Vegetable Gardening

close up of damage from squash vine borer

Squash Vine Borer has arrived

Over the Garden Fence
As the growing season continues, squash vine borer has made its way to the tri-county area. Squash vine borer typically emerges in late June and can decimate entire fields of cucurbit crops in a single season. In this article, you will learn how to identify and control this troublesome pest for...
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recycled jugs and plastic bottles filled with soil and covered in snow

How to try winter sowing

Over the Garden Fence
Winter is a time to stow away your gardening tools, put your gardens to bed, pack away your gloves and dream of warmer weather, counting down the days until you can start planting again…or is it?  What if I told you that now is the perfect time to not just plan your gardens (especially if you’...
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Patience is critical for many garden vegetables

When gardeners talk about tender or warm-loving vegetables, the conversation is not about how caring and affectionate the vegetables are, but how they need warmer air and soil temperatures to get off to a good start. Track temperatures for tender vegetables Tender vegetables are those that cannot...
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Plan your vegetable garden by season or family

The best gardening plans are those that involve family and vegetables that are loved by everyone that seem to magically produce wildly for us with minimal care. As it turns out, how successful we are can depend on the kinds of vegetables we gravitate towards. Growing vegetables that need similar...
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Don't forget about these late fall yard chores

November gardening in the home landscape is always a mixed bag of tasks (and weather). Some jobs are timely and appropriate, and others we may just need to catch up with. Here’s a few to make sure are on your to-do list: Vegetable gardens We have had some pretty cool weather, so end-of-season...
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Gardening chores don't know summer is over

Some of our late summer and early fall garden tasks can take more time than others. Making a “to do” list can help us get them done in a timely manner and not forget anything. (For example, hurrying to get the houseplants in just after dark and before that predicted frost is never fun.) Here’s a...
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There is still hope for the vegetable garden

Many families tend to “give up” the vegetable garden once school starts, yet you do not have to. Vegetables can still be productive for a couple more months, depending on what you have been growing. Certainly, long season crops like tomatoes and peppers, are there now and will continue to produce...
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Be wise when watering

Water is a critical component of a successful garden, but are we watering wisely? There are steps we can take to make sure our plants have enough water while keeping our efforts...
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When can I plant my garden?

2021 gardeners are reporting plant development as much as two weeks earlier than expected. Even the “early asparagus” seems earlier this year. That is a promising thought, though in the back of our minds, we can all remember those late frosts, or even a light freeze, after setting out our vegetable...
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Spring FAQs: Is it time to plant yet?

University of Illinois Extension offices always know when spring is on the way based on kind of questions emailed to our Master Gardener Help Desk. As the weather warms up, the messages increase, and here are two common questions this time of year: Q: How early is too early to...
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Ordering seeds from garden catalogs

January begins the annual flight of vegetable, flower, and fruit tree catalogs to your mailbox (or your email inbox). Depending on your level of gardening, the catalogs may arrive frequently and in mass. It used to be you received a...
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Get your seeds early in 2021

  In 2020, many garden retailers found themselves with empty shelves or running very low on seeds and other common garden items. Like any other industry, future orders are based on previous sales with a projected increase to match sales goals. Seed producers base their production on the...
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Gardening grew in 2020

Everyone recognizes that 2020 has been quite a unique year. Travel has been limited or off the table, school or work may have been moved to home, and since spring, holidays have been celebrated in different ways. One big stress reliever in all of this may just have been the backyard garden and the...
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Vegetable garden tips for after a rain

When it finally rains after a dry spell, it is such a relief and gives gardeners a few days off before the watering patrol kicks in again. Our plants get the dust and dirt washed off, foliage perks up, and if the flowers were on the dry side, foliage colors return to normal. More than just our...
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Watering tips for hot weather

The hot, dry weather we have been getting – and will continue to get – changes how we are going to water the home landscape. Best management practices, or BMP, includes more than just watering (but water is so key to plant survival) and more than just your vegetable plants. Tips for...
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Top 5 early summer topics for gardeners

Master Gardener Help Desk emails have really been different this past two weeks. Our early spring challenges have left and along came the first of our summer concerns in the landscape and vegetable beds. The list turned into more than a column’s worth, so going to hit the big ones this week:...
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Growing tender and warm-loving vegetables

The Illinois Extension Master Gardener Help Desk email inboxes have been busy since gardening season has arrived. The early season questions have tapered off with a new batch questions, including sowing summer vegetable seeds or getting those tomato and pepper transplants. Gardening is weather...
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Planting the first-time vegetable garden

There is clearly an uptick in households interested in planting a vegetable garden right now. Seasoned gardeners may be expanding the size of the existing garden or finally trying new (or new-to-them) vegetables that had not won a spot in the garden before. Others are going to be getting started...
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Answers for Early Spring FAQs

University of Illinois Extension and Master Gardener Help Desk phone lines have seen more action recently, especially when it comes to what can be done outside. Here are a few that may ring a bell for many homeowners: Q:            I am going...
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