Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
The dreaded Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) continues to cause havoc across Central Illinois. All four of the counties that I cover as a Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension are included in the quarantine area, which...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
I have an oak tree in my yard that gets oak tatters every year. I have had a couple oak samples brought into the office with the condition this year, so know it is more widespread than my backyard. If your oak tree looks like...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Anyone who knows me knows that I love journaling and photography. In recent years I've used those skills as a way to communicate my garden in a different way. By communicating my garden I am able to document its history and share it...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Although typically very easy to grow, tomatoes are prone to some problems. According to Rhonda Ferree, extension educator in horticulture, University of Illinois Extension offices are receiving many questions right now concerning the...
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.
Although we had record rainfall amounts in June, July might be...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Sunflowers are popular. It seems one can find a sunflower on almost anything, from throw pillows to towels to floor mats and rugs. I've also noticed more and more gardeners growing sunflowers for their beauty, their tasty seeds, or...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
You'd have to be living under a rock not to know that pollinator decline is big news right now. I've learned through meetings and other reliable sources that many factors contribute to this decline. Below are some facts I've found...
Home, Yard, & Garden Newsletter article from 6-22-15 Japanese beetle adults are present throughout Illinois. Robert Bellm, Extension Educator, reported their presence in southern Illinois, and Martha Smith, Extension Educator,...
Japanese beetle adults are above ground eating leaves for about 6 weeks from mid-June into August. After mating and feeding females lay eggs in moist, actively growing lawns. Eggs hatch into large "C" shaped grubs that feed on plant roots. In fall grubs burrow into soil. Next year they form adults...
