University of Illinois Extension

Events (17)

Tree Root Collar Disorders | Fall Four Seasons

1:30 CST

Tue, 11/30/2021 - 12:00

Online

root collar disorders

Unique Plants for the Holidays | Good Growing

3 PM CST

Wed, 12/01/2021 - 12:00

Online

unique plants for the holidays

Holiday Wreath Workshop (Hillsboro)

6 - 8 PM

Wed, 12/08/2021 - 12:00

Montgomery County Extension Office, #1 Industrial Park Dr., Hillsboro, IL 62049 OR Online

cjmm-montgomerywreathws

Holiday Wreath Workshop (Carlinville)

6 - 8 PM

Wed, 12/15/2021 - 12:00

Macoupin County Extenson Office, #60 Carlinville Plaza, Carlinville, IL 62626

cjmm-macoupinwreathws

Wonderful Winter Interest | Good Growing

3 PM CST

Wed, 12/15/2021 - 12:00

Online

wonderful winter interest

Plant Propagation Techniques for the Home: Indoors and Out | Gardening in the Air

9 AM CDT

Sat, 02/05/2022 - 12:00

Online

plant propagation

Trees that pop in the Spring! | Gardening in the Air

9 AM CDT

Sat, 02/05/2022 - 12:00

Online

trees that pop in the spring

Diagnosing Indoor Plant Problems: Troubleshooting Common Issues with Houseplants | Gardening in the Air

10:15 AM CDT

Sat, 02/05/2022 - 12:00

Online

plant problems

2022 Cool Kid in the Garden | Gardening in the Air

11:30 AM CDT

Sat, 02/05/2022 - 12:00

Online

cool kid in garden

Taking Action for Native Bees | Gardening in the Air

11:30 AM CDT

Sat, 02/05/2022 - 12:00

Online

native bees

Kokedama String Gardening | Gardening in the Air

11:30 AM CDT

Sat, 02/05/2022 - 12:00

Online

kokedama string gardening

Tree Pruning Tips | Gardening in the Air

10:15 AM CDT

Sat, 02/05/2022 - 12:00

Online

tree pruning tips

Gardeners' BIG Day 2022

9 AM to Noon

Fri, 03/04/2022 - 12:00

Online

arched garden gate

Spring Into Gardening

8:00 am - 12:30 pm

Sat, 03/05/2022 - 12:00

Broadway Christian Church

Spring Into Gardening, watering can, flowers, and straw hat

Wildflower Photography

6:00 PM

Wed, 03/23/2022 - 12:00

Shannon Bayou, 3301 S. Waldron Road, Aroma Park, Illinois

woman with brown hair taking photograph in nature with camera

2022 McHenry County Gardenfest

7:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Sat, 04/09/2022 - 12:00

2022 McHenry County Garden Walk

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Sat, 07/09/2022 - 12:00

McHenry County

Blog Posts (166)

Hazelnuts: A native plant is a new crop for Illinois

developing hazelnuts

Take care of hostas going into winter

Don't forget about these late fall yard chores

Fall garden clean up with pollinators and other wildlife in mind

Fall garden clean up with pollinators and other wildlife in mind. Gold finch feeding on purple coneflower seeds

Fall updates: gardening trends and jumping worms

Northern Illinois drought continues into fall

How can we better manage our nutrient applications?

Tractor pulling anhydrous toolbar

Coexisting with snakes: What kinds of gardening mesh are safe for snakes?

black racer snake entangled in plastic mesh

Anticipating the First Fall Frost in the Garden - October 2021

The Best Monster Movies Get their Ideas From Nature - September 2021

Gardening in Comfort - August 2021

A Strange Looking Insect - Wheel Bug

Wheel Bug

Make fall garden clean-up fun for the kids!

Fall is a good time to start composting

Why do my mums always die? How to grow and care for fall mums in your garden

Why do my mums always die? How to grow and care for fall mums in your garden. Yellow, white, orange and pink mum flowers.

Give your front porch containers a fall makeover

Fall garden with pumpkins

Armyworms move farther north and cause issues with lawns in Central Illinois

Fall armyworms in hand

Fall armyworm numbers highest in 30 years in Illinois

Fall armyworm feeding on ear of corn

Before squash harvest, you can cook with the blossoms

Cooking with Squash Blossoms; open blossom on squash plant on right side, three cut squash blossoms on wood background on right

How to divide and plant bearded iris

How to divide and plant bearded iris. person digging a bearded iris clump

Northern Illinois dry conditions and why watering matters

Enjoying the home landscape

How to use your heirloom tomatoes

A bunch of tomatoes of various shapes and colors in a wooden box. Text says 'How to use your heirloom tomatoes'

Plant Stereotyping - July 2021

Thank an Ant for Spreading Your Dutchman's Breeches - April 2021

Winter Bloomers Add a Spot of Cheer - March, 2021

What could be killing my squash plants?

squash vine borer feeding on vine

Invasive jumping worm confirmed in west-central Illinois

Jumping worm

How to garden in rainy weather

Edible flowers can add unique color and spice to your dish

Chive flowers

The disadvantages of landscape fabric

landscape fabric fail

Celebrate National Pollinator Week!

Monarch on a flower

Garden tasks to help get your landscape through the summer

Garden tasks to help get your landscape through the summer. vegetable and flower garden with mulch path in-between.

Want pumpkins for Halloween? Start them now

pumpkins

Take control of your weed woes

How and when to water your garden

person watering plants with a purple watering wand

Be wise when watering

Herb of the Year: Parsley

Make the most of summer break with a family garden

family garden activities info graphic

Everything is coming up roses

Pruning tomatoes and peppers for healthier plants and a stronger harvest

Perennial plant of the year: Calamint

calamint and Echinacea

Sensory gardens invite interaction

Lavender photo by Verophoto Art, via Unsplash

Gardening and jumping worms in northern Illinois

Spring cover crops help start the season weed-free

Oats, Outi Mähönen, via Unsplash

Best Practices for Sharing Plants to Stop the Spread of Invasive Species

Stop the spread of jumping worms and other invasive species

Invasive Jumping Worms Confirmed in Peoria County

Heirloom flowers provide fragrance, beauty, pollinator support

field of pink cosmos

5 Tips for a successful second year gardener

garden with fruit and veggies

How to successfully grow asparagus in your garden

How to successfully grow asparagus in your garden. purple-green asparagus spears emerging from soil.

Use row cover to protect plants from more than just frost

Row cover protecting some lettuce

Have outdoor insects survived the cold and snow?

snow-covered plant debris

Garden fun for families on Spring Break

terrarium with roman soldier - photo by Brittnay Haag

What’s that Smell? Decomposing Radishes used as Cover Crops

cover crop starting to grow in corn field in February

How does winter help the garden?

winter loaded screen

Seed starting woes? Ask the pros

seedling under plastic lid. creative commons.

Benefits of training your apple and fruit trees

How Plants Survive Freezing Temperatures - January, 2021

Growing strawberries and blueberries

blueberries on the bush

What’s the best thing to feed the birds?

chickadee at a feeder

Do you know when to plant in Illinois?

Seedlings growing in paper eggshell cartons

Two garden tasks to do in January

Vermicomposting: A Composting Option for the Winter

worms feeding on food waste creating compost

Get a gardening fix this winter with houseplant care

Positive Change Can Make a Difference in Your Community

sunlight through ice covered trees

Ordering seeds from garden catalogs

New plants for a new year - try growing something new in 2021

2021 All-American Selections winners

Winter blooming hellebores - December, 2020

Get your seeds early in 2021

Give the gift of gardening

LEGO sculpture of adult and child gardening together

Gardening grew in 2020

Fall evokes the five basic senses - November, 2020

Evergreen leaves live longer lives - October, 2020

Bringing Container Plants in for the Winter - September, 2020

Hairy Crabweed is one bad weed! - August, 2020

Sticky seed dispersal and plants with eye-catching leaves - July, 2020

Editing Aggressive Plants in the Garden - June 2020

How to winterize outdoor plumbing - irrigation, hoses, spigots

frozen over fountain

Aquarium Aquaponics

pothos growing in aquarium

Late fall yard tasks - from mower to snowblower

Fall Gardening Tasks

planting spring bulbs amongst fall perennials

Overwintering your favorite garden plants

joseph's coat

A different fall-blooming beauty

aster, purple with yellow centers. credit: pixabay.

Why are some plants’ leaves white now?

Wildlife in the fall garden

fox squirrel in foreground of fall or winter tree limbs.

Divide and Conquer in Fall

brilliant red-orange oriental poppy pixabay

Landscaping Fiction (Part 2): Eggshells, railroad ties, and organics

tomado demonstrating blossom end rot

Landscaping Fiction (Part 1): Don't be fooled by garden add-ons

mole emerging from soil

Late summer questions to the Master Gardeners

Growing and Harvesting Okra

The okra plant produces cream colored flowers. Once pollinated, these will produce the okra pods to harvest and cook.

It's Time to Plant a Fall Garden

Bag of potting soil with planer next to it

Grow your own vegetables to benefit your health and the environment

women working in garden

Hostas

Hand pollination of last year’s hosta flowers produced the seeds used to grow this tray of hosta seedlings. However, it will take a few more years for these plants to mature and truly express the traits gained from hybridization. Photo credit: Barb and Rick Schroeder

Start your fall garden

cool season crops

Take your butterfly garden to the next level

Recommended Reading for Gardeners During a Pandemic

Summer Reading for Gardeners

Grow your own grass head!

wheat grass growing in a cup

Handling your fresh-picked produce

Freshly harvested cucumbers, eggplant, beans, potatoes, pumpkins, squash, beets, & turnips.

Advanced butterfly gardening

silvery checkerspot by kathy dumler

The big wasps of summer

cicada killer by deanna frautschi

Favorite Perennials For the Sun

plox from pixabay

How much water does your garden need?

6 Tips for Watering Container Gardens

Settling into a summer rhythm

Summer is prime time for growing sweet strawberries

Ripe and Unripe Strawberry Closeup. Photo Credit: Enoch Lau, Wikicommons

Garlic: So easy even I can grow it!

Growing Garlic

Home Horticultural Remedies

Home Horticultural Remedies

Garden Journal: A helpful gardening tool

Garden journal info graphic

Try pineberry: A delicious pineapple-flavored strawberry

Everbearing pineberrries are unique white berries with red seeds. Photo source: Emmbean, Wikimedia Commons.

How to Grow Sweet Corn

Sweet corn

How to Grow Popular Herbs

How to grow popular herbs

Growing Basil in Your Backyard

The New Victory Garden

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

Welcome to My Jungle - May, 2020

The Many Different Types of Cucurbits

The Many Different Types of Cucurbits

How to Grow Cucurbits

bright yellow flower

Monarchs Next on the Endangered Species List?

monarch butterfly on mexican hat sunflower

Herbs Offering Culinary and Habitat Enhancement

black swallowtail caterpillar ascending parsley

Different Types of Tomatoes

different types, sizes, and colors of tomatoes

Welcome to My Jungle - April, 2020

Welcome to My Jungle - March, 2020

Welcome to My Jungle - February, 2020

Welcome to My Jungle - January, 2020

How to Grow Tomatoes

How to Grow Tomatoes

Planting the first-time vegetable garden

How to Grow Lettuce

three lettuce varieties

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potato harvest

Starting a Garden: Irrigation

Sprinkler head

Wildlife-friendly gardens add more enjoyment and interest

praying manthis in zinnia

Starting a Garden: Fertilization

corn seedlings with fertilizer

Starting a Garden: Pest Management

squash vine borer larva inside of the stem of a zucchini plant

Advantages of early vegetable gardening and other spring notes

Starting a Garden: Supporting Plants

cucumber plants growing up a trellis

Flowers-Kimmerle teaches webinar session on winter sowing of seeds

Start to Finish: Growing a Cut Flower Garden

Field of sunflowers

How to Prune Fruit Trees and Maximize your Home Orchard

Clipper cutting tree branch in winter

Starting a Garden: Season Extension

Cold frame with vegetables growing inside in the fall.

Starting a Garden: Hardening Off Indoor Seedlings

basil seedlings in seedling flat

A Beginners Guide To Worm Composting

Fruit and vegetable scraps for composting

Starting Seeds in Spring

kohlrabi at Garden of Giving

Designing Around Specific Colors and Plants

nodding onion

Starting a Garden: Soil Management

Spade in garden soil

Starting a Garden: Types of Gardens

lettuce and potatoes in an in-ground garden, vegetables in a raised bed, and herbs in pots

Easy Seeding at Home With Limited Materials

Start seeds with a clamshell of soil and a spraybottle.

Starting a Garden: Warm Season Vegetables

basket with tomatoes, peppers and summer squash

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

Kale

Starting a Garden: Supplemental Lighting for Indoor Seed Starting

Lighting

Starting a Garden: Begin with a Plan

Vegetable garden sketch

Starting a Garden: Seed Starting

blazing star seedlings under grow lights

Socially-distanced Garden Activities

Remember the Feeling of Spring

Image of spring

Don't grow distant from your garden!

beet greens and lettuce greens

Kick off spring in Pontiac with Livingston County Master Gardeners

Answers for Early Spring FAQs

More to a shovel than you may think

different types of shovels laying in the grass

Homegrown: DIY Hydroponics for All Gardeners

Green herbs growing out of plastic tub in home hydroponic system

How to overwinter house plants

Houseplants provide beauty as well as a plethora of human health benefits during winter although indoor plant care can often be challenging this time of year.

Fall planted bulbs welcome bees with early spring bloomers

Tomato hornworms and hummingbird moths are here

Spring Lawn Care - What Should You Really Be Doing

Spring Sweetness: Strawberrries

Beat summer heat with low-water xeriscape gardens

Xeriscape style garden

A Primer to Supplemental Lighting for Indoor Seed Starting

Vermiculture Composting: Worm Aversion Conversion

It's hard to beat a good beet

beet growing with title "it's hard to beat a good beet"

News Releases (140)

Partnership boosts local horticulture education at ICC

Learn to grow with Master Gardener online training

Restore wildlife, prepare for spring with winter Gardening in the Air series

Trim trees, shrubs in the dormant season for stronger, healthier plants

Garden catalog season gives gardeners chance to explore, shop for next year's seeds

Give houseplants new life with DIY kokedama moss balls

Poinsettias add a rainbow of color options to holiday décor

Low-maintenance, winter blooming holiday cacti are gift that keep on giving

DIY bottle terrariums make great holiday gifts

Watering trees, shrubs in the fall and winter is a balancing act

Keep worms warm for winter vermicomposting

Keep plants, pollinators happy with fall Gardening in the Air series

Feed the bees next spring with bulbs from this year’s Fall Gardeners’ Gathering

Consider cover crops this fall

They thrash about and are here for your soil

Extension offers best gardening tips for fall season

Don't rake fall leaves, recycle them

Proper maintenance extends lifespan, saves money on garden tools

Healthy gardens start with sensible soil testing

Tips for planting balled-burlapped trees for long-term health, success

Small bees attracted to small flowers

Plant asters for unique display of fall color

Exchange your food scraps for compost: an easy way to help our environment

Enrich your knowledge and your soil at free composting event

Go back in time with free historical cottage garden tour

See garden ideas come to life with the Kane County Master Gardeners

Learn about heirloom gardening and native plants at free garden tour

Learn how to grow great tomatoes and tour community garden

Aphid pests on the move in backyard gardens, agricultural fields

Free event to tour Crossing Garden and learn about composting

Extension Master Gardeners team up with Tazewell County Health Department to grow food for local families

Learn how to make your landscape attractive to pollinators

Weeds or wildflowers? It's a matter of perspective

Irrigate gardens to beat summer heat

Tomato gardeners beware; blossom end rot can be prevented

Large yard not required to support pollinators

Love fresh salsa? Plant a salsa garden

School gardens offer numerous benefits beyond beautification

Invasive earthworm species a threat to Illinois’ natural resources

Livingston County Master Gardener Help Desk Open

Master gardeners to answer questions in-person at the farmer's market

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

Tour beautiful gardens during the Master Gardener Over the Gate Garden Walk

Learn how to grow fresh herbs and the ways to use them

Can foods safely this season with free test from Illinois Extension

McHenry County Extension Master Gardeners Grow Produce ‘for Good’

Garden smarter, not harder: Free online Four Seasons Gardening series open

Missing Arbor Day doesn't mean you can't plant a tree

Hybrid rainscaping program offers a closer look at stormwater management

McHenry County Extension Master Gardeners Launch Seed Library

Invasive jumping worms confirmed in Peoria County

Keep an eye out for invasive jumping worms in the garden

Whiteside County Master Gardeners Host Demonstration Shade Garden Tour

The gardening methods you need to tell goodbye

Log on to the McHenry County Virtual Gardenfest on April 10

Illinois Extension to Offer Get Growing Webinar Series

Extension is here to share in your gardening triumphs and woes

Lake County Extension Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale June 12

Environmental webinars explore owls, native shade gardens

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

Heirloom flowers provide fragrance, beauty, pollinator support

Refreshing raised bed soil generates exceptional results

Spruce, Callery pear have no home in Illinois landscapes

The time is right to plant cool season vegetables

Tips for starting your spring garden off strong

Gardening benefits body, mind, wallet

Birds, bees need growers' help to keep pollinating

Vermilion County Master Gardeners present 2021 Garden Day Workshop

Make way for new award-winning garden plants of 2021

Illinois Extension & Rock Island Public Library offer free online series: Vegetable Gardening Made Easy

Think Spring Gardening Series

2021 is the year of the gardener; get ready with Home, Lawn, Garden Day

Bi-State Garden Conference

Four Seasons Gardening webinars return in 2021

Get ready for spring with Gardening in the Air

Gardening interests bloom in 2020

Grow great vegetables with beginner gardening webinar series

Small, but mighty microgreens are easy to grow indoors

Winter pruning boosts blackberry and raspberry harvests

Use winter to plan for a fruit garden

Perennial plant of the year, calamint, a perfect pick for pollinators

Two local Master Gardeners earn state honor

Partnership connects urban youth to careers in ag and food innovation

Youth can learn to design creative mini gardens during virtual workshop

Save wetlands, use soilless potting mixtures

Learn to extend your gardening season at free Extension webinar

Four Seasons Gardening Program Offers Free Fall Series Webinars

Fall garden cleanup lays groundwork for a successful spring

Put fall leaves to work as compost

How to pick the perfect pumpkin

Bring houseplants indoors before the first frost

Select and plant spring-flowering bulbs now

Harvest abundant squash for food, decoration

Hold on to summer with home hydroponics

Plant native perennials in the fall for healthy spring growth

Harvest milkweed pods; plant Monarch butterfly garden

Benefit your health and environment by growing your own vegetables

Prolong shelf life of garden-fresh produce with good harvest habits

Do not plant seeds of unknown origins

Consistent watering needed during hot-weather gardening

Garden vegetables need water to survive extreme weather

Find beauty during 'dog days' of August

Illinois Master Gardeners announce new volunteer website

Flavor Your Summer with Backyard Basil

Color your garden with a rainbow of vegetables

Choose drought tolerant plants for homeowners

For showy blooms, pruning hydrangeas is all about the timing

Showy Annabelle hydrangea has historic roots in Illinois

Get out of the sun with 5 ideas for backyard shade

Growing irises: How to plant, grow and care for iris

Too much of a good thing, mulch volcanoes slowly kill trees

Create a caterpillar cafe out of your butterfly garden

Lawn rust and why your shoes are turning orange

Save wetlands, use soilless potting mixtures

6 tips for watering container gardens

Flavor summer with backyard basil

Homeowner’s guide to watering summer lawns

Have a garden question? The answer is only a click away

Campus rain garden certified as wildlife-friendly

Start herb seeds indoors

Pollinator support tips for gardeners and homeowners

Start your spring landscape clean up

Enjoy home-grown asparagus with backyard gardening webinar

Keep your garden producing all season

Advantages of Early Gardening

University of Illinois Extension McHenry County Master Gardeners Offer Virtual Gardening Advice for Spring

Tri-County Master Gardeners Host e-Help Desks this Spring

Get gardening with our beginning gardener webinar series

The Cook's Garden

Local Volunteers Plan Spring Fling Garden Day

Reserve Your Spot at the 2020 Ready Set Grow Gardening Workshop

Communities Join in Master Gardeners' Annual Seed Swap

Raspberry: The Herb of the Year Homeowners Learn All About Growing Raspberries at Information-Packed Workshop

University of Illinois and Purdue Extension Bi-State Group to Host Annual Garden Conference

Four Seasons Gardening Winter Webinar Series Underway

Winter Seed Sowing

Staff (7)

Gemini Bhalsod

Gemini Bhalsod

Cook County Horticulture Educator

Margaret Burns Westmeyer

Margaret Burns Westmeyer

Cook County Horticulture Program Coordinator

Christopher Enroth

Christopher Enroth

Horticulture Extension Educator

Richard Hentschel

Richard Hentschel

Horticulture Educator

Andrew Holsinger

Andrew Holsinger

Horticulture Educator

Ken Johnson Staff Photo

Ken Johnson

Horticulture Educator

Tracy Jo Mulliken

Tracy Jo Mulliken

Program Coordinator, Horticulture and Agriculture