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College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Illinois Extension

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Horticultural Grilling

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Horticultural Grilling What do plants have to do with grilling – other than eating vegetables? Well, great chefs use many "tricks" to get just the right taste from their grill and many of those tricks involve plants...
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Do Homemade Herbicides Work?

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I spend a fair amount of time helping people sort through the many garden myths. Today's social media rage spreads information very quickly. Unfortunately it isn't always good information. For example, recipes for homemade weed...
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Fairy Rings

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Do you have fairy rings in your yard? After reading this article you might decide that you do. Fairy rings are an interesting situation that is quite noticeable this time of year. Fairy ring usually appears in the lawn as circles or...
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Allergenic Plants

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator If you are an allergy sufferer, spring often brings sniffling, sneezing, and watery eyes. One culprit is pollen from flowers of trees, shrubs, grasses, and weeds. Though most of these bloom for just a short period each year,...
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Lawn Alternatives

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Do you tire of mowing grass or want to add more diversity to your garden? Lawn alternatives are a growing garden trend. It seems that every trade show, conference, and symposium I've attended this winter includes reference to various...
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Garden Structures

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Gardens include much more than just plants. Garden structures add functionality, purpose, and beauty to a garden. However, garden structure terms and definitions can be confusing. Here is a listing of popular garden structures with...
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The Pre-Spring Garden

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Signs of spring are slowly emerging all around us. The grass is getting greener, bulbs are starting to emerge, early flowering plants are blooming, and tree buds are swelling. Even some of the winter annual weeds are starting to grow...
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Burning Bush Becoming Invasive

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Burning Bushes are very common landscape plants grown mainly for their intense fall color. Unfortunately, burning bush are becoming a plant of concern for many of us as we watch it reseed and invade nearby natural areas. I have two...
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Herb Gardens

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator If you are a regular reader of this column, you know that I love to grow and use herbs. Herbs are easy to grow, beautiful, fun, and rewarding to use. Most of them are as easy to grow as common vegetables. Whether you use them in...
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Easter Lilies Signal Spring

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Easter is just around the corner. Have you purchased you Easter lily yet? If not, be sure to choose an Easter lily with lots of unopened buds for longer bloom enjoyment. Easter lily history The popular Easter lily is the Christian...
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College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences Illinois Extension

101 Mumford Hall (MC-710)

1301 W. Gregory Dr.

Urbana, IL 61801

Email: extension@illinois.edu

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