Trees

Events

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...
redbud flower
Spring flowering trees and shrubs
Signs of spring are beginning to pop up if you look close enough.  In the last week or so, I’ve noticed harbinger of spring (Erigenia bulbosa...
The weight of winter: snow and ice on trees image of ice on dormant tree branches
The weight of winter: Snow and ice on trees
I write this article as I look out at a snow-covered landscape and give thanks for the warmth of my office. It is during these days that I’m reminded...
Pruning cuts can tell a tale
If you are just dying to get into the garden these days, there is one essential practice that is best done during winter dormancy. Pruning is perhaps...
Tree removal is easier when trees are dormant
Sometimes a tree becomes a hazard This is the time of year I prefer to take down any trees that have died or become a hazard in the garden. I say...
Urban Forest: Not a contradiction but a critical resource overhead photo of a community with low residential buildings and many trees blue sky with a few white clouds
Urban Forest: Not a contradiction, a critical resource
By definition, a forest is a large area of land covered with trees and understory growth. Traditionally, these parcels of land are often imagined as...
Bald cypress tree
One tough tree: Bald cypress
Lessons learned: Bald cypress is a tree to know Don’t you wish you knew then what you know now? Speaking from experience, when I first began...
Extreme winter cold and plants
Extreme winter cold is something that can keep gardeners up at night.  Since plants are dormant, there is little we can do in the way of plant health...

News Releases

computer screen with plants and flowers on the desk and outside the window. Master Gardener logo.
Kendall County Master Gardener Help Desk opens for 2023
YORKVILLE, Ill. – Spring marks the annual reopening of the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Help Desk in Kendall County. Each growing season, trained volunteers field questions on trees, shrubs, lawns, flowers, vegetables, and other plant-related topics from residents and...
Watering plants
Get Inspiration for your gardens at Spring Series of Home Horticulture
(ROCK ISLAND, Ill.) As spring arrives, gardeners turn their thoughts to their home gardens. University of Illinois Extension is here to help with its annual Spring Series of Home Horticulture offerings on Mondays, April 10, 17 and 24 from 6 to 8 pm at the Holiday Inn, Rock Island, IL. Each night...
A pair of redbud trees in bloom with pink flowers in spring alongside gravel road
Plant trees for every season
URBANA, Ill. – In a landscape, trees accomplish multiple tasks, from shading our homes to being a home for wildlife. They do everything from providing food to conserving water as well as contributing to our health and community well-being. As trees provide physical, environmental, and emotional...
4 seasons gardening winter webinars
Get the dirt on growing healthy plants
URBANA, Ill. – Become a better gardener and find success nurturing plants indoors and out. Learn best practices for home gardening from University of Illinois Extension horticulture educators in the Four Seasons Gardening webinar series that begins...

Staff