University of Illinois Extension is pleased to announce a free gardening series, Growing Horticulture in Northwest Illinois, starting in June from 3:30-4:30 PM at the Lee County Extension office.  Extension Horticulture Educator Bruce Black will be presenting this series. Growing Horticulture in Northwest Illinois is for anyone interested in learning more about gardening, growing food in a home or community garden, or looking for ideas for the upcoming growing season. Register for one or more of the sessions one week before the date:

Full Series Includes: 

Growing Veggies Through the Seasons | June 22
Get the most out of your garden by planning, planting, and maintaining for the 2023 season broken down by Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Container Fruits | August 3 (No July date due to county fair)
Lacking a large landscape and love homegrown fruits? Look to container gardening: fruit edition! Learn 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!

Using Garden Produce | August 24
You have grown fresh produce all summer; what do you do with the excess produce like onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and more? Join us to learn some simple ways of storing produce for longer shelf life and some easy recipes like refrigerator pickles to make your produce go further.

Using Fresh Herbs | September 28
Herbs are great fun to grow in the home landscape. Learn more about harvesting and preserving your herbs to enjoy in recipes year-round.

Fall Garden Cleanup | October 26
End-of-the-growing season cleanup can be daunting, especially with large yards. This presentation will help organize fall tasks into an easy month-by-month to-do list and provide a printable checklist to help you check off the tasks.

This series will also be offered at the Whiteside County Extension Office. If interested in attending at that location visit go.illinois.edu/WhitesideGrowingHort for dates and times.