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...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Do you want to "spice" up your meals? Sometimes I'll add flowers to a dull looking salad to add color. Or, sometimes I just eat flowers right out in the garden.
But one very important thing that you need to remember is that not...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Whether or not to water the lawn is a perennial question for homeowners. Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, offers the following advice to help you decide whether to water your lawn this year...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Are your summer outings followed by days of itching discomfort? Knowing more about poison ivy and how it grows might help you avoid rash problems later.
Remember the old adage, Leaves of Three, Let It Be! Poison ivy grows in various...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Summertime brings family cookouts, swim parities, little league baseball, and the ever dreaded mosquito. Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, reminds us that the first step to fighting...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
While driving around Mason County recently I saw acres of acres of peas. Peas are one of my favorite vegetables so this really excited me!
Mason County's irrigated sandy soil grows many different types of specialty crops. In...
