Backyard Prairies

Backyard Prairies Helping people convert a piece of their garden back to nature

Preparing chokeberry seeds. A wise person told us that if a seed comes from a berry, don't let that seed dry out. Is it ...
08/21/2026

Preparing chokeberry seeds.
A wise person told us that if a seed comes from a berry, don't let that seed dry out.
Is it true for all berry seeds? Not sure but we've started pawpaw, elderberry, and chokeberry seeds successfully with this advice.

Collect the berry.
Remove as much fruit as you can.
Pack in ziplock with MOIST peat moss, vermiculite, or perlite.
Throw into corner of the fridge.
Set a reminder on your phone to check every two months. (Some chokeberry seeds sprouted in January before!)
Plant outside anytime in late winter to mid spring as they will be stratified. Or you can do along side your other winter sow containers. Just don't let it dry out!

Yes! We are very lazy at composting and it works 😁 Another lazy benefit:Don't have to take the garbage out as often beca...
08/21/2026

Yes! We are very lazy at composting and it works 😁 Another lazy benefit:
Don't have to take the garbage out as often because it doesn't stink all the time!

Make food scraps work for the planet instead of heading to the landfill.

Join us for Composting Made Easy to learn simple ways to reduce food waste, how composting services work, and options for recycling hard-to-recycle items. You’ll leave with practical ideas for making your everyday habits a little more sustainable.

Tuesday, Aug. 25 • 7:30-8:30 p.m. • Hoffman Estates Branch

Register at: schaumburglibrary.org/events?id=17230198

08/21/2026

Stop blaming Goldenrod! It’s a must for Monarchs as they migrate!

Northern blazing star blooming, the favorite of monarch butterflies in this yard.
08/20/2026

Northern blazing star blooming, the favorite of monarch butterflies in this yard.

Curious about native gardening? Check out some gardens in Mt Prospect
08/13/2026

Curious about native gardening? Check out some gardens in Mt Prospect

The fellow spent Saturday in our garden. Because his right wing is damaged we could identify it was the same butterfly a...
08/11/2026

The fellow spent Saturday in our garden. Because his right wing is damaged we could identify it was the same butterfly all day. He would leave for an hour and come right back. And his favorite, by a long shot, was these northern blazing stars.

08/04/2026

Address

Hoffman Estates, IL

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Backyard Prairies posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Backyard Prairies:

Shortcuts

Share

Category