2025 Programs
This webinar series, sponsored by Nebraska Extension and delivered via Zoom, is a great opportunity to join experts from Nebraska Extension to learn and ask questions! All programs are on the second Wednesday of the month from Noon-1 pm CT.
If you cannot participate in the live programs, they will be recorded and made available on this webpage for later viewing, too.
February 12 - Starting a vegetable garden | Dana Freeman, Urban Ag Instructor
Discover the joy of vegetable gardening in this beginner-friendly class. Learn essential tips for planning, planting and maintaining your garden, plus solutions to common challenges. Grow your gardening skills from the ground up!
March 12 - Rain Gardens: Where to Use Them/ What to Plant in Them | Kelly Feehan, Extension Educator
Rain gardens help harvest the rain and reduce runoff to streams and rivers. They need to be in the right locations with plant selections considered for three moisture zones. Learn about rain garden plants that succeed in Nebraska rain gardens.
April 9 - Trees to Plant and Trees to Avoid | Elizabeth Exstrom, Extension Educator
Choosing the perfect tree for your landscape is more than just a decision, it's a long-term investment that can transform your outdoor space! Wth so many factors to consider it's essential to know what makes a tree thrive and what can hold your landscape back. Discover key factors you need to consider when selection a tree and learn which ones to avoid for a stunning, hassle-free landscape that lasts for years to come!
May 14 - Consider these Natives | Scott Evans, Extension Assistant
Native plants offer a wide range of benefits for gardeners, from supporting wildlife to being more resilient in the landscape. With so many options available, how do you know which plants will complement your existing garden? Scott will guide you through a selection of native trees, shrubs, perennials, and even annuals that are well-suited for home landscapes.
June 11 - Garden Friends | Kait Chapman, Extension Educator
Discover the hidden allies that support healthy gardens and landscapes — from pollinators, to predators, and beyond.
July 9 - Rose Management | Nicole Stoner, Extension Educator & David Lott, Extension Educator
Roses are a great plant for any landscape, but they can have issues and require proper management for success. Learn the different types of roses, and where they are best suited in the landscape to thrive. We will cover general rose care, pest management, and pruning to keep your roses looking great.
August 13 - Fall Turf Activities | John Fech, Extension Educator
Summer isn’t over yet, but fall lawn care is calling. Learn the techniques that will make the transition smooth and help your lawn thrive. John will cover fertilization, reseeding, pest control, irrigation needs, mowing, aeration and more.
September 10 - Basics of Composting | Sarah Browning, Extension Educator
Take advantage of organic materials from your home or landscape, including grass clippings, tree leaves and kitchen scraps, to improve your garden soil. The best way to do that is through composting. In this program, we will discuss achieving a proper carbon:nitrogen ratio, or "green" materials vs. "brown" materials and how to construct a compost pile.
October 8 - Unusual Small Fruits | Ian Peterson, Extension Educator
Looking for something beyond tomatoes, zucchini and apples? Learn about some of the unique annual and perennial fruits that Nebraska gardeners can bring into their edible landscapes.
November 12 - Growing Herbs | Mary Jane Frogge, Extension Associate
Discover the fun and ease of growing your own herbs. Learn about perennial and annual herbs you can easily start from seed in the spring. You are more likely to use herbs when they are fresh and convenient to harvest from your own garden.
Join the blog!
Science-based gardening information, specifically for Nebraska gardeners, from the GRO Big Red team.
The GRO Big Red team provides educational resources for gardeners. Learn about edible plants, houseplants, landscapes, trees and insects.

GRO Big Red Program Recordings
Available below and on the GRO Big Red Virtual Learning Series YouTube channel, go.unl.edu/grobigredtube.
Food Preservation
- Growing, Harvesting & Preserving Herbs, August 18, 2020
- Preserving the Harvest, August 4, 2020
- Safely Preserve Foods, August 22, 2023
Garden Management
- Fall Landscape Playbook, August 29, 2023
- Fungi in Landscapes, July 13, 2021
- Irrigation in the Landscape, June 20, 2023
- Putting Your Garden to Bed, September 29, 2020
- Solutions Gardening, October 10, 2023
- Winning Weed Battles in the Garden, May 30, 2023
Houseplants
- Choosing a Healthy Houseplant, February 24, 2021
- Environmental Considerations & Alterations, March 3, 2021
- Indoor Plant Lights, February 2, 2021
- Picking Low Maintenance Houseplants, February 24, 2021
- Watering & Fertilizing, March 3, 2021
Insect Pests
- Bagworms, June 22, 2021
- Insect Pests in the Garden, June 27, 2023
- Itchy, Biting Outdoor Bugs, July 13, 2021
- Japanese Beetles, June 22, 2021
Landscape Design
- Rain Water- Use It, Don't Lose It, April 10, 2024. Additional Resources.
- Simple Landscape Design, May 8, 2024
Lawns
- Lawn Care for Healthy Lawns & Rehabilitating Languishing Lawns, August 15, 2023
- Summer Lawn Care, June 12, 2024
Pollinators
- Bees, Butterflies and Beyond, May 11
- Creating a Pollinator Habitat, May 4, 2021
- Pollinator Blooms for All Seasons, May 18
- Pollinator Habitats, Sept. 11, 2024
Propagation
- Starting Plants for Your Garden, February 14, 2024
Soil
- Composting, September 22, 2020
- Cover Crops, September 22, 2020
- Testing & Prepping Soil, March 23, 2021
Trees
- Tree Care, September 11, 2020
- Tree Planting, September 8, 2020
- Tree Problems, August 12, 2020
- Tree Selection, August 28, 2020
- What's Wrong with my Evergreen?, May 23, 2023 | Handout
- Shade Tree Pruning, October 17, 2023
Vegetable Gardening
- Basic Vegetable Garden Management, April 8, 2021
- Container Vegetable Gardening, April 19, 2021
- Early Cool Season Crops, April 8, 2021
- Fall Gardening, July 21, 2020
- Indoor Lights for Seed Starting, February 2, 2021
- Irrigation, July 12, 2021
- Maximizing Garden Vegetable Production, March 13, 2024
- Pruning and Trellising Tomatoes, July 28, 2021
- Raised Bed Gardening, April 19 2021
- Seed Starting, February 2, 2021
- Starting Plants for Your Garden, February 14, 2024
- Tomato Rots & Spots, July 6, 2021
- Tomato Trouble, July 28, 2020
- Vegetable Garden Disease Control, July 10, 2024
- Vegetable Garden Planning, March 23, 2021
- What's Happening in Your Garden, July 14, 2020