By Ellen Denler, Extension Master Gardener serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell counties  Thank you to Ellen Denler for sharing her thoughts on "When is A Garden Not a Garden."  Ellen is an Extension Master Gardener and Conservation@Home member. She has a passion for...

Adding flowers that bloom later in the season provides resources to pollinators into the fall.  As they prepare for migration or overwintering, this is a critical season to ensure they have the required resources. Native plants are an excellent way to ensure that the blooms have the necessary...

By Laura Hertz, Illinois Extension Master Gardener serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesIn 2018, I became aware of the importance of native plants after listening to a webinar featuring Doug Tallamy, an entomologist from Dartmouth most known for his books ...

Volunteers from the Fulton County Farm Bureau, Extension Master Gardeners, and Extension Master Naturalists planted close to 200 native plants around the Farm Bureau Building. On May16, 2023, nearly 20 volunteers helped to prepare soil and plant more than twenty-five species of native plants. We...

By Mike McGraw, Extension Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesIn September, 2023, my wife and I were honored to have our yard certified as eco-friendly by the Conservation@Home program. It has been a 29-year journey from “nothing” to a small haven for...

Supporting pollinators has become increasingly important as concerns over pollinator population decline are more evident. The good news is that even small spaces can provide resources for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Container gardens are one solution for growing pollen and nectar...

By Carla Rich Montez, Extension Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell counties   Almost everywhere you look on Brent Fowler’s farm, a restored habitat is visible. But it hasn’t always been that way. Fowler grew up during the era of farm modernization when...

By Jennifer Bass, Extension Master Gardener and Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell counties“It Seemed the Natural Thing to Do!”When I was growing up, I lived on a farm with a large yard and two wonderful timbers. My mother had many flower beds with some natives...

Effective communication in invasive species management relies on consistent and accurate terminology. Confusion is a problem when terms are not clearly defined. Agreeing on terminology helps to clearly communicate so that everyone can understand what invasive species are and why there is concern...

By Ella Maxwell, Extension Master Gardener serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell counties The temperatures this spring have been up and down which forced some of the earliest flowering plants to begin blooming at least two weeks earlier than normal in my garden. My winter aconite and...

Pollinators are an important part of healthy ecosystems. There are a few easy steps you can take to help support pollinators in your landscape.   Provide diverse nectar and pollen resources Native plants are a good source of nectar and pollen that...

By Ellen Denler, Extension Master Gardener, serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell countiesMy husband John and I live in the house in which I grew up. The original part of the house was built in 1878 and has had five generations of my family living here. Located on a corner lot (105' X 55') in...

Winter sowing is a cost-effective and low maintenance way of starting plants for the garden. The creator of the winter sowing method, Trudi Davidoff puts it in simple terms, "starting plants outdoors, in winter." Winter sowing works with nature to prepare seeds for growth by providing the proper...

By Jeff and Nancy Staecker, Extension Master Naturalists serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell counties Over the last 20 years we’ve lost billions of birds – birds that are both beautiful and play critical roles in the environment… such as eating pests. We do not know all the complex...

Some plants don't seem to play well with others. In particular, a few plants release chemicals to try to keep other plants from growing too near. This botanical war tactic is known as allelopathy. Black walnuts (Juglans nigra) are one of the best-known allelopathic plants. Black...