July 7 – 7 to 8pm CT Ready to turn your kitchen scraps into garden gold? Join us for “Tips and Tricks for Successful Home Composting,” an interactive workshop on making composting work for any home. Whether you have a sprawling backyard or a small apartment, you’ll learn about different methods, including indoor systems like Bokashi and Vermiculture, to select the optimal system …
June is National Pollinator Month, but our local bees and butterflies need more than a celebration—they need a place to call home. When you plant native species, you aren’t just adding beauty to your yard; you are throwing a lifeline to local wildlife. Did you know that one-third of all native bee species are oligolectic? …
June 10 6:00 to 7:30pm CT Session 5 of Garden Learning Series Learn more about the value of various types of trees and planting a diverse set of trees in your landscape. We will review alternatives to invasive or non-native trees and shrubs suitable to our northern Illinois conditions. We will share best practices about …
Gardeners, get ready — the plant sale of the season is almost here! The Lake County Master Gardener Plant Sale is back on May 16, 2026, and it’s better than ever. Whether you are a seasoned green thumb or just starting your garden journey, this is your chance to discover unique varieties of perennial and …
Discover a fantastic variety of topics being presented by the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners and Educators, along with Educators and Ecologists from the Lake County Forest Preserve District and the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO). Presentations are scheduled on the second Wednesday of each month from 6:00 pm-7:30 pm Central Time …
February 3rd – 7-8pm CT – Virtual via Zoom. Learn about the bats of Illinois and Lake County, including steps you can take to provide habitat for bats in your backyard or neighborhood. Understand threats to bats and simple ways you can help to protect your local bat populations. Presented by Dr. Joy O’Keefe, associate …
Wild Ones Lake-to-Prairie presents a free online talk about avoiding ticks and tick-borne diseases. On January 6, 2026 from 7:00pm to 8:00pm Central Time. Ticks are parasitic arachnids that feed on blood. They’re usually found in wooded or grassy areas and can carry pathogens that cause illnesses. Tick borne diseases are a risk for anyone …
Free 2025 Garden Learning Series continues Wednesday, October 8 – 6:00pm-7:30pm CT Starting native plants from seed can be challenging until you know the tricks to sparking germination. Discover what it means to stratify and scarify seeds and which species need which treatment. Lake County Forest Preserve District will provide this wonderful learning experience. Programs …
Learn more about how to be environmentally responsible by checking out all that SWALCO has to offer. Featuring events in June. To learn about these programs and more, go to <http://www.swalco.org/>
We are excited to launch a new segment for our readers called, “Habitat Corner.” We will share timely information and curated articles about native gardening and habitat friendly plants and practices. Our first installment is May 2025. May is a great time for gardening! Here’s how you can use your green thumb to support our …
