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December Garden Tips

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator GENERAL Clean and store hoses and flower pots. Clean and sharpen lawn and garden tools and store them in a dry storage area. Store leftover garden chemicals according to label directions, out of the reach of...
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Weeds Laws in Illinois

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator All weeds are not created equal. Some weeds are much more difficult to manage than others, thus proper identification is important. This is especially true for the ever increasing number of invasive plants that can quickly overtake...
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Gifts for the Nature Explorer

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Every year I try to provide ideas for those of you who are searching for the "perfect" gift for a gardener in your family. This year I thought I'd focus instead on the nature explorers, though most are also gardeners. As the state...
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The Tough and Durable Ninebark

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I recently removed a larger overgrown, and invasive, burning bush in my yard and replaced it with an elderberry and a couple ninebarks. Trends in the gardening world include using easy to grow, dependable plants with unusual...
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Repair Storm Damaged Trees with Care

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Tree damage is just part of the devastation that severe storms afflicted throughout Illinois. It is important to use proper pruning techniques to help restore these plants' beauty and health, as well as to protect the safety of the...
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Household Pest Control Through Time by Dr. Phil Nixon

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....
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The Incredible Edible Elderberry

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...
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Herbs and Spices

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...
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Facebook Plant Questions

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...
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Fall Garden Tips

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...
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