Do you toss and turn? Do you wake up stiff and sore? Have you slept better elsewhere? It may be time for a new mattress – and finding the perfect fit requires a test drive.    We ]]> Although summer may be drawing to a close, gardening time is far from over, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. “Fall is the ideal time for some kinds of planting a]]> Often buying a home opens up a bottomless pit of opportunities for projects and improvements. While some homeowners engage in different repairs and fix-ups out of necessity, many others like to freshe]]> Early in the 20th century, Jens Jensen, the landscape designer of Springfield’s Lincoln Memorial Garden, and groups such as the Friends of Our Native Landscape and The Prairie Club, began extoll]]> Ban the beige! That’s the message from designer Genevieve Gorder for do-it-yourself home decorators this fall. The star of HGTV’s popular “Dear Genevieve” makeover show, Gorder]]> Until the end of World War II, most gardeners saved their own vegetable and flower seeds because high-quality seeds were not always readily available. Today, affordable high-quality seeds are availabl]]> The summer growing season has not been kind to gardens, noted a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. “Hot temperatures, dry soils, pots that needed watering two or three times]]> A good place to start reducing your carbon footprint is at home. If you make a few tracks around the house in areas you rarely tread, you might be surprised at what you find and how much you can save ]]> You don’t have to sink a lot of time and effort to create a sea of color in your garden next spring and summer. Flowering bulbs will do the hard work for you over the winter, gardening experts s]]> For a sea of spring color invest now Planting bulbs this fall will pay off in the springBy Vicky Katz WhitakerIt’s apple-picking time! By Jennifer FishburnWhen to save your seedsThings to k]]> What tastes better on a cool fall day than an apple plucked right off the tree? Well, maybe a fresh apple pie, homemade applesauce, or apple butter. This month the fruit is ripening in backyards and c]]> According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, lawn and garden watering makes up nearly 40 percent of total household water use during the summer. One way to reduce outdoor water usag]]> While our landscapes received a good drink of water in September, we need more rain. The most important investment in your landscape is trees and shrubs. Trees and shrubs entering winter without adequ]]> After years of funny financing and few limitations on loans, banks and other lenders have tightened up their lending policies. As a result, homeowners considering a home improvement project might need]]> Testing the soil in a vegetable garden is quickly done, and the benefits are long-term. University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Richard Hentschel said that if the soil is right, gardene]]>