URBANA, Ill. – From selecting and caring for a Christmas tree to creating a winter haven for birds, the University of Illinois Extension Good Growing Winter Webinar series has seasonally appropriate tips and tricks to keep you informed from the comfort of home this winter.

Extension Educators Andrew Holsinger, Chris Enroth, Ken Johnson and Katie Parker will lead a series of five live sessions with follow-along activities.

Webinars are free and will be 3 to 4 p.m. CST Wednesdays from November 26 to December 16 and return in 2021 on January 6. Sign up for one or all of the sessions. Advance registration is required for each session.

• Christmas Tree Types and Care | November 25: Different types of Christmas trees offer different colors, strength of fragrance, needle retention, branch sturdiness, and other attributes. Join Local Foods and Small Farms Educator Katie Parker to learn about the different types of trees and how to care for live trees. Illinois Extension educators will demonstrate how to create nature-themed ornaments, in this kid-friendly hands-on activity. Sign up at go.illinois.edu/GGChristmasTrees.
• Fun with Evergreen Foliage | December 2: Craft some holiday elegance with evergreen foliage for your home. Learn how to craft your favorite holiday décor and how to source suitable materials in your home landscape. Extension Educator Andrew Holsinger will demonstrate how to make a wreath and follow along at home with hands-on activities for kissing balls, outdoor holiday planters or evergreen gnomes. Sign up at go.illinois.edu/GGEvergreenFoliage.
• Popular Holiday Plant Care | December 9: Do you love buying holiday plants like poinsettia and amaryllis, but struggle to keep the plants alive through the holidays let alone keeping them going year-round? Join Illinois Extension educators as they discuss popular holiday plants and their care. During this webinar they will talk about poinsettia, amaryllis, holiday cactus, and Norfolk Island pine. Sign up at go.illinois.edu/GGHolidayPlantCare.
• Holiday Spices | December 16: Ever wonder about where those holiday spices you’re using come from, or if you could grow them? Illinois Extension educators Ken Johnson and Chris Enroth will cover the origins and how to grow popular holiday spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, allspice, peppermint, citrus, and ginger. Sign up at go.illinois.edu/GGHolidaySpices.
• Create a Winter Bird Haven | January 6: Gardens are a haven for bird year-round. Lots of wildlife use yards for over-wintering and provide a delightful spectacle on cold days. Attracting birds to the winter landscape can be incredibly rewarding for all ages. Horticulture Educator Chris Enroth will describe the species of birds in Illinois during the winter, what they’re looking for, and how to make habitat so they stick around all year. Chris will be joined by other Extension Educators who will demonstrate creative ways to feed the birds with logs, toilet paper rolls, grapefruit and a fruit and popcorn garland. Sign up at go.illinois.edu/GGWinterBirds.

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Horticulture Educator Chris Enroth at cenroth@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting access needs.

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.