If you have a vigorous perennial that has been in the garden bed for more than a few years, or it is starting to choke out some other plants and no longer looking healthy, then it may be time to divide. Plants that need to be divided cannot support healthy foliage and flowers. Some perennials like...

1. Adding eggshells when planting tomatoes adds calcium and prevents blossom end rot. Fiction. Eggshells add very little immediate calcium to the plant. Any composter who has added eggshells to their pile know that it takes several months, often more than a year, for eggshells to break down. And...

1. Control grubs in the lawn to eliminate moles and voles? Fiction. A mole’s diet consist mostly of earthworms. This does not mean they won’t eat a grub, but grubs are not their preferred diet. Although mole tunnels can be a nuisance in a lawn setting, most landscape plants are not bothered. Moles...

Fall is the perfect time for little ones to get out in the garden to explore plants at their peak, and even grow their own plant projects in the cooler temperatures. Here are a few ideas to get them outside and appreciating nature. Cut Grass Hair Grow your own grass head, then snip or style the “...

For the last two years, I have been gardening in five-gallon buckets. A team of Extension colleagues from the Horticulture and Nutrition programs are teaching area residents who do not have access to garden space how to grow and their own herbs and veggies. The ‘Garden in a Bucket’ outreach has...

In the heat of summer’s end, vegetable gardeners are often drained by the weeding and watering routine, and ready to put the garden to bed. But fall provides a more comfortable environment and some of the most productive gardening of the year when vegetables are planted in late summer and mature...

The grass will germinate and grow quickly to create a lush, green head. Snip or style the “hair” to keep it looking tidy. Materials: 8 oz white paper cup Potting soil Wheat grass seeds Colored pencils or crayons     1. Poke 3-4 small holes in the bottom of the cup for...

Are you ready to take your butterfly gardening status to the next level and allow some of your beautiful plants to be eaten by caterpillars? Choosing the right plants, some care and voila caterpillars. I am not only altering the habitat of my backyard for the greater good, I will have some more...

While designing a perennial flower bed, remember to add personal favorites, and throw out “garden design rules” that don’t fit your vision. Some of the plants I choose are favorites because they are tough, dependable, and beautiful. blue false indigo (Baptisia australis) Native...

If you are spending more time out in your backyard this week, you may have noticed some of our central Illinois trees are super ugly this spring. Maple leaves have black splotches, sycamore branches are falling to the ground and ginkgoes leaves are sparse and crinkled. All these symptoms are tree...

In this time of social distancing and limited activities, enjoying nature should be made a priority for all who need a bit of stress release. Have you bathed in the forest lately, hugged a tree or had a therapy session with an oak? Forest bathing is Japanese practice of immersing yourself in the...

This week’s gardening task includes planting sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes may be a long crop (4-5 months) but with a gardener’s care, one can have poundage of storable food. Sweet potatoes, a tropical plant, usually need four to five months of warm day and night temperatures for optimal growth....

Tomato plants are warm-season vegetables that should be planted after the danger of frost. For our area that means early to mid-May. Hopefully no one planted theirs before last weekend’s cold snap! Here are some steps to remember when growing your newly planted crop. 1. The first question you...