While we associate many plants with the winter holidays – think of the mistletoe carefully hung in the doorway, or the tree festooned with lights and ornaments – no holiday season is complete without my favorite, the bright and festive poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). It is interesting...
Are you searching for a unique gift? Do you know someone who would rather be outside in their garden than anywhere else? The University of Illinois Extension Office in Vermilion County will be holding Master Gardener Training Classes starting in January 2016. Master Gardeners are volunteers who...
Nothing says autumn like apple picking, apple cider, caramel apples, bobbing for apples; apple pie…the list is as endless as the varieties. So where did our love of apples come from? According to the United States Apple Association the crabapple is...
Warning: this is not a story about prince charming, a fancy ball, or dazzling glass slippers. But, it does include a big, beautiful pumpkin. In early June, a big, fuzzy, vine popped up alongside our cornfield. My husband was courteous to mow around it so we could get a better look. After...
After much anticipation, tomato season is finally here but something has been devouring the leaves on your tomato plant and even taken bites out of the green tomatoes. Looking for the culprit you see an enormous alien-looking green caterpillar with white stripes and red dots down its back.
Tomato...
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...
