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Herbs

Garlic is typically planted in fall by separating bulbs into individual cloves for planting.

Fall Garlic Planting

As the vegetable growing season quickly approaches fall frosts when production screeches to a halt, there is actually one crop that can be planted now in anticipation of next year’s growing season.  Garlic (Allium sativum) is an easy-to-grow bulb crop that does best when planted now for a summer...
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Flowering herbs provide ornamental beauty to the edge of this pollinator garden

Grow herb gardens for more than the kitchen

Herbs are a wonderful garden addition that provide easily accessible, fresh herbs for culinary use. However, I find that herbs are too often overlooked in most garden plans and can really provide a ton of ornamental and ecological benefits as well.  In general, herbs are pretty tough plants and do...
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The smooth and shiny, aromatic leaves of basil provide both ornamental beauty and culinary use.

Basil

Every gardener has several of those go-to plants, the ones that seem to always grow nicely in their particular gardening system, making them a repeated addition over the years.  I just love it when one of these go-to specimens can not only provide ornamental beauty, but an edible harvest as well...
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Wild Ramps

As the local food movement has grown in popularity, an interesting subset of “foodies” have emerged that forage in nature for their dinner.  Many native, wild plants are edible and these folks seek them out in our forests, prairies, and sometimes even our yards.  One plant that is often a target...
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Rosemary

In recent years, herbs have gained a larger presence in my home gardens.  Not only do these plants provide wonderful, fresh garnish for many of our favorites recipes, but they can also be a source of ornamental value as well as great pollinator plants when in bloom.  Many herbs are touted as tough...
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American Ginseng

This week marks the half way point for the 2018 Illinois Ginseng Harvesting Season, which runs from the first Saturday in September through Nov 1.  Did you even know that ginseng grows in Illinois, let alone the fact that there is a regulated harvest of this valuable native plant?  American...
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Aquaponics

As agriculture worldwide continues to advance and innovate in an attempt to feed our ever-growing global population, unique and specialized productions systems are popping up all the time.  One such system, referred to as aquaponics, includes an interesting mixture of plants and aquatic organisms...
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Indoor Herb Gardening

There are few gardening activities available this time of year for those of us with the gardening itch.  Indoor herb gardening is one hobby that not only provides an edible product, but also delivers the human to plant interaction that so many of us need. Recently, I was fortunate enough to tour a...
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Thyme

In recent years, I have become more interested in landscape plants that provide some type of culinary use while also providing aesthetic value to my yard.  Herbs are a hearty group of plants that can fit into most any landscaping, adding beauty from flowers or foliage, while providing an easy to...
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