Gardenfest - Ready, Set, Grow

Saturday, April 15, 2023, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Event fee: $45
Location: Luecht Auditorium

Explore the latest gardening trends, techniques, and tools during this series of seminars for gardeners of every skill level. Choose from five breakout presentations under each session presented by industry experts. 

How to Register

All registrations will be online through Brown Paper Tickets. No registrations will be accepted by mail or phone.
Registration opens February 13, 2023.

Please indicate your first and second choice for each session (See breakout presentation descriptions).

Register

Registration Deadline: March 31, 2023* (no refunds after this date)

__ $45 Registration fee 

__ $25 MCC Horticulture students 

*After this date, registration is only accepted the day of the conference for an additional $5 fee (space limited)

If you need an accommodation or a sign language interpreter, contact Access and Disability Services at (815) 455-8766 or disabilityservices@mchenry.edu.

Schedule

7:30–8 a.m. | Registration, Exhibits, and Tool Sharpening Drop Off

8–8:15 a.m. | Welcome Leucht Auditorium

8:15–9:15 a.m. | Morning Keynote Speaker
Kim Hartmann—Adding Color with Annuals

9:30–10:30 a.m. | Session #1

• MCC Greenhouse Tour—Mandy Hood (limit 20)
• Making Native Plants A Part of Your Landscape—Garrett Beier
• Growing Epic Tomatoes in Northern Illinois—Jerry Gudauskas
• The Backyard Orchard—Grant McCarty
• Gardening in Comfort—Patricia Donald and Betty Lawlor

10:45 a.m.–11:45 p.m. | Session #2

• The Culinary Garden—Joyce Lande and Raechal Maat (limit 20)
• Growing and Caring for Grapes—Rich Tobiasz
• MCC Greenhouse Tour—Mandy Hood (limit 20)
• A Crash Course in Tree and Shrub Selection—Garrett Beier
• The Shape of Design—Dana Garretson

12:15–1:15 p.m. | Lunch and Exhibits

1:30–2:30 p.m. | Session #3

• The Culinary Garden—Joyce Lande and Raechal Maat (limit 20)
• Basic Pruning—Rich Tobiasz
• Common Backyard Weeds: Identification and Management Strategies—Sarah Farley
• Your First Vegetable Garden? Let’s Plan for Success—Doug Moore
• Midwest Pollinators—The Xerces Society of Invertebrate Conservation—Carol Elkins

2:45–3:45 p.m. | Session #4

• Tool Maintenance and Sharpening—Rich Tobiasz (limit 24)
• Common Backyard Weeds: Identification and Management Strategies—Sarah Farley
• All About Tea Gardens—Christina Rank
• Native Bees: Attracting Them To Your Garden—Nate Szkil