Bloom Lockport and the Lockport Township Park District are the latest Will County community organizations to launch a community garden initiative, designed to help residents grow their own produce.

Before seeds and transplants make their way into the ground, taking time to properly prepare your garden bed can set the stage for healthier plants, higher yields, and fewer headaches later in the season.

They’re great for dipping, fresh eating, and quick snacks straight from the garden. This variety is bred to resist bacterial leaf spot, an important advantage in humid growing conditions.

The Forreston FFA and high school agriculture program is preparing to once again open their greenhouse doors to the community.

The Polo Woman’s Garden Club will be having its annual perennial plant sale on Saturday, May 2, at the Polo Community High School ag department.

Online training is again being offered starting June 30. The self-guided course is for Illinois residents and can be taken from the comfort of home on a desktop, laptop or tablet.

The Extension’s work spans youth development, agriculture education, community wellness, and horticulture programming.

Mosses are incredible plants that come in a range of colors beyond just green and have diverse textures.

The Polo Woman’s Garden Club will host an informational meeting open to the community regarding a late afternoon/evening group for those interested or active in flower and vegetable gardening.

The spring series begins April 7, with sessions to help with building gardens and get spring moving.

The Ogle County Master Gardeners invite community members to a free educational program offered Wednesday, March 25, at the Mt. Morris Public Library.

The University of Illinois Extension in Lake County will host an introduction to the School and Community Gardens Asynchronous Course Offering from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 16 in Grayslake with additional resources to use to apply for grants.

Mike Nowak will make a presentation on “Fixing Climate Change in our Back Yards and Front Yards” to the Lombard Garden Club on March 27

Lee County 4-H is excited to announce Project Pool, an engaging and educational event for youths 5-18. This event will take place from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. March 28 at the Lee County Fairgrounds.

Spring came early to Dixon with the success of Blooming Fusion 2026 at The Next Picture Show Community Fine Arts Center.

The Lee County 4-H Program is thrilled to announce another season of the Jr. Gardener Special Interest (SPIN) Club, a club aimed at empowering young minds to explore the wonders of gardening.

The Polo Woman’s Garden Club will host an informational meeting open to the community regarding a late afternoon/evening group for those who are active or interested in flower and vegetable gardening.

The Sandwich Park District would like to invite anyone interested in gardening or anyone who just wants to “think Spring” to come to the 18th annual spring gardening workshop.

Illinois Extension is launching a flexible vegetable gardening webinar series to help gardeners of all levels save money and grow produce successfully

The Ogle County Master Gardeners invite community members to grow their gardening knowledge through two free educational programs offered in March and May at the Julia Hull District Library, 100 Library Lane, Stillman Valley.

Doors open at 8 a.m. with the keynote presentation beginning at 8:30 a.m. Join Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Nancy Kuhajda for a lively discussion about Milk Jug Gardening.

Nancy Kuhajda, horticulture educator with the University of Illinois Extension serving Grundy, Kankakee and Will counties, will teach the classes.

Illinois Extension staff offer gardening education throughout the state.

Shrubs with colorful stems, interesting seed pods, or textured bark can also add depth and create a stunning winter display.

Bruce Blake will deliver a presentation on “Bee an Advocate for Nature” at the Feb. 20 meeting of the Lombard Garden Club

What began as a small circle of people online interested in gardening has blossomed into the McHenry County Plantings Facebook group with about 14,000 members and in-real-life events like the Great Seed and Soil Event, planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 at MCC's cafeteria, including seed swaps, vendors and demonstrations.

The Next Picture Show is now accepting submissions for Blooming Fusion, a juried exhibition celebrating artistic interpretations of flowers, plants, and gardens. The exhibition will be on view Feb. 18 through March 28 at The Next Picture Show.

There are a variety of plants that can be eaten as microgreens, and each one will add a slightly different flavor to your meals. One good choice includes things in the brassica (broccoli) family, like radish, broccoli, kale, cress, etc.

Stay indoors and out of the cold with new webinars from the University of Illinois Extension’s Four Seasons Gardening series.

Landowners and operators looking to enhance their property through conservation practices are encouraged to apply for the Partners for Conservation cost-share program.

The Flagg-Rochelle Public Library in conjunction with Ogle County Master Gardeners will be hosting a seed library kick-off event Saturday, Jan. 31.

One year ends and another begins, there is no better time to reflect on the news stories that inspired happy feelings in 2025.

Master gardener Cindy Crosby will speak on “Bison Tales and Tall Grass Trails” at the Jan. 23 meeting on the Lombard Garden Club.

Looking for activities to do when the winter weather keeps me indoors. Try plant propagation.

Turn your food scraps into nutrient-rich fertilizer for all your planting needs.

The Algonquin Garden Club has successfully transformed a small plot of land in the Dixie Briggs Fromm Nature Preserve in Dundee Township into a “mini-forest,” the first of its kind in the area.

What is an invasive species? An invasive species is an introduced species – often a plant, animal, or insect – that causes some kind of harm.

Let’s take a closer look at what we can do to promote pollinators in our yards that can be done without spending a lot of time or money.

The Lombard Garden Club will host Bill Karges, who will present “All About Hydrangeas” at noon Nov. 14 at the Lombard Community Building, 433 E. St. Charles Road.

Like it or not, there are a few gardening chores left before shutting down for the year and starting to plan next year.

Kendall County volunteer and Oswego resident Tom Kopacz earned a 2025 Outstanding Illinois Master Gardener Award.

Pumpkins thrown into landfills are never broken down and release greenhouse gases, accounting for over one billion pumpkins thrown out every year.

When it comes to our health, times have really changed – but a Tampico woman would like to change them back to a time when nature would nurture us, and she’s offering an oasis where people can do just that: a retreat where they can regroup, relax and recharge.

An autumn garden can display a variety of colors, textures, and gradients to set a festive and fun mood.

The Green Gate Garden Club is a group of roughly 20 women who are behind many of the gardens and floral landscaping around Crystal Lake.

If you are looking for a single groundcover for the entire area, here are three plants that are native to the Chicago region and can thrive in sun to shade.

Milkweed is not only the preferred food of the Monarch caterpillar, but it is the ONLY food it will eat. One can easily see that many milkweed plants are needed for her 300 to 500 eggs and caterpillars.

The conference held in Springfield earlier this month, marked the 50th anniversary of the Master Gardener program and honored recipients of the annual Master Gardener Awards in three categories.

Nancy Kuhajda, horticulture educator with the Illinois Extension serving Grundy, Kankakee and Will Counties, will teach the classes.

Extend the garden season by learning how to harvest flower seeds and gaining tips on where to start to reclaim runaway landscapes with the Four Seasons Gardening webinar series