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 breakout sessions led by Illinois Extension Horticulture Educators will cover topics such as soil health, composting, pollinator gardening, vegetable gardening, and debunking DIY garden products. The Green Team from Wesley United Methodist Church will lead a tour of their community garden, sharing ideas and tips with participants. Hands-on activities like flower arranging, plant propagation, and creating nesting balls are available for additional fees. Individuals can also bid in a silent auction, browse items at the sales booth, and enjoy refreshments.
Network with other gardeners, connect with experts, explore new gardening methods, and gather practical tips for the upcoming growing season. The program will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church, 2206 4th St., Charleston, IL 61920. Check-in begins at 8 a.m., and the program concludes at 1 p.m. The conference is $25 for pre-registration before March 7 or $30 at the door.
For more information or to register, visit go.illinois.edu/SPRIG2026 or call 217.345.7034. If you have questions or need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Extension Program Coordinator Jenny Lee at jalee73@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.
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.