Green Drinks Libertyville

06/12/2026

INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES: NON-NATIVE SHRUBS REMAIN PRIORITY, BUT OTHERS CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS IN CHICAGO REGION

Invasive plant species continue to threaten ecosystems across the Chicago region, with non-native shrubs such as common buckthorn and invasive honeysuckles posing the greatest concern. These aggressive plants spread rapidly, displacing native vegetation and disrupting habitats that support wildlife, pollinators and birds. Other invasive species, including garlic mustard, Callery pear, lesser celandine and teasel, also contribute to biodiversity loss. Land managers, volunteers and homeowners play a critical role in controlling invasive plants through removal efforts and by choosing native alternatives. Education and awareness remain essential to protecting healthy, diverse and resilient natural landscapes.

Read more at www.nachicago.com



Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Todd Harless

The Morton Arboretum Sheryl Lynn DeVore

06/12/2026

https://johnwasik.substack.com/p/cutting-down-trees-is-not-progress

My friend and neighbor Tony loved planes so much he decided to build one in his garage.

06/04/2026

Avoiding these tiny particles of chemical-laden plastic entirely is impossible, but you can reduce your family’s microplastic exposure.

05/09/2026

Please support Grayslake High Schools and Liberty Prairie at their annual spring plant sale. High schoolers grow and sell the plants. A wide variety of vegetables and prairie plants are available. Thanks to farmers Jen and Jeff Milller, Karen and Eliza from Liberty Prairie and District 127. We need more local agriculture as the earth gets warmer and weather becomes more extreme. The sale is on tomorrow (5/9) from 8am to 3pm at the Liberty Prairie Farm in Grayslake.

Plan your visit with the Plant Sale Offerings List

05/05/2026

Migration Alert! 🚨 More than 373 MILLION birds are forecast to fly across the East Coast and eastern Midwest tonight. Help keep them safe and on track by turning off nonessential lights from 11 PM to 6 AM. Make windows safer with bird-friendly treatments to prevent collisions. More than a billion birds die in glass collisions every year. Learn more about migration, window safety, and sign up to get alerts: https://birdcast.org/migration-tools/

05/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18g3FRUGqd/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The Mulch You Choose Is Changing Your Soil Underground 🪵
All mulch looks similar from above. Below the surface, the differences are dramatic — and the wrong choice can damage your soil biology for years.
Here is what each common mulch type actually does underground:
🪵 Wood chips — The best all-around mulch for permanent beds. As it breaks down slowly, it feeds the fungal networks in your soil that plants depend on for nutrient uptake. Apply 3–4 inches deep around trees, shrubs, and perennial beds.
🌾 Straw — Clean, lightweight, and excellent for vegetable gardens. It decomposes quickly and adds organic matter without the heavy wood-chip carbon load that can temporarily lock up nitrogen.
🍂 Shredded leaves — The most underrated mulch in any American yard. Free, available every autumn, and the single best thing you can add to soil health. Run your mower over collected leaves and apply immediately.
⬛ Black plastic sheeting — Marketed as a w**d suppressor and it does work, but it prevents rainfall from reaching roots, heats soil to damaging temperatures in summer, and kills the beneficial soil organisms that make your garden productive. Avoid using it in any living garden bed.
🪨 Gravel and stone — Appropriate for pathways and drainage areas, not for plant health. It reflects heat upward onto plant stems, provides zero nutritional value to the soil, and creates a permanently inhospitable environment for soil life.

05/03/2026

The Mulch You Choose Is Changing Your Soil Underground 🪵
All mulch looks similar from above. Below the surface, the differences are dramatic — and the wrong choice can damage your soil biology for years.
Here is what each common mulch type actually does underground:
🪵 Wood chips — The best all-around mulch for permanent beds. As it breaks down slowly, it feeds the fungal networks in your soil that plants depend on for nutrient uptake. Apply 3–4 inches deep around trees, shrubs, and perennial beds.
🌾 Straw — Clean, lightweight, and excellent for vegetable gardens. It decomposes quickly and adds organic matter without the heavy wood-chip carbon load that can temporarily lock up nitrogen.
🍂 Shredded leaves — The most underrated mulch in any American yard. Free, available every autumn, and the single best thing you can add to soil health. Run your mower over collected leaves and apply immediately.
⬛ Black plastic sheeting — Marketed as a w**d suppressor and it does work, but it prevents rainfall from reaching roots, heats soil to damaging temperatures in summer, and kills the beneficial soil organisms that make your garden productive. Avoid using it in any living garden bed.
🪨 Gravel and stone — Appropriate for pathways and drainage areas, not for plant health. It reflects heat upward onto plant stems, provides zero nutritional value to the soil, and creates a permanently inhospitable environment for soil life.