Integrated pest management

Blog Posts

Managing fire blight at home. Apple tree shoot infected with fire blight. Shot is brown and the tip has curled down forming a shepherds crook.
Managing fire blight in apples and pears at home
Apples and pears are popular trees to grow for people interested in growing their own fruit. However, they aren't without any problems. A variety of...
squash and beans
Grow a more productive garden with a little imagination and hardworking plant combinations
With the spring gardening season beginning, imaginations run wild with gardening possibilities. Some gardeners may ponder the complexities of an age-...
Cover crop growing between corn stalks
What role does soil health have on IPM decisions?
With so many conservation practices focusing on soil health, what impact might those decisions have on your Integrated Pest Management (IPM)...
What praying mantid have I found? Identifying praying mantids in Illinois. Closeup photo of a female Carolina mantid on a tree
What praying mantid have I found? Identifying praying mantids in Illinois
Most people are familiar with praying mantids. These large predatory insects are a common site in the fall, and we often encounter their egg cases (...
Wheel bugs: good bugs with a painful bite. Adult wheel bug climbing from a yellow flower to a brown flower.
Wheel bugs: good bugs with a painful bite
As we transition from summer to fall and the temperatures start cooling off, many of us will be spending more time outdoors. While enjoying our time...
What’s the real deal with cover crops and SCN?
I think it is high time that I write to inform you about my Ph.D. research at Iowa State University where I studied the impact of cover crops on the...
Tips for moving houseplants indoors and overwinter care. A group of houseplants in pots sitting on a windowsill next to a window.
Tips for moving houseplants indoors and overwinter care
As we draw nearer to fall, it's time to start thinking about bringing houseplants back indoors for the winter. Many houseplants are native to...
Managing spider mites in the garden and at home. Dahlia leaves covered in white webbing and red-orange spider mites.
Managing spider mites in the garden and at home
Spider mites are a common pest on many types of plants. The most commonly encountered species is the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae...

News Releases

wild parsnip
Identify, avoid, and manage troublesome wild parsnip
URBANA, Ill. — I love parsnips. Often parsnips, large white carrot-like root vegetables, are substituted for celery in my soups and stews. The cultivated parsnip that we eat heralds from the appropriately named wild parsnip, Pastinaca sativa. However, wild parsnip is a plant to avoid. The wild...
pumpkins and mums near wagon
Holiday favorite gourd is good to go for 2022
Few of us stop to wonder how that slice of pumpkin pie made it onto our plate, but if it weren't for the Illinois pumpkin industry and plant pathologist and Extension specialist Mohammad Babadoost, the classic fall dessert...
digging up invasive plants
Best way to estimate costs for invasive plant removal? Get out and dig
URBANA, Ill. – Plants are designed to travel. They might not stand up and walk, but many plants produce seeds or other bits that can be carried long distances by wind or animals and start growing. While that might be great news for the plant, escapes like these can disrupt natural ecosystems and...
nimbleweed
Grassy weeds becoming more common in lawns
URBANA, Ill. – When confronted with lawn weeds, typically we think of dandelion, creeping Charlie, and violet. These plants and many others are classified as broadleaved weeds, or dicots, and are easily distinguished from grasses which are monocots. Scientists have engineered herbicides that...

Videos

How to Identify and Monitor for Garlic Mustard

Garlic mustard is a high-priority invasive plant that harms native forest ecosystems in Illinois. The first step to removing it is finding it. - Own a forest? Always keep an eye out for garlic mustard along creeks, forest edges, and trails. Identification: Garlic mustard grows over two years....

How to {revent and Remove Garlic Mustard

Garlic mustard is a high-priority invasive plant that harms native forest ecosystems in Illinois. The key to keeping it from taking over your woodland is early detection and rapid response.

  • Prevent it from getting on your land. Clean shoes and tires when moving between properties...
Invasive Garlic Mustard Research Update for Land Managers

Garlic mustard is a high-priority invasive plant that harms native forest ecosystems in Illinois. Researchers from University of Illinois and University of Wisconsin collaborated to test at what growth stage herbicides can be used on garlic mustard and still stop the plants from producing viable...

How to Remove Invasive Garlic Mustard with Prescribed Fire

Garlic mustard is a high-priority invasive plant that harms native forest ecosystems in Illinois. Completely removing garlic mustard requires several strategic approaches over several years.

Prescribed burns in fire-tolerant forest communities can be paired with hand-pulling plants and...

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