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April 2012
Horticulture
Gardening Telenets
University of Illinois Extension is starting off the gardening season with 4 great programs to get you and your garden ready! The Spring series offers Sustainable Lawn Care, Vegetable Garden Planning, Bug Invaders of the Foreign Kind and A Gardening Calendar. Each program will be offered twice for your convenience.
Sustainable Lawn Care is easier than most homeowners think. Having a sustainable lawn care program involves many of the lawn care activities a homeowner already does, just with some modifications and once those activities are put in perspective, the lawn becomes more manageable. There have been advances in feeding the lawn, giving homeowners choices that were not around just a few years ago. There will be new suggestions for taking care of the lawn, lessening weed and disease pressure, keeping the lawn greener longer each year and information on renovation practices to improve how your lawn looks, while being sustainable at the same time. Richard Hentschel, University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator, will present Sustainable Lawn Care on Tuesday, April 10, at 1:00 pm and again on Thursday, April 12, 7:00 pm.
Vegetable Gardening is an activity the whole family can enjoy. What better gardening satisfaction can you achieve than growing your own vegetables for your family to eat. You can select what you like and you know how it was grown and cared for. But what do you need to consider when starting a vegetable garden? What size garden? What is the easiest to grow? Jim Schmidt, Horticulture Specialist, University of Illinois will walk you through the process of planning a home vegetable garden from choosing a site, deciding what to grow, to timing your plantings for maximum success. Jim also will answer your vegetable gardening questions. Vegetable Garden Planning will be offered twice, Tuesday, April 24, at 1:00 pm and again on Thursday, April 26, at 7:00 pm.
Invasive insects are a result of the movement of humans around the globe. Introductions of them into the United States have followed human immigration and trade with other parts of the world. Many of our earliest invasive pests are of European origin as were the first human immigrants in the 1600's. Recent trade with Asian countries has been accompanied with invasive insects from that part of the world including emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, multicolored Asian lady beetle, and brown marmorated stink bug. These and other invasive insects will be addressed in the presentation "Bug Invaders of the Foreign Kind" by Phil Nixon, Extension Entomologist with University of Illinois Extension, on Tuesday, May 8, at 1:00 p.m. and Thursday, May 10, at 7:00 p.m.
In our gardens, both indoors and outdoors, every season has its tasks. Spring brings the flush of new growth and our to-do list expands. But what about the rest of the year? We have house plant care in January, starting seeds indoors during February and March, garden clean-up in April & May and the list goes on. Join Ron Wolford, University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator as he offers a month to month guide of key garden chores and tips. A Gardening Calendar will be offered on Tuesday, May 22, at 1:00 p.m. and again on Thursday, May 24, at 7:00 p.m.
Each program is $5 and will be held at the U of I Extension Building, 700 S. Airport Drive, Springfield. The presentation will be via the University of Illinois telenet system and local computer PowerPoint presentations, allowing live discussion between the instructor and gardeners throughout Illinois.
To reserve a packet of handouts pre-register on-line at the Sangamon-Menard Unit website at www.extension.uiuc.edu/sangamonmenard. Questions call (217) 782-4617.
Flowers Through the Artist Eye
Mary Selinski, U of I Extension Master Gardener, will discuss an artist's interpretation of flowers. Have you ever looked at a painting and wondered how the artist saw aspects of plants that you had never noticed? Mary will show you how the art we enjoy evolves from the plants in our lives. Program will be held on Monday, April 9, 2 pm at the U of I Extension Building, 700 S. Airport Dr, Springfield. No cost or pre-registration needed. Questions call (217) 782-4617.
Herb Plant Sale
Master Gardeners of University of Illinois Extension Menard and Sangamon counties will hold an "Herb Plant Sale" on Saturday, May 5, from 8 am to Noon. The event will be held in conjunction with Springfield Civic Garden Club Plant Sale at TechTown, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield. A variety of herbs will be offered including: six different kinds of Basil, Curly and Flat Leaf Parsley, five varieties of Thyme, several varieties of Scented Geranium, Rosemary and Sage. Plants will be priced from $3 to $6. Questions call (217) 782-4617.
Area Plant Sales
Woodland Wildflower and Tree Sale
Lincoln Memorial Garden's Spring wildflowers, ferns and tree sale will be held on April 14 and 15. Event will be held at the Lincoln Memorial Garden, 2301 East lake Shore Drive, Springfield, and will run from 9 am to 4 pm on Saturday and 1 pm to 4 pm on Sunday. A variety of trees, shrubs, wildflowers and ferns will be available. For more information call 529-1111.
Master Gardener Plant Sale in Lincoln
University of Illinois Extension Logan County Master Gardeners will hold their 11th Annual Plant Sale on Saturday, April 28. This event will be held from 9am to Noon at the Special Events Building, Logan County Fairgrounds, Lincoln, Illinois. A variety of plants will be offered including perennials, houseplants, ornamental grasses, heirloom tomatoes, peppers and small selection of annual flowers and shrubs. Early birds will get the best selection, but will not be admitted until 9 am. Questions call 732-8289.
Native Plant Society Sale
The Central Chapter of the Illinois Native Plant Society will hold their annual plant sale on Saturday, April 28, from 9 am to 2 pm at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Commodity Pavilion, Springfield. Many native trees, shrubs, prairie plants and woodland flowers will be available, as well as non-invasive exotic species and cultivars. Some selections are extremely rare and seldom seen in cultivation. Plant experts will be on hand to help with your questions. For more information contact Mary Ring at 243-6055 or Beth Adams at 787-0942.
Garden Club Plant Sale
Springfield Civic Garden Club will hold their annual plant sale Saturday, May 5, 8:00 am to Noon. The event will be held at Techtown, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield. Come and purchase healthy plants that have been grown in our area.
Prairie Plant Sale
Prairie Wildflower Plant Sale will be held on May 19 and 20 at Lincoln Memorial Garden. Event will be held at Lincoln Memorial Garden, Nature Center, Springfield, and will run from 9 am to 4 pm on Saturday and 1 pm to 4 pm on Sunday.
Water Garden Plant Sale
The Land of Lincoln Water Gardening Society will hold their 2nd annual Water Garden Plant Sale on Saturday, May 19, from 9:30 am to Noon at Washington Park Botanical Garden, 1740 W. Fayette Ave., Springfield, IL.
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