Kari Houle is the horticulture educator for Unit 14 - Adams, Brown, Hancock, Pike & Schuyler Counties. She worked for the Knox County Unit for 3 1/2 years as well as teaching at Western Illinois University and Illinois Central College. She returned to University of Illinois Extension and joined Unit 14 in August of 2012.

Responsibilities include providing horticultural programming within Unit 14 as well as working with other staff members in Unit 14 and outside the unit to provide programming as needed. Kari also coordinates the Master Gardener program in Unit 14.

Kari has a B.S. in Agricultural Business with and emphasis in Horticulture and a M.S. in Education focused in Adult Education, Urban Forestry, and Horticulture from Western Illinois University. Her experiences with in the horticulture industry also include garden centers, nurseries, and golf courses. She is also a member of the International Society of Arborictulture.

Program Offerings

Kari's specialties for program offerings include woody ornmentals, urban forestry, Emerald Ash Borer, vegetables, annuals, and perennials.

She is currently working with Martha Smith and Candice Miller on the statewide Four Season Horticulture Telenet Series beginning in 2013.

Programs offerings include:

• Emerald Ash Borer for Homeowners
• Crazy About Container Gardening
• Spark of Pizazz with Annuals
• How to Kill Your Tree: A Lesson in What Not To Do

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