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Gardening
Read article: Bloom into Spring at Home, Lawn and Garden Day 2026
Bloom into Spring at Home, Lawn and Garden Day 2026
Get ready to shake off winter and welcome spring! Picture a lively gathering of gardeners eager for the season ahead, hallways filled with local...
Garden Scoop logo with purple asters
Read article: Late season standouts
Late season standouts
With colder weather approaching, especially at nighttime, the garden's transition to winter has sped up in the last week or so. Earlier this week, I...
Norway Maple
Read article: Morton Public Library Tree Walk
Morton Public Library Tree Walk
The Morton Public Library has a diverse collection of trees planted on the library property. ...
raised bed with flowers and vegetables growing together
Read article: New Hardiness Zone Map changed some of our local zones
New Hardiness Zone Map changed some of our local zones
The USDA Hardiness Zone Map has been updated to reflect temperature data collected over the last 30 years. This new map version used GIS technology...

News Releases

Garden Patch
Grow, Learn, and Discover at “A Day in the Garden Patch”
PONTIAC, Ill. – Gardening doesn’t have to be stressful. It offers a meaningful way to stay active, enhance the beauty of our communities, and support a healthier environment. It is perfectly okay if a plant doesn’t thrive or if a garden isn’t ...
A gardener planting a flower with the Master Gardener logo.
Spring into Gardening Conference prepares gardeners for growing season
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Gardening enthusiasts and beginners alike are invited to the sixteenth-annual Spring Into Gardening Conference. This year's program is Saturday, March 14, in Charleston. Enjoy a day filled with gardening advice, creative ideas, and hands-on guidance. Expert-led...
Barbara Flores, Karn Mejudhon, Lorna Carlson, Mayor Tom McNamara, Margaret Larson
Winnebago Master Gardeners Recognized with Hunger Champion Award
WINNEBAGO, Ill.- Rows of produce, hands in soil, and hearts dedicated to making sure their neighbors are fed— that is what earned Winnebago County Master Gardeners this year’s Hunger Champion award at the 2025 Mayor’s Hunger Luncheon. Illinois Extension Master Gardeners were recognized and...

Videos

Youth Gardening: Back Pocket Lessons

 

Learn some quick, easy, and highly engaging garden activities that require minimal preparation that can be used by anyone who works with youth! Horticulture Extension educator Brittnay Haag discusses simple and fun ways to get youth engaged in gardening.

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School and Community Gardens Learning Module

Bring the garden into the schoolyard with our online School and Community Gardens Self-Paced Learning Modules. A school garden can be many things, from a pollinator garden, to a sensory garden, or a bulb garden. Our online learning modules focus on vegetable gardening while we take you on a...

Staff