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The Garden Scoop 2017

The Norfolk Island Pine

The Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) is a common houseplant that is often sold around Christmas time due to its Christmas-tree-like appearance.  However, in its native range, it is quite different than the 1-5 ft houseplant we know it as, reaching heights of 150-200 feet...
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Mistletoe

Have you ever heard of a plant with no roots? How about a plant that has no roots in the soil, but rather root-like structures that grow into other plants to steal water and nutrients?  Doesn’t that sound like something right out of a sci-fi movie?  Well, every holiday season, many of us...
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History of the Master Gardener Program

About forty-five years ago, two Extension Educators in the state of Washington met to brainstorm ideas and solve a problem they both shared.  David Gibby and Bill Scheer were both Extension Educators in the Seattle metropolitan area and were looking for ways to handle the overwhelming public...
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Asian Lady Beetles

If you live near a wooded area and have any type of minute crack in the exterior of your home, then you have undoubtedly been visited by a creepy, crawly winter guest over the years.  The Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridi) seeks refuge in rocky bluffs to spend the winter in its...
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High Tunnels

At this point in fall, most of our vegetable gardens are completely done for the season, with the exception of some kale or a few other cold hardy crops.  Wouldn’t it be great to have a way to extend the growing season for a few months and keep enjoying fresh produce?  Many small farmers...
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The History of Squash

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a National Holiday and in that move, solidified our national memory of this plant-based holiday.  The original Thanksgiving occurred several hundred years earlier in 1621.  It was a celebration of the plants produced through successful...
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Fall Color in Conifers

Over the past several weeks, our fall color has peaked here in central Illinois.  The stunning bright red to pink hues of red maple (Acer rubrum) were exceptional this year.  Who could miss the rainbow of color from sweet gums (Liquidambar styraciflua), covering yellows...
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Fall Garden Cleanup and Wildlife

The annual ritual of fall garden cleanup can be a toilsome, yet rewarding task.  After racking up piles and piles of leaves, it is really nice to see some green grass poking through as one last gasp of summer.  Cutting back the old, dead stems from garden beds can create a more manicured...
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amur bush honeysuckle

Exotic Invader, Bush Honeysuckle

This time of fall, most of our native, deciduous vegetation is turning beautiful autumn colors and nearing the annual leaf drop that occurs before winter.  In the next few weeks all of our native vegetation will drop the leaves that have worked so hard to produce energy all year.  However...
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Fall Soil Testing

Fall is an excellent time to reflect on the past growing season and look toward next spring’s gardening opportunities with the lessons from this year in mind.  I often look back with spite on the insects and pathogens that caused problems or ruined crops, but there is one aspect of our gardens...
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Idea Garden Tropicals on the Move

On a cold, dreary day with misting rain last week a group of Master Gardeners met at the Idea Garden, in the University of Illinois Arboretum, for a ritual that has occurred for many years.  Each year, most plants in the “Tropicals Section” of the Idea Garden are removed from the ground and...
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Reaping the Apple Harvest

One of the most glorious aspects of fall is bringing in the apple harvest.  Every year around harvest time I wonder when exactly to pick my apples, which raises some questions.  What does the apple maturity chart say for this variety? Has the weather this year impacted fruit quality?...
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Dawn Redwood: A Living Fossil

Have you ever wondered what the earth looked like when the dinosaurs roamed?  Humans didn’t realize that we have a living fossil among us that offers a glimpse into the past until the 1940s when the dawn redwood tree (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) was “discovered” by scientists in...
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Mums

Throughout the fall season, garden centers are filled with a beautiful selection of mums (short for chrysanthemums).   It is a wonderful time to plant these attractive, fall blooming plants, but some consideration should be given when planting in fall.  Many folks plant mums and don’...
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Cover Crops

It’s beginning to be that time of year again, when our vegetables gardens become less productive and most of the season’s bounty has been realized.  Before you begin to look toward next year’s plans, why not consider planting something for the winter season?  A hard-working cover crop is...
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Keyhole Gardens

In recent years, a new gardening phenomenon has gained popularity in the US, but it gets its roots abroad.  Keyhole gardening is a technique that was developed in Africa, for use in dry, arid climates with low soil fertility.  It has proven to be such an effective, sustainable method of...
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Elderberry

The American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is a native shrub to Illinois and much of eastern North America.  Despite its weedy habit, often growing in natural areas and unmowed ditches, this plant has some remarkable features.  It offers both natural beauty and utility as well...
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Early Fall Color

Do you have a tree that is displaying fall color right now?  Although it may be beautiful, this may be a sign of health issues.  In our area, most trees do not begin to change colors for the season until October.   A branch or two here and there or some yellow leaves in the...
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Plant Your Fall Garden Now!

This time of year, when most vegetable gardens are teeming with fresh produce, it is hard to think about starting additional plants.  However, right now is the perfect time to start a fall garden and extend the growing season until the first frosts of the year, or possibly beyond with certain...
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Our Moon and the Old Farmer's Almanac

This weekend, I will be traveling to southern Illinois for the experience of a lifetime—a total solar eclipse.  The eclipse will occur on Monday, August 21, and will only be viewable in “totality” within a narrow band of approximately 70 miles that extends across the US from Oregon to South...
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