Join us at the 2018 Winter Gardening Fair

Transcription

1 Join us at the 2018 Winter Gardening Fair A day of gardening-related workshops and hands-on classesmarch 3, 2018 at Kirkwood Community College Brought to you by the Linn County Master Gardeners (LCMG) For registration information, see or call Registration: $59 for a full day of workshops, including lunch Session 1 8:30-9:30 Spring Garden Maintenance LCMG Wil Carew Wake Your Landscape Up: It s spring. Time to get your yard, landscape and gardens ready for another growing season, but how do I start? Join Master Gardener Wil Carew as he covers what to do, when to do it, and why! New Beginnings: Seed Starting at Home LCMG Shelby Foley Seed starting and propagating new plants from cuttings for the home gardener. Includes hands on session planting different cuttings for new plants for the summer garden. Creating a Wondrous Yard Marion & Rich Patterson of Winding Pathways LLC They will show how to transform a standard mowed and clipped yard into one bursting with beauty. A wondrous yard encourages beauty while providing people with solitude, exercise, inspiration, and food. Plant, Tend, Harvest and Enjoy Small Fruits LCMG Phil Pfister Iowa soils and climate support many varieties of small fruits. This session will look at some of the more popular fruits that do well in Iowa, how to care for them and maximize their yield, dealing with pests and the weather, and preserving the fruits of your labor. Phil Pfister will also look at some of the many ways that small fruits can be incorporated into the landscape and container gardens. 1

2 Preserving the Harvest LCMG Marcy Walker Has a bumper crop ever had you wondering what to do with all that produce? Do you wish you could enjoy the tastes of summer even after the weather has cooled down? This class will go through options for preserving your harvest, including freezing, dehydrating and proper canning techniques. Flower Seed Balls (Hands On) Custom-Mix your own flower seed balls for easy planting pops of color. Guidance and materials provided. Materials fee $10 Vegetables in Containers LCMG Judy Stevens Do you have a large container or a square foot of land you could use for a garden? Choose the plant, and we will discuss ideas on how to grow it in a small space. Taste of Herbs LCMG Judy Bemer Learn how and where to grow herbs as well as how to use and preserve them. Judy will introduce some new herbs and discuss those that may be familiar as well. A cuppa tea and a plate of herbal goodies will be served while enjoying the class. Beginning Vegetable Gardening LCMG Diane Wiesenfeld Diane will present information and ideas for the beginning gardener who wants to grow and produce and isn t quite sure how to start. Included will be a discussion about site selection, soil amendment, containers and raised beds, planting schedules and proper care for plants as they grow and produce. Let Me Entertain You Envy those gorgeous outdoor decorating pictures you see in magazines? We'll dissect a few and look for easy and inexpensive ways to "WOW" your guests! The Best of Annuals and Perennials in 2018 LCMG Deb Walser Add the spice of life to your gardens. Perennial gardens do not have to be just Daylily and Hosta. We will talk about mixing it up by adding annuals for constant color in the same bed. LCMG Deb Walser will introduce you to some of the newest and coolest annuals and perennials. You will be surprised by some of the same but in a new way. Come and get new ideas for this spring and add some spunk to your garden. Session 2 9:45-10:45 Heavenly Hydrangea LCMG Wil Carew Hydrangeas bloom in a variety of colors including white, blue, pink, green and red too. Join Master Gardener Wil Carew as he discusses the how-to s of planting and pruning. He also shares those varieties which are his personal celestial favorites and are locally available. 2

3 Kokedama (Hands On) LCMG Tina Patterson and LCMG Shelby Foley Kokedama is a form of unconstructed bonsai. It is fairly soil less plantings following the structure and shape of the root ball of the plant. The ball is wrapped in a soil mix and wrapped in moss then wound with string. They can be hung or placed in saucers. This art form has been around for centuries and can brighten up a winter window or shelf with a burst of green! Materials fee $25.00 Creating a Wondrous Yard Rich and Marion of Winding Pathways LLC They will show how to transform a standard mowed and clipped yard into one bursting with beauty. A wondrous yard encourages beauty while providing people with solitude, exercise, inspiration, and food. Common Insects & Diseases LCMG Phil Pfister There are many insects and diseases that can reduce the overall production of your vegetable garden. This discussion will address some of the more common insects and diseases, and methods for managing these pests in an earth friendly way. Bringing Color to a Shade Garden LCMG Lori Bailey She will bring you creative ways to add color to any shade garden using garden art and her favorite perennial and annual shade plants. She looks beyond hosta for great alternative shade plants, but also plants that complement them. Butterfly Nectar Feeder (Hands On) Create a beautiful and functional flower-shaped garden butterfly nectar feeding station. Materials fee: $15 Meditation, Healing and Stress Relieving Gardens LCMG Judy Stevens Everyone gardens for different reasons but the most often used quote is that "it calms me". This class is designed to share various techniques and plans that can be incorporated into a garden allowing you to meditate, heal and lower your stress level. Join us and bring your techniques and success stories to share. Herbs for the Butterflies LCMG Judy Bemer Judy will match herbs to butterflies in our area. She will share a couple of projects that are easy to make and will also provide herbal treats. Your Backyard is for the Bird LCMG Devon Dietz The presentation will concentrate on the needs of birds and what will attract them to your yard. The focus will be on the most popular birds for Iowans. The year round enjoyment of birds is the objective. Moonlight Gardens Love your gardens from warm summer evenings through snowy winter nights by choosing elements and plantings to take advantage of romantic moonlight. Learn lots of ideas on how to love your gardens every hour of the day. Square Foot Gardens / Raised Bed Gardening LCMG Deb Walser No space for a garden? You can plant enough vegetables in a 4 X 4 garden to feed two people for the season or a family of four using only 4 X 8 in space. Hate the weeding and bug control? Having trouble getting up from the ground? Raised bed gardening is for you. Pass on the fun of gardening to your children and grandchildren. Deb Walser has been gardening in raised beds for thirty years. Come see her gardens and learn. 3

4 Break 1: Keynote 11:00-12:00 / 12-:15-1:15 Lunch and shopping Or Break 2: Lunch 11-12:00 / Keynote 12:15-1:15 Keynote Making Landscape Work for Wildlife with Adam Janke With growing urbanization and increasing recognition of the important role urban landscapes play in the natural world, landscapers, homeowners, and others are working hard to create landscapes that work with nature, rather than against it. This session will explore key principles and practices to make landscapes work for wildlife, including everything from butterflies to bats, using native plants and mimicking natural systems and processes. Increased adoption of the principles discussed in this talk will help ensure sustainable urban landscapes and increased awareness of native plants and animals in urban spaces. Session 3 1:30-2:30 A Few of My Favorite Things LCMG Wil Carew The inspiration behind this talk was My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music. Join Master Gardener Will Carew with many pictures and discussion of plants and varieties that brighten days through the year and inspire because of their unique characteristics. From Azaleas thru Weigela and beyond. There are lots of pictures of each growing in his yard. You will leave inspired to consider adding to your favorite things too. Container Water Gardens LCMG Rose Milden Tired of same container plants? In this class you will be offered alternatives to the usual fillers, spillers & thrillers. Learn how to use water plants. Transform your containers into miniature water gardens. Whimsical Wind Chimes (Hands on) LCMG Shelby Foley Make a wind chime using assorted kitchen utensils, beads and imagination! Class limited to 25 participants. Materials fee $20. Build, and then Grow in a Hoophouse LCMG Phil Pfister Are you looking for a way to extend the growing season? One option may be a hoop house. A hoop house can be a relatively inexpensive way to get an early start on vegetables and to extend the growing season well into fall and winter. In this discussion, Phil Pfister will show the process for building a hoop house, provide ideas for materials used to construct a hoop house, plants that work well, and growing and insect management tips. Living with Bambi lt IS possible to have a gorgeous and productive urban garden even in deer territory. This class covers many helpful tips and strategies to increase your success. Plants in the Bible LCMG Judy Stevens Be amazed at the number of plants mentioned in the Bible which we still cultivate today including herbs, oils, and grains. No theology, just a fascinating view of Biblical gardens. 4

5 The Year Around Garden Gary Wittenbaugh On a nice day in the late fall, winter, or early spring, I love to take a stroll through my garden as there is so much to see. As you walk through your garden in winter do you come upon plants like this? If you have a year around garden, don t you agree there is so much to see? However, if you are lacking beauty in your garden at this time of year, come and learn with us how you too can have a YEAR AROUND GARDEN! I assure you it is an exciting and fun type of gardening. Don t miss this presentation! Establishing a Small Prairie Using Native Plants LCMG-Doug Smith Learn about the benefits of prairies, how and when to plant, preparing the soil, qualities of various plants you could use, examples of smaller prairies, care the first 3 seasons, and some prairies in Iowa to visit. Water Wise Gardening LCMG Devon Dietz What if we have another hot, hot summer like the summer of 2012? Face it, we are gardeners not planting is just not going to do it. LCMG We have to plant! This program will give you the information on how, what and when to water. Included in this program are plants that once established will be drought tolerant. Bring it on Mother Nature!!! The Sensual Garden To fully appreciate your garden, it should be much more than pretty flowers. We'll discuss elements to enhance your garden so it becomes an experience for all your senses. Ornamental Grasses LCMG Deb Walser Do you want to plant ornamental grasses with wonderful fall seed heads? Are you worried about the grasses spreading? Gardening expert Deb Walser will show you which grasses are non-spreading/clump forming and hardy for Eastern Iowa, many she grows herself. Come see and start planning for next spring. Tomato Tech: How to Grow Better Fruit (Vegetables?) Patrick O Malley The session will begin with a brief whimsical overview on whether tomatoes are actually a fruit or a vegetable. This will be followed by the course of action needed to increase the likelihood of having a bountiful and flavorsome tomato crop. This will include pre-plant considerations along with growing techniques. As for postharvest use of tomatoes, you are on your own. Session 4 2:45-3:45 Native Trees and Plants Make for the Best Wildlife Habitat Carl Barnhart, Trees Forever Wildlife habitat provided by Iowa s native plants and trees is vastly superior to non-native vegetation, as pollinators and wildlife are accustomed to the native species where they live. In this session, you ll find out what native plants and trees you should be incorporating into your landscape to draw in wildlife ranging from turkey and quail to songbirds and butterflies. Berries, Bark & Texture LCMG Rose Milden What do berries and bark have in common? What does texture and contrast have to do with gardening? Come to this class and learn how to add texture and contrast to your garden, and see how berries and bark play their parts. 5

6 Miniponics (Hands On) LCMG Phil Pfister Would you like to grow lettuce, spinach, and herbs all year long? Are you interested in hydroponics, but not sure where to start? In this hands-on workshop, you will learn the techniques for growing in a soilless nutrient based water solution, as well as building your own mini-hydroponics system that will fit in a 2 x2 area. The materials fee includes everything needed to set up the system, except water and light. Class limited to 10 participants. Materials fee $ Cheap Tricks LCMG Lisa Hinzman Howard Use flea market finds and found items in unique, beautiful, funky and whimsical ways in the garden. Good Bugs, Bad Bugs in the Garden There're bugs in my garden...how do I know if that's a problem, and what should I do about it? Includes an introduction to IPM -Integrated Pest Management. Gardening Folklore LCMG Judy Stevens Ancient Civilizations up to modern times have planted and propagated seeds and plants. With this life sustaining practice there were many superstitions and myths that were passed from generation to generation. This fun class will explore folklore and myths associated with gardening. Join us for learning about these non- Iowa State approved gardening methods. Gardening with Conifers Gary Wittenbaugh Here s your invitation to a whole New World of gardening. The Conifer story is fascinating and unique. See how the color, texture and form of conifers add year round beauty and contrast to gardens and landscapes. Fast growers screen your space, tiny buns add unusual shapes and textures, and distinctive forms make living sculptures. Come and explore the world of conifers with us. For the Love: Raising Monarchs and Swallowtails LCMG Carol Elliott Want to make a difference for the monarchs? One thing we can do is grow milkweed. Another is to plant a pollinator friendly garden. Still others raise monarchs either in their homes or by starting a Monarch Zone on their property. Come learn more about how you can make a difference for the monarchs and raise your own generation of monarchs or swallowtails. It's great fun and education for both kids and adults. Maintaining a Koi Pond Through the Seasons LCMG Steve Bartlett This presentation will give an overview of building a koi pond with emphasis on raising Japanese koi and maintaining the pond through the seasons. Design features using aquatic water plants and landscaping with dwarf and miniature conifers will be included. When Beauties Turn Into Beasts Too much of a good thing isn't always good for your garden! Learn how to select plants that behave vs their naughty relatives, as well as tips on planning ahead for the over-achievers. Blueberries Strawberries Raspberries--Oh, my! LCMG Deb Walser Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries can grow in Iowa and taste better out of your own garden. Learn how to adjust your soil, how and where to plant. She will present the different types of berries for the best crop in Iowa. Deb has grown berries for a family of 4 in Iowa for more than 20 years. Now if she could just figure out how to keep the neighbor children out of them. 6

7 Tomato Tech: How to Grow Better Fruit (Vegetables?) Patrick O Malley The session will begin with a brief whimsical overview on whether tomatoes are actually a fruit or a vegetable. This will be followed by the course of action needed to increase the likelihood of having a bountiful and flavorsome tomato crop. This will include pre-plant considerations along with growing techniques. As for postharvest use of tomatoes, you are on your own. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach programs are available to all without regard to race, color, age, religion, nati onal origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. vetera n. Inquires can be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Compliance, 3280 Beardshear Hall, (515) The fees for service will be used to off-set direct expenses and to support the Agricultural and Natural Resources County Extension Progr am. 7