Each spring gardeners begin looking for new and colorful plants to make their garden pop. "If you are looking for a plant that grows quickly, has interesting and colorful flowers, and will add a vertical element to your garden, look no further than an annual flowering vine," said Brittnay...
University of Illinois Extension is calling all lovers of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators that keep our crops and gardens growing to join scientists in tracking their distribution and habitat use across the state, from the comfort of your home, school,...
Ants are thriving in my kitchen, my bathroom, and at my office. They usually enter buildings after heavy rains and persist as long as the environment is to their liking. In the kitchen, they are seeking out sweet treats, and are attracted to the moisture in the bathroom. Despite ants not causing...
Strawberries: Signs of spring University of Illinois, Horticulture educator, Kelly Allsup says "plant strawberry plants this spring for next year's harvest of plump juicy berries." Strawberries can be greatly rewarding and only require a few simple timed garden tasks. Before planting bare root...
Blueberries require acidic soil. They prefer a pH of 4.8 to 5.2 which is below our average soil pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Get a soil test done to determine your pH and the soil testing company will send you recommendations on how to amend the soil. If the soil is not acidic enough the blueberry...
You are invited to attend these in-person hands on workshops designed to help you better able answer questions from the public. All the workshops will be at the Bloomington Extension office and start at 1:00. Sessions will run 60-90 minutes. The public is invited. The Extension office...
Spring into Action with Livingston County Master Gardeners Help Desk PONTIAC, Ill. – University of Illinois Extension Livingston County Master Gardeners will open the walk-in Help Desk for the 2019 growing season on Thursday, May 2. The Help Desk is located at the Livingston...
Spruce Spider mite – Problem Feed on needled evergreens and most active during the spring. Damage appears as stippling as mites feed on chlorophyll. Heavily attacked foliage will turn brown. – Detection Hosts are Juniper, pine, douglas fir, fraiser fir, and larch....
The Perennial Plant Association chooses a perennial plant of the year using the following criteria: It must be suitable for a wide range of climatic conditions, be low maintenance, have pest and disease resistance, be readily available in the industry and have multiple seasons of interest or...
With a little spring preparation, your garden season can be more rewarding than ever: raised beds simply make gardening vegetables and herbs easier. When gardeners choose to grow in raised beds, the soil stays looser which means the roots are happier. And every gardener knows happy roots means...
