American Persimmon, often referred to Sugar Plums or Fruit of the Gods is one of North America’s forgotten fruits. Even though American persimmons grow wild in a large chunk of the eastern US, most people I meet have never even heard of persimmons, let alone tasted their amazing fruit! American Persimmons aren’t found in the […]
How to Manage Spotted Wing Drosophila without Chemicals
Spotted Wing Drosophila is a mouthful sometimes both literally and figurately. I usually can’t say it right so people like me will refer to them as SWD. In this article we will explain what Spotted Wing Drosophila are, why you don’t want them in your berry patch, how to identify them, and how to control […]
Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Trees
Mulberry trees are one of my favorite trees. Mulberry trees can produce tons of food for your family, livestock, and wildlife and above all that they are a great landscape tree. Why Grow Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Trees Illinois Everbearing Mulberry trees are the king of all mulberry trees in the Northeast. Illinois Everbearing is by […]
Cicada Damage Is Real
Despite what people say, Cicada damage is real! While Cicada’s don’t eat leaves or trees but they do lay their eggs into young stems/branches. Female cicada’s use their ovipositor (egg laying tubular organ that looks like a dagger) to pierce the tender stems of plants they mate on. After eggs have been fertilized the female […]
Black Walnut Processing
Black Walnuts grow wild up and down the east coast and Midwest. Black walnuts are prized for their delicious nuts and valuable wood. In the Midwest black walnuts are big industry, every fall commercial processors shell over 1 million pounds of black walnuts for ice cream alone. Here in the northeast our black walnuts start dropping in late […]
How to Plant and Grow Strawberries Successfully
Strawberries are one of my favorite fruits. I say it a lot, but it is especially true with strawberries, there is nothing like picking a ripe strawberry from your own patch! My go to strawberry variety is the Seascape. Seascape strawberries are everbearing, which means they produce berries all summer long. June bearing strawberries produce […]
All About Hardy Kiwi
Hardy Kiwi is unknown to most, even fewer have had the good fortune to taste a hardy Kiwi. If you have the space, hardy kiwi is a must for your garden or orchard. Hardy Kiwis, like the name suggests, grow in cold climates. Here in the Northeast where we experience hot humid summers and cold […]
How to Combat Brown Rot on Peach Trees
Brown Rot is the most common fungal disease affecting peaches and other stone fruit in the Northeast. Read more to find out how to grow peaches successfully.