Garden Smarter - 2013 Schedule

Most sessions will be held at Calvert Library Prince Frederick, Saturday at 10 AM, unless otherwise noted.  Two are evening sessions at Calvert Library Prince Frederick. Three will be held at the Community Resources Building (CRB) in Prince Frederick

January 26, 10am - Starting From Seed – Nancy Radcliffe – MG

Use the full potential of a piece of ground and a handful of seeds.  Grow healthier plants and unique heirlooms.  Produce abundant harvests by starting seeds now.

February 2, 10am - $aving Your Topsoil and Water– RT West – MG

A brief description of soil and water cycles; a discussion on controlling erosion and making rainwater work for you; and how keeping rainwater on your property helps our streams and bay. 

February 7, 7 – 8:30pm -  Cultivating Healthy Eating – Kathy Ellwood – MG

Why is food good for our health? Learn some basic nutrition concepts and what food components are in our commonly grown fruits and vegetables.

February 16, 10am - Gardening with Children – Mary Butz – MG

Come and pick up some tips for getting little hands and minds into the garden.

February 23, 10am - Do You Know Who Pollinates Your Tomatoes?
Judy Kay – MG

Squash, fruit trees, and many other plants are efficiently pollinated by native pollinators, not honey bees.  Learn what they are and which plants will attract them to your yard.

March 9, 10am - Propagation – Planning for the Future with More Plants– Kay Parris – MG

A general discussion about starting plants from seed, by division, and cuttings.
 

March 16, 10am - Companion Planting, Succession Planting for Vegetable Gardening – Lucy Muehleisen – MG

Learn about mutually beneficial crop relationships, keep insects at bay, attract
beneficial insects, enhance the health of garden soil and have great tasting veggies.

March 23, 10am at the Community Resources Building, Prince Frederick -
Composting and Raised Bed Gardening
Norma Imershein and Jim McVey – MGs

Why compost?  How do you compost?  What do you need to compost?  How do you compost in a raised bed?  Find these answers and more!

April 6, 10am - Pruning Tips – Ginny Rosenkranz – Extension Educator, Commercial Horticulture, Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties

Learn to prune your trees and shrubs to shape them, get rid of dead wood, and remove rubbing branches.  

April 11, 7 - 8:30pm - Vegetable Gardening in Square Foot Sections and Vertical Gardening – Tom Heath – MG

Learn when and which vegetables to plant in our county, techniques to grow a successful garden, and how to produce bountiful harvests even with limited space and sunlight.

April 13, 10am - Homegrown Herbs
Mary Edington and Lucy Muehleisen – MGs

Planting, growing, and harvesting herbs that grow well in this region is easy and rewarding.  A personal herb garden is convenient for cooking and a decorative addition to your landscape.

April 20, 10am - Salad Boxes, Tables, and Containers – Lin Gauchat – MG

Home grown salad greens can be yours April to November.  Watch a demonstration on building and planting a salad box – great for decks, patios, condos, and apartments.

May 11, 10am - Bay Wise Gardening – Mary Butz – MG

Learn the small changes you can make in your gardening habits to lessen your impact on
the bay and surrounding environment, thus improving the health of the bay.  

June 8, 10am -Shade Gardening with Native Plants – Karen Anderson – MG

Do you have a shady garden and don’t know what to plant in it?  Learn about some native plants that are adapted to shade and can add color and texture to your garden .

August 10, 10am - Create a Habitat with Native Plants – Bob Boxwell – MG

A great way to enjoy nature in your own yard is to go native.  Learn how to welcome nature into your backyard by using native plants. 

August 17, 10am - Ponds and Water Features – Jim McVey – MG

Do you want to enhance your home with a pond or fountain?  We will give you suggestions to consider when designing a water feature for your home landscape.

August 24, 10am - Grow It, Eat It, Preserve It – Lorraine Harley – Family and Consumer Sciences Education,  University of Maryland

Learn to identify safe food preservation practices, how canning preserves food, and processing high and low acid foods using a water bath and pressure canner.

September 7, 10am - Fall Vegetable Gardening – Jean McDougall – MG

Don’t hang up your gloves just yet!  Learn cold weather gardening and your salad days can continue into the wintry months.

September 14, 10am at the Community Resources Building, Prince Frederick Invasive Plant ID – Carla Porter – MG

Invasive plants disrupt natural ecosystems throughout the U. S.  Learn to identify invasive plants  found in Maryland – and in your own yards.

September 21, 10am - Putting Your Garden to Bed – Lucy Muehleisen – MG

Now is the time to clean up your garden for a long winter’s nap.  Learn how to winterize to eliminate future problems and improve your soil to ensure a good spring growing season.

October 5, 10am at the Community Resources Building -

Bulbs for All Seasons – Mimi Miller – MG

Enjoy flowers all year long.  Learn how to plant, care for, maintain, and force bulbs.  Find out what bulbs grow in our climate, and each bulb’s blooming season.