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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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Tree Diseases Abundant This Year

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...
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Bedbugs

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...
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White Pine Needle Drop…Good or Bad?

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...
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