirin option. Trees even help put clothes on our backs. Some types of plant cellulose (including from trees) are used to produce rayon and acetate. These materials are often sewn to make shirts, ties, dresses and suits. Lyocell (also known as Tencel) is also made from wood pulp cellulose, and can be used to create fabric, Hassert says. Additionally, cellophane is derived in part from cellulose, and manufacturers often use cellulose gum to thicken and smooth foods and other items.

Wood pulp makes paper products such as toilet tissue, envelopes, boxes, paper towels, napkins, newspapers and facial tissue, books and, of course, money!

All sorts of sports equipment – such as baseball bats, cricket bats, tennis racquets, ping pong paddles, hockey sticks, oars, snowshoes, lacrosse sticks, billiard equipment sleds and skis – come from trees. And don’t forget musical instruments such as violins, violas, cellos, guitars, pianos, harpsichords and even bagpipes!
 
It can be said that you almost can’t make a pie without a tree, from cherry to apple to lemon, to peach, to pecan – and on it goes.

All these products are in addition to the remarkable benefits from trees. Studies show that trees filter the air, provide oxygen, shade and shelter for us and animals, cut air conditioning and heating costs, add value to our homes, encourage sales in business districts, and much, much more.

So as you enjoy your turkey and trimmings this Thanksgiving weekend, give thanks for all the products and benefits we get from trees. Then, have another slice of grandma’s famous apple and pecan pie!

“In spring, there are so many blooms in the flower box that trees sometimes get forgotten,” says Donna Danielson, an instructor at The Morton Arboretum’s Plant Clinic. “To give trees their best chance to flourish in spring, give them good care in the fall.”

Tree roots grow well when soil temperatures stay above 40 degrees, and they grow faster in the fall than during the hottest part of the summer. Continue to water mature trees during dry periods until the ground freezes. Water infrequently, slowly and deeply to allow water to soak down at least 12 inches into the soil to be available to the roots.

Fall is also the time to check tree bark and stems for evidence of two major pests:

1. Scrape off any gypsy moth egg masses, which are 1.5-inch long, light-colored, hairy masses. They attach to trunks and branches, are found often on oaks and other trees that lose their leaves in the fall, and usually are within 20 feet of the ground.

2. Once leaves have fallen, check for bagworm cocoons attached to stems. Cocoons are 1.5-inches long and made of dry leaves. Give evergreens extra-close scrutiny.

After the ground is frozen in early- to mid-December, lay a blanket of mulch over the tree and shrub roots. Spread it as far toward the drip line as possible. Shredded and composted fallen leaves make great mulch because they mimic the leaf litter found in forest environments.

“A 3- to 4-inch layer insulates the roots from the frost-thaw cycles in winter and helps retain moisture in the soil during dry periods,” says Danielson.

This article was written by Laurie Casey, a staff writer at The Morton Arboretum; it appeared in the November 14, 2010 issue of The Chicago Tribune.

Note: For more information on winterizing your entire garden, check out this post from fall 2009.