Flowers, Fruits, and Frass 2017

Have you found these fall insect invaders near your home?

Typically on the top of our home invader list in Illinois are the Asian lady beetles," states University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup. It seems this season, there may be another to explore.Asian lady beetles originally released to help farmers with the pecan aphid,...
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Herbs at Heartline Hearthouse in Eureka on August 22

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – University of Illinois Extension - Woodford County Master Gardeners are adding some celebration to their summer with the sweet aroma and culinary delight of herbs from the garden in a program entitled "It's a Culinary Delight!" This program is from 7 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday,...
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2017 Home, Lawn and Garden Day Announced

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – University of Illinois Extension McLean County Master Gardeners would like to invite you to their 15th annual Home, Lawn and Garden Day on Saturday, March 4 at Central Catholic High School. Home, Lawn and Garden Day is a day dedicated to garden fun and is the ideal place to get...
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Rabbits and Richard

Colder weather, frozen soil, fallen and windblown leaves, and later any accumulated snow, all will force rabbits to take shelter and begin to look for food anywhere they can. Once the ground is frozen, rabbits will have fewer places to take shelter or hide. Foraging for food will mean staying a lot...
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Hover flies

Walking in the Illinois State University Horticulture Center garden this week, I see the hover flies (aka syrphid flies or flower flies) are covering any nectar-producing flower in droves. These flies, commonly mistaken for bees are one of our most prolific pollinators in the Illinois garden. In...
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Too much mulch can kill your tree

Around town, piles of mulch are built up like volcanoes around the bases of trees. Perhaps it is because there is extra mulch: If a little is good, than a lot must be great. Perhaps it is an artistic statement. Perhaps it is learned from watching others in the neighborhood. The reasoning...
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Rusty Patched Bumble bee

Honey bees have dominated the news as of late, but I would like to discuss bumble bees, their pollination services and their decline says Univerity of Illinois Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup. We have 50 species of bumble bees in North America. They are social like honey bees. There is a queen...
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How is your soil?

You do not need a soil test to tell you organic matter is good for your garden. Perhaps the biggest landscape mistake is not addressing the health of the soil. With all the soil tests that I have read in the last five years of being an educator, tests find around 1 to 2 percent organic matter....
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McLean master gardeners are awarded by Brittnay Haag

The University of Illinois Extension would like to congratulate McLean County Master Gardeners, Tracy Burr, Carolyn Erwin, Tudy Schmied, Pat Warren, Bob Williams, and Rose Yahnig for being recognized with the 2017 Outstanding State Master Gardener award. The Outstanding State Award was established...
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My First Detector Experience

When I attended the 2015 First Detector Workshop, my horticulture experience conveyed the invasive qualities of burning bush, Japanese barberry and Callery pear. I knew I should not recommend them for landscapes; however, I had not realized they have become a problem in the Illinois wild. I needed...
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Spring Blooms for the Pollinator Gardener

Hoping to add just a few more spring bloomers to the pollinator garden, University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup, suggests the following. Pulmonaria saccharata Bethlehem Sage boasts pink flower buds that turn blue, as they get older on top of attractive...
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Coyotes by Jason Haupt

This week we are going to look at the largest member of the dog family found in Illinois. The Coyote has a poor reputation particularly among farmers. But is this reputation truly deserved? Coyotes are relatively easy to recognize. They are about the size of a small German Shepherd, much larger...
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Should we grow saffron crocus in Illinois?

Originally published by Kelly Allsup on September 15, 2017. Just yesterday, I began thinking about the fall bulb-planting season. I already have designs to plant early flowering spring bulbs for the bees like crocus, snow drops, siberian squill, winter aconite, hyacinths and grape...
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Woodford County Master Gardener Plant Sale in Eureka

Woodford County Master Gardener Plant Sale Coming Soon! Eureka, Ill. – It is time again for the Woodford County Master Gardener Plant Sale at the Eureka Library! The plant sale will be from 8 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, May 20. "Stock up this spring with garden favorites like...
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