Register now for the 2107 Illinois Crop Management Conferences. *Jan 18 - Mt Vernon *Jan 25 - Springfield *Feb 1 - Champaign *Feb 15 - Malta For complete details or to register online:...
2017 COMMERCIAL TREE FRUIT SCHOOL WORKSHOPS For current research-based information on growing tree fruits, attend the 2017 Commercial Tree Fruit Schools. Speakers from University of Illinois, Weinzierl Fruit and Consulting, Illinois Cooperative Agriculture Pest Survey Program, and...
Winter has barely started, but it is already time to begin the planning process for starting vegetable transplants. Very hardy vegetables like broccoli and cabbage can be planted outdoors without protection 4-6 weeks before the last average frost-free date, which means transplants need to be seeded...
Most gardeners can relate to the giddy anticipation generated this time of the year when nursery catalogs start filling the mailbox. Aside from all the wonderful nursery stock that inspires oohs and aahs, I spend an equal amount of time studying seed catalogs. I plant seeds for a number of reasons...
Many Americans only know chestnuts from the famous line, "chestnuts roasting on an open fire," in the 1945 song, "Merry Christmas to You," by Bob Wells and Mel Tormé. Prior to its demise in the first half of the 20th century, the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was one of the largest...
Using the term "evergreen" to refer to all conifers can be somewhat misleading. Not all evergreens are conifers, just as not all conifers are evergreen. Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a good example of a deciduous conifer, but you would never refer to as a deciduous evergreen! The...
I harvested squash this weekend and it definitely turned out to be a serendipitous event. I had noticed around mid-summer that several volunteer cucurbit vines were growing around my composting area, of which I decided to leave in place just to see what type of fruit would develop. About a month...
I recently returned from "The Gardens of England" tour coordinated for Illinois Master Gardeners, which included the Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, the largest flower show in the world. Imagine a flower show that encompasses 25 acres and offers an opportunity for...
It is not surprising that the very fine, soft, bright green feathery leavesof Eupatorium capillifolium 'Elegant Feather' (dog fennel) stumps even some plant nerds as to its identification. Well, at least this plant nerd was stumped. At first glance, it appeared somewhat...
