Local nurseryman Chris Tholen, of Tholens’ Landscape & Garden Center, educated the Kankakee Kultivators the group’s first general meeting of the year, held in the Kankakee Public Library’s 4th Floor Auditorium.

According to Kultivator’s president Jan Alleman, “With his casual sense of humor and great store of gardening and landscaping advice, Tholen covered his subject, ‘Early Spring Garden Preparation,’ extensively, then gave thorough responses to all questions and additional topics his Kultivator audience asked about.”

Deb Terrill — syndicated garden columnist, conservation advocate, and locally well-known gardening expert — will be featured at the Kultivators’ second 2022 meeting at noon March 10 with the topic “Seed to Table.” Tholen and Terrill begin a group of programs presented by the Kultivators to help all who are interested in getting their 2022 gardens growing successfully.

Educated in horticulture from Parkland College and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Tholen is an Illinois Certified Nursery Professional affirmed by the Illinois Green Industry Association. During the years, he has taken many additional courses and workshops to keep up with new developments in the nursery growers’ business.

Tholen also speaks from his nearly lifelong experience in Tholens’ Landscape and Garden Center, Inc., which he and his wife manage—Chris in the landscaping branch of the business and Amy in the garden center on Convent Street in Bourbonnais.

Kankakee Kultivators welcome everyone who is interested, member or not, to attend and enjoy the entertainment and educational opportunities offered by programs at the meetings, which usually take place in the 4th Floor Auditorium of the Kankakee Public Library at noon on the second Thursday of each month, February through November.

All who would like to work with club members to carry out the missions of the organization are invited to join.