Control of household pests has changed considerably over the last 50 years, both outdoors and indoors. There has been a fine-tuning of methods and products over the years which has reduced exposure to pesticides but may have resulted in an inadvertent increase in some pests....
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
I have always loved elderberries. As a kid there was an elderberry bush outside my bedroom window. I waited patiently each summer for the first berry clusters to ripen. I'd eat them right off the plant whenever I walked or mowed past...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Holiday dinners often include the traditional turkey and dressing, pumpkin pie, and more. All these foods include a variety of herbs and spices, which make the food taste great! Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
As many of you know I use social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, to spread my horticultural messages. For several months I've been posting a plant-of-the-day on my personal and ILRiverHort Facebook Pages during the...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Fall is a fun, exciting, and busy time for gardeners. Many gardening activities are done in fall and some can only be done now. Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, says, "Think of fall as the...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
This seems to be the year of tree diseases, but don't be alarmed. I've seen a lot of diseases on trees this year, but happily most of them are not devastating.
The reason for the increase in tree disease this year is weather. Spring...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
We've had an increase in bedbug calls to our Extension offices and Master Plant Helplines in recent weeks.
The bed bug feeds at night on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals including chickens, cage birds, and other...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Autumn is the time of year when mature white pines annually drop older needles. Unfortunately, this year's wet spring and dry summer have caused problems with many evergreen trees, including white pine. It is important to recognize...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Ameren Illinois workers found a hive a nearly 1,000 honeybees during a recent substation inspection in Pekin. Thanks to the work of their employee, also an avid beekeeper, the hive and bees were safely removed and relocated. A...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Every year I do a Spoon River Drive article highlighting natural items for you to look for while on the drive. In honor of OAKtober, this year's spotlight is oaks.
The Morton Arboretum news says oak ecosystems have been a...
