Flowers, Fruits, and Frass

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Brown marmorated stink bug a nuisance to homeowners

May 24, 2021

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...

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Herb of the Year: Parsley

May 21, 2021

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...

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Pruning tomatoes and peppers for healthier plants and a stronger harvest

May 17, 2021

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...

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Carrots gone bad: Wild parsnip, giant hogweed and poison hemlock

May 17, 2021

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,...

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Perennial plant of the year: Calamint

May 14, 2021

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...

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Invasive jumping worms are spreading through Illinois

May 13, 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...

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Million Bells, by Emma Gossett, via Unsplash

Gifts for gardening mothers

May 7, 2021

My mom deserves an extra special gift for Mother’s Day. She really helped her kids out during the pandemic, offering child care, shopping, laundry, moral support, therapy—and she’s an overall cool person to hang and watch sci-fi movies with. She has never been hard to shop for because we share the...

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Two invasive landscape trees you didn’t know about: Tree of Heaven and Amur Corktree

May 7, 2021

Originally published by Kelly Allsup on May 7, 2021. If you didn’t know, we are cultivating invasive trees in backyards and urban settings. Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and Amur corktree (Phellodendron amurense) are outcompeting surrounding plants...

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Tender bulbs make for summer delights

May 4, 2021

For vibrant cut flowers this season, plant summer bulbs like dahlias, gladiolus, and lilies. These summer-blooming tropical bulbs are called ‘tender bulbs’ because they can be killed by our cold temperatures if left outdoors during the winter, or if they’re planted too early in the spring. They do...

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Amorpha canescens - Lead Plant - Layne Knoche

9 native Illinois shrubs for sun and shade

April 30, 2021

Originally published by Kelly Allsup on April 30, 2021 Whether you have an area around your home that gets full sun or shade, is wet or dry, there is a native shrub option for you. Native shrubs are touted as easier to care for and provide ecosystem services like flowers for pollinators...

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