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Clump of Annual Bluegrass
Read article: Annual Bluegrass, a common garden weed
Annual Bluegrass, a common garden weed
A couple of weeks ago I was working in a food donation garden, prepping raised beds in anticipation of planting early spring crops. Some of the...
Autumn allergies: don’t blame goldenrod bee on yellow goldenrod bloom
Read article: Autumn allergies: don’t blame goldenrod
Autumn allergies: don’t blame goldenrod
As the growing season draws to an end, temperatures cool, woody plants prepare for dormancy, and we enjoy the last blooms of the season. For many of...
Read article: Bermudagrass: You either love it or hate it
Bermudagrass: You either love it or hate it
Unlike the other plants in my garden, turf grass has always struggled to get my attention. Compared to my knowledge of food crops and herbaceous...
Read article: Choose your garden tools to fit your needs
Choose your garden tools to fit your needs
Evidently every day this summer I deemed too hot to work in the garden was just another day for the weeds to celebrate and use their heat-miser...
Read article: Lawn Care and Pollinators
Lawn Care and Pollinators
Greening spring lawns are a welcome sign to many of us, but they are also a sign of yardwork to come for the rest of the growing season.  The desire...
Common poisonous plants of Illinois
Read article: Knowing poisonous plants can save a life
Knowing poisonous plants can save a life
Know which plants are dangerous and protect your family, pets, and animals. There are...
poison hemlock flowers
Read article: Poison hemlock toxicity risk and control
Poison hemlock toxicity risk and control
Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) has received a lot of attention lately, with reports of expanding populations statewide...
Read article: Crabgrass: annual weed, perennial problem
Crabgrass: annual weed, perennial problem
Crabgrass may be an annual grassy weed, but it certainly seems to be perennial problem for homeowners. Preventing it every spring can be done, but...

News Releases

Identify, avoid, and manage troublesome wild parsnip
URBANA, Ill. — I love parsnips. Often parsnips, large white carrot-like root vegetables, are substituted for celery in my soups and stews. The cultivated parsnip that we eat heralds from the appropriately named wild parsnip, Pastinaca sativa. However, wild parsnip is a plant to avoid. The wild...
Grassy weeds becoming more common in lawns
URBANA, Ill. – When confronted with lawn weeds, typically we think of dandelion, creeping Charlie, and violet. These plants and many others are classified as broadleaved weeds, or dicots, and are easily distinguished from grasses which are monocots. Scientists have engineered herbicides that...
Leaves of three? Keep poison ivy out of the home landscape
URBANA, Ill. – Experienced gardeners know where poison ivy is likely to be in the home landscape and newer gardeners will likely learn fast. Without knowing poison ivy is in the yard, it is all too easy to get the oils on your hands and clothing while clearing beds of otherwise harmless weeds...

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