MONTICELLO, Ill. — Some plants won’t bloom the first year unless you sow the seeds early. Winter-sown seeds tend to be much heartier than seeds grown inside. These are just a few of the benefits of sowing seeds in winter, including helping to keep your gardening budget in check during the spring.

Join University of Illinois Extension’s Master Gardeners in Piatt County for a Winter Seed Sowing Workshop from noon to 1 p.m. on Jan. 17 at the Piatt County Extension Office. DeWitt County's Master Gardeners workshop will be from noon to 1 p.m. on Jan. 20 at the DeWitt County Extension Office. Learn about winter sowing of seeds for your garden, and create your own outdoor milk jug greenhouse with seeds for your garden.

These workshops are free, but participants must register at go.illinois.edu/winterseed by Jan.16. For more information, please contact Beth Miglin at bmiglin@illinois.edu.

Master Gardeners are volunteers trained by University of Illinois Extension. Master Gardeners fulfill their mission of Helping Others Learn to Grow by volunteering their time and horticulture skills through community gardening projects and educational outreach.

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact 217-762-2191. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting your access needs.

SOURCE: Beth Miglin, Horticulture Program Coordinator, University of Illinois Extension

WRITER: Maria Lightner, Marketing and Communications, University of Illinois Extension

ABOUT EXTENSION: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for the 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.