Garden – Jennifer Fishburn

After the garden is cleaned up and put to bed for the winter, it is a great time to give your tools some attention.   Ideally garden tools should be cleaned, sharpened and hung in the correct place after every use.  However, I think most gardeners are like myself, use the tool and be happy that […]

Second place is usually considered to be a good thing. But placing second for the driest August in history isn’t a good thing. With only a few days left in August, the Springfield area had received less than 1/4 inch of rainfall for the month. We need rain! We could ask for a miracle and […]

The most exciting garden event of the summer is picking the first red, juicy ripe tomatoes. This passion is shared with many gardeners as tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables grown in the home garden. I commonly get asked, “What is the best tomato to grow?” The answer will be different for everyone. […]

A collection of 122 different hosta plants, an extension vegetable garden, a Japanese-inspired backyard with bamboo fencing, a low-mow yard and a pond with a waterfall are all features of an upcoming Springfield-area garden tour. Sangamon-Menard Unit Master Gardeners invite you to a Garden Walk on Saturday, June 25, 2 to 7 p.m. Most of […]

The arrival of spring is a sure sign of yellow daffodils, green lawns and garden fresh salad. This spring try growing leafy greens, one of the easiest vegetables to grow. You are sure to enjoy the best tasting salad with greens that you have grown. Spring greens such as spinach and lettuce are easy to […]

Fried okra, collard greens and fresh salsa have become favorite food dishes of junior gardeners from the 21st Century Program, Graham Elementary School. This summer these students nurtured a 484-square-foot vegetable garden at the Illinois Executive Mansion. The garden was started on April 22 by six youth and nine Master Gardener volunteers. The students were […]

After more than 150 years, many Illinois State Fair traditions remain. Since its beginning in 1853, the Illinois State Fair has encouraged the production of high-quality agricultural livestock and commodities through the award of cash premiums. Contests include livestock, agriculture and vegetable products, flowers, Christmas trees, culinary products, textiles, hobbies, dairy products, bee culture, arts, […]

Just a short 15-minute drive northwest of Springfield is a unique roadside market that offers freshly picked sweet corn, a variety of garden-fresh produce and Illinois agriculture products. Seaney Farms, at 10544 State Highway 97, Tallula, is owned and operated by Roy and Beth Seaney. In 1985, Roy moved from Newfield, N.Y., to a 325-acre […]

Sightings of adult Japanese beetles began in mid-June. Since then they have been seen munching on roses, crabapples, lindens, raspberries, apple trees, basil and much more. Feeding on plants generally lasts from mid-June until mid-August. The Japanese beetle, Popilia japonica Newman, is approximately 1/2 inch long and is metallic green with coppery wing covers. The […]

This month, gardeners have the opportunity to explore the backyard sanctuaries of several Springfield private properties. In addition gardeners can enjoy watching the creative transformation of nature into art at Lincoln Memorial Garden. Symphony Garden TourThe Illinois Symphony Guild will host its 21st annual garden tour on Saturday, June 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 […]

Selecting a tree is one of the most important landscape decisions a homeowner will make. Trees should be considered as an investment for the future, since most people move before a tree that they planted reaches mature height. Keep in mind, a properly placed and cared for tree will most likely outlive the person who […]

Illinois, known as the “Prairie State,” has several native plant species. Prior to European settlers in Illinois, 60 percent of the 22 million acres was prairie. Today less than one hundredth of one percent of the original undisturbed prairies exists in Illinois. Some of these original prairies can still be found in pioneer cemeteries, fencerows […]