Did you notice people’s lawns getting a little long last May? No Mow May has become a popular way to help pollinators. No Mow May began in the United Kingdom in 2019 as a way to help struggling pollinator populations. The idea is that if people don’t mow their lawns during May, it will allow ‘...

With the arrival of warmer weather in the spring, we start to see signs of new life in our landscapes. Birds begin singing, our landscapes start turning green again, and spring ephemeral plants start to emerge. Among the spring ephemerals in Illinois, one of the most captivating and commonly...

Winter can be harsh, especially with the arrival of snow and sub-zero temperatures. While we often retreat indoors or add a few more layers to avoid cold temperatures, many other critters, like insects, must tough it out outdoors. While they may seem delicate, insects have developed a variety of...

Happy Thanksgiving During this season of appreciation, it is only right that we take time this week to share a few of our gardening-related gratitudes. Each author of Good Growing took a few minutes to contribute expressions of thanksgiving and those are found below, but first a collective...

As summer transitions to fall, our landscapes also transition. The bright-colored flowers of summer begin to fade, and many plants begin to look ragged. Goldenrod and asters often provide much-needed color to the landscape. Another plant that can add color to our landscapes is Tithonia, also known...

As the day lengths shorten, our family has been spending the last fading moments of sunlight on our patio, trying desperately to hang on to summer amid the start of the school year.  During these last moments of daylight, I am reminded of the beauty found at the edges of our landscape. As a...

Mention wasps to someone, and you’ll likely get a negative reaction. Wasps are often seen as scary, angry insects that are dangerous and likely to sting. While some wasps can be aggressive at times, and some pack a powerful sting, they are good insects to have around. They are the unsung heroes of...

Bees are a welcome site in our gardens. Without the help of bees (and other pollinators) pollinating many of our plants, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the myriad of flowers, fruits, and vegetables we have in our landscapes. Despite all their benefits, one bee species may not always be a welcome...

As the days get longer and the temperatures start to warm, we often get the itch to start gardening. On the first warm day of the year, I often find myself thinking I need to be doing something in the garden because it’s so nice out. However, we shouldn’t be in too big of a hurry to start cleaning...

A winter butterfly sighting We have had some warm weather this February, which means it is time to keep an eye out for butterflies! You may be thinking I am in the wrong hemisphere, but there is a chance you can spot butterflies on a warm winter day in Illinois, namely the mourning cloak butterfly...

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...

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 insets we may not have seen or noticed earlier in the growing season. One such insect is the unusual, and to some...

As we approach fall, the days are getting shorter, and the temperatures are starting to cool off. As this happens, we can start seeing changes in the landscape. Many of our landscape plants are beginning to look a little ragged this time of year. While others, like goldenrod and asters, are in...

A tale of two articles Have you read some of the headlines lately concerning monarch butterflies? “Monarch Butterflies are Thriving!” “Monarch Butterflies are Endangered!” Both these headlines (or something similar) recently saturated newsfeeds for Americans. Considering these stories came out...

One of the most exciting times of the year is the first appearance of small flashing yellow lights in the evenings. The arrival of fireflies or lightning bugs, depending on where you’re from, is a sure sign that summer has arrived. Because of...

Now that we’re well into May, many landscapes are full of blooming plants and the buzz of bees. When you think of bees, what comes to mind? Chances are, images of golden-yellow honey bees come to mind. However, there is a lot more to bees than the honey bee. In fact, there are over 20,000 bee...

Winter may be an odd time to write about an insect that we only see during the warmer months of the year. Yet, I can’t help but marvel at the architecture of the baldfaced hornet’s nest, which has been revealed in the canopy of trees after leaf drop. This winter I have seen several baldfaced hornet...

As the days get shorter and cooler, the gardening season starts to wind down, and many of us will begin cleaning up our landscapes for the winter. While cutting back dead plants and raking leaves can make for a clean-looking yard, it may not be the best thing for pollinators and other wildlife that...

As the crisp cool air of fall approaches, you might enjoy warming up with a sweatshirt or cuddling up with an additional blanket, and you are not alone! Many insects and other pests are making plans to move somewhere warm to survive the winter, and often that place is your home. The multicolored...

Milkweeds have become a popular garden plant the last several years. They are most commonly planted to help support monarch butterflies because milkweeds are the sole food source for monarch caterpillars. Milkweeds contain toxic compounds (cardiac glycosides) to deter animals (insects and mammals...

While it may seem like every insect out there is trying to eat your plants, not all the insects you see in your garden are pests. In fact, fewer than 1% of all insects are considered pests, meaning the vast majority are beneficial or, at the very least, benign. While most people are aware of the...

Like a lot of parents right now in the US, we have decided to homeschool our children. Right now, I’m trying to remember what in the heck did I do in third grade? Time to brush up on the reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. Side note, I should probably start a therapy fund for my kids when they...