As agriculture worldwide continues to advance and innovate in an attempt to feed our ever-growing global population, unique and specialized productions systems are popping up all the time. One such system, referred to as aquaponics, includes an interesting mixture of plants and aquatic...
Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) is one of the centerpiece landscape plants in my backyard, given its prime location at the corner of our screened-in porch and patio. Last fall it delivered a stunning display as foliage turned every shade of yellow, orange and red to...
In the busyness of spring and planting all our annuals, such as flowers and vegetables, the perennials in our garden often get overlooked. To keep perennial plants performing at their peak, it is necessary to divide them from time to time in order to maintain vigor and flowering. As a...
In the past week or so, crabapple trees have stolen the spring flower show among our blooming landscape plants. These beautiful trees produce abundant flowers for up to 4 weeks each spring, with one of the best, most showy displays of any ornamental tree species. They pick up where the...
Although spring was late coming this year, it has finally sprung, and with it both star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) and saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) are in bloom. These beautiful ornamental trees, native to Asia, provide about a...
Evergreen plants, which retain their leaves (or needles) throughout the seasons, are some of the showstoppers of our landscapes in winter. They provide some much needed color in a world devoid of the green, chlorophyll-laden foliage we have throughout the growing season. Although...
If you are like me and your lizard brain apparently controls more of your actions than it should, then you can relate to a primal need to provide habitat for our reptilian friends.
Urban and developed landscapes can often be difficult places for reptile and amphibian populations to flourish...
With last week’s Easter snow, it is hard to believe that the frost-free dates for our area are fast approaching. Hopefully April will follow a more March-like tradition of “in like lion and out like a lamb”.
The “frost-free” date for the Champaign area is around April 15th, which is...
Spring is a time of swelling buds and wildflowers in Illinois forests. However, the flowering display of some plants may be overlooked if you aren’t observant.
The tiny, indiscrete flowers of pawpaw (Asimina triloba) are often unnoticed by humans since they appear in...
Potatoes are a cool season vegetable that are among the world’s food staples, ranking number four in the list behind rice, wheat and corn. This native to the South American Andes was domesticated around 7,000 years ago. Sixteenth-century Spanish explorers observed indigenous use of the...
