Clinton Journal | Give your inexperienced thumb a hand, be part of vegetable gardening workshop

URBANA, Illinois — This spring, step into Growing Great Vegetables with confidence, a five-week webinar series covering how to grow a vegetable garden from seed to harvest. Whether growers have several acres or a patio with a few containers, now is the time to start planning for a successful garden.

Sign up for the weekly online workshops starting February 28th. Each session covers a new topic and gives attendees the opportunity to connect with horticultural experts at the University of Illinois Extension and receive emails with even more research-based tips and factsheets.

The meetings will take place from 28 February to 28 March on Tuesdays from 18:00 to 19:00. Each class covers a different topic and consists of a 50-minute live presentation followed by questions and answers. Horticulture educators Jennifer Fishburn, Chris Enroth, Ken Johnson, Ryan Pankau, and Sarah Vogel will lead this series.

February 28, Where do you garden? Build a garden using the space you have. Learn about traditional garden plots, raised beds, salad tables, container gardening, vertical growing and more.

March 7, Seed and Plant Selection: Planning, design, and layout are key elements of successful gardening. Learn about hardiness zones, frost and freeze dates, how to order plants or seeds from a garden catalog or locally, read and choose seed packets, and grow plants from seeds. We also cover soil testing and modification, fertilizers, manure, mulch, irrigation and weeding

March 14, Cool Season Vegetables: Cool season crops can be grown in spring or fall, each with their own characteristics and potential problems. Learn about growing and harvesting vegetables in the cool season, including how to manage common insect pests.

March 21, Warm Season Vegetables: The warm season crop grows during the hottest time of the year. This session will cover how to get veggies like peppers, tomatoes, squash, and more to bloom while keeping pests at bay.

March 28th, Insects and Diseases: New and experienced growers alike are challenged by pests, diseases and disorders of vegetable crops. Learn about insects, diseases and wildlife pests and how to prevent and treat them.

Register for the series by February 26 at go.illinois.edu/GrowingGreatVegetables. The cost is $10. Sessions will be recorded and made available to registered attendees if they are unable to attend live. For more information, contact Ken Johnson at [email protected]

University of Illinois Extension offers equal opportunity in programs and employment. If you require reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Ken Johnson at [email protected] Early inquiries are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for access requirements to be met.