URBANA, Ill. — Thinking about spring planting and gardening while the snow falls can help to deal with the winter blues. The Four Seasons Gardening webinar series is back and begins Feb. 11. Two new winter sessions explore ways to sow annual flowers using empty plastic jugs and spring tips for boosting tree health.
University of Illinois Extension horticulture experts will present tips, how-to’s, and answer questions about each monthly topic. The series focuses on home gardening, environmental stewardship, and backyard food production. Sessions are free and presented live online beginning at 1:30 p.m. on select Tuesdays. Registration is required.
Extension educators Nancy Kuhajda and Sarah Vogel will lead the winter series. Find more information and sign up for each session at go.illinois.edu/FourSeasons.
Winter Session Schedule
Tips and Tricks for Winter Sowing Annuals | Feb. 11
Do you like starting seeds but don’t enjoy all the work of setting up a growing system inside? Let Mother Nature do the work. Join a lively discussion on winter sowing annual flowers, vegetables, and herbs. Winter sowing is a practice of starting seeds during winter outside using empty plastic jugs. No more thin, weak seedlings, as winter-sown seedlings are stout with huge root systems. Participants will learn several winter sowing improvements to make the process more effective. Register for Sowing Annuals at go.illinois.edu/4SGWinterSowing.
Root Awakening: Spring Tree Tips | March 4
Spring into action and provide trees with the care they need as they emerge from dormancy. Learn how to check for winter damage, boost tree health, and promote strong roots and lush leaves throughout the growing season. Follow these and other tips to help more trees thrive. Register for Root Awakening at go.illinois.edu/4SGRootAwakening.
Can’t make a session? Every program is recorded and available on the Illinois Extension Horticulture YouTube channel. Videos are available about two weeks after the live program.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact series coordinators Nancy Kreith at kreith@illinois.edu, Gemini Bhalsod at gbhalsod@illinois.edu, and Andrew Holsinger at aholsing@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting access needs.
SOURCE: Gemini Bhalsod, horticulture educator, Illinois Extension
WRITER: Jenna Braasch, media communications coordinator, Illinois Extension
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.