Gardening Archives - Chronicle Media

How to protect plants from winter salt damage

— February 7, 2021

De-icing salts are essential to winter travel in Illinois and provide necessary safety in a landscape setting by melting dangerous ice on precarious steps, sidewalks, entryways and…

Register now for virtual Home, Lawn, and Garden Day
— January 18, 2021

Join the McLean County Master Gardeners for a virtual gardening event this spring, the 19th annual Home, Lawn, and Garden Day. The event will take place from the comfort of your home…
Add flowers to make your life bloom
— August 7, 2020

“You can have your cake and blossoms too,” was the greeting my friend Janet proclaimed when she arrived for coffee on my deck last week. Carrying a freshly baked Blueberry-Lime…
Growing basil in your backyard
— July 12, 2020

Nothing says summer like enjoying freshly harvested herbs from your garden or patio. “One of the easiest, most prolific, and flavorful herbs to grow is basil,” said Brittnay Haag,…
The role the native Mason bees plays and how to support them
— March 28, 2020

The signs of spring are popping up all around us. Flowers are emerging. The grass is growing. Birds are singing. Soon we will also be seeing the Mason bees emerging from their winter…

During tragedy of pandemic, gardening interests bloom
— January 10, 2021

In a strange and stressful year, many people turned to gardening for respite. Gardening increased 43 percent in 2020, according to a survey conducted by the Minnesota firm Axiom…
Best watering methods for gardens during hot-weather gardening
— July 28, 2020

Every day matters when extremely high temperatures beat down on flowers, vegetables, and lawns. University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Richard Hentschel reminds gardeners…
Cultivate new interests, be creative and lower anxiety while stuck at home
— May 22, 2020

Feeling creative, energized, fulfilled and optimistic during these uncertain days of the COIVD-19 pandemic, may seem impossible if not for hobbies and recreational pursuits….