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Raised Beds: Benefits and Considerations

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...
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Gardening Mistakes that Cost Big

Do not try to grow grass under trees or in shady areas of your landscape. Generally, lawns are seeded with a mix of Kentucky blue grass, fine fescue and rye grass. Each type contributes to the whole of the lawn, but none of them will grow well in full shade. Instead,...
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Gardening For Climate Change

Rain Gardening is among the newest buzzwords at University of Illinois. The buzz is a response to another buzzword in the news: climate change. Illinois' recently-retired state climatologist, Jim Angel, says one way climate change is affecting the Illinois landscape through more frequent...
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Pruning Blackberries for Productivity

Originally published by Kelly Allsup on January 25, 2019. As a child, my grandparents would send me to the unmanaged portions of their property to pick blackberries with my sisters. Most of the time we brought enough back for grandma to make a pie, and probably just as much sun sweetened...
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Wedding Flower Trends for 2019

It may be hard to predict what a bride will want for her wedding day, but is likely to include gorgeous flowers. Barn weddings with rustic materials have been popular for years, but floral designers are seeing a shift in 2019 towards a 1970s bohemian style, and an elegant industrial style. Here are...
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Early Spring Bloomers

Originally published by Kelly Allsup on January 11, 2019. Even non-gardeners welcome the sight of early blooming perennials. Here are some early spring bloomers to look out for in the garden. Iberis semperverins, known as Candytuft, is a low-growing, mounded perennial that puts...
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Build a Terrarium during the Holidays

Terrariums a century-old trend of bringing nature inside during the winter, terrarium gardening has had a revival gardeners as of late and would make an excellent gift for the holidays. The invention of terrariums is attributed to English Botanist, Dr. Nathanial Ward. He used a closed bottle...
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Handmade Succulent Wreaths as Gifts

Homemade gifts can be extra special during the holiday season. This season, give the gift of a succulent wreath. Succulent Wreath Supplies: wreath form, Spanish moss, paddle wire, straight pins, and several succulent cuttings Moisten a sheet of moss in a bucket. Place moss in a...
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