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Celebrate Arbor and Earth Days

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Arbor Day and Earth Day happen each April. This year Arbor day is April 28 and Earth Day is April 22. Both offer an opportunity for us to step back and enjoy our natural world. Arbor Day was founded about 145 years ago in Nebraska,...
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Rhubarb

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I love rhubarb! Also known as the pie plant, rhubarb is a very hardy perennial garden vegetable that grows extremely well here. Although considered a vegetable, rhubarb is used as a fruit in pies, tarts, cakes, and sauces. Rhubarb...
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Vegetable Planting Dates

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Our abnormal spring temperatures have many folks antsy to begin gardening, but remember that we could still get freezing temperatures. How early you can plant depends upon the hardiness of the vegetables and the date of our last...
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Free Spring Gardening Webinars Announced

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator The spring series of University of Illinois Extension's Four Seasons Gardening program focuses on environmental stewardship, home gardening, and backyard food production. The first session of the series is titled, Growing...
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PERILOUS PEARS by Jason Haupt

Each year I am more distressed by the number of volunteer ornamental pear trees I see growing in fields, roadsides, and other places where they shouldn't be. This is yet another example of a plant that has escaped cultivation and become invasive. Below is an article written by my colleague Jason...
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Help, my Oak tree has weird bumps and growths!

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator We get lots of questions each year about abnormal growths on oak and other trees. These abnormal growths, called galls, can be very disturbing to the people whose plants are affected. Fortunately, most galls affect only the...
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Spring Wildflowers

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I have been enjoying walks through our little woods. Many of the earliest wildflowers are about to perform their annual spectacular show. Woodland wildflowers are beautiful and a welcome sign of spring. Here are some examples of the...
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Control Crabgrass in the Lawn NOW

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator The odd weather patterns over the past few years have played havoc on my lawn. As a result, I now have out-of-control crabgrass in areas of my front yard. Crabgrass is an annual weedy grass that, from a distance, blends into your...
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