Written by Rhonda Ferree, retired horticulture educator

The fall series of University of Illinois Extension's Four Seasons Gardening program, which focuses on environmental stewardship, home gardening, and backyard food production, gets underway soon. As always, programs are available live or on YouTube following the live presentation.

The first session of the fall series is titled Spring Flowering Bulbs. Spring flowering bulbs are a great addition to a garden. Spring flowering bulbs normally start flowering in February, with snowdrops and end in June with alliums. Join Jennifer Fishburn, Extension Horticulture Educator, to learn about selection, planting and care for spring flowering bulbs. The program is offered twice – on September 11 at 1:30 p.m. and again on September 13 at 6:30 p.m.

The second program in the fall series is Making Your Compost Cook on September 25 at 1:30 p.m. and again on September 27 at 6:30 p.m. If you want to have a higher quality compost and have a finished product in shorter time, you need to make sure you've the right mix of materials. Extension Educator Duane Friend will discuss how to get the right mix by using simple calculations or online recipe calculators.

The final program in the fall series is Plant Pathogenic Viruses on October 9 at 1:30 p.m. and again on October 11 at 6:30 p.m. Plants can't get the flu, but they can get a number of other viral diseases. Join Diane Plewa, Plant Diagnostic Outreach Specialist, to learn about plant pathogenic viruses, including common symptoms, common virus diseases, and management for these tiny pathogens.

All webinars may be viewed from home by pre-registering at go.illinois.edu/4seasons_webinars. Recorded videos of these sessions can be viewed following the program at go.illinois.edu/fourseasonsrecordings.

MEET THE AUTHOR

As horticulture educator, Rhonda Ferree inspired citizens in local communities to grow their own food and improve their home landscapes. She focused on high quality, impactful programs that taught homeowners how to create energy-efficient landscapes using sustainable practices that increase property values and help the environment.

After 30 years with University of Illinois Extension, Rhonda retired in 2018. She continues to share her passion for horticulture related topics as “Retro Rhonda” on social media.

ABOUT THE BLOG
ILRiverHort is a blog that helps people connect to nature and grow.