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Over the Garden Fence

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What Now? - The Last of this Season's Needs

This time of year, getting the gardening “to do” list finished is challenging anyway, and now with our variable weather pattern, it’s nearly impossible. If there is a way to make gardeners feel better, there is a lot of discussion going on that says leaving the garden debris in place has some...
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Woodpile

Feathered Friends and Fireplaces

With fall well underway and winter approaching, helping our feathered friends through the winter and firewood for indoor use are popular topics. Both projects seem simple enough, yet some level of planning is in order to be sure all goes well, so starting early is the best way to go. Feathered...
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Fall's Frequent Topic Review

Fall Colors & Leaves: Three weeks ago, there was only a hint of fall color in the home landscape. In the last week or so, fall color has come a long way. All the red maple cultivars have developed good reds and lots of other trees and shrubs are showing strong yellows and golds...
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What to Do with All Those Leaves

This time of year, we typically would be enjoying a great fall display of reds, oranges, and golds, yet the show seems to have just begun for most trees here in northern Illinois. As soon as we get nights of below freezing temperatures or big winds, it all will be over. The weather and timing may...
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This Weather and Bulbs

We have had our first real taste of cold weather over the last few days. Maybe your tender plants escaped being damaged, but others were not so lucky with the forecasted temperatures in outlying areas of low 30s and even high 20s. This has been a “warning shot” to get any houseplants and tropical...
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Caring for Fall Favorites

Fall is here, and mums and pumpkins are popping up on porches all around us. They are readily available at local garden centers, farmers markets and the big box stores. But, there are a few tricks to keep these treats lasting through the season. For the longest bloom show, purchase mums that are...
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Spread Out the End of Season Work

Our weather pattern continues to be a bit different this year, and it may not be too early to consider the start of fall garden clean up. If you have planted tropical plants out in the yard or in planters, they may be showing the effects of cooler nights, and perennials in the flower gardens and...
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Coring Cures More than Compaction

Homeowners have likely heard of core aeration as a way to relieve soil compaction in the lawn. While that is certainly true, coring has several more benefits for the grass plant, soil profile, microbial activity in the ground, and thatch management. When the soil beneath the lawn is compacted,...
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Mushroom Mysteries 2: Rotting Trunks and Root Systems

Where there is cool, wet weather, there are wood rots. Questions coming in to the Master Gardener Help Desks reflect an increase in concern by gardeners. Spring and late summer/early fall are the prime times for decay fungal growth to be visible as mushrooms of all sizes, shapes and colors....
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Help your Houseplants Head Back Inside

The summer of 2019 has been unique for sure. Yet, one thing we can count on is the need to prepare our vacationing houseplants to return inside for the winter season. For many, we take them outside to let Mother Nature nurture them back to a better state of health, knowing that once back inside,...
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