Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Rain barrels and rain gardens are becoming more and more popular by those wanting to recycle and conserve natural resources. According to U of I Extension Educator Duane Friend, when we receive rain, a lot of it falls on surfaces...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I am continually impressed and humbled by what our University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners accomplish. Although they all deserve accolades, several of our local Master Gardeners were recently recognized at the 2017 Illinois...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator This year I am planting a dwarf, determinate tomato in my herb garden. It will take less space and produce as much fruit as I need. And, this makes more room for herbs! Tomatoes are divided into two different types based on their...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator The poinsettia is the traditional Christmas flower. It was introduced to the United States in 1825 by Joel Robert Poinsett, first U. S. ambassador to Mexico who obtained plants from the wilds of southern Mexico. The colorful parts...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I'm growing several summer bulbs this year. These include cannas, caladium, and elephant ears. Summer bulbs are summer-blooming plants that have some type of underground storage structure, but most of them don't look like bulbs. The...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Kathy Edwards was one of 36 University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners honored for their outstanding contributions to Illinois' Master Gardener Program. She was named a State Outstanding Master Gardener at the 2017 Illinois...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Last week I noticed an unusually large number of daylily (Hemerocallis sp.) leaves turning completely yellow and dying. Upon closer inspection, I found that they have aphid feeding on the lower stems. Aphids are a soft-bodied insect...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Gardeners have been growing hop as an ornamental vine for many years. Recently, I have seen more hop grown in backyards for home brewing. This is especially popular among younger male gardeners aged 18-34. Hop is a herbaceous...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator I love popcorn! Each year I buy kettle corn at one or more locations along the Spoon River Drive. It is a good possibility that the popcorn I purchase was grown and packaged locally. Mason County, Illinois grows a lot of popcorn! In...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Do you use a lot of garlic in your cooking? If so you might try growing your own. Fall is the best time to plant garlic in your garden. Garlic is a hardy bulb, and thus is best planted in the fall when other bulbs, such as tulips...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Warm temperatures this winter have caused some lawns to green up early. This could impact the timing of various spring lawncare activities, such as seeding, fertilizing, mowing, and weed control. Here are a five turf tips to consider...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator  Master Gardeners are a special group of people who all have a common interest – a love of gardening and nature and the desire to share that knowledge with others. The Master Gardener Volunteer program is a very successful...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator On a recent trip to visit my son Derek in Monterey, California, we hiked among the giant redwood trees in Big Basin Redwoods State Park. It was a rainy day, which enhanced the overall experience. It also brought out a banana slug for...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Our abnormal spring temperatures have many folks antsy to begin gardening, but remember that we could still get freezing temperatures. How early you can plant depends upon the hardiness of the vegetables and the date of our last...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Feeding and watching birds has become one of America's favorite pastimes. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, nearly half the households in the United States provide food for wild birds. The most commonly used birdseed are...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator Each year the Fulton and Mason County Master Gardeners hold a greenery workshop during their last meeting of the year. Attendees bring greenery and other decorations to use in their arrangements. I brought boughs of pine, cedar, and...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator My new horticulture YouTube channel extends my gardening education into another realm of social media. Videos are the latest social media trend, with predictions that 74% of all internet traffic in 2017 will be video. My plan is to...

Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator A team of nine University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educators was awarded an Interdisciplinary State Team Excellence Award at University of Illinois Extension's annual conference in November 2016. The Interdisciplinary...

LAWN MOWING GUIDELINES Sandra MasonState Master Gardener Coordinator

Each year I am more distressed by the number of volunteer ornamental pear trees I see growing in fields, roadsides, and other places where they shouldn't be. This is yet another example of a plant that has escaped cultivation and become invasive. Below is an article written by my colleague Jason...