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Flowers, Fruits, and Frass 2018

cicada killer by deanna frautschi

The big wasps of summer

Cicada Killers and the Great black wasp may have already started menacing gardener. However menacing they are in their façade, they are just simply trying to get some nectar from the flowers. About this time of year, inquiries from the public start to flood Master Gardener ran help desks because...
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Overwintering Tender Plants by Brittnay Haag

Overwintering Tender Plants Indoors Looking to save a little money on plants next spring? Have a plant that is special to you? Finally found the perfect shade of pink annual plant and want to keep it for next year? Now is the time to take action- bring your plants indoors before...
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Already thinking Fall? Add Fall Garden Patch to your calendar!

  PONTIAC, Ill. – After five undoubtedly successful "A Day in the Garden Patch' events hosted by the Livingston County Master Gardeners, we present a new opportunity for the gardening community around Pontiac: Fall Garden Patch because after all, gardening is a yearlong endeavor. This brand new...
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Handmade Succulent Wreaths as Gifts

Homemade gifts can be extra special during the holiday season. This season, give the gift of a succulent wreath. Succulent Wreath Supplies: wreath form, Spanish moss, paddle wire, straight pins, and several succulent cuttings Moisten a sheet of moss in a bucket. Place moss in a...
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Super cool greens

Super Cool Greens! Local Foods and Small Farms Educator, Bill Davison, says "kale is at least 30-40 percent cooler than broccoli." The reasoning behind this prevailing statement is the ease in which it is grown and how ornamental it can be. However, horticulture educator, Kelly...
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The winter view of Trees by Rhonda Feree

Each season brings a different look to the garden, and some plants are uniquely beautiful in winter. Rhonda Ferree, horticulture educator with the University of Illinois Extension says that winter is a great time to see a plant's texture and form—each unique and mystical. "Look for the differences...
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Hoverflies not sweat bees

Originally published by Kelly Allsup on July 20, 2018. 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...
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FOUR SEASONS GARDENING PROGRAM OFFERS 2018 WINTER SERIES

The Winter series of University of Illinois Extension's Four Seasons Gardening program, which focuses on environmental stewardship, home gardening, and backyard food production, gets underway this month. The first session of the series is titled, The Green Pathway to Invasion: Ornamental Invasive...
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Colorado Blue Spruce needs care in Illinois

Originally published by Kelly Allsup on March 20, 2018. Colorado blue spruce's silvery green color and perfectly placed boughs make it one of the most sought-after conifers in the industry. It was first discovered growing in the meadows and by the streams in the Rocky Mountains. Despite...
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Fall Carrots for a Holiday Harvest

Eliot Coleman, author of The Winter Harvest Handbook, says "sweet winter candy carrots are his most acclaimed winter crop." He states "the tastiness resulting from growing in the fall weather elevates the humble carrot to another plane." Many gardeners who have experimented with spring grown vs....
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Snow, Rain, and Onions

I was going to write about preparing the garden bed, but then it snowed. Then I thought I could write about seeding in the snow, and then it melted. This weather has been cruel keeping me indoors. According to the Illinois State Water Survey: Illinois Climate Network,...
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A Day in the Garden Patch

Gardening is celebrated at this year's A Day in the Garden Patch celebration with a focus on native Illinois plants and edible ornamentals. Join Livingston County Master Gardeners on Saturday, April 7 for a morning filled with colorful plants and new gardening ideas just in time for spring.The...
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Going Organic Doesn't Mean Pesticide Free

University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator, Kelly Allsup says managing pests organically is easily achieved with biological pesticides. Becoming organic does not mean that gardeners are without tools to manage garden pests; biological chemicals are commonly available in garden centers...
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Horticulture Trends for a Cheery holiday

Will stringing lights, making door wreaths and decorating the tree truly make you happier? For me, it brings out the nostalgia of childhood, my creative side and allows me to promote the use of horticulture during this season. Whether you are buying a live Christmas tree, poinsettias and...
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Fall is the right time to divide some perennials

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – If your garden has a vigorous perennial that has been in the garden for more than a few years, or it has started to choke out other plants and no longer looks healthy (dead centers, floppy and unable to support healthy foliage and flowers), then it may be time to divide....
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Master Gardener Training Coming to Livingston County

The University of Illinois Extension and the Livingston County Master Gardeners invite those eager to learn about growing vegetables, landscaping, trees, insects, or community and school gardening to join their volunteer program this fall, for a mind blowing garden learning experience. The Master...
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