Illinois has experienced a mild winter for 2024. Dandelions popped up in my yard on Feb. 8. March saw an early bloom for several trees, such as maples. However, even with these early flowers, there is one thing that really makes spring feel like spring — asparagus. Asparagus is one of the few garden crops we grow that is a perennial. Plant it once, and it will come back each spring. Sounds too good to be true? The plant is easy to grow and can be found springing up in backyards around Illinois. So, how can you get asparagus off to a good start and keep it going season after season? Selecting w ..read more

Winning a title such as “Herb of the Year” is something many plants strive to achieve, but few are bestowed this great honor. One must be deemed outstanding for their decorative, culinary or medical use by the International Herb Association (IHA), and be a favorite among gardeners. Yarrow, a perennial plant known for its long season of showy blooms, while also being drought-tolerant, deer-resistant and a favorite of many native pollinators, has been selected as IHA’s 2024 Herb of the Year. While yarrow is not native to Illinois, it is found naturalized on roadsides across the state and is ..read more

’Tis the season for … potlucks? That’s what it feels like during the holidays. Here’s the thing about potlucks — there’s always way too much food, and you must try everything. To top it off, I throw out all the rules when it comes to making food for others to enjoy. I use lots of butter, salt and lard (if the recipe calls for it). And, I imagine, lots of other potluck-goers do the same. We are lucky to live in a time and place where food is in such quantity that we often don’t think twice about throwing away uneaten food. Garbage bags become overburdened with half-eaten cas ..read more

The holiday season comes with tasty food, festive decorations and precious time spent with those dear to us. It also means an array of holiday plants in your home or office, like poinsettias, amaryllis and holly. Quickly check holiday decor off your to-do list with a dependable and unique plant — the holiday cactus. With an element of flair, these faithful blooming plants will always unveil their timely gift of blooms for the holiday season. Notable characteristics of the holiday cactus include flattened stem segments. Often referred to as leaves, these plant parts are known as phylloclad ..read more

When you open that can of pumpkin pie filling or carve into a pumpkin to grace your front doorstep for Halloween, know that it likely came from Illinois. Afterall, Illinois is famous for being the top pumpkin-growing state in the country. After Halloween festivities are over, what happens to the millions of jack-o’-lanterns that need disposed of? While many toss these festive, yet mushy, winter squash into the trash, this adds an immense amount of organic material into the landfill. In a landfill, trash is buried and pumpkins rot in an environment devoid of oxygen, which creates the poten ..read more

With school back in session and a fall chill in the air, gardens will soon be put to rest. This season offers a reminder to plant spring-blooming bulbs now for a colorful parade of flowers come spring. A bulb is any plant that stores its complete life cycle in an underground storage structure. The nutrients in the bulb ensure the plant survives when it is not actively growing. Many bulbs are perennials, growing and flowering in the spring, then entering a dormancy period in summer when they die back to the ground and rest until fall, when new roots develop underground. The best time to pl ..read more

Illinois winters can be long, cold and snowy. While staying warm inside, our appreciation for the outdoors is limited to scenes framed by a frosty windowpane. Consider incorporating plants into your landscape that create dazzling winter interest with their textures, colors and movement. With perfectly placed additions, your cozy view will become a winter wonderland. While often appreciated for their foliage or flowers, many trees and shrubs also have interesting and distinctive bark. Exfoliating bark on a tree trunk captures attention no matter the season, but it stands out most dramatica ..read more

Spring is a great time for planting new trees in the landscape. There is ample rainfall to support the newly planted specimens, and warming temperatures and mild weather motivate many of us to get out in the garden and plant. However, there are some commonly sold trees that fall onto my “do not plant” list. Colorado blue spruce Colorado blue spruce tops my list of trees not to plant. As its name implies, this tree is native to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. It is adapted to the cool, dry climate of the Rockies and its sandy, well drained soils. In Illinois, humid climate and varying soi ..read more

After a long winter, many seek signs of spring – trees blooming against a canopy of bare branches, bulbs appearing from crusted brown earth, and pale blades of grass breaking dormancy in shades of glorious green. One thing this gardener looks forward to is filling the porch and patio containers with annual plant combinations that burst with color as a reminder that warm weather is coming soon. Although bare garden beds cannot be filled yet, don’t discount the season. A small selection of colorful annuals that love the cooler springtime temperatures are available. Cool-season annuals can tolera ..read more

Known for its fresh floral scent and aromatic uses, lavender is an easy-to-grow, beautiful garden addition. Every garden needs this plant. Add it for greater color, texture and scent in your garden. Although there are several species of lavender grown in the world, the most popular is English lavender. A few basic requirements must be followed to ensure it stays healthy and overwinters in USDA Zones 5-8. Lavender requires 8 hours sunlight a day and well-drained soil. Don’t let poorly drained soil stop you from growing this magnificent plant. It can be grown in containers and raised beds with a ..read more