Gardeners Corner Fall 2024

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

Five fall tips for cool-season lawn care

September 5, 2024

URBANA, Ill. — As the sun sets on another summer season, lawn care does not stop. When it comes to routine turf maintenance, the late summer to early fall months are critical for cool-season lawns.Cool season lawns are a group of turf species comprised mainly of Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescue. Many Illinois homeowners with a lawn are likely to have a cool-...

Blog articles

A blank checklist on a clipboard next to a pen.

Making a fall gardening checklist

September 24, 2023

The Garden Scoop

Fall is nearly upon us, and while many gardeners lament the end of the growing season, plenty of work remains to be done before winter sets in. I actually enjoy fall gardening tasks as they are a way to end the year with a bang and get all set to hit the ground running in spring. Here is a short...

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a blue spruce dying from absorbing a lawn-applied weed killer

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

August 16, 2024

Good Growing

You sprayed what? Where? There are a few occasions when it is a good thing people can’t read my facial expressions over the phone. One of those situations is when I get a phone call where someone has used a pesticide that is way off-label. By off-label, I am referring to spraying a pesticide...

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News releases

Up close view of light purple berries growing on a green beautyberry plant.

September 16, 2024

Garden into fall with tips, plants built for seasonal design
URBANA, Ill. — Fall can be a surprise when it arrives, but planning for the seasonal transition can keep the garden looking great until frost.Most gardeners can show their success by battling the summer temperatures, sometimes watering twice daily to keep the plants alive. As summer...

September 12, 2022

Stretch out the growing season with fall planted salad greens
URBANA, Ill. – When people think of fall, harvesting salad greens rarely comes to mind; however, late summer is a terrific time for gardeners to begin planting lettuce, arugula, endive, or other leafy greens for salads says Nancy Kreith...

Yellow flower petals and seed heads covered in snow.

October 7, 2024

Consider plants with winter interest in landscapes
URBANA, Ill. — Sitting by the crackling fireplace, wrapped in a cozy blanket inside our homes this winter, the appreciation for the outdoors is limited to the scenes framed by a frosty windowpane. Consider incorporating some plants into the landscape that create dazzling winter interest with...

A green plant with tiny white flowers growing in the ground.

October 14, 2024

The quest of growing wonderberries
URBANA, Ill. — The quest for a new item to add to the garden this past winter led one horticulture educator, Christina Lueking, to grow a summertime berry that might fill a gap after the strawberry harvest fizzled, and before the raspberries matured. An interesting packet of seeds for a plant...

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Gardeners Corner Fall 2024

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

Ep. 151 How to grow and pick the perfect pumpkin | #GoodGrowing