Gardeners Corner

Gardeners Corner is a quarterly newsletter from the Illinois Extension team of horticulture experts. Each issue highlights seasonal recommendations that will make your houseplants, landscape, or garden shine in any season.

In this issue

Go figure, figs are a great addition to home gardens

Mix it up smart with wildflowers
Wild ginger: A native groundcover for shady gardens

Managing pests in the garden
Provide resources to pollinators in any space with container gardens
Prevent, protect zinnias from powdery mildew
Tips for getting landscape plants through summer
Don’t be stumped by tree problems
Want more from your garden? Plant a fall crop of cucumbers
Grow successful made in the shade gardens

Goodbye to Gardeners Corner

Looking into a row of planted, growing seedling trays under grow lights.

In this issue

Get a jump start on spring by starting seeds at home

Gardening inside with houseplants
From seed catalogs to garden: picking the right tomato seeds
Rotating crops for a more resilient garden

Explore 2025 All-America Selection plant, flower award winners
Root awakening: spring tree tips
A layered landscape provides space for wildlife all year
Keeping outside pests off indoor plants

A group of perennial plants in pots grouped together to overwinter outdoors.

In this issue

Overwintering potted plants

Add these garden tools to holiday wish lists
Candy jar terrariums: A nostalgic take on a holiday gift
Sugar and spice make everything nice
Protect your pets: Keep paws off overwintering indoor plants
Indoor gardening can brighten winter doldrums
From one to many: A beginner's guide to plant propagation

View from the ground of a person pushing a lawn spreader putting on fertilizer.

In this issue

Five fall tips for cool-season lawn care

Making a fall gardening checklist
Pesticide Pitfalls: Common Misuses and What to Do If You've Made a Mistake

Garden into fall with tips, plants built for seasonal design
Stretch out the growing season with fall planted salad greens
Consider plants with winter interest in landscapes
The quest of growing wonderberries

A ruby-throated hummingbird visiting a purple blazing prairie star plant.

In this issue

Gardening for a hummingbird's travels

Provide resources to pollinators in any space with container gardens
To survive the summer heat, choose plants built for the sizzle
Tips for getting landscape plants through summer
Bring birds close to home by gardening for feathered friends
Protect trees and their roots during construction projects
Consider adding periodical cicadas to summer list of favorite ice cream toppings

Periodical cicadas in Illinois in 2024. A black cicada with orange wings and red eyes rests on a green leaf

In this issue

The cicadas are coming! Periodical cicadas in Illinois in 2024

Explore the 2024 All-America Selection flower and vegetable variety winners
Spring into composting by reviving a compost pile after winter
Discover added benefits to planting windbreaks
Six replacement trees for invasive Callery pear
Add a dash of herbs to spice up floral bouquets
Recognizing heat-related warning signs for gardeners and landscapers

In this issue

Bloom in the winter with gift of amaryllis bulb kit

Protect your pets: Keep paws off overwintering indoor plants
Cutting back branches leaves trees with healthier outlook
Did you forget to water your plants? Try low-maintenance succulents
Use weed clues to dig up environmental issues like fertility, soil compaction, moisture issues

Monarch caterpillars crawling around milkweed plants.

In this issue

Butterflies can eat to live, live to eat in a balanced garden

Ideas for youth to explore and connect with nature
Reap the benefits of intergenerational gardening

Build drought-tolerant gardens this fall for next summer’s blooms
Tips for extending the garden’s growing season
Consider pollinators during fall garden cleanup
Keep growing with herbs indoors this fall, winter
Don’t dump Halloween pumpkins, donate or compost them

Gardeners Corner Summer 2023

Go green with eco-friendly lawn care
Reduce storm damage by looking for tree defects before bad weather strikes
Care for perennial gardens with 3 proven pruning methods
Elevate your expectations with raised bed gardening
Want more from your garden? Plant a fall crop of cucumbers
How to grow tropical ginger for at home spice
Make flowers and memories last forever with drying for design
Build privacy with plants for secret gardens
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Gardeners Corner Spring 2023

Grow the best new flower and vegetable varieties with 2023 All-America Selection Winners
Make the most of mulch by choosing from living, synthetic, inorganic, or organic
Grow confidence when choosing seed packets for your garden
Sustainable community gardens benefit local growers, ecosystems, and communities
Plant trees for every season
Plant top annuals of 2023 to create craveable container gardens
Bugged by houseplant pests? Give carnivorous plants a try
What’s in a name? The roots of fruit and vegetable names are long and intertwined
Identify, avoid, and manage troublesome wild parsnip
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Gardeners Corner Winter 2022-23

Protect trees from winter’s wrath with a few preventive steps
Indoor gardening can brighten winter doldrums
Burning local firewood this winter can save forests
Give someone a green holiday season with the gift of plants
Planning a new perennial garden? Plant for the whole garden ecosystem
Fruit trees need an annual trim to bear best fruit