Champaign County Master Gardener and Horticulture Program

06/18/2026

Garden Walk 2026 is just DAYS away and there's still time to get tickets! In fact, you can buy tickets as late as the day of the event by visiting go.illinois.edu/GWtickets

Don't have time for the full day? You can still enjoy our Garden Walk Marketplace at Idea Garden from 9am to 4pm on Saturday, June 20th. Visit go.illinois.edu/GardenWalk to see a list of this year's vendors.

🪷🪻See you in the Garden!🍄🌾

06/17/2026

Poison hemlock has become an all-too-common sight along roadways and ditches. Although it is a biennial and only produces flowers and seeds the second year, there are so many seeds on each plant that it ensures a continuous supply of plants year after year.

Because this is a biennial, the first year it produces a basal rosette in early spring, much like a dandelion, but with ferny, glossy leaves similar to carrots and Queen Anne’s lace. In the second year the plant reemerges in March/April and can quickly grow to up to 6-10 feet tall and produce many umbels of small white flowers in June and July. The seeds mature in August and September when they are numerous and easily spread by mowers and other equipment. An easy way to differentiate poison hemlock from similar looking plants is the hollow, hairless main stem that has purple spots that darken as the plants age. Penn State offers some helpful information and illustrations. https://extension.psu.edu/poison-hemlock

This plant is a non-native, extremely invasive, and thought to the one of the most lethal plants in North America. Like so many of our invasive species, it was brought to the United States as an ornamental. Poison hemlock usually grows along fence lines, drainage ditches and creeks, and the edge of fields, but lately it has been moving into urban neighborhoods.

All parts of the plant including the roots and seeds are poisonous and should be handled very carefully. Be sure to wear gloves and eye protection. Never burn poison hemlock! The best thing to do with this is catch it when it is young the first year, or before it flowers in the second year. If you don’t find it until it is flowering, cut off the flower head, bag it, and put in the trash. You can also dig it out, getting as much of the root system as possible, or mow. You do not want this plant to go to seed! Poison hemlock can produce up to 39,000 seeds per plant with a germination rate of about 85%! Not only are there a lot of seeds, but they remain viable for 4-6 years, so rosettes may show up in spring, summer, or fall. And because of viability, seeds from one year may still germinate several years later, along with the current seeds. For this reason, managing patches of poison hemlock can be a multi-year project.

Ohio State University has some great illustrations of all phases of growth to help you identify the plant. https://bygl.osu.edu/node/757 , and Purdue University offers a PDF with information on control and management resources.https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-437-w.pdf

06/16/2026

One of our community garden partners.

06/15/2026

Users of social media are exposed to a lot of homegrown advice on ridding our yards and gardens of w**ds and insect pests. Often, those methods don’t hold up to close scrutiny. However, one DIY method of mosquito control that has proved successful is the creation of a mosquito larval trap. These traps attract mosquitos who lay eggs in them. The eggs don’t survive because of the larvicide (poison targeting only larvae—eggs). The larvicides, typically called mosquito dunks, contain Bacteria thuringiensis, or Bt. They can be found in home improvement centers or even large grocery stores. It is safe for all other wildlife and pets. Mosquito dunks can also be placed in standing water that can’t be drained, such as ditches or small ponds.

A homemade larval trap consists of a large bucket with a layer of hay, straw or dried leaves that is partially filled with water. This combination is undisturbed for a few days to allow the material to produce gases that attract mosquitoes. Then the mosquito dunk is added. That’s it unless a lid is needed to keep small children or pets from falling in. A lid can be used to cover the bucket, but should have holes drilled in it to allow access for the mosquitoes, or chicken wire can be bent to fit over the top. The trap should be placed at a distance from where people will gather outside to attract the mosquitoes away.

The dunks last about a month and then should be replaced. The water and material can be replaced as well. Reducing the number of larvae will reduce the number of mosquitoes in an area.

Illustrated instructions are available at: https://newhanover.ces.ncsu.edu/environment-natural-resources/managingmosquitos/ and at https://homegrownnationalpark.org/build-mosquito-bucket/. More information about controlling mosquitoes is at: https://schoolipm.tamu.edu/forms/pest-management-plans/ipm-mosquito-management/.

06/12/2026

Check out this amazing segment by MidAmericanGardener on our very own Idea Garden! If you've been wanting to visit the garden in person, next Saturday, June 20th, is the perfect time. Idea Garden, along with 7 other gardens, is part of this year's Champaign County Master Gardeners Garden Walk. Tickets are just $10 (free for children 10 and under) and can be purchased in advance at Country Arbors Nursery and Prairie Gardens, by calling the University of Illinois Extension office at 217-333-7672, or online at go.illinois.edu/GardenWalk. See you at the garden!
https://youtu.be/EEIz6-CHI3k?si=dU71Zxu0-E5lQzS1

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

06/10/2026

Outdoor container gardening can be fun but also challenging. Because container plants have limited soil, watering and fertilizing become extremely important for healthy growth. Most of us probably worry about underwatering, but overwatering is just as detrimental.

Although we would like an easy fool-proof schedule for watering, no such method exists. Factors that impact watering needs change daily throughout the growing season. For instance, plants require more water during warm, sunny, and windy days than during cool, overcast, and humid periods. Each plant variety has specific water requirements and preferences to understand and accommodate. Porous containers like clay, fabric, and coconut planter liners will dry out faster than nonporous materials like glazed ceramics, plastic, or metal. Various combinations used in soil-based and soil-less mixes differ in water-holding capacity. For hints about watering containers, see https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/flowers-fruits-and-frass/2020-06-22-6-tips-watering-container-gardens. University of Maryland Extension has information on watering vegetables in containers at https://extension.umd.edu/resource/maintaining-container-grown-vegetables.

Always check your planter’s moisture regularly – in the summer every day or perhaps twice a day during very hot and windy conditions. Even if it rained, check to make sure that the foliage didn’t act as an umbrella shielding the soil from moisture. Stick your finger about an inch in the soil to feel if the soil is moist or dry. Water when dry but hold off if moist. Just because one pot is dry does not mean that all the other pots are also dry.

You can water with a hose (with or without a wand or nozzle) or with a watering can. To ensure strong roots, water thoroughly – until water comes out the drainage holes. All containers require good drainage to allow excess water to escape. Never allow a plant to sit in water. If you use saucers, empty excess water from each one to prevent root rot. Beware of permanently attached saucers; they are impossible to completely drain after watering.

When you water, water the soil not the leaves. Morning is a good time to water to provide the plant the moisture it needs during the day. Avoid watering late in the evening when water could remain on the leaves and promote disease or pests. Be consistent with watering and avoid allowing the plants to dry out. If soil-less mix becomes extremely dry, it tends to pull away from the sides of the pot and water rolls down along the edges, never touching the plant roots. When this occurs, rehydrate by placing the container in a bucket of water, leave it there until air bubbles cease and the soil is moist on the surface. If the pot is too large for this, poke several holes in the top of the soil and repeatedly water the pot with a slow steady flow of water until the soil is fully hydrated.

Another option is to use self-watering containers. Although these containers still must be monitored, daily attention is not needed. You can purchase self-watering containers or DIY following instructions online. See, for example, this article from the U of I Extension:https://extension.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/self_watering_container_directions.pdf

Container plants also benefit from regular fertilizing since the frequent watering can leach nutrients from the soil. There are several types of fertilizer to choose from including those formulated specifically to promote flower or fruit production. Follow the label instructions for frequency and application, and make sure the soil is moist before applying. For some specific suggestions, see University of Minnesota Extension’s https://extension.umn.edu/managing-soil-and-nutrients/fertilizing-and-watering-container-plants.

06/09/2026

This post ran last year (2025) but the w**d is so obnoxious, it's worth running again.

Do you have one of those areas in your yard that you don’t often visit? Like behind the garage or shed, under the deck, back in a corner? If you look right now you might find a pretty wicked looking w**d with glossy leaves and lots of evil-looking spines. That w**d is probably spiny sowthistle (Sonchus asper), also called prickly sowthistle or spiny-leaved sowthistle.

Depending on the source (or your preference), this is described as a w**d or a wildflower. It is in the Aster family. Spiny sowthistle is native to Europe, Africa and Asia. In the U.S. it can be found in almost every state and depending on the climate may be considered an annual, biennial, or perennial. It reproduces through the root system and seeds. The stems are thick and exude a white sap. The leaves are lobed and shiny, with spines along the edges. The base of the spiny leaves clasp the stems. Spiny sowthistle has a taproot. Multiple flowers similar to dandelions, bloom at the top of the plant in July and August, and like dandelions, they spread readily. A plant is capable of producing more than 20,000 seeds. For a good description of the plant, along with pictures, visit Midwest Invasive Species Information Network: https://www.misin.msu.edu/facts/detail/?project=misin&id=495 , and Minnesota Wildflowers https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/spiny-sowthistle

Spiny sowthistle prefers disturbed areas. Favored places to pop up are along the edges of driveways and sidewalks, gardens, vacant lots, roadsides, stream banks, irregularly mowed lawns and barnyards. It grows in full sun in moist to slightly dry soil and can grow in poor soil as well as healthy soil. The size of the plant depends on the fertility of the soil, and if happy, it can get up to 4 feet tall.

If you find it and do not appreciate it as a wildflower, get rid of it right away, because it grows and produces flowers quickly in the summer. And like all w**ds, you DO NOT want it to flower and go to seed! And also like all w**ds, it is much easier to pull when small but wear sturdy gloves.

For pictures of seedlings, see Iowa State extension https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/spiny-sowthistle For further information, see the Illinois Wildflowers website, https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/w**ds/plants/prk_sowthistle.htm .

06/08/2026

Many gardeners recommend pruning tomato plants to increase air circulation and light pe*******on throughout the plant. This produces larger and earlier fruit and prevents disease problems. Pruning generally begins about the time plants bloom, are about 24 inches tall, and while suckers are small.

Your tomato plants are either determinate or indeterminate. Determinate tomatoes, sometimes referred to as bush tomatoes, grow to a relatively compact height and produce all tomatoes at approximately the same time while an indeterminate plant continues to grow and may reach up to 10 feet and produce tomatoes throughout the summer. Not sure whether your tomatoes are determinate or indeterminate? See the seed package, plant stake, or Cornell University’s site: http://vegvariety.cce.cornell.edu/main/showVarieties.php?searchCriteria=tomato&searchIn=1&crop_id=0&sortBy=overallrating&order=DESC

To reduce disease problems, remove bottom foliage for about 8-12 inches or to the first flower bud. Most gardeners only bottom prune determinate tomato plants. However, with indeterminate tomato plants, gardeners continue to remove suckers above the first flower buds throughout the season. Suckers are shoots that develop between the main lead stem and lateral branches. Many gardeners prune to maintain only one or two main lead stems. This saves the plant’s resources for larger, hardier tomatoes.

For additional information check: https://extension.illinois.edu/.../2021-05-17-pruning... and North Carolina Extension https://durham.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/06/pruning-for-healthier-more-productive-tomatoes/

One last tip, try to water at the base of the plant, keeping leaves dried. This also greatly helps to reduce disease. For watering tips for your tomatoes, see Univ. of Georgia post: https://site.extension.uga.edu/fultonag/2025/05/good-watering-practices-help-keep-tomatoes-healthy/

06/04/2026

Get a good look at the flagship project of Champaign County Master Gardeners on WILL-TV

06/04/2026

If you are an avid gardener, aka plant collector, you probably have almost as many empty plastic pots as you do plants. The pots without their plants are not so attractive, so what do you do with them? RECYCLE! The municipal curbside recycling programs in both Champaign and Urbana, IL will accept rinsed, plastic pots if labeled #1 through #7. If there is no government-run recycling program where you live, check local recycling centers or your garbage hauler to see if they accept plastic pots that are then recycled.

Some local nurseries also accept plastic plant pots for recycling. Danville Gardens in Danville, Illinois, will accept only its pots and has a receptacle outside that can be accessed even if the nursery is closed. Lowe’s (https://corporate.lowes.com/newsroom/stories/fresh-thinking/lowes-answers-your-recycling-faqs-so-you-dont-have-ask #:~:text=Keep%20in%20mind%20Lowe's%20stores,take%20care%20of%20the%20rest) garden centers will accept empty plastic pots for recycling.

Outside of the C-U area, the city of Bloomington has collection bins for recycling pots at several garden centers. https://bloomingtoncitytownship.org/services/pots-recycling-program/. Woldhuis Farms Sunrise Greenhouse in Grant Park also accepts plastic plant pots. This list is by no means comprehensive, so it’s a good idea to check with any nursery or garden center where you shop to see if they also recycle.

Plant pots are typically made of #5 plastic and should be rinsed before being recycled or dropped off at a garden center.

Some growers use biodegradable pots—such as those made of wood fiber, paper or coco fiber—which have advantages and drawbacks as well. See an article from Fine Gardening magazine: https://www.finegardening.com/project-guides/container-gardening/biodegradable-pots-what-you-need-to-know?utm_source=chatgpt.com&oly_enc_id=9663F0005034I6T

Until most of our newly purchased plants come in biodegradable pots, we can be better stewards of Earth’s resources by recycling to help Mother Nature.

The mention of trade names in this post is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute an endorsement of one product over another, nor is discrimination intended against any product.