Blogs

Maybe this is your first year with a farm-raised cut Christmas tree. Or perhaps you’ve used them for years, but something seems off. Drooping branches, fallen ornaments, and even a few bugs can make you wonder if a fake tree is the better option. Before you switch, let’s look at common issues with...

Plants are amazing energy producers, creating the foundation for our natural ecosystems by capturing the sun’s energy and transforming it into biomass that can be shared with all. From humans to wildlife, this process is essential to all that exists on Earth. In today’s world, filled with...

The splendor of fall color on deciduous trees is a beautiful indicator that winter is coming. In the months ahead, the outdoor landscape will experience freezing temperatures, piles of snow, and an abundance of dormant or dead plants. For the animals left to survive the winter season, the trees and...

Autumn is a time for apple picking, pumpkin spice everything (yes, I’m on that side of the debate), final garden harvests, and tree planting. While April gets a lot of attention for being Arbor Month, let’s consider autumn as another great time to plant trees.Advantages of autumn plantingRegardless...

A few weeks ago, I was exploring a woodland near Springfield and ran across a fuzzy cluster of feeding insects. It was slightly out of reach, congregated in a lower limb of a young black walnut tree (Juglans nigra).While grabbing a nearby stick and attempting to pull the limb down and get a closer...

North America’s largest native tree fruit is ripening in forest understories and home landscapes across central Illinois this week. Pawpaws (Asimina triloba) are an often-unknown fruit tree to many folks, but they offer a delicious, exotic taste that seems more like a tropical fruit...

There are many ways we mark the 'end of summer'. Some refer to the beginning of school or the closing of the pool, while others view Labor Day as the 'unofficial end of summer'. Another way, if you're more entomologically inclined, is the appearance of fall webworm.Fall webworm (Hyphantria...

By  Ella Maxwell, Extension Master Gardener serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesFall is an excellent time to plant a tree.  But what tree to plant? A flowering ornamental tree, evergreen tree, shade tree, native tree, fruit tree, or the "right" tree for you, your...

A recent family trip westward to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks offered a chance to observe the changing landscapes of the Midwest. While Iowa’s familiar fields of corn and soybeans resemble much of Illinois, the transformation across Nebraska—from tallgrass to shortgrass prairie—...

In Illinois, we are very fortunate to have the ability to grow multiple tree fruit crops in our climate. However, we do have quite a few insect and disease challenges to address when reaching for that perfect apple or pear. On a recent trip to the Pacific Northwest region, I was in awe of...