Master Gardeners Kenosha-Racine County Community Activities

02/08/2026

This page will be inactivated on March 1. Please go to page. Racine Kenosha Master Gardener Association, for current postings.

02/05/2026

Part-Time Horticultural Position

Part time, with benefits, location at Sturtevant Transitional Facility, three- year grant funded position.

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.Job Category:Academic StaffEmployment Type:RegularJob Profile:Outreach Program CoordinatorJob Summary:This grant-funded position for three yea...

02/01/2026

This information is appropriate to SE WI also.

Ready to grow your own food? With proper planning, home gardens in Illinois can have a bountiful harvest.

Vegetable Gardening in the Midwest is your go-to guide for planning, preparing, planting, and caring for vegetable and herb gardens tailored to the Midwest environment.

Get growing with expert tips and instructions in the Vegetable Gardening in the Midwest book available for purchase here:

Do you want to grow your own food? Home gardeners in the Midwest will find everything they need to plan, prepare, plant, and care for a vegetable or herb garden, and harvest their bounty. This stunning publication provides detailed instructions with line drawings and color photographs of 100 major v...

01/23/2026

Can trees explode in subzero weather? Buckle up, it’s time for University of Illinois Extension Forestry to bust some myths about “exploding trees.”

Native trees are used to and can survive the shifting temperatures in their home ranges, but bitterly cold conditions can be a challenge. What happens if the temperature drops really cold, really fast? The outside of the tree contracts faster than the inside, creating an imbalance of pressure.

BANG! That pressure release suddenly splits the tree vertically along its trunk, a phenomenon known as frost cracking. Sometimes, that cracking comes with a loud popping noise that can sound like gunfire, but it’s not an explosion.

What kinds of trees are affected? Many thin-barked trees in the home landscape are susceptible to this kind of winter damage, including fruit trees, maples, lindens, sycamores, willows, and young trees. Frost cracking often happens when the tree is warmed by strong direct sunlight during the day and then refreezes quickly at nightfall.

How do the cracks affect the tree’s health? Since it is a vertical split, the trees are generally not significantly affected. But the length, width, and depth of the cracks can vary.

You may not notice a frost-cracking wound on landscape trees until spring or summer. Cracks can close up and then reopen in future winters, or the tree may grow over the crack, forming a callus. Over time, branch dieback can happen, and the tree’s health may start to decline, putting it at risk of damage from other environmental stressors like insects and decay.

Planting susceptible trees where they will be protected from the late afternoon sun can help prevent frost cracking. Using tree wrap can prevent temperature fluctuations. Apply wraps in November and remove them in April. Leaving wraps on all year can cause damage or restrict growth.

Questions about trees or landscape care? Connect with staff at your local Illinois Extension office at https://go.illinois.edu/ExtensionOffices. Learn more about Illinois forests at https://extension.illinois.edu/forestry.

Find an OfficeLearn more about the offices that make up University of Illinois Extension. Select a county or office from the lists below or click on an area of

01/22/2026

Use the link at the bottom to get all of the info about speakers and how to register.

01/13/2026

From one gardener to another, ongoing New Year's resolutions around gardening and a new growing season can be fun.

From fresh traditions to new opportunities, here are a few to help with garden planning.

1. Improve plant care practices
2. Incorporate edible plants in both containers, gardens, and landscapes
3. Start composting or vermicomposting
4. Plant a pollinator garden

No matter the plan or resolution, remember to savor the growing experience.

Share your gardening plans in the comments!

🔗 Read more in Flowers, Fruits, and Frass at

January 2, 2026 Brittnay Haag  The New Year brings fresh traditions, opportunities, and resolutions. For gardeners, it also signals the start of a new growing season. Why not set a few personal gardening resolutions to become a more sustainable and successful gardener? Here are some ideas for one g...

01/09/2026

Native Pollinator Grant Application Now Open

We are accepting applications for the Wild Ones Root River Chapter's 2026 native plant pollinator grants. Please distribute this information to any community partners that you think may benefit. We'd love to see some fresh faces and lots of grants to consider this year!

The grant application link can be found below. Details for submission can be found on the grant application page. If you need ideas for which native plants to add to your application, click here for the 2025 Native Plant Sale Master list, our new list will not be available until nursery inventory can be confirmed. Our online native plant store https://rootrivernativeplantsale.org/ will be opening back up for preorders in February, 2026. The store will be open until April 1st, 2026 with plant pickup on Saturday May 16, 2026 at Dane Hill Farm, LLC

Grants are due March 1st at 11:59pm.
Link to grant: 19d1e918-1477-46e5-b091-87423f95a659.pdf

Wild Ones Root River Chapter | 375 Queen Anne Cir | Union Grove, WI 53182 US

01/05/2026

Wisconsin Horticulture-Extension
Is your New Year’s Resolution to improve your gardening skills?

“Plant Diagnostics: The Step-by-Step Approach to Identifying Plant Problems” is an online, self-paced course that introduces the process of plant diagnostics. Get ready for the 2026 growing season by gaining a deeper understanding of pest identification, insect and wildlife damage, plant diseases and disorders, and strategies to keep your plants healthy and thriving.

Learn more and register: go.wisc.edu/uwplantdiagnostics26

01/03/2026

Is starting to compost on the new year’s list? If so, check out the composting resources below to learn what is needed and where to start.

But what about a compost pile that is already in progress? Remember these tips for winter composting.

Weather can have both positive and negative impacts on outdoor composting systems. Freezing winter temperatures and excessive precipitation create challenging conditions for composting.

Learn more about winter composting and take steps to increase success.

🔗 Download Extension’s Winter Composting Infosheet at https://go.illinois.edu/WinterComposting

🔗 Learn more about Getting Started with Home Composting at https://extension.illinois.edu/compost

12/31/2025

As we prepare for the new year, "resolutions" is one of those buzzwords that seeps into conversations. Garden planning may be one of those topics added to your list.

Perhaps there are new areas of your vegetable garden that you would like to expand, or you may want to learn more about sedges and other types of groundcover. This time of year is the perfect opportunity to jot down your ideas and prepare for spring gardening.

Get some garden resolution ideas at https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2022-12-29-plan-make-garden-resolutions-new-year-2023

Start garden planning with expert tips at https://extension.illinois.edu/gardening/make-plan

Keep in mind when to plant your favorites or something new at https://extension.illinois.edu/gardening/when-plant

12/21/2025

The poinsettia, a vibrant red flower that graces holiday décor, has a rich history of cultivation and symbolism, beginning with the ancient Aztec people of Mexico, where it thrives as a tall perennial shrub.

Poinsettias have since become one of the most popular blooming houseplants to celebrate the season, with an estimated 35 million sold annually as gifts and décor.

In red, white, marbled, or novelty varieties, these plants are easily visible around the holidays.

Read or tune in to learn its origin story. Download a care sheet to go with when gifting poinsettias.

🔗 The Story Behind the Poinsettia: History, Symbolism, and Holiday Care Tips: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/flowers-fruits-and-frass/2024-12-13-story-behind-poinsettia-history-symbolism-and-holiday

🎧 Listen to anywhere you get your podcasts or this episode online at https://extension.illinois.edu/podcasts/good-growing/ep-158-all-about-poinsettias-myths-legends-how-theyre-grown-and-more

🔗 Download Extension’s Poinsettia Care Sheet at https://go.illinois.edu/PoinsettiaCare

12/17/2025

RKMGA Christmas get together was last night at the KCC, Bristol. I did not get pictures of the group but here are pictures of some of the trees decorated by local 4-H that are in the lobby.