We have been on the typical March roller coaster for weather lately.  We have generally been fairly mild but have gone from a few days around 80°F to some morning lows in the upper 20s.  We have still been relatively dry for the month of March with only 1.54” of rain to date (as of 3/25/...

Plum curculio has been a growing problem in most peach and apple orchards in Illinois. A small weevil, laying eggs inside the fruit, is quite destructive to the peaches and apples. Traditionally, we have diagnosed this problem through the crescent-shaped scar that appears on fruit as a result of...

Much like the rest of the state, the St. Louis Metro East has been on average experiencing warmer winters, yet the coming spring to date hasn’t been following suite.  I’ve noticed the bloom date of snowdrops (winter bloomer) seems to mirror this winter warming trend.  For example, 2018-19...

Sarah Farley and I were privileged to host again the Stateline Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference on Monday, February 19, in Rockford, Illinois. Over 100 attendees and Extension educators and specialists from 4 universities joined us this year for sessions in the fruit, vegetable, and new...

Here in Olney, we have been on the same weather roller coaster as the rest of the state. At my house, we received around 2 1/2” of snow along with sleet and drifting on February 16. In a week we have gone from 70-degree days to 19-degree lows and now back to 53 degrees. Like everyone else, I am...

We have gotten a break from the most intense cold with a fairly mild February overall.  Precipitation has been fairly light so far with only 0.54” of rain in this month bringing our yearly total to 5.82”.  Half of our February precipitation came 2/16 in the form of a light layer of ice...

In the southern region, it is time to get prepared for uncovering strawberries in both annual plasticulture and matted row systems.  When you start checking strawberry growth under covers, what you find underneath is quite different between the two systems.  Straw, the primary cover in...

The active ingredient chlorothalonil (e.g. Bravo, Daconil) is undergoing the registration review process, and the public comment period is now open through January 17 for the EPA’s Chlorothalonil, Proposed Interim...

Illinois producers and agribusiness leaders are increasingly seeking new opportunities to boost local food systems. Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB), Illinois Specialty Growers Association (ISGA) and the Illinois Farmers Market Association (IFMA) are excited to announce the return of the From Food to...

We are testing soil solarization as an effective management strategy for bindweed, a nasty perennial weed, at our Unity site. We know soil solarization can work for control of annual broadleaf and grass weeds, but I have never attempted to control a perennial weed with it. A bindweed-infested bed...