Master Gardener Annual Conference

Join us for a hands-on, interactive seminar designed to deepen your understanding of trees and urban forestry. Whether you’re a budding enthusiast or a seasoned green thumb, this three-part experience will equip you with the practical skills and insights to successfully plant, identify, and care for trees in your community.  For these sessions, we will be outdoors looking at live specimens (weather permitting). 

• Tree Identification (Sarah Vogel, Horticulture Educator): Sharpen your skills in recognizing tree species using leaves, bark, and other key features.
• Tree Planting (Emily Swihart, Horticulture Educator): Learn best practices for selecting, planting, and establishing healthy trees.
• Tree Problems and Solutions (Ryan Pankau, Horticulture Educator): Discover how to detect and address pests, diseases, and environmental stressors affecting tree health.

Create a landscape garden with plants native to Illinois to support pollinator populations, reduce soil erosion, create wildlife corridors, and build 4-season interest simultaneously! This seminar will contain a presentation portion followed by a hands-on workshop portion where participants will use landscaping tools and resources to create a personalized native garden. If participants have a space in mind, they should come prepared with measurements, photos, and a site survey (included in supplemental materials). Class fee includes materials provided in the workshop.

A Tropical Bonsai hands-on workshop is being offered by Springfield Bonsai Society (SBS). Bonsai (pronounced ‘bone-sigh’), literally “potted tree” is the art of styling miniature trees in a container. This workshop will introduce you to the basic styles and principles of bonsai. You will get hands-on experience styling and potting your own tropical bonsai.  Members of the SBS will assist participants and tools will be available. Class fee includes plant, container and all supplies.

Some of our most numerous neighbors are also the neighbors we know the least about. Do you know the names of the insect neighbors visiting your flowers, crawling on the sidewalk, and living beside you? Learn the names and about the lives of some of the insects around us in this hands-on super seminar. 

This interactive workshop is designed for Master Gardeners who want to share their passion for gardening knowledge with young people. Participants will learn effective strategies for engaging youth of all ages, from preschool students to teens, in gardening activities. The session will cover the benefits of hands-on gardening in youth development, including fostering environmental stewardship, building life skills, and encouraging healthy eating habits. Participants will explore various youth activities and resources with Horticulture Educators to take back to their own units. 

Take a comprehensive look at soil as the living foundation of successful gardens and landscapes. Explore key topics including composting, organic matter, cover crops, and companion planting, while gaining insight into the unique geology and natural divisions that shape Illinois soils. We’ll also delve into soil chemistry, nutrient absorption, and cation exchange, with a hands-on activity in interpreting soil tests. 

Discover the ins and outs of container gardening through the lens of HORT 105’s greenhouse projects. Learn which vegetable crops thrive (and which don’t!) in containers and get inspired by real examples from our semester plantings. Attendees will leave with practical tips, fresh ideas, and a selection of cool-season seeds to kickstart their own post-conference planting adventures.

When Your Nearest Neighbors Aren’t Human: Whether you live in a small community or a larger urban setting, wildlife is a part of your everyday life. Many species of wildlife are welcome visitors to our properties, but some may wear out their welcome. A person does not have to like everything nature has to offer, but as your nearest neighbor, you have the responsibility to understand why it is there and how to deal with it legally or simply enjoy the wild gift. Peggy Anesi, University of Illinois Extension Educator, will share her knowledge both personal and professional on how to enhance and coexist with wildlife on your property as well as the legalities for removing it.

Fall is the time for planting spring-blooming bulbs. Tulips & daffodils are always crowd pleasers but there is a whole world of fantastic and funky spring-blooming bulbs beyond the traditional favorites. Martha will share her favorite uncommon bulbs she has discovered over the years.

Butterflies are not the only attractive insects associated with our native plants. Beetles, true bugs, and moths as well as monarchs that feed on milkweeds typically incorporate some milkweed toxins into their own bodies. These toxic insects usually have bright colors that are easily noticed and avoided by predators. Sunflowers, goldenrods, and other native plants attract not only brightly-colored pollinators, but other colorful insects that avoid detection by blending in with blossoms or mimicking toxic insects. Suggestions on encouraging these insects will be included.

Discover the ins and outs of container gardening through the lens of HORT 105’s greenhouse projects. Learn which vegetable crops thrive (and which don’t!) in containers and get inspired by real examples from our semester plantings. Attendees will leave with practical tips, fresh ideas, and a selection of cool-season seeds to kickstart their own post-conference planting adventures.

When Your Nearest Neighbors Aren’t Human: Whether you live in a small community or a larger urban setting, wildlife is a part of your everyday life. Many species of wildlife are welcome visitors to our properties, but some may wear out their welcome. A person does not have to like everything nature has to offer, but as your nearest neighbor, you have the responsibility to understand why it is there and how to deal with it legally or simply enjoy the wild gift. Peggy Anesi, University of Illinois Extension Educator, will share her knowledge both personal and professional on how to enhance and coexist with wildlife on your property as well as the legalities for removing it.

Fall is the time for planting spring-blooming bulbs. Tulips & daffodils are always crowd pleasers but there is a whole world of fantastic and funky spring-blooming bulbs beyond the traditional favorites. Martha will share her favorite uncommon bulbs she has discovered over the years.

Butterflies are not the only attractive insects associated with our native plants. Beetles, true bugs, and moths as well as monarchs that feed on milkweeds typically incorporate some milkweed toxins into their own bodies. These toxic insects usually have bright colors that are easily noticed and avoided by predators. Sunflowers, goldenrods, and other native plants attract not only brightly-colored pollinators, but other colorful insects that avoid detection by blending in with blossoms or mimicking toxic insects. Suggestions on encouraging these insects will be included.

The 2024 State Master Gardener Conference was held in Champaign, IL on September 12 and 13.

The 2023 State Master Gardener Conference was held in Peoria, IL on September 7 and 8.

The 2022 State Master Gardener Conference was held in Will County on September 8 and 9.

View Conference Recordings from the 2021 virtual conference.