Master Gardeners of Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Moultrie and Shelby County

10/21/2026

Stay up to date on specialty crop news, seasonal tips, pest management, and more with the latest issue of Illinois Fruit and Vegetable News!

10/20/2026

Welcome to Motivation Monday!

Looking for a little gardening inspiration? Take a look at what visitors are saying about the Idea Garden at Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital in Mattoon. With Butterfly, Herb, Vegetable, and Children’s gardens to explore, there’s plenty of inspiration around every corner.

Plan a visit and explore the Idea Garden for yourself!

10/13/2026

Lilacs blooming this fall? Find out why it happens and what it means for your plants. Check out this Good Growing article to learn more!

During this first week of October, many of the plants blooming in our landscape are mums, asters, goldenrods, sedums, and ornamental grasses. But what if your lilac

10/07/2026

Celebrate fall with mums! Learn about mums and how to care for them, then help beautify the community by planting mums in local planters. You’ll even get to take a mum plant home!

This event is free thanks to a grant from the University of Illinois Extension State Master Gardener program.

Register here: go.illinois.edu/FallMumWorkshop

10/06/2026

Farmers, keep an eye out for Asian copperleaf in fields after harvest. This invasive w**d has now been found in a second Illinois county. Learn how to identify it and what you can do to help track and manage its spread.

Farmers should keep an eye out for post-harvest w**ds popping up, as the invasive Asian copperleaf was recently spotted in its second county in Illinois.

Asian copperleaf (Acalypha australis) is best identified in the fall when it is in its reproductive stage. Distinguishable features include:

• Alternate, lanceolate to egg-shaped leaves with bluntly serrated margins and deep veins
• Heart-shaped bracts with shallow, blunt teeth that surround the flowers and are located along the stems

It is noticed after harvest as a green carpet of w**ds left behind when the crop comes off.

Concerns have been raised due to its rapid spread, strong persistence, and potential impact on future herbicide resistance.

🔗 Read Asian Copperleaf Found in Second Illinois County from Morning Ag Clips - Illinois at https://www.morningagclips.com/asian-copperleaf-found-in-second-illinois-county/

🎧 Rather listen? Tune it to Talking Crops’ All Things Asian Copperleaf episode at https://extension.illinois.edu/podcasts/talking-crop/all-things-asian-copperleaf

🔗 Download the Asian Copperleaf fact sheet at https://go.illinois.edu/AsianCopperleaf

Illinois Extension and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach partnered to create downloadable resources to learn more, track and report, reduce the spread, and continue research on its impact on Midwest agriculture.

Photo by Kathryn Seebruck, Illinois Extension | University of Illinois Extension - Jo Daviess/Stephenson/Winnebago County

10/06/2026

What is our community saying about the Idea Garden?
Located at Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital in Mattoon, the Idea Garden is a place to find inspiration, try new gardening ideas, and explore a variety of garden spaces. From the Butterfly and Herb gardens to the Vegetable and Children’s gardens, there’s something to discover around every corner.
Check out what visitors are saying, then stop by and explore the garden yourself!