One of the simple joys of summer is picking berries straight from the bush and enjoying a sweet treat. Pruning blackberry and raspberry bushes now ensures a bumper harvest in the summer.
“As a child, my grandparents would send my sisters and I to the unmanaged portions of their property to pick...
For the past 18 years, gardeners have packed the halls of Central Catholic High school the first Saturday of March. They bustled between a plethora of classes and presentations by McLean County Master Gardeners and local...
Patio containers will grow food and boast hues of silver and white, and I think we may even see gardeners experimenting with growing sweet potato vine towers.
Long gone are the acre gardens with rows and rows of vegetables. The current gardeners are growing their food in patio pots, garden bags,...
While winter can give gardeners a nice break from their usual garden maintenance, they undoubtedly miss the ability to harvest and enjoy the fresh garden bounty. Try growing fresh, flavorful herbs indoors this winter to add some green to your home and zest to your recipes!
Many herbs are native to...
Anyone can make their holiday season a little more earth friendly with a new family tradition: recycling the tree!
Put it on the curb. The easiest way to properly dispose of your tree, most waste collection programs allow residents to recycle holiday trees by...
Creating simple, homemade birdfeeders is a great way to support feathered friends during the cold winter months when food sources are scarce. It also allows us to be creative, resourceful, and engage with nature while stuck indoors. Make your backyard more wildlife-friendly by making a few of these...
Six Garden Gifts
Gardening is a mindful practice that can only be sourced outside in the fresh air, with your hands in the dirt, creating a pallet of flowers and fruits. This past year, many new gardeners tested their skills while experienced gardeners stretched...
Decorating with fresh greenery is a treat for most gardeners getting ready for the holiday festivities. Some buy greens from a local garden center, but did you know you can harvest branches from evergreen conifers to use in your holiday décor?
Whether you are making wreaths, porch pots or swags,...
This holiday season, buy Poinsettias from local growers, and keep them vibrant with a few “don’ts” from a previous Poinsettia greenhouse grower.
Millions of Poinsettias are bought each year as decoration and gifts. What most consumers do not know is Poinsettias have to be grown with a lot of love...
Being thankful for our families has a new meaning this year, and the feast should be spectacular. Let’s add a sometimes-missing ingredient this year: the love that a local grower, baker, or cook puts into their product.
My role in the Thanksgiving meal is to procure ingredients and I...
