Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Recent social media posts suggest using household cornmeal to control garden weeds. Looks simple enough, but does it work?
Cornmeal is simply ground corn that we use in cooking. It is an essential ingredient in cornbread and corn...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Unfortunately, the winter has taken a toll on many plants. Evergreens are especially impacted, many showing significant winter desiccation or even death. The severe cold winter compounded plant stresses already inflicted by recent...
URBANA, Ill. - Watching for the first blooms of spring has always been one of the most highly anticipated activities for nature and plant lovers. But keeping records of events in nature such as bloom time is actually an important scientific endeavor, says University of Illinois Extension...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Earth Day falls every year on April 22. I find that Earth Day is a great time to reflect on our world around us.
You might even try to look at a small piece of our world from a completely different viewpoint. Take dandelions, for...
URBANA, Ill. – Grape vines are a beautiful feature for your landscape that provide both aesthetic and edible benefits, says a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. "Fresh-picked-from-the-vine grapes are delicious," says Bruce J. Black. "The work you put into growing your grapes...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
Spring has sprung, and it is time to get out in the garden. The average last frost date for central Illinois is mid-April. Therefore I wait until about Mother's Day before planting tender plants such as impatiens, basil, tomatoes,...
There is a good amount of planning that needs to go into creating a successful community garden. To help people and organizations build and maintain productive community gardens University of Illinois Extension created the Community Garden Webinar Series. This series takes users through a variety...
URBANA, Ill. – Recipes for homemade weed killers abound on the internet. University of Illinois Extension specialist Michelle Wiesbrook explains why homemade is not always better.
"It's important to keep in mind that anyone can post anything and make it look believable," Wiesbrook says. "All the...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
It's that time of year when trees and shrubs begin popping up at retail sales areas throughout Illinois. Here are some tips to consider as you plan your new woody plant purchases.
The most important choice is what type of plant to...
Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator
The Spring series of University of Illinois Extension's Four Seasons Gardening program, which focuses on environmental stewardship, home gardening, and backyard food production, gets underway this month.
The first session of the...
