Black Hawk County Master Gardeners

09/05/2026

09/05/2026

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend 🌻🇺🇸

09/04/2026

🌾 We are so excited to announce our annual Fall Native Plant Sale!

Save the date! Stop by Hartman Reserve Nature Center on Wednesday, September 23rd to shop for native flowers, grasses, shrubs, trees, and soil amendments from Blooming Prairie Nursery.

If you're wanting specific plants, pre-ordering is the best way to ensure you get what you're looking for. Pre-orders will be available to pick up at the plant sale.
Find more info about the sale and pre-ordering here 👇
https://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Black-Hawk/Park/Hartman-Reserve-Nature-Center/Events/29686/Fall-Native-Plant-Sale

09/03/2026

Poison ivy doesn't care if it's September!

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

Save the Date! The 2026 Fall Garden Symposium sponsored by the Black Hawk County Master Gardeners will be Saturday, October 31st. Yes that's on Halloween, no you don't need to wear a costume. The Symposium will again be held at 1301 Kimball Ave in Waterloo.

The speakers include Linn County Master Gardener and popular speaker Deb Walser, Statewide Field Specialist of Horticulture Randall Vos, Farm Manager, AJ Shultz from Convivium Urban Farmstead in Dubuque, and Chip Murrow, Urban Forestry Program Specialist with Iowa DNR. The cost to attend for the day is $40 per person and includes a light breakfast a catered lunch, and of course lots of coffee and snacks! You can sign up online (starting next week), or by sending or bring a check to the Black Hawk County Extension office.

09/02/2026

Strengthen your skills and connect with food systems practitioners across the nation through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach's fall virtual Local Food Leader 101!

Strengthen your skills and connect with food systems practitioners across the nation through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach's fall virtual Local Food Leader 101!

Designed for beginning practitioners or those looking to become more engaged in their community, Local Food Leader 101 teaches foundational competencies critical for successful food systems development.

Topics include:
Food systems common language
Working in food systems
Dignity and involvement
Facilitation and leadership
Plans of work and professional development
Project and program evaluation

Dates: September 30 - December 16, 2026
Cost: $200
Enrollment Closes: September 22, 2026

Register: https://buff.ly/iBQ01T7

09/02/2026

Have you ever had a jar crack during processing? Thermal shock could be the reason.

Have you ever had a jar crack during processing? Thermal shock could be the reason. Glass doesn’t handle sudden temperature changes well. To help prevent cracking, make sure the water in your canner is 140°F for raw-pack foods and 180°F for hot-pack foods when you place the jars in the canner. Learn more about thermal shock and how to prevent it here. go.iastate.edu/JA1GLZ