2023 Library Gardening Classes
Join us on Mondays and Tuesdays at 6pm for free educational presentations! Locations alternate between Cedar Falls Public Library and Waterloo Public Library.
- Cedar Falls Library
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Monday, March 20th
No Mow May or May-be Not
Steven Eilers - ISU Extension
Monday, March 27th
Growing and Cooking with Herbs
Jill Weber - ISU Extension
Monday, April 3rd
Backyard Transformations
Steve Carignan and Margaret Empie
Monday, April 17th
What's New in BackYard Landscaping
Doug Miller
Monday, April 24th
Peace, Love, and Keeping Urban Chickens
Rowena Tan
- Waterloo Library
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Tuesday, March 21st
No Mow May or May-be Not
Steven Eilers - ISU Extension
Tuesday, April 4th
Backyard Transformations
Steve Carignan and Margaret Empie
Tuesday, April 18th
What's New in BackYard Landscaping
Doug Miller
Tuesday, April 25th
Peace, Love, and Keeping Urban Chickens
Rowena Tan
Tuesday, May 2nd
What's New in the Greenhouse 2023
Heidi-Tietz-Desilva
Local Highlights
- Pressure Canner Lid Testing
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Pressure Canner Lid Testing
Waterloo – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Black Hawk County offers free pressure canner lids checks Monday thru Friday between 8:00am and 4:30pm at 3420 University Avenue, Suite B in Waterloo.
Pressure canner lids with dial gauges need to be tested annually for accuracy. This service is free of charge and you can drop off your lid/gauge ahead of time when it is convenient for you. Gauges that read high cause under-processing and may result in unsafe food. Low readings cause over-processing. Pressure adjustments can be made if the gauge reads up to 2 pounds high or low. Replace gauges that differ by more than 2 pounds. Every pound of pressure is very important to the temperature needed inside the canner for producing safe food, so accurate gauges and adjustments are essential when a gauge reads higher than it should. If a gauge is reading lower than it should, adjustments may be made to avoid over-processing, but are not essential to safety.
The following brands of pressure canners can be tested: Presto, Steamliner, Lakeside Aluminum, Kook Kwik, Maid of Honor, and Magic Seal. We cannot test Burpee, National, or All American.
If you would like to get your pressure canner lid checked please drop them off at the ISU Extension & Outreach Black Hawk County office. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Black Hawk County is open Monday-Thursday 8 am to 4:30 pm.
You can call (319)234-6811 or email sheilaw@iastate.edu with questions.
If you have a question about canning, the AnswerLine provides information and resources for Iowa consumers with home and family questions. Call 1-800-262-3804 toll free Monday-Friday 9 am to noon and 1-4 pm.Image
- "We Arose Virtual Field Trip" by Food Corps
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"We Arose Virtual Field Trip" by Food Corps
Thank You Food Corps Members, Clarissa Klostermann and Cadence Moon for sharing your 7 Tools Video! And a special thanks to DaQuan Campbell for sharing his knowledge about these tools!
- Food Corps
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Blueridge Orchard Virtual Field Trip
Food Corps Blueridge Orchard Virtual Field Trip
Thank You Food Corps Members, Clarissa Klostermann and Cadence Moon for sharing your Apple Video! And special thanks to Abby Rippe for sharing her info and orchard with us!
- Extension, Food Corps & EFNEP
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Extension, Food Corps & EFNEP Staff team up to learn the TESTED and SAFE way to CAN SALSA!
Thank You to Jill Weber, Human Sciences Specialist, for teaching Extension, Food Corps and NFNEP staff the safe and correct way to can salsa! And for sharing her home for the class. For questions you can contact Jill at: jrweber@iastate.edu
It is important to use a tested or researched based recipe when canning homemade salsa.The reason being, the ratio of low acid vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic) to acid (lemon juice, lime juice, or vinegar) has not been tested in a non-research based recipe. Recipes that have been tested will have enough acid to prevent the growth of the botulism bacteria and provide a safe product that everyone can enjoy straight from the canning jar. View the TEST Salsa Recipe here: Recipe from National Center for Home Food Preservation https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_salsa/chile_salsa.html
Another great resource: Iowa StateExtension and Outreach Brochure, Preserve the Taste of Summer - Canning and Freezing: Tomatoes PM638 https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/3990 See more instructions here:Image
Seed Sharing
Garden Seed Sharing
Iowa State Extension and Outreach Black Hawk County will be offering free garden seeds to the public
When: Thursday, March 30, 10 am -6 pm, Friday March 31, 10 am -6 pm, and Saturday, April 1 from 9am to noon
Where: ISU room at 3420 University Avenue in Waterloo Use Door 3
There is a wide variety of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds ready for planting on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no inventory or selection list.
*We will not take seed orders before March 29.
*Seeds will not be mailed.
For more information, contact Steven Eilers, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Black Hawk County Urban Agriculture Specialist at 319-234-6811 or seilers@iastate.edu
Publications and Materials
Extension Yard and Garden Publications
- FREE Downloads
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Raising and Pruning Backyard Fruit Trees
• Pruning and Training Fruit Trees
• Starting Gardern Transplants at Home
• Small Plot Vegetable Gardening
• Planting A Home Vegetable Garden
• Got Plant or Insect Probelms?
• Container Vegetable Gardening• Tomatoes
• Suggested Vegetalbe Varieties
Soil Testing
Soil Testing
Soil Testing Resources - Information on how to take a soil sample in your lawn or garden. Click Here!
Master Gardener Information for Black Hawk
Master Gardener Information for Black Hawk
Master Gardeners Login for Volunteer Hours
Master Gardener Club Info!
Apply to Become a Master Gardener Here! Closes Sept. 1st
ISU Extension Master Gardener Can Answer Your Gardening Questions!
Other resources offered by ISU Extension can be found online. Extension provides unbiased, research-based information and education to help Iowans make better decisions today and tomorrow.
Master Gardeners Norman Lemmon and Bruce Clark are available to answer your gardening questions each Tuesday/Friday mornings until Nov. 1st. Questions may be directed to him by calling 319.234.6811 or stopping by the Black Hawk County Extension office at 3420 University Avenue, Suite B. This is a free Extension service.
Norm and Bruce are certified master gardener and will work with you to provide answers to your questions, such as insect problems, lawn and tree diseases, caring and pruning of shrubs, propagating perennials, soil conditions, and planting, caring and watering vegetable and herb gardens or any plant-related problem that you may have. Norman consults with ISU staff, as needed, but does not make on-site visits.
Common questions include how to keep growing what you want, identifying what is growing in your yard, and how to safely stop growing things you no longer want. If the hours don’t work for your schedule you are welcome to e-mail a Master Gardener at bhmg@iastate.edu with pictures and descriptions for them to work on and reply back to you. You are welcome to call the office Monday – Friday from 8:00am -4:30pm or leave a message after hours for the Master Gardeners to help you as well. This is a free service by volunteers who love helping others learn how to enjoy their yards and gardens.
If you are dropping off a sample....please put in a plastic bag. THANKS!