Good Growing

Autumn is for planting trees

Autumn is a time for apple picking, pumpkin spice everything (yes, I’m on that side of the debate), final garden harvests, and tree planting. While April gets a lot of attention for being Arbor Month, let’s consider autumn as another great time to plant trees.

Kissing bugs in Illinois

When you hear the term kissing bug, you might imagine an insect with a romantic streak. However, they are more vampire than star-crossed lovers.

Understanding Cottonwood

A recent family trip westward to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks offered a chance to observe the changing landscapes of the Midwest. While Iowa’s familiar fields of corn and soybeans resemble much of Illinois, the transformation across Nebraska—from tallgrass to shortgrass prairie—reveals a striking ecological gradient.