Fall is the season of change. With shades of red, yellow, orange, bronze, brown, and purple scattered through the landscape, Central Illinois becomes a beautifully painted scene.
Deciduous trees, those that lose their leaves every fall, create a stunning fall display as they prepare for winter temperatures. With daylight hours decreasing and the sun lower in the sky, the production of chlorophyll (green pigments) decreases in tree leaves revealing other colorful pigments in a showcase of...
Hostas are among some of the most cherished perennials of all time, creating a lush pallet of bright greens, muted greens, chartreuse greens, variegated greens and creams, and blue-greens. This fall, some are displaying a vibrant yellow lighting up the landscape.
They come in miniature versions to lofting leaves as tall as a small child. Hostas are commonly described as ''fabulous foliage plants" by the industry, but some of their blooms can be exceedingly showy, exceptionally fragrant and...
Sun-loving, season-long blooming, low maintenance, dependable and pollinator-friendly. Sound like a perfect perennial to add to your garden?
Calamint (Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta), selected as the Perennial Plant Association’s 2021 plant of the year, is a garden-favorite of many gardeners. The association votes to showcase a low-maintenance plant with multi-season interest, that’s relatively pest-free, and can be grown in a wide range of climates.
Native to Europe and the...
Originally published by Kelly Allsup on May 7, 2021.
If you didn’t know, we are cultivating invasive trees in backyards and urban settings. Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and Amur corktree (Phellodendron amurense) are outcompeting surrounding plants and invading natural areas contributing to the loss of native species in Illinois.
Understanding what makes them invasive, how to identify and control them while reporting species distribution will allow us to...
For vibrant cut flowers this season, plant summer bulbs like dahlias, gladiolus, and lilies. These summer-blooming tropical bulbs are called ‘tender bulbs’ because they can be killed by our cold temperatures if left outdoors during the winter, or if they’re planted too early in the spring. They do need well-drained soils, but consistent watering.
Dahlias
Dahlias are planted from a tuberous root. Plant outside in full sun after the last frost date for optimal flowering. The taller varieties...
Originally published by Kelly Allsup on April 30, 2021
Whether you have an area around your home that gets full sun or shade, is wet or dry, there is a native shrub option for you. Native shrubs are touted as easier to care for and provide ecosystem services like flowers for pollinators and berries for birds. When planting native shrubs, plant in groups and water during the establishment period.
Full sun but need additional water during drought:
Red twig...
Do you see those beautiful white flowering trees lining the streets and backyards? These delicate white blossoms, made brighter by the months of winter endured, are actually an environmental hazard to the Illinois wilds. Callery Pear season is upon us.
It’s actually the seeds of these flowers resulting in cross-pollinating with different varieties that results in viable seeds, carried by birds to become weedy invaders, even making its way into our forests.
For years the ornamental value of...
When creating a landscape, shrubs make up a large portion of the design. Shrubs are a great way to start building the blue print and creating a framework in you landscape design. Most landscapers plant them in groups and always account for mature size rather than trying to control size with pruning. Here are some tips to add more shrubs and or upstate existing plantings in your landscape this year.
When planting, cut four vertical slits in the root ball of the plant, one inch deep. If...
Anyone can make their holiday season a little more earth friendly with a new family tradition: recycling the tree!
Put it on the curb. The easiest way to properly dispose of your tree, most waste collection programs allow residents to recycle holiday trees by placing them at the curb for pickup to be mulched. Be sure to remove all your decorations first! If this is not available where you live, contact your nearest recycling center. Holiday trees are biodegradable and if you...
As many perennial plants are getting ready to go dormant for the winter, it is time to start thinking about next spring’s floral display and plant spring-flowering bulbs. The best time to plant spring bulbs is late September through October to allow sufficient time for a good root system to develop before winter. Depending on the location, spring bulbs begin blooming in late February (snowdrops) and continue until late June (alliums).
When purchasing bulbs, keep in mind that larger bulbs will...
