Featuring seven presentations by University of Illinois Extension Educators, the "Growing Horticulture In Northwest Illinois" will provide you with helpful growing tips for your gardening 2020 season.
All sessions start at 10:30 AM and run for one hour except the Northern Illinois Berry School will be a 90 minute 2 part series.
No cost to participate!
Presentations By:
Bruce Black, Horticulture Educator
Candice Hart, State Master Gardener Coordinator
Grant McCarty, Local Foods and Small Farms Educator
Date: April 1, 2020
Presenter: Bruce Black
Don't Kill Your Tomatoes
Tomatoes are garden favorites, but sometimes things just go wrong. Join Bruce as he discusses the most trouble making disease and insect pests and how best to control them in the home garden.
Date: April 8, 2020
Presenter: Bruce Black
How To Plan A Community Garden
Starting a community garden is a great and rewarding project, but one that must have a thorough plan to grow from. Join Bruce as he discusses the steps to build a solid foundation for planning and managing a community garden.
Date: April 15, 2020
Presenter: Bruce Black
Drought Tolerant Annuals and Perennials
Rainfall amounts can vary from year to year. Drought tolerant plants are adapted to limited water conditions or prefer a quick drying location. Join Bruce to discuss different annual and perennial flowers for suggestions for your landscape.
Date: April 22, 2020
Presenter: Bruce Black
Big Flavors in Small Spaces: Container Fruits
Lacking a large landscape and love homegrown fruits? Look to container gardening: fruit edition! Join Bruce to discuss how dwarf cultivars of blueberries, strawberries, brambles (raspberries and blackberries), and even apple trees can be planted on your patios or small outdoor areas to provide those big fresh fruit flavors in small spaces!
Date: April 29, 2020
Presenters: Candice Hart and Bruce Black
Northern Illinois Berry School (Part One) Introduction and Management
Fresh home grown berries are a summer treat. It can be rewarding to grow berries in your own garden for your own use or to sell at market. Gardeners can learn about establishing berries in their garden at the U of I Extension Northern Berry School. This program, which is focused strictly on berry production, will give an overview of production, weed and insect control, and general management suggestions and will focus on strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. Join State Master Gardener Coordinator Candice Hart presenting Beginning Your Small Fruit Operation and Horticulture Educator Bruce Black presenting Successful Seasonal Management and Strategies.
Date: May 6, 2020
Presenters: Bruce Black and Grant McCarty
Northern Illinois Berry School (Part Two) Management and Diseases
Join Horticulture Educator Bruce J. Black as he continues presenting Successful Seasonal Management and Strategies and Small Farms and Local Foods Educator Grant McCarty will conclude the day presenting Keeping the Pests Away. Participants will learn how to identify these issues on their crops, methods of control that can be used, and how to use an integrated approach to managing pest and disease issues.
Date: May 13, 2020
Presenter: Bruce Black
Colorful Vegetables
Join Bruce to discuss plant characteristics that cause changes in popular and new cultivars of unique vegetables.
These sessions are FREE, but registration is required.