URBANA, Ill. – The growing season is in full swing and University of Illinois Extension’s Four Seasons Gardening summer series starting in June is here to help home gardeners be successful.
Four Seasons Gardening is one of Illinois Extension’s most popular gardening series that has been offered since 2014. Each season, horticulture experts cover a variety of environmental stewardship, home gardening, and backyard food production topics in free one-hour webinars.
“We choose topics based on what home gardeners are calling and emailing us about,” says Extension Horticulture Educator Gemini Bhalsod. “We want to give them the skills and tools they need to be successful whether they’re new or experienced gardeners.”
The summer 2021 sessions will cover the top vegetable garden insects, themed gardens for kids, and end of summer planted fall vegetables.
The webinars are free, but registration is required one week before the session. Sign up for one or all three sessions online at go.illinois.edu/FourSeasons. After registering, participants will receive an email with access information. Participants who are unable to attend the live session can still register for access to the recorded program.
Top 9 Vegetable Garden Insects at 1:30 p.m. on June 15 will cover nine of the most common and destructive insect pests in your vegetable garden and how to control them. Horticulture Educator Kelly Allsup as she shares tips on identification, scouting, prevention and organic methods of eradication. Whether you are new to gardening or a master you will walk away with tips to make the gardening season a greater success.
Themed Gardens: Design with Kids in Mind at 1:30 p.m. on July 20 will explore how to foster the love of gardening with the youth in your life by creating theme gardens. Horticulture Educator Brittnay Haag will share ideas and tips for creating a special place for your young, hands-on learner to grow, explore and be creative. Whether it’s at a school, a community garden, or your backyard, theme gardens use plants and design elements inspired by a specific topic, such as favorite books, colors, foods, animals, or even places to visit- the possibilities are endless.
End of Summer Planted Fall Vegetables at 1:30 p.m. on August 17. Fall harvested vegetables tend to be sweeter as they finish growing as the temperatures are cooling and fall approaches. Horticulture Educator Bruce J. Black will share tips for planting fall vegetables, which vegetables are better suited for a late summer planting, and some information about how to store fall harvested vegetables for their longest shelf or storage life.
University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in any of these programs, please contact the educator leading the session. Their contact information is available at go.illinois.edu/FourSeasons. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting your access needs.
Extension horticulture educators help home gardeners across Illinois find and apply sound management practices on topics from lawn care to growing backyard produce and everything in between.
SOURCE: Gemini Bhalsod, Horticulture Educator, Illinois Extension
WRITER: Emily Steele, Media Communications Coordinator, Illinois Extension
ABOUT EXTENSION: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.