Cicada-mania has been building to almost mythical levels in 2024. Nearly every story on my news feed references this historic event about to occur in Illinois. Despite the media frenzy, there are still lots of questions about the upcoming cicada emergence. So, I might as well hop on this cicada...
Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), better known as ‘Bradford’ pear, has been blooming across Illinois. Over the years, it has been a popular tree to plant, especially in residential areas. Trees will reach 30 to 40 feet in height and produce numerous white flowers in the spring. Trees also...
Although we have been taught colors since before we began attending school, colors can be challenging. Colors are complicated and there is so much variety it may seem overwhelming. Think of the wall of paint color swatches at the hardware store, and you may recall entire sections are devoted to...
I should not be writing this. The voice in my head says to keep my mouth shut. Yet, the other voice says, maybe someone will find this information helpful. That is after all what we are supposed to do at Illinois Extension, make sure the knowledge and research do not stay locked up somewhere, but...
With the arrival of warmer weather in the spring, we start to see signs of new life in our landscapes. Birds begin singing, our landscapes start turning green again, and spring ephemeral plants start to emerge. Among the spring ephemerals in Illinois, one of the most captivating and commonly...
We live in a fast-paced world. From food to information to travel, what took our grandparents hours, days, or weeks to obtain, we can have in seconds and minutes. Fresh produce and plant material are no different. Carrots, berries, melons, and bananas are available year-round in the local grocery...
So far, the month of February 2024 has been mild. As I write it is currently 75 degrees Fahrenheit (F) outside and I am using all my willpower to stay inside and type out this article. In addition to fighting the urge to clean up the garden, some people have been concerned about how the warm winter...
Can you hear them? Probably not yet, but soon, Illinois will be awash in the songs of periodical cicadas. This year (2024) is a big year for periodical cicadas in Illinois, where Broods XIII and XIX will be emerging throughout much of the state at the same time. This is the first time this has...
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I want to share one of my great horticulture loves with you all…pruning. I love the idea of it, the exercise of pruning, the science of it, and the potential it has for significantly improving the health and longevity of woody plant material.
Since trees are large...
You may be wondering, “What does artificial intelligence (A.I.) have to do with gardening?” Let’s say you have a gardening question. Before the internet, perhaps you reached out to your Illinois Extension office for an answer. With the internet, you could search for your question but had to wade...
