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Solving tomato problems

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable grown in the United States, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. "They are probably one of the easiest vegetables to grow, but no vegetable is problem proof," said...
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Clone Your plants

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Do you have an annual flower in your garden this year that you especially like and want to use again next summer? You might be able to clone it using vegetative propagation methods. I have a coleus plant that I particularly like in...
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Reunion Gardens

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Summer is the time for family and school reunions. Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, suggests taking reunions to another level by starting a reunion garden. "School reunion gardens are...
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Native pollinators are important for our food supply

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator When it comes to pollination, honey bees get a majority of the attention. However, many insects play a role in pollination. What is Pollination? Pollination occurs when pollen grains move between two flowers of the same species, or...
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Fall tips for controlling weeds in lawns and gardens

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Fall is a good time to think about weed control in your lawn and garden. In fact, fall is actually the best time to control some difficult weeds. Many yards and gardens this spring had winter annual weeds such as henbit, deadnettle...
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Midsummer Vegetable Gardens

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Are you enjoying the "fruits of your labor" from your vegetable garden this summer? With proper care, vegetable gardens provide fresh produce well into the fall. It is essential to keep plants watered consistently during the heat of...
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Fresh Tomato Salsa

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Over the past decade, Americans have grown to love salsa, surpassing ketchup as a favorite condiment. While there are many variations, a basic salsa recipe includes tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro and tomatillos. I make...
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Tree Cankers and Vascular Wilts on the Rise

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator As I've written in previous blogs, the droughts of 2012 and other recent weather events continue to take a toll on tree health. Trees can take three to five years to show symptoms from a severe event such as drought. Unfortunately...
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Bizarre oak leaf damage

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Every year I get questions about bizarre oak leaf damage that most people think is caused by a terrible insect infestation. Although some insects feed on oak trees, often the samples I see have a condition called Oak Tatters. I...
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Don't prune oaks now?

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Oak trees are majestic, but some are in danger of a disease. One of the best ways to protect oak trees is to prune them at the proper time. You have probably heard that it is not wise to prune oak trees during the active growing...
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