Important Points! EAB was detected in Peoria and Tazewell counties in 2014. Once a county is added to the quarantine list additional sightings don't need to be reported. IL Dept of Ag would be flooded with these calls. The important find is the first one - after that assume...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Do you tire of mowing grass or want to add more diversity to your garden? Lawn alternatives are a growing garden trend. It seems that every trade show, conference, and symposium I've attended this winter includes reference to various...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Easter is just around the corner. Have you purchased you Easter lily yet? If not, be sure to choose an Easter lily with lots of unopened buds for longer bloom enjoyment. Easter lily history The popular Easter lily is the Christian...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Do you have flowers ordered for your loved one? "Flowers are a great way to communicate your love and affection," says Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of Illinois...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator All weeds are not created equal. Some weeds are much more difficult to manage than others, thus proper identification is important. This is especially true for the ever increasing number of invasive plants that can quickly overtake...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator If you are a regular reader of this column, you know that I love to grow and use herbs. Herbs are easy to grow, beautiful, fun, and rewarding to use. Most of them are as easy to grow as common vegetables. Whether you use them in...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator This seems to be the year of tree diseases, but don't be alarmed. I've seen a lot of diseases on trees this year, but happily most of them are not devastating. The reason for the increase in tree disease this year is weather. Spring...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I have always loved elderberries. As a kid there was an elderberry bush outside my bedroom window. I waited patiently each summer for the first berry clusters to ripen. I'd eat them right off the plant whenever I walked or mowed past...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Once the Christmas holiday is over, the chore of taking down and disposing of the cut Christmas tree remains. However, Christmas tree disposal does not have to be a problem, because there are several environmentally sound recycling...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I have an oak tree in my yard that gets oak tatters every year. I have had a couple oak samples brought into the office with the condition this year, so know it is more widespread than my backyard. If your oak tree looks like...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator University of Illinois Extension and several other organizations answered questions about the emerald ash borer at a recent Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) event. Homeowners, tree care professionals, municipality officials, and more...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator It is that time of year when a cup of hot chocolate and a chocolate cookie hit the spot. In my travels I've seen the tree where chocolate comes from and it always fascinates me. A few years ago a colleague of mine wrote all about...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator A 2014 garden trend as stated by the 2014 Garden Media Group report was called Frac'd Up: A rejection of the neat and tidy. In other words, a messed up garden is okay and maybe even preferable in some cases. I like this...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator My son Derek graduates from University of Illinois this week with a BS in community health so it seemed like a good time to discuss reunion and school color gardens. School reunion gardens are especially nice to do using flowers in...

Japanese Beetle Original article found at http://hyg.ipm.illinois.edu/article.php?id=732 Japanese beetle adults are present throughout the state. In most areas, numbers are low, but there have been reports of locally high numbers. We...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Beekeeping is an increasingly popular backyard hobby. It also fits the growing trend to protect pollinators, which are so important to our food supply. There are many different types of bees. Bumble bees are the only truly social...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Holiday dinners often include the traditional turkey and dressing, pumpkin pie, and more. All these foods include a variety of herbs and spices, which make the food taste great! Rhonda Ferree, Horticulture Educator with University of...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Hornets are one of those insects that many people are afraid of, but they are also very important in our natural world. Extension Entomologist Dr. Philip Nixon summed this up well in answering a recent question about how to kill...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Many different organizations select plants of the year and this year I plan to spotlight them each month in this column. Let's start with the Garden Club of America. According to their website at ...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator The Norfolk Island Pine is commonly sold as a holiday plant. It is sometimes even used as a small indoor Christmas tree. Often the small trees are sold already decorated with little balls and tinsel. Norfolk Island Pines are very...