Stewardship Gardening

01/24/2026

Here's a fun video that I filmed a couple years ago that I forgot about. The end results are in the description!

I took this video in May of 2023 and forgot about it. What is amazing is the end result found in the following video!https://youtube.com/shorts/ar6dzdofdek?f...

12/20/2025

Moving water doesn't freeze (as much).

10/31/2025

Illinois has updated the Exotic W**ds Act with some much needed additions. If you currently have any species on these species on your property, removal is recommended due to their negative impacts on local ecosystems.

9 new invasive plants can no longer be bought, sold, distributed, or planted in Illinois with the recent expansion of the Exotic W**ds Act by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources:
- Callery pear
- Tree-of-heaven
- Garlic mustard
- Leafy spurge
- Sericea lespedeza
- Japanese stiltgrass
- Amur corktree
- Black and pale swallowwort

The new species were recommended after being reviewed by the Illinois Invasive Species Council, which includes stakeholders from state and local governments, the nursery and landscaping industry, research institutions, and non-profit organizations.

The regulations take effect immediately, except for callery pear, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2028, allowing a phase-out period for growers to reduce their stock of planted trees.

Read more at https://extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/nine-new-invasive-species-regulated-illinois-expansion-exotic-weeds-act

Explore more about invasive species identification and management at https://go.illinois.edu/Invasive

10/08/2025

The video of the mountain lion going through the wall is intriguing. I am curious if a solution will be proposed for the larger mammals.

“If they do complete that, that means that 95 percent of California and Mexico will be walled off and divided and that affects the whole evolutionary history of the whole continent.”

10/01/2025

Here is the next list in the Invasive Species removal list.

Special thanks to Dr. Robert Sullivan and Henrietta Saunders for allowing me to use this list to make a video.

In this video I walk you through the top 12 of the Invasive Species of the Chicago Region put together by Robert Sullivan and Henrietta Saunders.Downloadable...

09/27/2025

This volunteer aster in my yard has finally bloomed! It looks like Short's Aster to me, Symphyotrichum shortii.

09/27/2025

No Fun Fact Friday / FAQ Friday today. Our roof is being replaced and I'm wanting to work on my next video in the Invasive Species Removal series.

08/27/2025

Today I spent 15 minutes walking through the yard and found 2 monarch caterpillars. I was barely trying which makes me think there may be more.

May this be a friendly reminder to spend time in your yards. You may not realize what you are missing!

08/17/2025

Here is Part 1 of 4 of a series on Invasive Plants in the Chicago Region. Enjoy!

Welcome to Part 1 of 4 of a series emphasizing invasive plants. There is much confusion about Native Plants, W**ds, and Invasive Plants.Parts 2 and 3 will di...