Weekend Gardener - Saturday, March 7, 2026

Thank you for your interest in our Weekend Gardener Program! This educational program will be held at the Madison County Farm Bureau Auditorium, located at 900 Hillsboro Avenue, Edwardsville, IL.

The cost to attend is $20 per participant. Morning refreshments are included, and the program will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m.

Participants will enjoy informative sessions on the following topics:

Learn about how HeartLands Conservancy's Conservation@Home program supports homeowners to create wildlife-friendly and sustainable yards. Explore how native plants support pollinators, improves soil health, and reduces maintenance needs. Get inspired with ideas to transform your own yard into a functional and beautiful part of the local ecosystem to become C@H certified.  

I am a teacher in the Edwardsville School District. I use an aeroponic Tower Garden in my classroom that offers hands-on STEM learning for students.  In our discussion, we will talk about how the students study biology, plant science, ecosystems and nutrition in real time by growing different types of lettuce and herbs, year-round, and indoors.  

See the native white-tailed deer in a whole new light: from nothing more than a pest to an adaptable, resilient, and social animal with a major comeback story. Learn about their senses, physical abilities, population dynamics, and how they communicate. By understanding deer and their place in an ever more human-dominated world, we can ultimately learn how to garden with less stress and more joy.

Learn multiple ways to grow mushrooms at home without the need to spend thousands of dollars on equipment. Identify, treat, and prevent common contaminants and infections that can impact or prevent mushrooms from growing. Understand growing conditions, and the mushrooms best suited for growing in your environment.

Adding a “soft landings” native shade garden under trees provides a soft place for moth and butterfly caterpillars to land after they finish feeding on tree foliage and begin the next stage of their life cycles in the leaf litter and soil under the trees.  The plants under the trees improve the soil, provide nourishment for pollinators and songbirds and protection for the tree roots, sequester more carbon than grass, and eliminate mowing in that area.  This presentation will cover the design, plant sourcing, and installation of a soft landings shade garden as well as maintenance and how to provide cues to care for neighbors, HOAs, and local ordinances.

What’s the buzz in your garden?  Come learn about the native bees that are attracted to our home landscapes as they pursue the floral resources offered to them.  As true pollinators, they are key members of the ecosystem and a welcome complement to the other insects and birds that our gardens and home habitats provide.

Please complete the registration form below to secure your spot. We look forward to seeing you there!

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to attend, please contact the local Extension office at 618-344-4230.