Soil

Events

Blog Posts

Corn plant in dark soil
The down and dirty on soil carbon and carbon markets
Interested in joining a carbon (C) market, but not sure what it will mean for your field? With a large, diverse number of companies attempting to...
Tree removal is easier when trees are dormant
Sometimes a tree becomes a hazard This is the time of year I prefer to take down any trees that have died or become a hazard in the garden. I say...
Biodiversity
Microclovers making a comeback as lawns become more diverse
What you need to know Clovers are making a comeback in lawn seed mixes. Today many families want to attract more pollinators to their yards. They...
tiller
What a no-till garden can do for you
Growing up and working in my parent’s garden, I often remember the early spring when the tree buds are opening, the grass is greening up, and birds...
arrows pointing every which way in the lawn
The should’s and should not’s of landscaping
In all walks of life there are do’s and don’ts, but in my world of teaching horticulture a very rare word to use is “should.” I don’t like to use the...
More Seasonal FAQs from the Master Gardener Help Desks
Gardeners have left the warm comfort of the house, and the impacts of winter are very evident as we do that “walk about” the yard and begin to...
composte bins in yard
Save wetlands, use soilless potting mixtures
Peat wetlands are delicate ecosystems that take thousands of years to form. Peat accumulates at a rate of about 1 millimeter per year. When the peat...
Non-native, invasive jumping worms can be identified by a cloudy white band that completely encircles the worm’s body
Jumping Worms Invade Illinois
Each gardening season there seems to be a new invasive species we have to worry about.  Unfortunately, this is the sad reality of our ever-...

News Releases

map of soil lead concentration in Chicago area
Is there lead in your soil? New Chicago-area map tells you
In backyards and community gardens across Chicago, growers tend fruit and vegetable crops as diverse as the city they live in. Most have one thing in common – lead lurking in the soil. Legacy lead, leftover from paint, gasoline, and other sources, lingers in the environment. Lead...
rows of young corn plants growing in sunny field
Illinois Extension to create holistic regenerative ag course
URBANA, Ill. – Illinois’ agriculture industry is rooted in its soil. Now, University of Illinois Extension is continuing to invest in the earth by developing a regenerative agricultural program to bring healthy soil practices to farms and gardens statewide. The North Central Region...
map of chicago area
Be a part of the history of soils in Illinois
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Your land, your soil may have been part of an historical and extensive soil sampling program dating back to 1899 by University of Illinois. University researchers and Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council are looking for...

Videos

Soil, Climate, and Carbon

 

Carbon storage is a hot topic. Some soils contain huge amounts of carbon, mostly in the form of organic matter. Soils also have the ability to store additional amounts of carbon quickly, but can just as easily lose it. Extension Educator Duane Friend discusses why Midwest soils contain...

Staff