Flowers, Fruits, and Frass 2015

Understanding the Life Cycle of Native Bees

Understanding the Life Cycle of Native Bees Most people know that the honey bee is the most economically important insect in the United States because of the pollination services it provides. "However, some of the native bees like leafcutter bees, carpenter bees and digger bees...
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Beekeeping Webinar

Beekeeping for the Backyard Gardener Are you bee curious? Learn what it takes to keep bees in your own backyard! The Four Seasons Gardening program from University of Illinois Extension continues with the second session of the series titled, Beekeeping for the Backyard Gardener....
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Things are Going up with Vertical Gardening

"Vertical Gardening" is the theme for this year's Home, Lawn and Garden Show presented by the McLean County Master Gardeners. Mark Dwyer, director of horticulture for the Rotary Botanical Garden in Janesville, Wis., will speak on the popular garden trend of growing plants up. His presentation will...
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A Coyote Discovery

"A group of University of Illinois Master Naturalists, and employees and volunteers of Parkland Foundation, found a den of coyote pups while clearing out invasive brush in the Letcher Basin," states University of Illinois Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup. The employees used a large brush...
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Confessions of a Reformed Composter by Sandy Mason

Confessions of a reformed composter Composting is a fun way to make your garden growing experience great states University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup. I had to share this article entitled "Confessions of a reformed composter" by fellow Horticulture Educator, Sandy...
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Eureka College Apple Program

Learn to Grow Apples Organically Join us for an enlightening, educational class describing how to grow apples organically in your own backyard. Richard Hentschel, Horticulture Extension Educator, will share his 30 years of knowledge on apple production in Illinois to provide insight on what it...
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Woodford County Master Gardener Training Announced

Would you like to learn about growing vegetables, landscaping, trees, insects or turfgrass from University of Illinois Extension? The Woodford County Master Gardeners want you to join their training program this winter and take you on an amazing garden learning experience to find your inner...
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Debunking Spring flowering bulb myths

Originally published by Kelly Allsup on August 26, 2015. Myths of Planting Spring Bulbs according to University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup. Most gardeners know now is the time to plant your spring flowering bulbs. However before you plant spring bulb myths...
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Come to the Master Gardener Plant Sale in Eureka

Woodford County Master Gardener's Plant Sale "It is time again for the Woodford County Master Gardener Plant Sale at the Eureka Library-May 16 from 8 a.m. to Noon. Stock up this spring with garden favorites like perennials, grasses, annuals, some vegetables, herbs and oddities...
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Home Invading Insect Brown Marmorated Stink bug

Home Invaders Typically on the top of our home invader list in Illinois is Asian lady beetles. Asian lady beetles were released to help farmers with the soybean aphid but instead of overwintering in the cliffs of their native land, they like to invade our homes. If there is a...
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Household Pest Control Through Time by Dr. Phil Nixon

Control of household pests has changed considerably over the last 50 years, both outdoors and indoors. There has been a fine-tuning of methods and products over the years which has reduced exposure to pesticides but may have resulted in an inadvertent increase in some pests. Chlordane came on the...
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Lovely Lavender

Lavender has long been a much-loved blooming herb in the garden and should be planted more for its aromatic and culinary properties states University of Illinois Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup. Lavender has been used for perfumes and essential oils in aromatherapy, cooking and disinfectant,...
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Fall is here.....Time to plant shrubs

Fall is Here...Time to Plant Shrubs "Planting shrubs starting now through mid-October offers many benefits that may outweigh spring planting," states University of Illinois Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup. The temperatures are cool and easier on the plants, so there is less...
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Tree Identification Workshop on October 1st

Tree Identification Would you like to know what kind of tree you have in your backyard? Whether it is an oak, maple or something rarer learn to identify trees with this Tree Identification workshop presented by University of Illinois Extension. Please join us on October 1, 2015,...
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Hummingbird moths

Small mysterious pollinators have been visiting late-summer and fall-blooming plants in our gardens in order to sip nectar, said University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Kelly Allsup. With wings as fast as a hummingbird and long tongues like a butterfly, these small moths hover over...
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Beekeeping Workshop comes to Pontiac and Eureka

The Buzz about Bees! Are you interested in keeping bees? Are you interested in gardening to conserve bees? Are you interested in getting greater amounts of produce from your vegetable garden and orchards? If so, then you should attend the Beekeeping 101 Workshop on October 29...
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Pathogens on Monarchs by Phil Nixon

Pathogens & Parasitoids Reduction in Monarch Butterfly Rearing 1.It is difficult to avoid all parasitoids and diseases as long as caterpillars and their food are collected from the wild. 2.Totally captive-reared insects tend to lose some survival abilities after several generations and adult...
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