So much more to offer than stains!

Title
We have discontinued our stain solution website.
Body

At Illinois Extension, our reputation is built on providing reliable, proven research-based information. It's behind every recommendation we provide, woven into the very fabric of every program, every encounter, and every word we write. Much has changed in the textile world since the Stain Solution website was created. We no longer have the expertise to confidently update the website to reflect those changes. 

We won't promise you something we can't stand behind. You deserve reliable information you can trust. 

Although we've discontinued the Stain Solutions website, there are still thousands of pages of content that can benefit your family, your business, and your communities. We hope you'll explore the many ways we can help you build a better world. When we are able to verify the information about stain removal, we'll begin again, a fresh start to helping you fix life's little hiccups.

 

Enjoy Our Blogs

Flowering Crabapple and Apple Tree Diseases

Our weather continues to put a lot of disease pressure on our flowering crabapples and apple trees due to the cool and wet conditions. The disease that is easily seen right now is Cedar Apple Rust (CAR). CAR is a two-host rust, and right now, it can be seen on the cedars and junipers as a strange...
Finish this story

Flowering Crabapple and Apple Tree Diseases

Our weather continues to put a lot of disease pressure on our flowering crabapples and apple trees due to the cool and wet conditions. The disease that is easily seen right now is Cedar Apple Rust (CAR). CAR is a two-host rust, and right now, it can be seen on the cedars and junipers as a strange...
Finish this story

Another rare, exotic fungal disease!

We've had a busy few weeks a the Plant Clinic, with new boxwood blight confirmations and another exotic, rare disease! We received a sample of a pine branch earlier in May with some blistering on the bark and large amounts of sap exudate. After collecting spores and examining them under the...
Finish this story

Planting Milkweed for Monarchs

For many of us, Monarch butterflies conjure cherished memories of childhood. However, this beloved butterfly once so familiar has become more and more absent from our gardens. Scientists believe a lack of habitat along with colder than usual weather patterns has caused their numbers to drop in...
Finish this story

Handling Children's Conflict

Recently my niece posted a copy of a contract that her father developed when she and her brother were little that set out the rules for playing with Legos.  The contract has 6 (!) segments, with my favorite stating that the contract starts on February 12, 1995, it ends at the year 2002, with a...
Finish this story

The Meaning of Flowers

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Flowers are a great way to communicate your love and affection. Over the years, flowers have developed meaning and are known as a way to convey a special message. Flowers can represent everything from friendship to true love....
Finish this story

The Monarchs Have Arrived

In 2012, the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener volunteers began a restoration of the gardens of the Dana-Thomas House and at the cottage on the west side of the railroad tracks. One of the many projects undertaken was a planting of various native plants in a garden behind the cottage...
Finish this story

Spring for Raspberries

I think the cold wet spring is finally behind us. And when the weather starts getting warmer, the desire for light and airy foods get stronger. Raspberries, among all berries, are just the pop of spring our meals and snacks need. Raspberries are a bramble, which is a prickly vine or shrub that...
Finish this story

Dwarf Tomatoes Save Space

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator This year I am planting a dwarf, determinate tomato in my herb garden. It will take less space and produce as much fruit as I need. And, this makes more room for herbs! Tomatoes are divided into two different types based on their...
Finish this story

Wet spring and cereal rye cover crop... now what?

I have fielded several calls this week pertaining to best harvest methods and potential feed value of quickly maturing cereal rye. Here are a few questions and answers. When is the ideal time to harvest cereal rye? Late boot stage. Cereal rye matures quickly, thus the ideal...
Finish this story
All Our Specialty Websites
The future of farming
Raise healthy cattle for healthy profit
Enjoy evergreens throughout the year
Life is tied to the planet's health
Build a beautiful community
Together we make communities better
Turn leftovers into fertilizer
Create joy in a pot
Be a cottage foods seller
Producing food for a growing world
Keys to managing your diabetes
Be ready before disasters occur
We help you build thriving communities
Powering our needs
Taking good care of our planet
Build a brighter family future
Growing profits
Light a fire this season
Treat yourself to beauty
Healthy foods lead to healthier lives
Illinois is rich in native tree species
Pick a fruit from your backyard tree
Start living well today
Grow new revenue with that land
Herbs add flavor to life
Grow more food at home
Bring the joy inside
Grasses improve the health of our planet
It's a buggy world
Keep Illinois natural areas strong
Healthy lawns help us all
Raising livestock in a changing world
Your source for reliable information
Stay current in a changing landscape
Live a life of joyful purpose
Grow specialty mushrooms for profit
We have one planet
Explore solutions to nutrient loss
Make wise decisions
If your plant isn't happy, find solutions here
Explore all types of plants
Grow and eat this fall delight
Problems of too much or too little
Be a steward of the land
Grow the world's most beautiful flower
Protect your home environment
Big taste in each bite
Soil health impacts plant growth
Emerging news for commercial growers
Creating places for kids to grow
Take measures to avoid ticks
Cook the centerpiece of your celebration
Vaccines save lives
Be prepared for hazardous weather
Start their love of gardening early
eat move save cartoon characters

Eat.Move.Save.

Make healthier choices on any budget. 

butterfly on plant for illinois pollinator

Illinois Pollinators

Pollinators are vital to both plant life and human life on earth.

feeding baby spoonful of food

Feeding My Baby

When is the right time to introduce complementary foods?