Fall wreath-making workshop

LA SALLE, Ill. — The fall decorating season is upon us. Youths will make beautiful custom wreaths in a workshop from 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 28 at the University of Illinois Extension Education Center and Community Teaching Kitchen, 944 First St., La Salle.

4-H members and non-members age 10 and up are invited to participate. Supply fee for this workshop will include all items needed to create and personalize a 22-inch seasonal wreath. Ribbon varieties and embellishment options will be available to choose from.

4-H member fee is $15 and non-member fee is $20. Light refreshments also will be available. Payment is required in advance to secure your space. Contact the La Salle County Extension office at 815-433-0707 to sign up and get payment information.

Plant and Garden History of the Lake of the Woods Area in Mahomet

MAHOMET, Ill. — Champaign County master gardeners and University of Illinois Extension presents a Plant and Garden History of the Lake of the Woods Area in Mahomet via Zoom or phone call-in at 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

Guest presenter will be Marina Montez-Ellis, a Forestry and Natural Resources graduate of the U of I and currently the garden program specialist at the Museum of the Grand Prairie.

In this presentation you will virtually tour what Chambanamoms calls “the best kept (local) secret” in Champaign County. Montez-Ellis will focus on three specific areas in Mahomet’s Lake of the Woods, including the gardens in and around The Museum of the Grand Prairie, Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden and Buffalo Trace Prairie.

During this presentation you will:

• Be inspired to replicate plant choices and landscape designs in your own gardens.

• Learn about plant choices and design features in the Maberry Gelvin Botanical Garden.

• Learn about native plants growing in the Buffalo Trace Prairie.

Register at tinyurl.com/whuks3r7. The program will be recorded and made available on the YouTube channel, go.illinois.edu/ccmgYouTube.

Fall Gardening: Preparing for next season

MACOMB, Ill. — Join University of Illinois Horticulture Educator Chris Enroth via Zoom at 6 p.m. Aug. 24 as he explains that the growing season may be over for many home gardeners, but there is still much you can do now to prepare for next year.

Enroth will deliver timely tips on what you can do to get your lawns, landscaping and vegetable beds ready and then have a question-and-answer session. Local master gardeners will lead a hands-on activity.

Pollinator garden tour

HILLSBORO, Ill. — A pollinator garden tour of Carlinville will be at 10 a.m. Aug. 25. The tour, led by University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Andrew Holsinger, will highlight pollinator gardens and the plants in Carlinville, which was recently named Bee City USA.

Participants will meet in front of the Macoupin County Extension office, #60 Carlinville Plaza, Carlinville. Register at tinyurl.com/3et2zsk8.

Cover Crops — Building Your Soil

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — The online program, Cover Crops — Building Your Soil, will be from 2 to 3 p.m. Aug. 26. University of Illinois Extension educators Duane Friend and Katie Parker will explain how to create a healthy soil by planting cover crops and incorporating cover crops into a crop rotation.

The program is part of the Know More, Grow More webinar series. Sign up online at go.illinois.edu/Know2Grow.