Calendar: The Garden’s Planted: Now What?

Attention to detail while conducting your garden maintenance and taking appropriate action can increase the health of your plants, save you time and increase your yield.

The Garden’s Planted: Now What? will be presented online from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 9. Register by visiting tinyurl.com/zsrar67u.

The program is part of the 2021 Garden Learning Series presented by the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County and the University of Illinois Extension, Lake County.

Growing herbs with DeWitt County master gardeners

CLINTON, Ill. — Learn about herbs, how to grow them and common uses from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. June 10 at the Vespasian Warner Library, 310 N. Quincy St., Clinton.

The program will be presented by DeWitt County master gardeners.

Protecting water quality at home

The program What You Can Do to Protect Water Quality at Home will be presented online at 1 p.m. June 10.

The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy is a statewide effort to improve water quality in Illinois rivers and the Gulf of Mexico. Learn how you can improve our world’s water quality at home. This webinar provides background information and empowers participants with techniques and resources to keep nutrients in their yard. Topics include rain gardens, leaf management, and lawn care. Guiding the discussion are staff at Extension’s Red Oak Rain Garden: Eliana Brown, Layne Knoche and Kate Gardiner.

This webinar is part of the Everyday Environment Webinar Series. Watch videos for past webinars. For more information, visit go.illinois.edu/EverydayEnvironmentWebinars.

Outdoor container gardening

ALEDO, Ill — Containers are a great way to spruce up an entryway with flowers or grow tasty vegetables and herbs. Yet, growing in a container is very different than growing in the ground.

University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Martha Smith will discuss container gardening tips and techniques from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 10 at the Town & Country Restaurant, 1708 SE 3rd St., Aledo.

Learn about soil, maintenance, and growing edible and decorative plants. Participants will plant a container to take home.

Mercer County 4-H BBQ

ALEDO, Ill. — Mercer County Extension and 4-H Foundation are hosting the annual 4-H BBQ Fundraiser from 4 to 6 p.m. June 11 . The drive-through event will be at the Aledo Fire Station, 211 SE 3rd St., Aledo.

Mercer County 4-H members and volunteers will be serving grilled butterfly pork chop sandwiches and grilled hot dogs, along with two side dishes, and a dessert. Pork chop meals are $8 and hot dog dinners are $5.

You can phone ahead to order by calling 309-373-3636 or 309-371-6158.

Lake County Master Gardener Plant Sale

GRAYSLAKE, Ill. — The Lake County Extension Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 12 at the Lake County Extension office, 100 S. Route 45, Grayslake.

About 2,000 plants will be available for purchase, including perennials, native plants that attract and support pollinators, houseplants, and homegrown herbs. Vegetable transplants will not be available this year due to the later sale date.

In addition to plants, shop the Garden Treasures for new and gently used items to enhance your landscape and home, including yard art, garden tools, decorative containers and gardening books.

There are multiple checkout lanes, plentiful parking and assistance with plant selection and gardening questions from Extension master gardeners.

The plant sale is the Extension master gardeners’ primary fundraising event of the year. All proceeds support projects and programming for volunteers, youth and adults.

For the safety of customers and volunteers, masks and social distancing will be required.

In addition:

Hand sanitizer stations will be provided
Plants will be spread out to maintain social distancing
The number of people in the sales area at one time will be limited to meet state guidelines for gathering

For more Information, call 847-223-8627 and ask for an Extension master gardener, or email uiemg-lake@illinois.edu.