While reviewing the University of Illinois Plant Clinic Newsletter, it became clear that this season has really been about diseases, starting with the usual and expected diseases that come along with the cooler temperatures and rains of spring. Plant diseases continued as our rains continued well...

About now homeowners who enjoy the crackling fire outside in the fire pit may be thinking about that transition to the indoor fireplace. Burning questionable quality firewood outside does not take away anything from the joy of sitting around the pit after dark. It can make a difference in the...

Lawns are speeding up, gardens are slowing down, and Insects are still here October 12, 2015 We are having prime time weather right now for the family lawn. Our lawns known for being nearly completely cool season grasses continue to grow vigorously. Nearly because one of our pesky warm season...

Fall is a great time to do clean up in the landscape that seems just like a lot of work with no immediate rewards besides just making the beds look better. The bigger story is when done you are indeed "sanitizing the yard for your own plants protection" Gardeners already know the benefit...

Summer vacation is just about over for our houseplants that we set out last spring and now the decision needs to be made of what comes back in the home for the winter. We generally consider any plant that cannot survive being outside a houseplant since many of them have a tropical background or are...

Homeowners have likely heard of core aeration as a way to relieve soil compaction in the lawn. While that is certainly true, coring has several more benefits for the grass plant, soil profile and microbial activity in the ground and thatch management. When the soil beneath the lawn is compacted,...

Farmers walk their fields, vegetable growers walk their produce fields, have you walked your lawn lately? This time of year is a good time to find out what has been happening to the lawn and what you might want to do yet this season to make your lawn healthier. With all the rain we had earlier in...

This summer has been exceptional for magnolia scale. Master Gardeners at the help desks have constantly been addressing this situation with homeowners for the last 5+ weeks. A typical life cycle of a scale is an overwintering female producing eggs under here protective scale covering. The eggs will...

Successive plantings in the vegetable garden can still be done when home gardeners pick the right vegetables. Late summer into early fall is a great time to make additional plantings of those vegetables that we consume as the whole plant. Mustard greens, a variety of the Leaf lettuces, beets...

While there is a lot of summer left, now is the time homeowners are discovering nests of a variety of flying, swarming and potentially stinging wasps and hornets in the home landscaping. In nearly all cases, homeowners have been unaware that a nest even exists in the yard until one day when foliage...