Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
I remember mom having nuts in the shell on the coffee table during the holidays. Although I didn't eat many nuts at that time, I liked using the little tools to crack open the nut and dig out its sweet inner meat. Let's look at the...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Last night while making my newest favorite evening tea I got to thinking about the plants that produce these ingredients. My Spice Special tea is a blend of rooibos, anise, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, orange bitters, and honey. Let's...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
A new crop of volunteers completed University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener training on November 7, 2017. Twenty-one energetic trainees culminated their ten-week Master Gardener training course by advancing to intern status...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
I made my first miniature garden at a recent Master Gardener meeting in Canton. It's such a pretty, fun little garden that I smile every time I see it. Are you searching for the "perfect" gift for a gardener in your family? As Black...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
I was fortunate enough to camp at Canton Lake twice this summer. While enjoying peaceful kayak rides along the shoreline I found two plants that I'd never seen before. It's always exciting to find new plants, but these were...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
During the holiday season many different types of plants are available for decorating and display including the spectacular amaryllis.
Amaryllis flowers make a bold statement. Borne on 1 ½ to 2-foot tall stalk, the trumpet-shaped, 6...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
After 30 years of being a horticulture educator with University of Illinois Extension the towering pampas grasses still amaze me each fall. What energy and power that plant must have to grow over 12 feet tall each summer, just to die...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
While hiking recently I got to thinking about the various plants that stick to our sock and pants. Certainly, they are frustrating; but, as a plant geek, I wanted to know more.
Sticky plants attaching to clothes, hair, fur, and...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Now is the time to take soil tests. If you have plants that are not growing the way they should, a soil test might be needed to see if soil amendments are needed.
Soil amendments should be based on a soil test to know the amounts...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Some plants are perfect for Halloween. Bat flowers, devils claw, and corpse flower come to mind. Another creepy looking plant is doll's eyes. I'm not sure why dolls with staring, glass eyes are so scary, but they can be truly...
