Kankakee County Master Gardeners & Master Naturalists

08/11/2022

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2021-05-18-spotted-lanternfly-new-invasive-insect-be-aware

Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a newer invasive pest in the United States that has the potential to become a serious pest across a large part of the United States, including Illinois. What do they look like? Adult spotted lanternflies are about 1 inch long. The front pair of wings are gr...

08/01/2022

Join the University of Illinois Extension & the Midwest Fruit Growers association to learn about pruning fruit trees!

Imagine a trail of edible fruit trees! The University of Illinois Master Gardeners along with the Kankakee Elks started an Edible trail along the Kankakee River. It's about time for these year old fruit and nut trees to be pruned!

Join pruning experts from the MidWest Fruit Growers association for a fun workshop all about fruit tree pruning! This workshop is for the homeowner with a few fruit trees. Learn late summer pruning techniques with hands on learning.

This event is free, but pre-registration is required.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact [email protected]. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting your access needs.

Register at: https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=26137

07/29/2022

The summer of 2012 saw my first year as an Extension horticulture educator; it also was one of the driest years on record. Illinois saw massive shortages of rainfall that year- complete with water restrictions, loss of crops, and the demise of many ornamental landscapes. It was a summer that will be...

07/29/2022

Not all bugs in the garden are bad. Knowing how to identify a "good" bug can help you manage insect pests and keep your
garden produce.

🔗 go.illinois.edu/GoodGardenBugs

07/29/2022

***Nature Walk With Erin Garrett has been rescheduled!***

Join the University of Illinois Extension Educator Erin Garret for an amazing walk through prairie, forest, and wetland ecosystems!

Aroma Land and Water Reserve is a unique landscape among Illinois parks. Under the protection of the department of natural resources, this unique reserve contains three distinct types of ecosystems: native prairie, wetland, and riverside ecosystems.

Join Educator Erin Garrett for a plant identification hike at the Aroma Land and Water Reserve on August 5 from 2:00pm. Walk through prairie, forest, and wetland ecosystems while discussing the plants we see along the way and how to identify them.

Erin Garrett is a Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy Educator for University of Illinois Extension serving Alexander, Johnson, Massac, Pulaski, and Union counties. Erin develops and delivers high impact programming to adults and youth to help them develop an appreciation for natural resources and to empower them to make small changes to positively impact the environment. Erin’s programming focuses on why homeowners should consider choosing native plants, how to support native pollinators, how to identify grasses, how to identify and manage invasive species, and developing an appreciation for prairie ecosystems.

This event is free, but pre-registration is required.

Register at: https://extension.illinois.edu/events/2022-08-05-natives-walk-erin-garret-kankakee-county

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact [email protected]. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting your access needs.

07/05/2022

Join the University of Illinois Extension & the Kankakee Valley Forest Preserve District to learn about a vicious nighttime hunter - that's right! We're talking about owls!

When you think of a wise and calm animal, you might think of owls. These beautiful creatures can invoke memories of camping with the kids, hiking in the woods, or the wise owl from the cartoons. But owls are so much more! These fierce creatures are excellent hunters and what they eat can tell us a lot about owls themselves.

In this workshop, led by Kankakee County Master Gardener Coordinator Holly Froning and the Kankakee Valley Forest Preserve District, you will learn all about owls by learning about what they eat! Each participant will receive their own owl pellet to dissect along with instruction. Learn all about these amazing creatures!

This event is free, but pre-registration is required.

Register at: https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=26080

07/05/2022

Join the University of Illinois Extension Educator Erin Garret for an amazing walk through prairie, forest, and wetland ecosystems!

Aroma Land and Water Reserve is a unique landscape among Illinois parks. Under the protection of the department of natural resources, this unique reserve contains three distinct types of ecosystems: native prairie, wetland, and riverside ecosystems.

Join Educator Erin Garrett for a plant identification hike at the Aroma Land and Water Reserve on July 15 from 2:30pm-4pm. Walk through prairie, forest, and wetland ecosystems while discussing the plants we see along the way and how to identify them.

Register at: https://extension.illinois.edu/events/2022-07-15-natives-walk-erin-garret-kankakee-county

06/18/2022

What do melons, squash, cucumbers, and pumpkins have in common? Yes, they’re all delicious and healthy foods, but they also struggle with the same pests and diseases:

- Cucumber beetles
- Squash vine borer
- Squash bugs
- Whiteflies

Find more info and tips for dealing with these pesky problems: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2020-05-08-troubles-cucurbits

06/13/2022

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/flowers-fruits-and-frass/2022-05-13-plant-rainbow-color-your-porch-or-patio

With limitless colors and textures, no porch or patio should sit bare this season. Plant a container. The home with a front porch container display always feels a bit more welcoming; the back patio with a well-designed pot always feels a bit more relaxing.

06/08/2022

Summer garden checklist: 🗸 Plant 🗸 Water 🗸 W**d 🗸 Repeat!

This time of year the the garden To Do list seems never ending. Save time and money with expert advice on everything from w**d control to harvesting produce with Gardeners Corner - your guide to growing!

🔗 go.illinois.edu/gardenerscorner

06/03/2022

06/03/2022

Growing fruit and vegetables isn't easy. Our specialty crop experts are here to help with Illinois Fruit and Vegetable News - a newsletter with timely, research-based information to help growers make the best choice for their operation.

Get updates on these topics and more:
- Regional growing reports
- How to manage w**ds in pumpkin fields
- Upcoming field days and workshops for farmers

Read the full issue
🔗 extension.illinois.edu/newsletters/illinois-fruit-and-vegetable-news/ifvn-vol-28-no-5-may-2022
Subscribe for email updates
🔗 groups.webservices.illinois.edu/subscribe/156019