Home & garden calendar

Jan. 21

American Sign Language for Gardeners: 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. Join Justin LeBlanc for a discussion of the beautiful and expressive American Sign Language. Learn the basic ABCs, how to sign an introduction, as well as many vocabulary words relating to the garden. Leave with an understanding of basic ASL, including the signs for many of the flora and fauna you encounter in the Chicago Botanic Garden. $49-$62. For information, chicagobotanic.org.

Jan. 22

Arlington Heights Garden Club — Literary Gardens: Virtually at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22 through the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. The speaker, Cindy Crosby, an author, compiler and contributor of more than 20 books, will present on “Literary Gardens.” Join Master Gardener and Master Naturalist Crosby for a look at gardens in literature and poetry. See your garden with new eyes and come away with a list of books to explore. You can join the “watch party” in person at the library or view the presentation from home via Zoom. Crosby will be presenting on Zoom. Registration is required, visit ahml.info.

An Organized Kitchen & Meal Planning: 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, at Ela Area Public Library, 275 Mohawk Trail, Lake Zurich. Find time, money and space in this heart of your home, and help your days and dinners run more smoothly. Certified Professional Organizer Colleen Klimczak will review your goals and what healthy means to you and your family. Organize the space, explore menu planning and make your kitchen work for you, for wellness, family and life. For information, (847) 438-3433, ext. 170 or eapl.org.

Jan. 23

Plant Health 1: Virtually from 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays Jan. 23 through March 12, through the Chicago Botanic Garden. No class Feb. 1, 6 or 8. Learn to identify, diagnose, treat and prevent some of the most common diseases, insects, animal pests, and environmental problems encountered by our region’s landscape industry. Topics include Integrated Pest Management, cultural care, basic entomology and pathology, pesticides and alternatives, and animal management. This class will be taught online via Zoom. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive login instructions one day in advance. $399-$499. For information, chicagobotanic.org.

Gardening Can Be Murder: Virtually at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23, through the Glencoe Public Library. What with their poisonous plants, sharp tools, shady corners and ready-made burial sites, gardens have long inspired writers to connect horticulture with crime. Enjoy the convergence of two great obsessions in this program with Marta McDowell, garden writer and bestselling author, as she discusses her recently published “Gardening Can Be Murder: How Poisonous Poppies, Sinister Shovels, and Grim Gardens Have Inspired Mystery Writers.” Registration required. For information, glencoelibrary.org.

Jan. 24

Avoiding Home Repair Scams: Virtually and in person at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, at Elmhurst Public Library, 125 S. Prospect Ave., Elmhurst. Often, your home is your most valuable financial asset. Join a representative from the attorney general’s community outreach team to learn how to make informed choices when hiring contractors and protect yourself from common home repair scams. Registration required. For information, (630) 279-8696 or elmhurstpubliclibrary.org.

Jan. 25

Native Gardeners Club — Ready, Set, Grow: Virtually at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, through the Lake County Forest Preserves. Want to level up your native gardening? Join to learn about native plants and how to use them in your home landscapes. This is a monthly program — register for the month or the full year. Free for Lake County residents. For information and to register, lcfpd.org/calendar.

Jan. 26

Lombard Garden Club: 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26, at the Lombard Community Building, 433 E. St. Charles Road, Lombard. Negin Almassi, a resource management training specialist with the Forest Preserves of Cook County, will present the “Urban Ecology of Coyotes.” The Chicago area coyotes are the most studied population of coyotes in North America. Join and follow the trail of coyotes with wildlife biologists working in the forest preserves through the Urban Coyote Research Project. Almassi will discuss urban coyote behavior and ecology, how we can live with coyotes and what coyotes have to teach us. The public is welcome. For information, lombardgardenclub.org.

Jan. 27

Kane County Home Show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 27-28, at Kane County Fairgrounds Prairie Events Building, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. This event will offer an array of exhibits and displays, highlighting the latest home improvement products and services with thousands of the freshest ideas in remodeling, repairing and beautifying your home. At the same time, you’ll find your best opportunity to meet and speak with local and national experts who are eager to help you with all your home improvement projects and questions. For information, (630) 953-2500 or kanecountyhomeshow.com.

Starting Vegetables From Seed: 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 27, at The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Learn how to start vegetables from seed in this hands-on workshop. Discover techniques and benefits of growing vegetables from seeds. Explore lighting, soil types, containers, sowing schedules and plant selection with a gardening expert. Avoid common pitfalls and improve seed starting success. Get a tray of seeds started in class that you can take home with you. Instructor is Natasha Nicholes, executive director, WeSowWeGrow. For ages 16 and older. $32-$39. For information, mortonarb.org.

Seed Swap: Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, at The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Join a community of growers at this free seed swap event. Browse a selection of vegetable, herb, native and ornamental seeds, and take home a variety to plant this spring. Bring leftover seed packets or self-saved seeds to share. If you don’t have seeds to offer, come anyway. All are welcome to attend. Horticultural experts will be on hand to help with gardening questions. Enjoy how-to gardening demonstrations throughout the swap. This event is free for Arboretum members and included with admission for Arboretum guests. Ages 16 and older. For information, mortonarb.org.

Ongoing

Organic Seedlings Sale: Orders taken through Feb. 28. The First Congregational United Church of Christ’s 10th annual Organic Seedlings Sale is underway. Pre-orders for certified organic vegetable, herb and annual flower seedlings will be taken through Feb. 28. Seedlings can be ordered by going to the church website at elmhurstucc.org/store. Seedlings will be available for pick up at the church’s Green Garden Fair from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 11, at the church, 235 S. Kenilworth, Elmhurst.