June Club Program

---

Landscaping with Native Plants, by David Brooks

The benefits of using natives and introduce you to a wide range of plants suitable for home gardens as well as how to incorporate them into your landscape. 

This is the last meeting of our club year, we will be celebrating with a pot luck luncheon.  Please bring a dish to share. 

Meeting for the month of June will be at the  Dolly Spiering Community Center

817 Holbek Dr, Antioch lL 60002

Doors open at 12:30 and the meeting starts at 1:00

Upcoming Events at a Glance:

May 16, 2026, Plant Sale

May 30, 2026, Spring Planting at 9:00 am

The May meeting has another great turnout!

Our presentation was Improving your Soil the Natural Way by Ken Benson.

Our dirt is made of three main ingredients: and, silt and clay, and the proportions of each determine your soil quality. Ken shared numerous products that are great for improving your soil to improve your crop harvest. Many fertilizers are shown with a 3 digit number identifier, such as 3-4-3. These are the macro nutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. These ingredients were left over after WWII and their use as fertilizers began. Micro nutrients matter also, and they include Boron, Copper, Zinc and Molybdenum. 

Some of the products he recommends are: Texas Green Sand, Rock Phosphate, Feather Meal (chicken poop), Alfalfa Meal, Balance 4-4-4 (goes up to 10-10-10), Cotton Sane Meal, Barnyard Compost Tea (barn animal poop), Bat Guano (poop). Bat poop is the best natural by the ounce. Cindy and her husband went to the Volo Bog to get free bat guano from the resident barn bats. They debated taking the truck and trailer. The were given a ziplock baggy full. Milorganite is a treated sewer plant byproduct from Milwaukee that is bagged human sewer waste sold in stores as a natural fertilizer. This meeting by far had the most mentions sh*t and poop as any probably in the history of the club!  

When performing a soil sample imagine a number 5 domino square. Take a sample in each of the five dots in your yard to get an average. Soil types can vary wildly, an acre of land can have thousands of different results. To lower your pH add soda, to raise add Lyme. In our region we range between 6.5 to 7.2. If drowning rhododendrons add sulphur to your soil. 

If you are noticing any issues with trees or other vegetation please notify your local U of I Extension Office. If they receive multiple calls they may notice a trend and deal with a potentially new developing issue.  

Mycorrhiza is essential to getting food harvests from your plants. It breaks down organic matter and releases the elements into the soil. If you follow his hints your can get 300 tomatoes per lantern. His favorite additions are Mycorrhiza and 10-10-10 fertilizer.  

Hydrogen Peroxide is H2O2 and is wonderful. Add 4 ounces to a gallon of water. Use as a fertilizer for the plants, and adds extra oxygen to the soil. The peroxide also helps to control bugs. Do not use the 30%, as this is too strong of a concentration. 

You can fertilize all the time, there is no schedule to follow, same with watering inside plants - give them what they need it. Fertilize your house plants as well.

Composting is great for your plants. Food scraps excluding meats, turning the soil to start and adding alfalfa hay is great, but can be very pricey. Egg shells contain calcium, coffee grounds are good but not great.

Now go get some poop and get growing!  

Meeting for the month of June will be at the  Dolly Spiering Community Center

817 Holbek Dr, Antioch lL 60002

Doors open at 12:30 and the meeting starts at 1:00

Upcoming Events at a Glance:

May 16, 2026, Plant Sale

May 30, 2026, Spring Planting at 9:00 am

Arbor Day Tree Dedication
April 24, 2026
Antioch Garden Club

Summary by Jane Buck, Arbor Day Chair:

Members and friends gathered at 1:00 pm in the Antioch Downtown Mini-Park to dedicate a newly planted tree on Arbor Day.

Scott Gartner, Antioch Village Mayor; Jose Martinez, Trustee; Jim Moran, Assistant Village Administrator; and Tom Shaughnessy, Antioch Township Supervisor attended the event.

Mayor Gartner read the Arbor Day Proclamation.  George Weckbacher, Club Horticulture chairman spoke about the Whitespire Birch that was planted. 

The tree is planted on the Southwest corner of the downtown Mini Park next to the parking lot.

The tree signage was placed by George. 

Our club president, Holly Markwart Swehla placed a shovel full of dirt around the tree along with the other guests. 

Tree-shaped cookie treats and Garden Club brochures were available to attendees.

Written by George Weckbacher, Antioch Garden Club Horticulture Chair

On this Arbor Day, the Antioch Garden Club proudly dedicates this planting of a White
Birch tree in this Mini Garden in downtown Antioch. This White Birch tree will not only
enhance the beauty of the area, offer a pleasing aesthetic for visitors, but it will also
provide essential benefits to local wildlife. The tree will serve as a source of shelter,
support pollination, and offer food for nature’s creatures.
This tree will be a long lasting Symbol for the Community and Village of Antioch who
has generously allowed our garden club to work together with them in support of the
people and nature.
May this tree stand as a symbol of growth, beauty, and community spirit for generations
to come.
Everyone is invited to join in on the planting this tree by placing the final shovelfuls of
dirt around the tree.


 

 "What is All the Buzz About Bees" was presented by Karen and Brian
Thomson.  The meeting was held in the Parks and Rec building (May
meeting will be as well!). In addition to the very informative
presentation about bees, they had numerous products for sale and even
some tasty samples.

Karen and Brian have tremendous knowledge and experience with bees and
beekeeping.  There are thousands of different native species of bees
in North America.  The commonly known honeybee is an imported species
from Europe.  Native bees live mostly solitary lives, while the honey
bee lives in large hives.

Flowers to attract bees are Purple coneflower, salvia, bee balm, many
plants that are in the blue family, such as herbs including mint,
oregano and basil.  Many trees are good for bees as their early spring
blossoms have nectar.  Asters and goldenrod flowers are the last
flowers of the season, and goldenrod honey is an item Karen and Brian
sell.

Honey colors vary with the season and the blossoms.  The spring is
usually lighter, summer is amber, and fall is usually darker.  The
regional honey buckwheat is very dark.

Wintering for native versus honey bees is very different.  Native
bees, including hornets and wasps, the colony will die off except for
the queen, who hibernates, and starts a new colony in the spring.  The
honey bees live in hives that they must keep warm, and also must have
a large enough quantity of honey to eat over the winter.

Some fun facts:
Three distinct types of bees: workers, drone, queen.
Queen lives 2-3 years, she can lay 2,000 eggs a day.  She will take
one flight in her life and mate with multiple drones and stores the
semen that lasts her lifetime.
Drone are the males whose egg was not fertilized. They don't do any
real work.  After summer when mating season is done they are kicked
out of the hive.
Workers are the female bees, they do a waggle dance to communicate
precise location of source found, can travel 2-3 miles away from hive
but are smart enough to stay close.
If your honey crystalizes that is a good sign, as that shows it is
pure honey.  To fix, warm the honey in a waterbath 100-110 degrees,
stirring occasionally.  This could take several hours to dissolve.  Do
not microwave, as it destroys beneficial components.
Some beekeepers are "Migrator" beekeepers, where they transport their
hives across the country to follow the seasonal blooms.  A large
market is California for the almond season, there are also cranberries
in Wisconsin, and buckwheat in Ohio.  Honey can be made from those
specific plant blossoms since the hives are located there.

"Local" honey is left to interpretation.  It is best to purchase your
honey from a reputable source, such as a local beekeeper that makes
their own honey.  The honey should be unfiltered, as you want to have
the pollen in the honey.  The pollen in the plants gets into the honey
and helps increase your immunity. One tablespoon of honey a day is
recommended.  Due to poor practices including adulterations and
undesirable additions, all honey from China is illegal to import.
However, Canada imports honey from China, and Canadian honey is
allowed to be imported - this is a loophole that allows the Chinese
honey into the US market.

Additional consumer warnings: Honey of ill repute can be found to have
on the label "Bottled in Illinois" when it was made in China, sold to
Canada, bottled, then imported into  the United States.  "Organic"
honey is not legal to produce in the United States.  By law,
everything within a 3 mile radius would have to be organic.
Additionally, the wood to make the hives would have to come from
organic trees, and that is not possible, as they do not exist.
International law states that for honey to be considered organic the
producer must pass their country's organic requirements only, not that
of the country importing the product.  So you may see organic honey on
a store's shelves, know that it is not a domestic product.

Your best, and safest, bet is to buy your honey and honey related
products from a local beekeeper!

Rainscaping, by U of I Extension of Lake County Master Gardeners

How to direct and manage water flow in a yard.

Jill gave a very informative presentation about water runoff and shared how the stormwater runoff goes into sewers, which dumps into local rivers, then into the Mississippi River.  While this was done to prevent contaminants from entering the drinking water supply of Lake Michigan, the water is diverted to the Gulf and leaves our community.  Water preservation through rain barrels, native plants with substantial roots, permeable surfaces and rain gardens will help keep the water local.  Rain barrel water can be used for plants but not vegetables due to roof contaminants. Bioscapes are becoming increasingly popular with municipalities. Rain Gardens are an excellent way to keep water in your yard, and Jill shared how to makes, establish, and maintain one in your own yard.  

Additional information about rainfall management can be found at:

https://extension.illinois.edu/rainfall-management

Animal Resistant Gardening, by Mel Zaloudek

The February meeting was the club’s first of the year, and the first official meeting since our November meeting, and it was nice to see familiar faces again.

The meeting had a lively and entertaining presenter - Mel Zaloudek, who resides in Cook County. While some of our plant and pest problems were the same, when asked about beavers and musk rats he was stumped and felt like he was in Canada. (His fur cap would have fit in!)           
           Mel shared about pest control:

Bonide Sulfur Organic Concentrated Dust Fungicide - Control diseases in your lawn and garden which can be used on fruits, vegetables and ornamentals around your home. Fine sulfur particles adhere to plants easily to prevent and control common diseases including rust, leaf spot, powdery mildew and other diseases. Apply to grapes, peaches, berries, roses, ornamental shrubs and more. And what’s best, this product is approved for organic gardening and can be used up to the day of harvest. 

Scarecrow brand motion sensor water sprinkler - When a critter moves in front of the sensor it will spray water.  Use caution, as it does not distinguish between squirrels, dogs or humans! 

Have a Heart Live traps - Be sure to relocate the animal far enough away that they do not return, at least one mile.

Metal fencing - holes must be no larger than chicken wire or baby bunnies can get through. Must also be strong, as rabbits will rise up on hind legs and lean with front feet and push over. Additionally, they can jump 2 feet high. 

Deer can travel far for food.  If they damage the bark of your tree do NOT use the tree wound paint, as it breeds fungus and infection.  Instead, after cleaning the wound hit it with spray paint. 

Wrapping the trunk with a sisal rope is a good deterrent. Mothballs, not chips, scattered in beds can help. His strongest advice is to avoid the plants that invite unwanted guests.  Rabbits LOVE hostas and you will have problems with rabbits so long as you have hostas.  Mel provided a great variety of pest-resistant options in his slide show including salvia, dahlia, cleome, tobacco, lantana, lambs ear, Joe-Pye-weed, lungwort, Herman's pride, pachysandra, butterfly bush and giant allium, just to name a few. 

Our annual Christmas party was held on December 13th, and this year’s theme—Cookies and Cocoa—made for a cozy and festive celebration. Members were invited to dress in their finest pajamas, and they certainly delivered!

Each table was set with individual jars of cocoa for every guest, complete with mini marshmallows and peppermint candy spoons, creating the perfect winter treat. Santa made a special appearance and judged the Best Pajamas contest. Judy took first place dressed in festive white, with Mary earning runner-up honors in a burgundy robe topped with a captain’s hat.

Following the contest, everyone enjoyed refreshments featuring homemade cookies, homemade fudge, and a variety of other sweet treats. We then learned about the Crego family’s asters, and free seed packets were handed out to all attendees.

Each guest also received a complimentary gift bag filled with lotions and other small luxuries—a thoughtful surprise for everyone who came. The afternoon wrapped up with a lively White Elephant gift exchange, with participants receiving numbers as they arrived to determine the order of choosing gifts.

It was a joyful, relaxed gathering full of laughter, generosity, and holiday spirit—another wonderful way to celebrate the season together.

Tabletops and Tablescapes, by Kathi Rose

How to create a tablescape that reflects your event and personality. Learn how to use a combination of components: china, glassware, and floral accents.