Master Gardeners with the University of Illinois Extension recently gave community members a “taste” of what it’s like to be a part of Extension. During their ‘Taste of Extension’ event, participants got to learn about their work while identifying herbs and pumpkins while putting together decorative displays and macrame plant hangers. Now with winter weather looming, Master Gardeners are looking to get you Spring ready next year. Gwen Podeschi and Linda Smith are Master Gardeners with the University of Illinois Extension; both tell of their involvement at their most recent event.

Say you missed the ‘Taste of Extension’ and everything that came with it, plenty of other opportunities are coming about next year. Those looking to become Master Gardeners will have three different courses offered to them in 2026.

With most to all gardens being decommissioned for the season, Podeschi and Smith talk about a photography editing course held in October. Those that attended learned how to edit your photos to provide more pops of color and more. Smith shares that the photos you seen online are far from what that original picture might have been.

Holiday decorations have now begun to line store shelves and so too have holiday cacti. These can be displayed for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas typically but are not actually the same plant. Podeschi and Smith share that when that cactus blooms will tell you what holiday it was truly intended for.

Learn more about the University of Illinois Extension and the Master Gardeners at www.extension.illinois.edu.

Gwen Podeschi and Linda Smith both appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.