This morning when I walked into my office I was absolutely thrilled to see Hyacinths blooming. The first official day of spring was this past Friday (March 20) and last night we had our first spring thunderstorm. It's exciting to see things begin to wake up and the green come back to the world as...
Dormant bramble care Fertilizing and pruning brambles needs to take place before plants leaf out, which means if you haven't yet done so, now is the time. There are three production "systems" for brambles. One for red and yellow raspberries, one for black raspberries and erect blackberries,...
The March issue of National Geographic magazine has the headline "The War on Science". The article contained describes a number of practices that have been scientifically proven, but which some are skeptical. The magazine asks the question: What's causing reasonable people to doubt reason? Examples...
I'm sitting here writing and the high today is supposed to be 63 can you say I am more than excited? With spring quickly winging its way towards us my brain is already jump starting with ideas for this year's gardening season. Each year I like to try something new or different and experiment and in...
It didn't seem like February would ever end! Too many cloudy days and too many snowy days just didn't sit well with me. I'd much rather endure the cold with sunshine. But spring is on its way (March 20 is the actual date) and the days are lengthening and soon we'll be in the garden planting. Seed...
It didn't seem like February would ever end! Too many cloudy days and too many snowy days just didn't sit well with me. I'd much rather endure the cold with sunshine. But spring is on its way (March 20 is the actual date) and the days are lengthening and soon we'll be in the garden planting. Seed...
In the spring have you ever seen a lilac bush and for some reason maybe there are only blooms at the very top and the sides are barren of flowers or maybe wondered why the poor lilac didn't bloom at all? Maybe the same thing happened to a forsythia bush or any number of other spring blooming shrubs...
There is a song that had been performed by Jerry Garcia (and others) that has some lyrics that described a staple part of the diet for Midwesterners for many years. From the song "Shady Grove" comes the following: Peaches in the summertime, apples in the fall. Fifty years ago, that made perfect...
Don't forget that we'll be providing an opportunity for you to learn about apple and peach growing and pruning this weekend. Saturday, beginning at 9am, at Edgewood Orchards, the Zellerman brothers will talk about production practices and demonstrate proper pruning methods for several tree...
How familiar are you with invasive plants? What exactly is an invasive plant? By definition according to the Illinois Invasive Species Council an invasive plant is "any species that is not native to that ecosystem, including its seeds, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating...
