The Garden Club of Hinsdale

03/17/2026

Our March program was a special treat! Thank you to Chef Paul Virant for an educational and delicious afternoon!

01/26/2026

Myth-busting Monday...Let's learn a bit more about exploding trees🌳.

Can trees explode in subzero weather? Buckle up, it’s time for University of Illinois Extension Forestry to bust some myths about “exploding trees.”

Native trees are used to and can survive the shifting temperatures in their home ranges, but bitterly cold conditions can be a challenge. What happens if the temperature drops really cold, really fast? The outside of the tree contracts faster than the inside, creating an imbalance of pressure.

BANG! That pressure release suddenly splits the tree vertically along its trunk, a phenomenon known as frost cracking. Sometimes, that cracking comes with a loud popping noise that can sound like gunfire, but it’s not an explosion.

What kinds of trees are affected? Many thin-barked trees in the home landscape are susceptible to this kind of winter damage, including fruit trees, maples, lindens, sycamores, willows, and young trees. Frost cracking often happens when the tree is warmed by strong direct sunlight during the day and then refreezes quickly at nightfall.

How do the cracks affect the tree’s health? Since it is a vertical split, the trees are generally not significantly affected. But the length, width, and depth of the cracks can vary.

You may not notice a frost-cracking wound on landscape trees until spring or summer. Cracks can close up and then reopen in future winters, or the tree may grow over the crack, forming a callus. Over time, branch dieback can happen, and the tree’s health may start to decline, putting it at risk of damage from other environmental stressors like insects and decay.

Planting susceptible trees where they will be protected from the late afternoon sun can help prevent frost cracking. Using tree wrap can prevent temperature fluctuations. Apply wraps in November and remove them in April. Leaving wraps on all year can cause damage or restrict growth.

Questions about trees or landscape care? Connect with staff at your local Illinois Extension office at https://go.illinois.edu/ExtensionOffices. Learn more about Illinois forests at https://extension.illinois.edu/forestry.

Have any frost crack photos of your trees? Comment with a picture!

12/22/2025

A few more days to get your last minute holiday poinsettias at Vern Goers for home or gifts! 10% of purchases goes to our scholarship fund!

12/01/2025

Support The Garden Club of Hinsdale's scholarship fund when shopping for your holiday greenery! Vern Goers Greenhouse, Inc. has everything you need and more! Print out this flyer, and bring it with you when you shop. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FeAgj3qvwbxOty5nSYgOGqW-ZZcg5pwx/view?usp=sharing

12/01/2025

Thanks to our rock star Civic Chair Michelle Bacher Fisher and her daughter, the GCH train station garden is all dressed up for the holidays! When you are on your way into town for your holiday shopping, stop by and enjoy the holiday planter!

11/23/2025

There’s news! Eight newly listed invasive plant species are now illegal to buy, sell, distribute, or plant in Illinois. A ninth will officially be added in 2028 – THE Callery pear.

Tune in to podcast hosts and horticulture educators Ken Johnson and Chris Enroth as they go over the list and dive into the latest updates to the Illinois Exotic W**d Act.

Newly added: tree-of-heaven, garlic mustard, leafy spurge, sericea lespedeza, Japanese stiltgrass, Amur corktree, black swallowwort, and pale swallowwort.

🎧 Listen to anywhere you get your podcasts or online at https://extension.illinois.edu/podcasts/good-growing/ep-231-new-additions-illinois-invasive-species-list-goodgrowing

🔗 Read Nine new invasive species regulated in Illinois with expansion of Exotic W**ds Act: https://extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/nine-new-invasive-species-regulated-illinois-expansion-exotic-weeds-act

11/02/2025

The cold weather is almost upon us, and if you haven’t already done so, now is the time to clean up your herb gardens. With the holidays right around the corner, it might be fun to try a few of these herb-inspired mocktail and cocktail recipes from a past garden club speaker.. https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plant-information/smart-gardner/garden-glass-herb-inspired-holiday-beverages?fbclid=IwY2xjawN0ZupleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFZazhsY2ptOTRVYVBvRldmAR4NMGIDQh1REJa0iEUvrPDOar_dMPy7XIza1td6kRVvIm7BM-E_Qa-qD2X2rA_aem_0C1FoZZtHsTOgWP1MzE_rQ

Frost descended on area pumpkins shortly before Halloween. Our gardens will soon settle in for a winter’s sleep, but for now, let’s carry the taste of summer into our holiday mocktails and cocktails. Citrusy and savory herbs and spices add a little zing to hot and cold beverages. Fresh herbs lik...