European pine sawfly larvae are present throughout the state feeding on Scotch, mugo, and other two and three needle pines. The larvae grow to about one inch long with dark and lighter green stripes. They have large black heads. Sawfly larvae can be distinguished from caterpillars by having six or...

URBANA, Ill. – All-America Selections is an independent, non-profit organization that tests new varieties then introduces only the best garden performers as AAS Winners., said a University of Illinois. "The AAS Winners offer gardeners reliable new varieties that have proven their superior garden...

Fire blight symptoms were observed on several Callery pears this past week,” says Travis Cleveland, University of Illinois extension specialist. “The symptoms were more severe than those observed during the 2013 growing season.” Fire blight is a bacterial disease that affects rosaceous...

Gardening trends have an underlying theme of bettering the community, improving health and developing an appreciation for the environment and can be seen in statistics for the country as well as our backyards in Central Illinois. According to the National Gardening Association, about 35...

One tradition most people love is decorating their homes for the holidays. Whether impeccably dressing the tree, placing homemade wreaths boasting pine cones and bows on the front door, or buying red poinsettias and blooming Christmas cactus to adorn the mantle, horticulture comes alive during...

Top 5 Facts: The Eyed Click Beetle: Good Bug Alaus oculatus Picture taken by Tony Dorley of Normal 1. Picture Taken In suburban Washington DC in May (Range Eastern United States to Texas) 2. White Spots are “false eyes” and considered...

Garden Schedule Average last spring frost May 10th. January-February Order seeds and garden supplies. Prepare lights and tools for starting seeds. Clean and maintain garden tools. March Frost seed white...

Yes – this news is a gardener's dream come true – for at least the 2014 growing season! All the winter data is in and the experts now say Japanese beetle numbers in northern Illinois will be much lower this year. Many Japanese beetle larvae did not survive the winter – particularly in the northern...

The snow-covered landscape and bitterly cold temperatures are leaving gardeners and homeowners wondering, "Are my plants faring better than me this winter?" Personally, this gardener has been fighting multiple colds, dry sinuses, dry skin and bone-chilling walks from my car to work. From my...

Strawberries are the first fruits of the season, and fresh-picked strawberries from the garden taste better than any berry bought from a store. Plant strawberry plants this spring for ample production and summer fun for your kids next spring. Strawberries can be greatly rewarding and only require...

Barred Owl It takes a watchful eye like that of Master Naturalist, Deeana Frautchi, to get this stunning photo of a barred owl perching on a pine limb. Barred owls, with their soulful eyes, sit and wait for the small mammals or insects they hunt or swivel their head 180 degrees to spy a Master...

Evergreens are always a nice addition to the landscape. They provide a pop of green foliage in the winter when everything else in the landscape is without leaves or winter interest, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. "But these evergreens are more than just for...

Landscape Trends of 2014 How does one predict the landscape design trends of 2014? Well they look at some of the most popular trends of 2013. In the past the landscaping was a row of perennials or shrubs around the foundation of a house, some nice shade trees...

Fresh sun-ripened tomatoes are an essential ingredient in many garden-inspired recipes: pico de gallo, caprese salad and salsa. In these dishes, a store-purchased tomato simply will not do. These tomatoes have been chilled, thawed, stored, handled and potentially sprayed with chemicals. For...

Last spring, Joel Karsten wrote a book called "Straw Bale Gardens" that has taken the gardening world by storm and given growers a new media to grow vegetables, herbs and annuals. The science behind the decomposition of the straw bale is what makes it the ideal growing media for vegetables....

University of Illinois Master Naturalist, Deanna Frautschi reminds us with this image that it is cold out there. Like us, squirrels are active all year long but seek shelter when the winter storms come in tree dens or leaf nests amongst the braches. Studies have shown that squirrels living in dens...

The most common sawfly that attacks needled evergreens in Illinois is the European pine sawfly, which is present as damaging larvae in the spring. Because this sawfly finishes larval feeding at candle emergence, only second- and third-year needles are consumed. The result is that the emerging...

University of Illinois Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup encourages gardeners to collect seeds from milkweeds to add this much needed plant to the landscape for Illinois monarchs. Kelly warns that you may see butterfly enthusiasts along roadsides collecting seeds from coveted weeds and prairie...

The recent news of the declining monarch colonies in Mexico has many Illinois gardeners and schoolchildren worrying about the impact here in Illinois. The butterflies, which spend the winter hibernating in the forests of Mexico, occupied only 1.65 acres in December 2013 –a 44 percent drop from 2012...

For those of you who have never walked the prairies of Illinois in the summer when the silphiums (prairie sunflowers) are reaching for the tallest spot, the milkweeds are teeming with butterflies and the coneflowers are buzzing with bees, you are missing a piece of our Illinois history. For the...