Address health challenges with holistic solutions
URBANA, Ill. — The University of Illinois, along with the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute, and in collaboration with Illinois Extension, has developed...
Butterflies can eat to live, live to eat in a balanced garden
URBANA, Ill. — A favorite thing about visiting gardens in the summer is catching sight of a butterfly enjoying nectar from a brightly colored zinnia or a monarch caterpillar munching on a milkweed leaf. When designing a butterfly garden, expand and balance plant selection to provide more than...
Build drought-tolerant gardens this fall for next summer’s blooms
URBANA, Ill. — Many Illinois gardens are entering the fall stressed from the lack of summer rains combined with scorching hot temperatures. These conditions easily stress some plants; however, many plants quickly adapt to hot, dry conditions. Drought-tolerant plants are not only tough and...
4-H members learns life, career skills at state poultry competition
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Judging contests help kids improve their decision-making skills while teaching them to defend those decisions by giving voice to their reasoning. Poultry judging teaches standards of poultry and egg production to ensure a safe and nutritious consumer product. Youth from...
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. ...
Extraordinary 4-H volunteers honored
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois 4-H empower and prepare youth for success as the program relies on its more than 6,000 volunteers to fill key leadership and mentoring roles. Fifty-three volunteers were recently honored by Illinois 4-H for their selfless dedication to the University of Illinois...
Money management strategies to help young adults achieve financial wellness
College can be an exciting time of self-discovery and growth, but it's also a time to face new financial challenges that produce anxiety and stress. To manage this, it's best to start early to build good financial habits that will ensure a solid future, learn how to make the most of financial...
Institute inspires youth change agents
BETHESDA, Md. — Six exceptional leaders from Illinois were selected to attend the National 4-H True Leaders in Equity Institute held July 10-13. This event aimed to empower and equip youth to become catalysts for change within the Cooperative Extension System.
The 2023 delegation...
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...
Illinois Extension shares expertise in congressional briefing on national nutrition and health
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Fetterman (PA) and U.S. Representative Glenn Thompson (PA-15) joined the Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics on Wednesday, July 19, in the Capital Visitor Center for a briefing on the role of U.S....
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...
5% acidity vinegar is key to safe canning
URBANA, Ill. — There’s a long list of home canned foods that use vinegar as an ingredient, including salsa, pickled vegetables, barbeque sauce, and preserved fruits like apple butter and cantaloupe pickles, as well as canned tomatoes as an acidifier. The vinegar increases acidity, thus lowering...
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...
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...
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...
