July is the time of the year where plants show their wear. Here are the common problems occurring in homeowner landscapes: 1) Vulnerable Vegetables Heat-loving plants, such as tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers all love hot weather, but not persistent rains. The...

Around April I begin obsessively checking the Hummingbird Migration website. Bird lovers across the state report the first hummingbird seen in their garden. Those sightings are compiled on a map by date and location. It is a great way to predict when they will appear in your yard. This year, I...

While it's true that I find any gardening/plant-related /horticultural topic fascinating, there's nothing quite like sight of an old, majestic tree to really feel a sense of awe for the plant kingdom. I think it's really interesting to sit beneath a hundred-year-old tree and imagine the path it...

On Saturday, June 20 the endless onslaught of rain ceased and the skies brightened up for the 23rd annual Champaign County Master Gardener Garden Walk. An estimated 1400 people were inspired by the 6 homeowner gardens, University of Illinois Pollinatarium and the Master Gardener Idea Garden's. All...

I think as gardeners we go through phases.  Heirloom vegetables, variegated foliage, miniature hostas, climbing roses, peony trees, ornamental grasses, and so forth; I have certainly had my share of plant phases. Right now I have returned to a phase from my younger gardening days. Zinnias were...

While words like phalaenophily and psychophily might sound like terms only found in a medical dictionary, pollinator syndromes are actually used to assign certain characterisitics to different flowers. According to the Pollinator Partnership, pollinator syndromes "describe flower characteristics,...

Did you miss part one? Click here to read the first entry in this series. As a refresher: A pollinator is any animal that fertilizes a plant by moving the pollen (or male p

Gardeners are avid learners who love to try their hand at anything new and exciting. On Tuesday, May 18 Vermilion County Master Gardener, Charlie Collom, presented a Make-it and Take-It Succulent program for the Champaign Master Gardener's regularly monthly program. Members from the community were...

A note from the author: This is the first part of a series of blog posts discussing pollinators. Check back weekly to read the latest entry. Before you read any further, please indulge me for a moment. Close your eyes and take a few seconds to picture your favorite garden produce. Imagine...

On Friday, April 17, 44 people celebrated graduation from the 2015 Master Gardener training. Master Gardener training began in late January. Training was held in three offices: Champaign (Champaign County), Danville (Vermilion County), and Onarga (Ford-Iroquois Counties). Over the course of 12...