Ask questions, get answers for planting season at 2024 Illinois Crop Management Conference
URBANA, Ill. — As the new year begins, crop producers, consultants, and industry professionals already have the year’s crop on their minds. Stay up to date with research updates and opportunities impacting statewide crop production at the 2024 Illinois Crop Management Conference with...
Illinois continues work to improve waterways by reducing nutrient pollution
URBANA, Ill. — The loss of nutrients into Illinois’ lakes, streams, and rivers harms water quality here and downstream all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, NLRS, was established in 2015 and is designed to reduce nutrient pollution in Illinois’...
December program highlights Illinois Centennial Soil Archive Project
URBANA, Ill. — Illinois soils tell both a story and reveal a history of how soils have changed over the centuries. To understand more, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign needs help from residents and landowners. During a free program, ...
4-H youth showcase agricultural excellence at national competition
Louisville, Ky. — 4-H youth headed to the North American International Livestock Exposition to compete in educational contests held as a part of the exposition held Nov. 2-16 in Louisville.
The expo drew more than 27,000 livestock entries from...
Young marksmen aim for excellence
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The best teenage 4-H rifle shooters from Illinois gathered to compete in small bore rifle and air rifle competition at the 2023 4-H State Rifle Shoot held at Central Illinois Precision Shooters on Oct. 8.
The rifle shooting sports discipline involves both precision...
Stay alert for deer behind the wheel in fall
URBANA, Ill. — Deer are more active in the fall and drivers should be cautious when traveling after dark. While accidents can happen at any time of year, most deer-vehicle incidents occur between dusk and dawn during the months of October, November, and December. Drivers should slow down and...
Have a smashing good time composting Halloween pumpkins
CHICAGO, Ill. — Jack-o’-lanterns live a short, scary life. That is unless they are catapulted, hurled, or whacked into a compost pile after spooky season is over.
Green your Halloween by recycling pumpkins after the holiday at one of more than a dozen University of Illinois...
Build privacy with plants for secret gardens
URBANA, Ill. — Plants serve a lot of purposes in the landscape. One of which is to add some privacy. Screening plants can help define and give purpose to a space. Homeowners may wish to screen a particular area or transparency in the landscape, creating interest in what lies beyond.
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Make flowers and memories last forever with drying for design
URBANA, Ill. — A great way to enjoy flowers with family and friends is to harvest and preserve them. The popularity of dried and pressed flowers has turned an old hobby into a renewed interior design and art trend. Who has not pressed that lucky four-leaf clover between a couple of pages of a...
How to grow tropical ginger for at-home spice
URBANA, Ill. — Growing fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs in the backyard can seem like a lot of work, but at the end of the season, the bountiful, tasty harvest is worth it. The International Herb Association named ginger (Zingiber officinale) the...
Want more from your garden? Plant a fall crop of cucumbers
URBANA, Ill. — It’s the middle of summer, and you are looking for a new home project. Did you know it is not too late to plant some vegetable plants? With proper care, many vegetables are easy to grow in a sunny location in your backyard or a container garden on a patio. Take the challenge and...
Elevate your expectations with raised bed gardening
URBANA, Ill. — Whether for convenience or accessibility, raised beds are a popular option for growing fruits, vegetables, or ornamental plants. Raised bed structures elevate the soil, and with it comes a variety of advantages for growing plants.
Using raised beds may allow gardening in...
Orr Agricultural Center’s field day continues U of I Agronomy Days events
URBANA, Ill. — As summer 2023 marches on, so do the events of Agronomy Days at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a season-long series providing practical, research-based information that can improve yield, input management, and...
Answering the call: Everyday Environment team wins national gold award honors
URBANA, Ill. — Responding to the needs of communities across the state is a priority for University of Illinois Extension. In 2020, the natural resources, environment, and energy team members identified the need to provide environmental education...
Care for perennial gardens with 3 proven pruning methods
URBANA, Ill. — Pruning perennial flowers takes a garden from looking fair to well-kept. Deadheading, cutting back, and pinching are all pruning techniques that can keep perennial plants looking well cared for and healthy.
Pruning perennials is a complex topic because different plants...