August is National Tree Check Month: Are your trees safe and secure? When was the last time you really looked at your trees?  It’s all too easy to just enjoy their cool shade and the sound of their leaves, but if you don’t know what to look for you could miss deadly diseases or dastardly demons […]

People often select plants first for their beauty and second for their functionality in the garden. Frequently, we don’t know or don’t consider a plant’s behavior when we’re selecting them. Almost by definition, a species that is an effective ground cover will have a spreading habit. But does that make the species aggressive or invasive?

They’re back! After hitching their initial ride on imported ornamental plants in 1916, Japanese beetles decided North America isn’t such a bad place to live and have made a presence year after year since.  Today, these pests can be a serious nuisance to gardeners and farmers throughout North America feeding on over 300 different species

Gardening enthusiasts have their own set of jargon, just like many other hobbyists. Some of these terms can be confusing, especially to the gardening newcomer. So here’s a brief list of terms that all gardeners should get familiar with. Annual — Plant that completes its life cycle from seed germination to seed production in one

Garlic mustard (Alliara petiolata) can be found in public parks, backyards, meadows, forests, gardens, and along roadsides throughout Indiana. The leaves have a strong garlic smell to them. Garlic mustard was first introduced from Northeastern Europe in the 1860s in Long Island, New York. Immigrants from Europe used it for food (an herb), medicine, and