Tri-County Master Gardeners host e-Help Desks this spring

Though University of Illinois Extension in-person office hours are suspended, residents can still get valuable personal gardening advice from local Extension Master Gardener volunteers this spring.

Each growing season, trained Extension volunteers field community questions through Master Gardener Help Desks in DuPage, Kane and Kendall counties. Homeowners can now get answers to their yard, landscaping and gardening question from Master Gardener volunteers via email.

"Our Master Gardener volunteers still want to help their neighbors grow so they are volunteering from their homes," said Richard Hentschel, Extension horticulture educator. "Master Gardeners can advise on what needs to be done in gardens and yards during each part of the growing season. Popular questions now include lawn care, starting garden transplants from seed, and early season weed control, but they also can advise on care of trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables."

To connect with your county's Master Gardener Help Desk, email your question along with details and a photo, if appropriate, to: DuPage County: uiemg-dupage@illinois.edu, Kane County: uiemg-kane@illinois.edu, or Kendall County: uiemg-kendall@illinois.edu.

For more information on the Extension Master Gardener program in the tri-county area, visit extension.illinois.edu/dkk/horticulture.

For more information on University of Illinois Extension, visit extension.illinois.edu.