University of Illinois Extension

Blog Posts (24)

Southside Occupational Academy horticulture program seeds community

Kristen Dimas standing in the humming bird habitat at Southside Occupational Academy

Save money and space with container-grown fruits

black 20-inch container with berry plant

El Paseo Community Garden is not just growing food, it's growing leaders and community

a view of El Paseo's urban farm

Give your front porch containers a fall makeover

Fall garden with pumpkins

Sensory gardens invite interaction

Lavender photo by Verophoto Art, via Unsplash

Spring cover crops help start the season weed-free

Oats, Outi Mähönen, via Unsplash

Seed starting woes? Ask the pros

seedling under plastic lid. creative commons.

Do you know when to plant in Illinois?

Seedlings growing in paper eggshell cartons

Edibles or ornamentals? Container trends for 2021

growing crops in bags

Herbs all winter: grow them indoors

Mint plant on window sill in small container. Image: Eleanor Chen via Unsplash

Rain gardens offer standing-water solutions

red oak rain garden

French intensive gardens root well in Central Illinois

full season french intensive garden

Wildlife in the fall garden

fox squirrel in foreground of fall or winter tree limbs.

Kids in the Garden: Grow & Explore this Fall

wheatgrass growing in a cup

Take your butterfly garden to the next level

Garden Journal: A helpful gardening tool

Garden journal info graphic

The New Victory Garden

Tomato and Basil plants growing in a homemade container. Be sure to allow for drainage from any container.

Starting a Garden: Irrigation

Sprinkler head

Starting a Garden: Season Extension

Cold frame with vegetables growing inside in the fall.

Starting a Garden: Weed Management

Weed free tomatoes

Starting a Garden: Cool-Season Vegetables | And my top 5 cool-season crops to grow

Kale

Don't grow distant from your garden!

beet greens and lettuce greens

Homegrown: DIY Hydroponics for All Gardeners

Green herbs growing out of plastic tub in home hydroponic system

A Primer to Supplemental Lighting for Indoor Seed Starting

News Releases (34)

Cook County grows horticulture team with new bilingual educator

Tour 10 amazing gardens on July 9 at Garden Walk 2022, hosted by the McHenry County Extension Master Gardeners and MCC

Map reveals widespread lead pollution in Chicago backyards, parkways

McHenry County Gardenfest Brings Spring on April 9

Tour some of the best gardens with the McHenry County Extension Master Gardeners’ and MCC’s Garden Walk 2021 on July 10

McHenry County Extension Master Gardeners Grow Produce ‘for Good’

Lake County Extension Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale June 12

Grow your green thumb this spring with free online gardening classes

Add interest by creating a moonlight garden

Planning, designing a native garden

Small-batch culinary herbs add flavor to gardening menu

Small-space containers big with new gardeners

Refreshing raised bed soil generates exceptional results

The time is right to plant cool season vegetables

Gardening benefits body, mind, wallet

Make way for new award-winning garden plants of 2021

Get ready for spring with Gardening in the Air

Grow great vegetables with beginner gardening webinar series

Winter pruning boosts blackberry and raspberry harvests

Use winter to plan for a fruit garden

Partnering up for a pollinator garden in Normal

Extend the life of urban forests with Urban Tree Conference

Unsightly black spots on maple leaves won’t harm trees

Hold on to summer with home hydroponics

Big nutritional value from tiny plants; learn to grow microgreens

Grow apple trees in your urban garden

Campus rain garden certified as wildlife-friendly

Produce farms provided COVID-19 disinfecting guidelines

Explore and assess your seeds this winter

Winter seed sowing

2020 All-America Selection Winners

Extension Presents Into to Rain Gardens Workshop

Plant your native garden this fall

Rain Garden Workshop

Staff (6)

Picture of Navraaz Basati

Navraaz Basati

Horticulture Program Coordinator

German Cutz staff photo

German Cutz

Horticulture Educator

Duane Friend

Duane Friend

State Master Naturalist and Climate Change Specialist

Holly Froning

Holly Froning

Kankakee County Master Gardener & Master Naturalist Program Coordinator

Zachary Grant

Zachary Grant

Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator

Doug Gucker staff photo

Douglas B. Gucker

Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator