University of Illinois Extension
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Valentine’s Day is a time for expressing love and appreciation for others, which is often done by giving cut flowers and, increasingly, potted plants. Whether you’ve received a bouquet of flowers or a potted plant, here are tips that can help you care for them to keep them healthy and attractive as…
Read Full Article 
MILAN, Ill. — Each year, a variety of establishments attempt to make news by predicting annual garden trends. I’m conflicted over these reports because, on the one hand, they are fun ways to see what types of new things are on the horizon. Yet on the other hand, many of the trends are elaborate and…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. — It’s the end of January, and yet I can feel the excitement of the approaching growing season. As the weather teases us with thoughts of the warmth to come with temperatures creeping into the 50s, it is important to note we still have more winter ahead. Even though we still have time…
Read Full Article 
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — As cold weather sets in, we often find ourselves retreating indoors where it is warm. However, our landscape plants can’t do this, and during times of extreme cold, like this recent cold snap, we may find ourselves wondering how our plants will fare. How do plants prepare for cold weather? As the…
Read Full Article 
MILAN, Ill. — It is official, winter is upon us. The holiday season has come and gone, the calendar has turned over to a new year and much of the Midwest is blanketed in snow. On these long winter days, one of my favorite activities to do is to dream about warm summer days. I…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. — After a lovely winter break, I returned to the office with a stack of seed catalogs begging me to order more seeds. Despite having hundreds of seed packets, I find it hard to throw them away. Indeed, my seed collection is busting at the seams. Good thing they are relatively inexpensive. The…
Read Full Article SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), along with the University of Illinois Extension, is hosting certified livestock manager training (CLMT) workshops throughout the state. Two training options are being offered this year: seven in-person workshops and an online training, which will provide Illinois livestock producers the manure management training they need to…
Read Full Article 
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Has this cold, dreary weather been making you wish you could get outside and play in the ‘dirt’? Or perhaps you’re looking for ways to improve your garden soil during the winter. Worm composting, or vermicomposting, is a good way to accomplish both. In addition to producing compost, it’s also a great…
Read Full Article 
MILAN, Ill. — In the heart of the holiday season, the aroma and flavor of peppermint are abundant. For me, this flavor is one of my favorites; it evokes memories of my childhood and is synonymous with winter. From candy canes hung on our Christmas tree to homemade peppermint fudge or the special treat of…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. — Welcome to astronomical winter. Our calendars mark the beginning of winter as Dec. 21 (sometimes Dec. 22) because of where Earth is in its orbit around the sun. Is it too much of a leap to say that gardeners and those who work outdoors are particularly connected to this astronomical event? I…
Read Full Article 
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — During the holiday season, plants often play a central role in our decorations. While poinsettias, Amaryllis, holly, holiday cacti and evergreens receive much of the attention during the holidays, paperwhites also appear in many stores. These easy-to-grow plants with delicate white blooms make them a popular choice for holiday decorations. What are…
Read Full Article 
MILAN, Ill. — Three of my most prized trees are the oaks we planted in our front yard shortly after we moved. They share our front yard with a black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), red twig dogwoods (Cornus sericea), witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) and apple (Malus spp.) trees. Our adopted oaks have become established and have…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. —Thanksgiving is an American tradition. We get together with family or friends to celebrate a successful harvest and recognize what we are grateful for. Thanksgiving has been a part of American culture since the beginning. While Thanksgiving Day is a tradition, millions of Americans will spend an entire weekend with family and friends.…
Read Full Article 
QUINCY — Plat books are a reference tool for landowners and business owners. They serve as essential guides for agriculture, land development, hunting, real estate, utilities, municipal government and more. The latest edition, the 2025 Adams County Land Atlas and Plat Book, is now available with the Adams County Bicentennial logo on the front cover. The…
Read Full Article 
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — As Thanksgiving approaches, many of us start planning our holiday meals. While turkey, cranberries and pumpkins may get most of the attention, herbs also play an important role in our Thanksgiving meals. Herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley and chives provide flavor and a pleasing aroma to our meals. They can also…
Read Full Article 
MILAN, Ill. — As the autumn leaves fall from our trees, the trunk and branching structure become more prominent and visible. This transformation can add new dimensions and interest to a landscape, but it can also draw our attention to tree health challenges we might have overlooked in other seasons. As we observe the trees…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. — If there is one certainty for all humans, it is that we are drawn to natural elements. Two of the best examples are how we can become transfixed when looking at fire or water. Scientists have studied this effect and shown that our brains reduce stress chemicals when we are staring at…
Read Full Article 
MILAN, Ill. — The natural process of trees shedding leaves in the fall is the most visible sign of trees preparing for winter dormancy. Shedding leaves is a tree’s way of self-preservation, reducing plant material that require resources that become scarce during the cold days and short daylight of winter. While the rainbow of colors…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. — Autumn is a time for … life? This may seem perplexing, as we often link fall with plants dying, wildlife migrating and us retreating indoors. However, this is when conservationists managing prairies get excited to sow new life. Managing prairies, forests or wetlands often involves battling nonnative invasive plants via cutting, pulling,…
Read Full Article 
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Annual geraniums (Pelargonium) are among the most popular flowering plants grown in gardens. These easy-to-grow, low-maintenance plants provide color to landscapes from May until the arrival of frost. While they are often treated as annuals, they can be successfully overwintered indoors to be enjoyed again next year. Preparing geraniums for overwintering Geraniums…
Read Full Article 
MILAN, Ill. — During this first week of October, many of the plants blooming in our landscape are mums, asters, goldenrods, sedums and ornamental grasses. But what if your lilac is blooming? A lilac blooming in autumn is unusual unless you have planted one of the new varieties bred to bloom once in the spring…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. — Habitat was once thought of as something outside of town in the countryside. Today incorporating habitat into home landscaping in and around towns and cities has become a top trend across the United States. However, a naturalistic style of landscape design does not always fit our homeowners association covenants, city codes or…
Read Full Article 
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — When it comes to bulbs this time of year, much of our attention is focused on getting ready to plant spring-blooming bulbs, and rightfully so. From crocus and daffodils to tulips and alliums, these plants provide a burst of color early in the year before many of our landscape plants begin blooming.…
Read Full Article 
MILAN, Ill. — The recent turn in the weather has me feeling all the fall vibes. I’m ready for leaves to turn, for pumpkin spice to be in everything, and for sweater weather. Although as a kid and young adult, Halloween hasn’t traditionally been my favorite holiday, but my kids love it which means I…
Read Full Article 
MACOMB, Ill. — Recently, chilly mornings have me grabbing my hoodie before loading the kids into the car for school. Apple orchards are starting to advertise cider and donuts. Mums are starting to adorn front porches. And that smell…could it be? Pumpkin spice! I will continue to lie to myself and proclaim summer still has…
Read Full Article February 20, 2025
FRANKIE AND THE KLITZ: FEB. 20
Obituaries
Current Weather
FRI
SAT
SUN
MON
TUE
