Thank a pollinator for that warm cup of coffee in your hands, or for that chocolate sundae you indulged in the other day. National Pollinator Week is June 21-27; celebrate pollinators and support their health this year. Did you know that that...
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The state insect, the monarch butterfly, is facing a crisis. Each May, Illinoisans celebrate the monarch butterfly, but University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Kelly Allsup says that Illinois residents should be worried.
The yearly count of monarchs decreased by...
Some trees may be showing damage from the late frost much of Illinois had in May for several months to come as well as diseases that pop up during the rainy, cool spring weather. Watering during the hot dry months of summer will help these trees back to being a beautiful specimen.
Frost stress in...
Chances are if you have driven along any country road in Illinois, you have seen a tall plant with a spiky silvery thistle-like flower head swaying in the wind. What you may not know is that this plant hides a sinister side. Cutleaf teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus) and...
They are crawling on the windows, walls, and houseplants, newly rescued from the lower night temperatures of the fall. They could be hanging out on your dishes, doing a balancing act on your toothbrush, resting in your clothing or hair, or be a rather interesting ornament on your Christmas...
A recent study tracking butterfly abundance in Ohio over the last 20 years has discovered a 33% decline. We can only assume that in Illinois we have similar patterns in decline in our butterfly populations. Scientists...
Originally published by Kelly Allsup on May 17, 2021.
Wild parsnip often makes headlines because of its negative effects on naïve gardeners and hikers. Wild parsnip along with giant hogweed and poison hemlock are types of carrots gone bad.
Each has negative impacts to human health,...
It’s that time of year again… time to plant your tomatoes and peppers and get your summer garden going! Most gardeners have grown these before, but with a few tips and tricks, you can decrease disease prevalence, increase plant health and get a better harvest. One tip: prune them both!
It is...
Sun-loving, season-long blooming, low maintenance, dependable and pollinator-friendly. Sound like a perfect perennial to add to your garden?
Calamint (Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta), selected as the Perennial Plant Association’s 2021...
A new invasive species in Illinois may prevent vigilant gardeners from sharing divided perennials. Jumping worms, also called crazy worms or snake worms, are species of earthworms that deplete nutrients in the soil which in turn affects plant growth. Jumping worms are...
