ILRiverHort 2015

Japanese beetle adults are above ground eating leaves for about 6 weeks from mid-June into August. After mating and feeding females lay eggs in moist, actively growing lawns. Eggs hatch into large "C" shaped grubs that feed on plant roots. In fall grubs burrow into soil. Next year they form adults...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator If you haven't been on summer vacation yet, the following tips by Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, might be useful as you plan. Most gardens can withstand neglect for a long weekend, but...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Sunflowers are popular. It seems one can find a sunflower on almost anything, from throw pillows to towels to floor mats and rugs. I've also noticed more and more gardeners growing sunflowers for their beauty, their tasty seeds, or...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator If you have trouble growing houseplants, the Mother-in-Laws tongue is for you. The Mother-In-Laws Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata), also known as snake plant, is one of the most durable houseplants and is a plant...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator GENERAL Clean and store hoses and flower pots. Clean and sharpen lawn and garden tools and store them in a dry storage area. Store leftover garden chemicals according to label directions, out of the reach of...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator We've had an increase in bedbug calls to our Extension offices and Master Plant Helplines in recent weeks. The bed bug feeds at night on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals including chickens, cage birds, and other...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator On June 1st my husband Mark and I will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. My Grandma Simmons told me June brides are extra special. I don't know if that is true, but I sure did feel special that day. Certainly, June is a...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Efforts to save the monarch butterfly are everywhere with many people pledging to plant milkweed for monarch larvae to eat. There are two different types of plants you can grow for butterflies: nectar food sources and larval food...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Do you have fairy rings in your yard? After reading this article you might decide that you do. Fairy rings are an interesting situation that is quite noticeable this time of year. Fairy ring usually appears in the lawn as circles or...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Every year I do a Spoon River Drive article highlighting natural items for you to look for while on the drive. In honor of OAKtober, this year's spotlight is oaks. The Morton Arboretum news says oak ecosystems have been a...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Summertime brings family cookouts, swim parities, little league baseball, and the ever dreaded mosquito. Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, reminds us that the first step to fighting...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Landscape edging plays an important role in pulling the landscape together. Edging function is simply, says Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension. "It forms a clean, neat line between planting...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Are plants around your house foundation old, overgrown and in need of a change? Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, provides the following tips for updating your homes foundation plantings. "...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator This year's New Year's Day Rose Parade once again featured many beautiful floats decorated entirely of organic material. I always watch the parade carefully and try to figure out what organic materials are being used. Amaranth is...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Fall is a fun, exciting, and busy time for gardeners. Many gardening activities are done in fall and some can only be done now. Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, says, "Think of fall as the...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Although typically very easy to grow, tomatoes are prone to some problems. According to Rhonda Ferree, extension educator in horticulture, University of Illinois Extension offices are receiving many questions right now concerning the...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I spend a fair amount of time helping people sort through the many garden myths. Today's social media rage spreads information very quickly. Unfortunately it isn't always good information. For example, recipes for homemade weed...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Are you enjoying the "fruits of your labor" from your vegetable garden this summer? With proper care, vegetable gardens provide fresh produce well into the fall. Although we had record rainfall amounts in June, July might be...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Signs of spring are slowly emerging all around us. The grass is getting greener, bulbs are starting to emerge, early flowering plants are blooming, and tree buds are swelling. Even some of the winter annual weeds are starting to grow...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Do your pets eat nibble on your houseplants. If so, Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois Extension, suggests that you should take a good look at your houseplants to assure poisonous ones are not within...