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Flowers, Fruits, and Frass

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jumping spider stares into camera

Eight-Legged Jumper Not Such a Threat

It’s the time of year that people adorn their homes with horror-movie-sized black spiders and webs in hopes of prompting the public’s arachnophobia — their fear of spiders. In contrast to most people, I suffer from arachnophilia — a love of spiders. This is due to my background working with...
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Black Swallowtail by Deanna Frautschi

Break bad fall garden cleanup habits

Are you ready for a break from the garden? Breaking some old habits in your usual fall garden clean up could make a huge difference to butterflies, moths, bees, and other beneficial insects that overwinter in the Illinois landscape, and be a more environmentally sound practice. Bad habit 1 -...
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root flare top root soil line

Establishing an Urban Treescape

George Monibot, environmental activist, says “there is a magic machine that sucks carbon out of the air, costs very little, and builds itself. It’s called a tree. […] A natural climate solution.” The statement leaves you baffled. Simply planting a tree can help solve climate change. In school we...
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night blooming cereus cactus

Succulent Cacti

Forget itty-bitty succulents tucked into a small shallow dish. Succulent Cacti are the new trend! They are just as interesting and easy to care for but make a much larger impact on your plant-scaping efforts. Architecturally, these plants are usually naked branches without leaves, and some are...
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Goldenrod: Not to be Confused with Ragweed

Goldenrod produces the rich golden yellow plumes that sprinkle the Illinois landscape this time of year. Throughout the Illinois prairies and woodlands, we have Canada goldenrod (like the goose, it’s not “Canadian”), early goldenrod, Missouri goldenrod, stiff goldenrod, zigzag, elm-leaved, blue-...
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Virginia bluebells

Spring Bloomers for Bees

Get your gardens buzzing next spring by planting bee-friendly bulbs and spring bloomers this fall. Bumblebee queens, honey bees and solitary bees start emerging from their winter homes ready to feast on the landscape as early as March. Feed them from your garden by planting a mix of crocus, snow...
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Grape Hyacinth

The Art of Planting the Bulb

In Illinois, we plant hardy spring-flowering bulbs like tulips and daffodils in the month of October. For the most part, these can be easy ways for gardeners to add color, and non-gardeners to be successful in growing flowers because they really need little care aside from a few tips. Even though...
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Crocus

In The Know on Spring Flowering Bulbs

Daffodils, Tulips, Crocus and Hyacinth bulbs seem to materialize from snow on the saturated ground, provoking gardeners to celebrate the coming spring. However, gardeners are not planting these hardy bulbs in the spring soil, but the previous fall to over-winter in their garden beds. Bulbs require...
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Vegetable Swap at Heartline and Heart House in Eureka

Vegetable Swap at Heartline and Heart House in Eureka EUREKA, Ill. – It is time again to share the harvest with our neighbors. On Friday, July 12, beginning at 10 a.m., we will host the second annual Vegetable Swap at Heartline and Heart House at 300 Regan Drive, Eureka (...
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