Fall leaf colors, pumpkins and cool temperatures are all signs of fall. As the temperatures become cooler, leaf color changes will become more dynamic. So, why do leaves turn from green to vibrant red, orange, yellow or purple? Leaf color comes from pigments. There are three pigments that color leaves: Chlorophyll are green pigments. Carotenoids […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
The Grown-ups vs. the Webmasters
Here’s one of the most embarrassing moments of my life: My parents were visiting, and after dinner, we lingered around the table to chat. My son Milo, then 3, entertained himself with a footstool and a canister lid. Sitting on the footstool and holding the lid, he pretended to be driving a car. From his […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Now is the time to take a soil test
The most important test a gardener can take is a soil test. A soil test is used to determine the level of nutrients and pH in the soil. Soil tests can reveal why some plants aren’t growing well in a particular area. Soil sampling can be done any time of the year. However, the ideal […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The challenge of eating on $25 a week
Kris Armour never realized how much she enjoyed spending her afternoon break strolling to Del’s Popcorn Shop and ordering a vanilla-infused soda pop. The treat became such a habit that Armour bought a special Del’s mug entitling her to discounted refills. With that mug, her cola fix cost a mere buck plus change. Last week, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Ornamental kale brightens your fall garden
This is the time of year when flower gardens start to look tired. However there are a few plants that love the cooler temperatures and brighten the fall garden. Chrysanthemums, asters, pansies and ornamental kale are some popular fall selections. Ornamental kale, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, adds a splash of color during the fall and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Take your geraniums with you into winter
Are you sad at the thought that your cheery geraniums will soon fall victim to winter frost? Why not take them inside for the winter? Gardeners have several alternatives, including potting the plants, taking cuttings from them, or storing the plants as bare-root specimens. It’s important to make sure that the plants are vigorous, healthy, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A house full of heartache
It was the early 1830s and Samuel Stevens was a young businessman seizing opportunity in the Northwest Territory frontier. He’d journeyed to what is now the Rochester area from New Hampshire to buy land and build a home for himself and his fiancée. However, his fiancée, Lucetta Putnam, was from a well-to-do family. “We believe […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Let’s plant the town red
Plant recommended perennials and trees this fall. “Plant the Town Red” is the official theme of the AIB beautification effort. There’s still plenty of time this fall to add a splash of red to your spring and summer gardens with dozens of Red Oxford Tulips or Pardon Me Daylilies. Nearly any perennial in your garden […]
Posted inArts & Culture
How a tree likes to be planted
Fall can be a good time for planting trees and shrubs. To increase your chances of success significantly it is important to use proper planting depth, supplemental watering and good mulching practices, says University of Illinois Extension’s Nancy Pollard. As you select a tree or shrub, keep in mind the landscape purpose, available space, soil […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Plant bulbs now for a colorful spring
Bulbs provide a good investment for the money spent and they supply years of spring color in your yard. Fall is the prime time for planting hardy spring-flowering bulbs. Most bulbs can be planted until the ground is frozen. Good soil drainage is essential for raising bulbs. If you have a soil with a high […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Think spring by planting the town red this fall
Regular IT readers are familiar with Springfield in Bloom (SIB), the friendly contest encouraging streetside beautification projects which will be in its fifth year in 2009. Hundreds of neighborhood and business-related projects have been completed during those first four years. The city’s beautification effort, Springfield Green, which has been a partner with Illinois Times in […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Is it safe to eat cloned animals?
Cloning has been controversial ever since Scottish scientists announced in 1996 that they had cloned their first mammal, a sheep they named Dolly. While Dolly lived a painful, arthritic life and died prematurely, possibly due to the imperfections of cloning, industry nonetheless began seeking ways to capitalize on the new technology. Meanwhile, critics bemoaned cloning […]
