Now that the weather is finally starting to warm up many of us will be starting to think about what we’ll be planting in our gardens. Before you go out and buy more plants, join some of the University of Illinois Extension Horticulture educators for a free webinar series called “The Good, the Bad and the Lovely Plants.”
In this webinar series we will be educating gardeners about garden biodiversity by addressing common landscape plants that have invasive qualities, species of concern, how and why to control them and landscape native alternatives and the benefits of native plants to pollinators.
From the comfort of your own home you can learn about the Good Plants, the Bad Plants and the Lovely Plants. These free webinar series will be hosted on April 7th and 21st. The sessions start at 6:30 and end at 8 p.m.
On April 7 – Common Invasive Plants/Species of Concern 6:30 p.m.
Horticulture educators Kari Houle and Andrew Holsinger will focus on basic identification of common invasive species as well as species of concern in Illinois and the impacts of these species on the environment and natural habitats.
Control Strategies 7:15 p.m.
After you learn to identify invasive plant species the next step is control. The strategies for eliminating invasive plants depend upon the plant itself. Horticulture educators Rhonda Ferree and Chris Enroth will address control recommendations of common invasive plants.
On April 21 – Landscape Alternatives 6:30 p.m.
Your backyard has been overtaken by burning bush, but you don’t remember planting burning bush? Invasive plants are those that “escape” from other landscapes. Horticulture educators Jennifer Fishburn and Martha Smith will consider alternatives to landscape plants that are being “watched’ as becoming problematic.
Pollinator Plants 7:15 p.m.
Many Illinois gardeners wish to contribute to the biodiversity of their own gardens by planting flowers that lure and contribute to the survival of pollinators. Horticulture educators Kelly Allsup and Ken Johnson will discuss how gardeners can attract different types of pollinators by using native plants.
A registration is required and anyone can join for free prior to the event. Please visit http://web.extension.illinois.edu/abhps/ to register. Before the webinars you will receive instructions on how to join, as well as handouts.
