Blogs

Recycle or Repurpose your Christmas Tree

January 6, 2020

Just about now, you can see once-fresh Christmas trees sitting in yards or by curbs, waiting for the assigned pick-up date to be collected and mulched. This is one way to be sure your holiday tree gets recycled to the benefit of the environment. (And, if available in your area, be sure to mark your...

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New Year, New Yard: Making plans for your landscape in 2020

January 3, 2020

It is now the year 2020. It seems like everyone agrees, saying year “twenty-twenty”, feels so strange. As if we have arrived in a future we’ve only seen in movies and the Jetsons. As we were preparing for a New Year’s party, my six-year-old asked “Why is New Year’s such a big deal?” I explained,...

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Christmas trees leaning against wooden pallets in a snow covered field

Christmas Trees After the Holidays

December 24, 2019

All good things must come to an end. Once the Christmas holiday, or in some cases New Year's, is over, the Christmas tree will need to come down. Instead of hauling off this year’s Christmas tree to the dump right away (or having the city pick it up), consider repurposing it in your landscape. One...

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Pick the Christmas Tree Right for You - Artificial vs. Real

December 9, 2019

Last week, I shared some tips for selecting a fresh, or “real,” Christmas tree. However, that is just one choice out there. Each year, households across America debate the decision of real vs. artificial for the family Christmas tree. Key points may include tradition, aesthetics, and, more recently...

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Selecting Your Christmas Tree

December 2, 2019

With Thanksgiving last week, holiday tree shopping – whether you are going to cut your own or visit your favorite lot to purchase your tree – is in full swing now. Some of the common favorites are balsam fir, Fraser fir, Scotch pine and white pine, each having different...

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This young swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) has retained its leaves while the maples on either side have already dropped theirs. Many of our native oaks keep their leaves all winter as young trees.

Why do some trees retain leaves over winter?

November 14, 2019

Not all trees shed their leaves in coordination during fall. You may have noticed that some trees are still holding their leaves this week, and many of those will likely hold them until spring. Each winter, I get a number of questions on this topic as folks ponder the “not-so-deciduous” deciduous...

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Not All Trees Are Good Trees

November 8, 2019

In the world of landscaping, trees are the backbones of the landscape. They are permanent structures that have stately features, shade our homes, provide spring floral displays, and some amazing fall color. There are, however, some trees that just behave badly. You’re likely familiar with maples...

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Winter Dormancy in the Landscape

November 5, 2019

By mid-November, the last of the leaves float down to the ground and the landscape appears stark. All is quiet and nothing is growing as our gardens have been put to bed. Or are they? As I walk outside in the frigid cold, it is obvious my body has yet to adapt to colder temperatures, yet the turf...

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Fall's Frequent Topic Review

October 28, 2019

Fall Colors & Leaves: Three weeks ago, there was only a hint of fall color in the home landscape. In the last week or so, fall color has come a long way. All the red maple cultivars have developed good reds and lots of other trees and shrubs are showing strong yellows and golds...

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Fall Color in Oaks

October 18, 2019

Fall color is beginning to paint tree canopies around central Illinois, making the next few weeks prime time for taking in the beauty. Among our native trees, sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), red maple (Acer rubrum) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum)...

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