ACTIVITIES & EVENTS AT BEHNKE NURSERIES JANUARY THRU MARCH 2019 Education is the Key UNLOCK THE POSSIBILITIES 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705 (301) 937-1100 www.behnkes.com behnkes@behnkes.net
JANUARY WORKSHOP January 5, 2:00-4:00 pm REGISTRATION REQUIRED Beginner Hands-On Bonsai Class w/ Jennifer Park REGISTRATION REQUIRED - www.shop.behnkes.com Fee: $65 - all materials provided With a focus on care and maintenance, learn all the basics of bonsai design. You will learn how to transplant, and discover what the art of bonsai is all about as you create your very own bonsai to take home. This is a fully inclusive class. January 19 & 20, GARDEN TOOL SHARPENING January 19 & 20, 1:00-3:00 pm January 26 & 27, 1:00-3:00 pm Garden Hand Tool Sharpening w/ Behnke Staff Bring in up to 2 garden hand tools per person. COST: $3 each OR 2 tools for $5 (CASH only) All proceeds will be donated to Emmanuel United Methodist Church Food Bank in Beltsville. Sorry we can t sharpen mower blades or saws. Please exercise patience if there is a line. Tool sharpening takes time. January 26 & 27,
FEBRUARY WORKSHOP February 2, 2:00-4:00 pm REGISTRATION REQUIRED Beginner Hands-On Bonsai Class w/ Jennifer Park REGISTRATION REQUIRED - www.shop.behnkes.com Fee: $65 - all materials provided With a focus on care and maintenance, learn all the basics of bonsai design. You will learn how to transplant, and discover what the art of bonsai is all about as you create your very own bonsai to take home. This is a fully inclusive class. February 2, Making a Plan for Spring Gardening w/ Christopher Lewis, Behnke Horticulturist, CPH, Master Gardener Ever thought about growing vegetables or planting flowers, shrubs or trees? Join Christopher as he offers some suggestions to help you plan and transform your garden into something beautiful and satisfying. February 2, Successful Gardening Basics Get ready to take some notes! Carol will basically cover a lot of ground in 5 short parts: 1) Amending the soil - when, why, & how? 2) How to plant and space for a healthy landscape. 3) When to water and fertilize. 4) What is part sun? 5) Proper pruning/pinching rules to keep in mind. GARDEN TOOL SHARPENING February 2 & 3, 1:00-3:00 pm February 9 & 10, 1:00-3:00 pm Garden Hand Tool Sharpening w/ Behnke Staff Bring in up to 2 garden hand tools per person. COST: $3 each OR 2 tools for $5 (CASH only) All proceeds will be donated to Emmanuel United Methodist Church Food Bank in Beltsville. Sorry we can t sharpen mower blades or saws. Please exercise patience if there is a line. Tool sharpening takes time.
FEBRUARY February 9 & 10, February 16, Mosquito Madness w/ Christopher Lewis, Behnke Horticulturist, CPH, Master Gardener Some evenings in the summer do you feel like wearing a space suit to go work in the garden? With the onslaught of mosquitoes making outdoor life uncomfortable what are gardeners to do? As an avid gardener, Christopher has studied the problem and has a few tips and tricks to share that may make life outdoors a little nicer this year. February 16, February 17, February 23 & 24, Sustainable Landscape Design A well thought out design can avoid costly mistakes and allow you to optimize both the function and aesthetics of your landscape. Aesthetics and function are basic requirements, but what about optimizing those elements with sustainability in mind? Let s explore the concept of stewardship and sustainability in this introduction to landscape design. Starting From Seed Those seductive seed catalogs are already cramming your mail box and teasing your senses. Don t be intimidated! Growing flowers and vegetables from seed is easy. Come and learn about pots, soils, lighting and timing for your best garden ever!
MARCH WORKSHOP March 2, 2:00-4:00 pm REGISTRATION REQUIRED March 2, March 2, March 3, March 9 & 10, March 16, Beginner Hands-On Bonsai Class w/ Jennifer Park REGISTRATION REQUIRED - www.shop.behnkes.com Fee: $65 - all materials provided With a focus on care and maintenance, learn all the basics of bonsai design. You will learn how to transplant, and discover what the art of bonsai is all about as you create your very own bonsai to take home. This is a fully inclusive class. Garden Pests: Learn to Identify the Problems One of the best ways to maintain a healthy garden is to learn to identify common garden pests and how to responsibly handle them. Dependable Plants for Difficult Places Discover the tried and true go-to plants (trees, shrubs, vines, perennials) for our area as Carol looks at planting difficult spaces. Creating a Rain Garden w/ Carol Allen, Horticulturist, Teacher, ISA Certified Arborist Rain gardens have the potential to solve drainage problems, add beautiful landscaping with native plants, help support beneficial pollinators, and mitigate storm water from running directly into the Bay. In addition, some counties subsidize the cost of a project like this (go online and check with your county). Join Carol as she wades into the subject of rain gardens. Fragrant Shrubs of Spring w/ Christopher Lewis, Behnke Horticulturist, CPH, Master Gardener Join Christopher and discover the many early spring blooming shrubs, vines and small trees that have wonderfully scented and attractive blooms in spring.
MARCH March 16, March 17, March 23 & 24, March 30, March 30, Growing Fruits & Berries A Delicious Landscape Explore the notion of adding fruits and berries to your outdoor space. Many of the newer fruit plants have been developed as dwarfs or compact to fit into smaller spaces or even containers. Discover which varieties would suit your taste. Growing Asparagus, Potatoes, Onions & Garlic Growing your own vegetables is so fulfilling. So, why stop at summer veggies like tomatoes and green beans? Expand your horizons to include asparagus, potatoes, onions, & garlic. Growing Veggies & Herbs in Small Spaces & Containers Learn about growing fresh vegetables & herbs in raised beds and containers, and what can grow vertically. Carol will discuss the best plants to use and the sun, soil and fertilizer requirements for growing these plants in small spaces. Creating a Pollinators Paradise Do you want to attract bees and butterflies to your yard? If so, you need to understand what they are looking for and when they need it (there s more to it than just summer bloomers). Discover the best plants to use in our area for a pollinator garden. March 31, The Beauty & Benefits of Using Native Plants w/ Carol Allen, Horticulturist, Teacher, ISA Certified Arborist Discover how to add beauty to your garden with native plants while at the same time helping to support birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Discover plants including trees, shrubs and perennials that will create an environment to please both you and your favorite critters.
Speakers at Behnke s OUR CAST OF CHARACTERS Meet Carol Allen Carol Allen has been involved in many aspects of gardening and horticulture since childhood and describes herself as a committable plant-a-holic. She has over twenty-five years experience in the horticulture industry with special interests in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), trees (she is an ISA certified arborist), landscape design, native plants, and tropicals of many kinds especially orchids. Carol teaches at several regional colleges in the areas of biology, biodiversity and many aspects of horticulture. She is certified in stormwater management systems and is a strong advocate of sustainability. She can often be heard giving talks on a wide range of topics at local venues, including Brookside Gardens, garden clubs and orchid societies, and, of course, Behnke s. Readers are informed and entertained by her column in the Washington Gardener magazine on pest issues. Carol confesses to growing a wide range of plants in and around her home that she shares with cats, anoles, tropical frogs, tropical fish, and pet snakes. Meet Christopher Lewis Christopher has been working for Behnke s since 2005 as a horticulturist in the Woody Plants Dept., Perennial Dept. and Garden Shop. Christopher is married and has two adult children. He grew up in western Howard County, Maryland, on a small farm where he learned to maintain the family vegetable garden and became interested in nature. He has a BS degree in geology and worked for a few years, in his twenties, on offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Certifications and Affiliations: Montgomery County Master Gardener since 2006 Volunteers at Brookside Gardens plant clinics. Maryland Certified Horticulturist with a specialist certification in Integrated Pest Management Beekeeper active with the Montgomery County Beekeepers Assoc. Christopher will give gardening talks throughout the year. Check this schedule for dates and times or stop in anytime he s working with your questions. Need a speaker for your group? Contact Carol or Christopher for their availability and fees through Behnke s email behnkes@behnkes.net