Recently, an Illinois Extension colleague of mine was gracious enough to share an extremely rare find from the early days of horticulture extension and outreach at University of Illinois. The publication dates back to 1915 and is focused on gardening with native prairie plants. I found...
So many foods are epitomized by their annual appearance in Thanksgiving feasts, with sweet potato often right alongside the turkey and stuffing. This plant also has an interesting world history as both a food-security and subsistence crop in developing countries as week as a delicacy if...
Winter is a stressful time for many plants in the landscape, given the drought conditions brought on by freezing temperatures and the effects of extreme cold.
Although these stressors typically don’t impact our houseplants the same way, indoor plants experience their own form of winter stress,...
Not all trees shed their leaves in coordination during fall. You may have noticed that some trees are still holding their leaves this week, and many of those will likely hold them until spring.
Each winter, I get a number of questions on this topic as folks ponder the “not-so-deciduous” deciduous...
Ready for some tips to lighten the load with fall garden cleanup? Breaking a few old habits can make a big difference for native wildlife by leaving some winter habitat elements in place.
Although leaf raking can really spruce up the landscape this time of year, consider leaving some...
Although our Halloween snow provided a beautiful wintry accent to autumn leaves, it marked a stark end to the growing season for most plants. Many area gardeners were tuned in, harvesting the last of their still-viable vegetable crops ahead of the snow.
Herbs are one crop that is often overlooked...
This past week, the vivid red leaves of our native maples have really stolen the show, reaching near peak fall color for the year. I have always loved the brilliant red colors of autumn leaves, making burning bush (Euyonomous alata) an old favorite of mine. However, in recent...
Fall color is beginning to paint tree canopies around central Illinois, making the next few weeks prime time for taking in the beauty. Among our native trees, sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), red maple (Acer rubrum) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum)...
Fall annuals can breathe life into waning gardens late in the growing season, filling in among fading flowers to add beauty and interest. Mums seem to be the quintessential fall annual, although perennial in our area if established early enough in the season, packing the garden centers with...
This past week, I visited several Central Illinois prairies to catch a last glimpse of waning flowers and look for pollinators. I was pleasantly surprised to see an old favorite in full bloom as the beautiful and minute, yet brightly yellow flowers of Partridge pea (Chamaecrista...
