Spring is near, and your green thumb is ripe for gardening. Whether you are a seasoned gardener or just getting started, growing nutrient-rich vegetables, fresh fruits, and aromatic herbs is more than just a way to fill your plate; it is like a badge of honor.
Gardening offers rewarding experiences, from discovering which vegetables thrive through spring’s cool temperatures to visiting arboretums and learning the science behind unusual growths on your trees or tapping into your creativity and learning how to design whimsical pollinator gardens. The possibilities for learning are endless at the upcoming University of Illinois Extension gardening events across the state.
As the Illinois Extension Master Gardener program celebrates 50 years of impact, take the opportunity to dig deeper into the bountiful possibilities of gardening by connecting with fellow gardening enthusiasts at Extension garden days and plant sales across the state. Explore upcoming gardening events and plant sales in the 2025 Garden Days newsletter for your next rewarding gardening experience.
Illinois Extension is a valued source of gardening education that extends beyond the classroom. Extension’s research-based horticulture knowledge is shared not only in seminar sessions but also through hands-on experiences and the Master Gardener program. Each of the dozens of in-person spring gardening programs offers an opportunity to learn from experts, share information, and gain valuable tips for improving your gardening practices. Topics include backyard composting, gardening mistakes and misconceptions, pruning fruit trees, home vegetable gardens, landscape design, pesticide-free pest management, and more. Also, enjoy unique networking activities like garden walks, seed swaps, and plant sales.
Connect with your local Illinois Extension office for expert information on gardening and get specific questions answered with their help. Extension also offers online gardening topic resources, including home vegetable gardening, herbs, fruit trees for home gardens, small fruits for home gardens, mushrooms, lawncare, plants, houseplants, container gardens, youth gardening, flowers, roses, Illinois pollinators, insects, composting, soil, plant problems, and invasives.
For monthly updates on gardening programs, subscribe to the monthly gardening newsletter. Or share tips and ideas with fellow gardeners in the Illinois Extension Horticulture Group on Facebook.
Fifty Years of Impact by Illinois Extension Master Gardeners: University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners are celebrating 50 years of positive impact across Illinois in 2025. Master Gardeners enrich communities with their commitment to horticulture education and the art and science of growing. Over 2,000 active volunteers invest their time and talents cultivating collaborative gardens that feed and support healthy communities, foster hands-on learning, enhance neighborhood beauty, and support the environment. Help Master Gardeners grow.
FEBRUARY
Feb. 15: Woodford County Seed Swap
Roanoke Mennonite Church, Eureka
Contact: Darci Webber
Feb. 22: Joys of Gardening
Highland Community College Student Conference Center, Freeport
Contact: Nikki Keltner
Feb. 22: Gardening Insights
Life Foursquare Church, Decatur
Contact: Whitney Allison
Feb. 22: Gardener’s Pathway and Artisan Market
DeKalb County Farm Bureau, Sycamore
Contact: Connie Handel
Feb. 22: Nursery School: Lessons in Gardening
Vibrant Arena, Moline
Contact: Tracy Jo Mulliken
MARCH
March 1: Home, Lawn, and Garden Day
Central Catholic High School, Bloomington
Contact: Anna Maleske
March 1: Weekend Gardener
Madison County Farm Bureau, Edwardsville
Contact: Sarah Ruth
March 1: Tri-State Forest Stewardship Conference
Grand River Center, Dubuque, IA
Contact: Alex Burbach
March 1: Spring into Gardening Conference
Wesley United Methodist Church, Charleston
Contact: Jenny Lee
March 5: Gateway Green Conference
Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville
Contact: Sarah Ruth
March 8: Gardening for Food, Flowers and Fun
NIU Rockford Conference Center, Rockford
Contact: Tammy Bene
March 8: Garden Day, Vermilion County
Danville Area Community College Bremer Conference Center, Danville
Contact: Deborah Mikel
March 15: Gardener’s Day
Morgan County Extension Office, Jacksonville
Contact: Ken Johnson
March 15: Russel Allen Garden Day
Oasis Senior Center, Lincoln
Contact: Jennifer Fishburn
March 15: Gardener’s Palette
John Wood Community College – Paul Health Center, Quincy
Contact: Shelby Crow
March 22: Gardener’s Day
Spoon River College Outreach Center, Macomb
Contact: Kate Budde
March 29: Ready.Set.Grow! Gardening Workshop
Sauk Valley Community College, Dixon
Contact: Bruce Black
APRIL
April 5: A Day in the Garden Patch
Livingston County Illinois Extension Office, Pontiac
Contact: Anna Maleske
April 10: April in Paris Gardening Seminar
Lake Ridge Christian Church, Paris
Contact: Abby Boerner
April 12: Gardenfest – Ready, Set, Grow
McHenry County College Luecht Auditorium, B170, Crystal Lake
Contact: Brenda Dahlfors
April 14, 21, 28: Spring Series of Home Horticulture
Holiday Inn, Rock Island
Contact: Tracy Jo Mullike
ABOUT ILLINOIS EXTENSION: University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state’s land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy. Learn more at extension.illinois.edu.
WRITER: Shekina Mullen, media communications coordinator, Illinois Extension.
***Courtesy of the University of Illinois Extension***
