The Four Seasons Gardening program, from University of Illinois Extension, wraps up with a session on Growing Backyard Grapes.

The program is offered on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 1 pm and repeated on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7 pm. All sessions will be presented at each County Office.

Elizabeth Wahle, U of I Extension horticulture specialist, will present the program via teleconference. Participants will learn about the basics of growing grapes for both table use and wine. Topics include variety selection, training systems and pruning techniques. The seminar features a color slide presentation accompanied by the voice of the instructor as people from all over the state participate.

There is a $3 fee and pre-registration is required. Call the Carroll County office at 815-244-9444 or the Jo Daviess County office at 815-858-2273.

Some of the topics for the 2008 series include Soils/Plant nutrition, Carnivorous Plants, Ornamental Vines, Containers, Roses, and Fall blooming flower gardens.

Nancy Gmitro, Mt. Carroll, and Connie Zink, Savanna, were two of 44 University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners selected for the State Outstanding Master Gardener Award. Patt Caldwell, Mt. Carroll, was one of 14 MGs selected for the Sustained Excellence Award. The awards were presented at the MG State Conference held Sept. 6-8 in Springfield.

The award recipients were selected based on their volunteer hours, dedication to the program's mission of "helping others learn to grow" and activity in more than one project in the county.

To be considered for the State Outstanding MG Award, the volunteer must have completed a minimum of 180 hours of volunteer service prior to December 31, 2006.

Gmitro, who currently serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Carroll County MG Program, has given presentations at various workshops, been active in the grounds renovations at the Carroll County Courthouse, identified and mapped the trees and wildflowers for a self-guided walking tour of Point Rock Park in Mt. Carroll and has served on the Mt. Carroll Garden Walk Committee. She also directed a

group of Girl Scouts in planting a Prairie Garden at the Ingersoll Wetlands Center which houses the offices of the Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge near Savanna and Thomson.

Zink chaired the Savanna Garden Walk for several years, initiated the Savanna Beautification Project and the Savanna Community Garden which featured a Plant-A-Row for the Hungry component,and has given many talks and presentations during her seven years as a Master Gardener.

Criteria for the Sustained Excellence Award includes being active in the MG Program for a minimum of four years and a minimum of 480 hours of volunteer service since receiving the State Outstanding Award.

Caldwell was presented with the State Outstanding Award in 2003 and has been the Volunteer Coordinator from 2002 through February of 2007. She has given many presentations, resurrected and was chair of the MG Winter Workshop "Know and Grow", served on the Savanna Garden Walk Committee and the Planning Committee for the 2006 State Conference, facilitated telenets and worked at the help desk.

We spend our lives with test anxiety. Math tests lead to driver's license tests, pregnancy tests and blood tests; we fret about them or avoid taking them. One test carries much less baggage, but is probably the most important test a gardener can take.

This is a good time to soil test. Soil samples can be taken anytime the soil temperatures are above 50 degrees F, but late summer or fall is the best. Soil testing can help determine the cause of problem area. You know that spot "where nothing will grow." Also it may reveal why some plants are not growing well.

Sampling soil is relatively painless and takes just a couple tools: a clean bucket and a trowel or shovel. If your soil seems the same throughout, then take samples from 8-10 different areas of the test site and mix together in the bucket.

To take the sample use a trowel or shovel to dig a hole, then cut a thin slice down one side of the hole. Do not include roots, twigs, thatch or debris. For lawn areas the sample should be taken at 3-4 inches deep, for flower and vegetable gardens at 6-8 inches deep and shrub and tree areas at 12 inches deep. Multiple samples may be needed if soils appear different.

Spread the mixed sample on clean paper to air dry. Do not sample wet soils. The final sample should be about a half-pint of soil and a composite of the site. The Master Gardener programs in both Jo Daviess and Carroll Counties offer a soil testing service for a fee. Be sure to list on the sample the intended use of the area. The results from soil testing labs are much more accurate than home kits.

Soil tests will show the soil pH. pH measures the acidity or alkalinity of the soil on a scale from 1-14 with 7 being neutral. Numbers above 7 are considered alkaline and numbers below 7 are considered acidic. Plants have ranges of pH in which they grow best because certain nutrients such as iron are more available at

Blueberries and rhododendrons, however, need a soil that is acidic at about 4.5. They can suffer from iron deficiency in our higher pH soils. Deficiency will show as stunted growth and the leaves may be yellow with green veins. Sulfur is used to lower the pH.

Lime is added to raise the pH. Always get a soil test before adding lime. It is not an annual recommendation in our area.

Once the results are returned, fall is a great time to add soil amendments because it allows a few months for the slow reacting amendments to work.

- Sandy Mason, U of I Extension Champaign

In 2006, Illinois Master Gardeners served 140,252 hours of volunteer service which results in a $2.53 million dollars of service to Illinois Communities.

The University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners in Stephenson County will hold "Autumn Joys" from 8 am to noon on Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Freeport Public Library, 100 E. Douglas St. in Freeport. The theme of this years workshop is "The Crafty Side of Gardening: Make It-Take it!"

Featured speaker is Master Gardener Willie Weisendanger presenting "Taming the Wild Willow".He'll share a visual journey through the world of willow creations. His will be the only topic in the first session.

Session Two offers the choice of "Garden Journal: A handy place for all your garden details-so you don't forget!" presented by Paula Bennehoff; or "Dried Flower Card Making" by Shirley Wennestrom. Session Three offers "Make Your Own Whimsical Garden Stake" by Julia Carey or "Worms are Natures' Recyclers: Let's make them a home!" by Marjorie Lewis and Beth Nagel. All presenters are Stephenson County Master Gardeners.

Cost is $15 which covers materials and refreshments. For full details and a registration form, contact the Stephenson County Extension office at 815-235-4125. Registration deadline is Oct. 24

Before eating that fresh apple, be sure to rinse it with cold water before eating or using. Jananne Finck, Nutrition and Wellness Educator with University of Illinois Extension, Springfield Center, suggests dipping the sliced apples in a mixture of lemon juice and water to prevent browning. Use about 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice per cup of water or put peeled apples in a bowl of cold water as you work. You can also sprinkle fresh or bottled lemon juice on the sliced apples to prevent browning.

Fresh apples served raw can be added to many foods to give a delightful taste and texture.

Serve apple slices with cheddar cheese slices or spread with peanut butter. They can be served with a dip, such as vanilla yogurt or a cheese sauce. For a low-calorie dessert, sprinkle fresh apples with cinnamon or nutmeg.

Chopped apples are good in tuna or chicken salad or in a green salad. They are a nice topping on hot oatmeal or cold cereal, too. Another option is to serve sliced apples in pancake or quick bread batters. This will add moisture to your quick bread, too.

Grated apples are good in meatloaf or meatballs, and may spice up a peanut butter sandwich spread. Apples also bake well with sweet potatoes and winter squash. Sautéed apple slices are delicious with pork.

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

• ½ cup margarine
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¾ cup flour
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 ¾ cup finely shopped apples

Cream margarine with sugar; add eggs and beat until light. Combine all remaining ingredients; stir into creamed mixture. Drop on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes at 350°F. Yield: 3 dozen small cookies.

Nutrient Analysis Per Cookie: 80 calories, 3 grams fat, 13 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams cholesterol and 55 milligrams sodium.

Apple Crisp

• 4 cups tart apples, pared and sliced
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons margarine

Place apples in 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan. Mix water and lemon juice, pour over apples. Mix sugar, flour, oats and spices. Add margarine to dry mixture; mix until crumbly. Sprinkle crumbly mixture evenly over apples. Bake at 350°F until apples are tender and topping is lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Yield: 4 servings, ½ cup each.

Nutrient Analysis Per Serving: About 239 calories, 39 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams fat, 0 cholesterol, and 109 milligrams sodium.

Cabbage-Apple Salad

• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 2 cups diced apples
• 1/3 cup salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)

Combine ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: 6 servings about ½ cup each.

Nutrient Analysis Per Serving: 80 calories, 11 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fat, 3 grams cholesterol, and 274 milligrams sodium.

Although full details of the 2008 Master Gardener training are not yet finalized, if you've been thinking about becoming a Master Gardener and want to learn more, each of the County offices has basic information on the program. Simply give them a call, in Jo Daviess the number is 815-858-2273 and in Carroll County it's 815-244-9444.