Flowers, Fruits, and Frass 2016

What is that green stuff growing on my tree, and will it kill it? a homeowner wonders. They are lichens, and they are not harmful to your tree but an indication that you live in an area with good air quality. It can be common to see lichens growing on trees in Illinois, but they can also grow on...

Digging and storing cannas URBANA, Ill. - Now is the time to devise a plan for digging and storing cannas, says University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Nancy Kreith."To successfully overwinter cannas indoors, the bulbs should be dug up after the first light frost has killed the top...

Small Garden Pizazz in Gridley University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners start their educational series in Gridley at 2 p.m. on April 23 at the Gridley Public Library with Amy Davis presenting on "Small Garden Pizazz." This program is free to all and no registration is...

Mitigating Winter Damage to Trees and Woody Shrubs workshop Please join the University of Illinois Extension Woodford County Master Gardeners for a hands-on workshop titled Mitigating Winter Damage to Trees and Woody Shrubs on Tuesday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Eureka Public Library. Illinois...

Four Seasons gardening program offers fall series The fall series of University of Illinois Extension's Four Seasons Gardening program, which focuses on environmental stewardship, home gardening, and backyard food production, is underway this month. The first session of the...

URBANA, Ill. – Many Americans only know chestnuts from the famous line, "chestnuts roasting on an open fire," from the 1945 song, "Merry Christmas to You," by Bob Wells and Mel Tormé. Prior to its demise in the first half of the 20th century, the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was one of the...

URBANA, Ill. – Love it or hate it, broccoli is touted as a superfood, offering an array of health benefits. And it's about to get even more super. University of Illinois researchers have identified candidate genes controlling the accumulation of phenolic compounds in broccoli. Consumption of...

Square Foot Gardening Have you ever attempted to grow vegetables with grand visons of fresh produce that would litter your kitchen counter? Instead your broccoli went to the worms, your tomatoes were riddled with disease, or your garden was overrun with weeds....

Companion Planting Workshop Please join University of Illinois Extension Horticulture program in Livingston, McLean and Woodford Counties for a series of workshops designed to teach the community how to grow. The workshops teach both novice and avid gardener's skills to grow...

Originally published by Kelly Allsup on June 21, 2016. Did you know that with minimal investment, you can open a hotel? Insect hotels offer places for beneficial insects and pollinators to survive winter's chill and to nest in spring and summer. You can use them to employ garden warriors...

The University of Illinois Extension would like to congratulate Livingston County Master Gardener, Cathy Montgomery, for being recognized as a 2016 Outstanding Illinois Master Gardener. Retired school teacher turned Master Gardener volunteer; she has continued her life's work of making a difference...

Originally published by Kelly Allsup on December 3, 2016. Start your gardening endeavors this fall by using plant materials (organic matter) that you would normally put on the curb for pick-up. Whether you use the trench, keyhole, mound (also known as Hugelkultur) gardening methods, you...

Large numbers of syrphid, or flower, flies are being seen. They are small flies, usually 1/4 inch or shorter, with yellow and black or brown bands on the abdomen. They hover around your arms when you have been perspiring and land to lap up the sweat. This hovering also gives them the name of hover...

Spring Sweetness: Strawberries Strawberry Facts 1. It takes 15-60 visits from pollinators for one plump strawberries. Adding pollinators to the garden can increase yield by over 500%. 2. Strawberry plants decline in quality and production after a few years so...

One of the most prolific birds of prey seen in Illinois is the Red -tailed Hawk. They are frequently seen along roadsides perched in trees, on light poles, and fence poles. When you see a hawk, you are most likely seeing a Red -tailed Hawk. Red-tailed Hawks are large hawks with rounded wings and...

Woolly aphids typically feed on two hosts during a 1-year period, with most species apparently having to switch hosts. This host-switching occurs in various species from late June to late July, and fuzzy adult females that look like flying lint seemingly drifting on the wind are their means of...

Top Tree Diseases & Insects Workshop Please join University of Illinois Extension Horticulture- Livingston, McLean and Woodford County for a series of workshops designed to teach the community how to grow. The workshops will be sure to teach both novice and avid gardener's...

EUREKA, Ill. – Please join University of Illinois Extension Woodford County Master Gardeners at the Eureka Public Library on September 12 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Whether you want to sit and talk about gardening or ask about a specific issue that you would like them to research, please visit the...

Join the McLean County Master Gardeners to celebrate the 2016 Herb of the Year BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – And the 2016 Herb of the Year is – peppers! The University of Illinois Extension McLean County Master Gardeners are ready to celebrate! Join them 9:30 a.m. on July 16 at the Illinois State University...

One thing I constantly get asked when assisting with the Master Gardener help desks, is "How do I grow grass under a tree?" The answer usually is, "You don't grow grass under trees." It can be very difficult to create a nice-looking stand because most grasses need sun to grow and the roots of...