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Understanding the Life Cycle of Native Bees

Understanding the Life Cycle of Native Bees Most people know that the honey bee is the most economically important insect in the United States because of the pollination services it provides. "However, some of the native bees like leafcutter bees, carpenter bees and digger bees...
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Tree Walk Series Announced

Tree Walk at Illinois Central College Friday, May 22 1:30 p.m. Kari Houle, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator, will lead a tree walk around the Illinois Central College campus in East Peoria on Friday, May 22 at 1:30 p.m. Map of ICC-...
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Come to the Master Gardener Plant Sale in Eureka

Woodford County Master Gardener's Plant Sale "It is time again for the Woodford County Master Gardener Plant Sale at the Eureka Library-May 16 from 8 a.m. to Noon. Stock up this spring with garden favorites like perennials, grasses, annuals, some vegetables, herbs and oddities...
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Be Part of Creating the Food Forest in Bloomington

Food Forest Work Day Join University of Illinois Extension in planting the first food forest located in a city park in Illinois. You can be a part of food forest history on May 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as we plant this forest at One Normal Plaza, which is located at the...
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Spring Sweetness: Strawberrries

Strawberries can be greatly rewarding and only require a few simple, timed garden tasks. Plant strawberry plants this spring for next year's harvest of plump juicy berries. Add Compost Before planting bare-root bundles, amend the soil with organic matter. Organic matter consisting of plant and...
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What is that Orange Rust on my Junipers? by Travis Cleveland

Telial growth has started to emerge from overwintering Gymnosporangium rust galls. Early stages of the telial emergence are pictured above. Three Gymnosporangium rusts commonly affect trees in Illinois landscapes: Cedar-apple rust, Hawthorn rust, and Quince rust. These pathogens require two...
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Introduction to Sustainable Landscaping Webinar Offered

The spring series of University of Illinois Extension's Four Seasons Gardening program, which focuses on environmental stewardship and backyard food production, gets underway in April. The first session of the series is titled, Introduction to Sustainable Landscaping. The program is...
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The Secret of Great Gardening Soil

A recent popular Facebook post shows a gardener starting to prepare her soil, despite being surrounded by mounds of snow. "Once spring is here gardeners start to get excited about planting; almost too excited," states University of Illinois Horticulture Extension educator, Kelly Allsup. Experienced...
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Kale is Cooler than Broccoli

Cool Kale Our Local Foods and Small Farms Educator, Bill Davison, says "kale is at least 30-40 percent cooler than broccoli. The reasoning behind this prevailing statement is the ease in which it is grown and how ornamental it can be", explains University of Illinois Extension...
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