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What are those spots on my peony? Powdery mildew and leaf blotch

June 16, 2023

Peonies are a common sight in many yards. They are typically grown for their showy blooms in the spring but also have attractive foliage that can act as a backdrop in landscape beds. While peonies are relatively problem-free, a few diseases, powdery mildew and leaf blotch, show up fairly regularly...

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How to grow and care for hollyhocks

May 26, 2023

Good Growing

Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) have been growing in gardens for centuries and remind many of us of our parents’ or grandparents’ gardens. Despite being ‘old-fashioned,’ hollyhocks have had a bit of a resurgence in recent years. Their tall, stately flowers are an impressive sight in the garden....

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Managing fire blight at home. Apple tree shoot infected with fire blight. Shot is brown and the tip has curled down forming a shepherds crook.

Managing fire blight in apples and pears at home

March 24, 2023

Good Growing

Apples and pears are popular trees to grow for people interested in growing their own fruit. However, they aren't without any problems. A variety of insect pests and diseases can plague them. One common and potentially serious disease is fire blight. What is fire blight? Fire...

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What praying mantid have I found? Identifying praying mantids in Illinois

October 28, 2022

Good Growing

Most people are familiar with praying mantids. These large predatory insects are a common sight in the fall, and we often encounter their egg cases (ootheca) this time of year too. But did you know that three different species of praying mantids, the native Carolina mantid and the introduced...

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Wheel bugs: Good bugs with a painful bite

October 7, 2022

Good Growing

As we transition from summer to fall and the temperatures start cooling off, many of us will be spending more time outdoors. While enjoying our time outdoors, we often encounter various insects we may not have seen or noticed earlier in the growing season. One such insect is the unusual, and to...

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Tips for moving houseplants indoors and overwinter care

September 9, 2022

Good Growing

As we draw nearer to fall, it's time to start thinking about bringing houseplants back indoors for the winter. Many houseplants are native to tropical and subtropical climates and, while they may do great outdoors during the summer, cannot tolerate our cold temperatures. When the thermometer starts...

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Managing spider mites in the garden and at home

August 26, 2022

Good Growing

Spider mites are a common pest on many types of plants. The most commonly encountered species is the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae). While we often think of them attacking houseplants,...

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Managing brown rot of peaches and other stone fruit in the garden. Peach fruit infected with brown rot. Fruit is covered in brown fuzzy mass.

Manage brown rot of peaches and other stone fruit in the garden

August 12, 2022

Have you ever gone out to pick a peach only to find they have a large brown, mushy spot? Or perhaps you've brought some peaches home from the farmers' market only to have developed these same spots a few days later. The likely culprit is brown rot. Brown rot (Monilinia spp.) is one of the...

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Managing squash vine borer in the garden

July 15, 2022

Good Growing

There are a variety of insects that will feed on squash. One of the more troublesome, and potentially devastating, is the squash vine borer. If you've grown squash and had a runner or two start wilting, there's a good chance you've had an encounter with squash vine borer. Squash vine borers (...

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Houseplant pests and how to manage them

January 14, 2022

Good Growing

We often don’t think much about insect pests outside of the occasional pantry pest or accidental invader during the winter months. Despite it being the middle of winter, that doesn’t mean our plants won’t have...

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