University of Illinois Extension
MACOMB, Ill. — It seems like every social media exchange where the topic of ticks or possums comes up, I see a meme or photo glorifying the possum and saying they will keep ticks out of your yard. This statement is based on a 2009 study that showed possum grooming led to them devouring ticks…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Roses have been popular flowers for centuries and remain popular today. Their large, showy, often fragrant flowers grace many landscapes. Humans aren’t the only animals that find roses attractive, though. A variety of insects will feed on roses. While Japanese beetles often get much of the blame, they aren’t the only insects…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — Adams Electric Cooperative, University of Illinois Extension and Gem City Electric recently held electricity school for 68 students at Bailey Park. Students ranging in age from 8 to 18 learned about electricity and electrical safety. The students participated in a Scrabble game, watched a bucket truck safety demonstration and five based…
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MILAN, Ill. — The other day, I had the opportunity to chaperone a school group at a local state park. While on the field trip, a volunteer-led the students on a nature hike through the woodlands. At one point during the hike, the group leader grabbed a handful of two plants to share with the…
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QUINCY — The Illinois Master Naturalists program has an impact on forests, waters and people. More than 880 Master Naturalists put in more than 73,000 hours last year removing invasive species, monitoring the health of waterways, raising and releasing monarch butterflies, teaching youths about the environment and investing in the future of our natural areas.…
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MACOMB, Ill. — So you want to move that shrub? I get it. Perhaps that shrub needs to go to a different spot in the yard. Maybe it wasn’t planted in the correct location to begin with. Perhaps a tree has grown tall casting more shade, or a tree has come down flooding the area…
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MILAN, Ill. — As May flowers arrive and we celebrate the arrival of spring, we also turn our attention to Mental Health Awareness Month, a crucial period dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and promoting well-being. During this time, we acknowledge the highs and lows that life can bring, acknowledge the prevalence of…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois is the 20th state to discover the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis). The tick, considered an invasive species, was found on April 12 during routine active tick surveillance in Morgan County as part of an Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) grant-funded active tick surveillance program. Additional surveillance in the area…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Ticks! I can’t stand these parasitic arachnids. I have had far too many run-ins with ticks throughout my life. They seem to find me every year. So far this spring I have found one Lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) attached to me, and I have caught several other ticks headed my way…
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MILAN, Ill. — A few weeks ago, we began a discussion about color. We started with complementary colors, those that are opposite of each other on the color wheel. This week we explore analogous colors. Throughout this color exploration, we might be tempted to think only of floral color but many plants offer color in…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — 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,…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) has been blooming throughout Illinois. Over the years, it has been a popular tree to plant, especially in residential areas. Trees produce numerous white flowers in the spring and have attractive glossy leaves that will turn a brilliant red-orange in the fall. However, they are also becoming increasingly…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — 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 encountered are Virginia…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Adams County Farm Bureau and University of Illinois Extension are partnering to provide a seminar focused on helping women with farm succession planning and navigating USDA FSA farm programs from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, March 26, at the Adams County Farm Bureau, 330 S. 36th. Lunch will be provided by Adams…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Can you hear them? Probably not yet, but soon Illinois will be awash in the songs of periodical cicadas. This year is a big year for periodical cicadas in Illinois, where Broods XIII and XIX will be emerging throughout much of the state at the same time for the first time since…
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MACOMB, Ill. — The recent weather has been mild. As I write, it is currently 75 degrees outside, and I am using all my willpower to stay inside and type out this article. In addition to fighting the urge to clean up the garden, some people have been concerned about how the warm winter weather…
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MILAN, Ill. — In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I want to share one of my great horticulture loves with you … pruning. I love the idea, the exercise, the science and the potential it has for significantly improving the health and longevity of woody plant material. Since trees are large, long-lived plants in our…
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MACOMB, Ill. — You may be wondering, “What does artificial intelligence (A.I.) have to do with gardening?” Let’s say you have a gardening question. Before the internet, perhaps you reached out to your Illinois Extension office for an answer. With the internet, you could search for your question but had to wade through lots of…
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QUINCY — Within parks, streams and native prairies, University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalists serve as environmental stewards in their communities. Master Naturalists in west-central Illinois volunteered more than 460 hours in 2023. Illinois Extension is now opening registration for the next training slated for this spring. The course begins April 3. In a press…
Read Full Article MILAN, Ill. — The internet is a wild place full of an endless amount of information, ideas, opinions, advice, arguments and more. Tangled in this web, it will come as no surprise that my favorite spaces are those that relate to plants. I’ve been known to have many, many pages open in my browser window…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Have you ever seen a lilac bush that only blooms at the very top, or maybe not at all? Perhaps you’ve seen or have a forsythia bush that doesn’t bloom nearly as prolifically as it once did. This often happens due to a lack of or improper pruning. When done correctly, pruning…
Read Full Article MACOMB, Ill. — We are only a few weeks into the new year, and 2024 has already brought an actual winter! At least for now. In the prolonged cold of this past week, going outside has been, well painful. Being stuck inside I have gotten so much accomplished. We organized our storage totes, I got…
Read Full Article JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — 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. Insects have developed a variety of strategies to deal with the arrival of cold…
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MILAN, Ill. — With a new year comes and opportunities for a new start… especially in the garden. As we look through seed catalogs and past garden records to develop plans for next year’s planting, crop rotation in an annual garden bed is an important management method to implement. Crop rotation is a cultural gardening…
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MACOMB, Ill. — The holidays are a time of year to refresh and reflect. It brings much-needed time away from the computer, save typing out this article. I am lucky to have a job where I can take extra time off at the end and beginning of the year, and I intend to do just…
Read Full Article December 19, 2024
FRANKIE SAY: MACY FERGUSON-SMITH
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