Larry Zilliox, Extension Educator
Douglas County Extension Service
(320) 762-3890
March 17, 2008
In the Garden with Extension Educator Larry Zilliox
Spring Educational Opportunities
Has winter finally gone north and we can now look forward to spring? I sure hope so as I am itching to move outdoors and scratch in the dirt or should I say soil. One of the rights of spring has been a number of local horticultural educational days with displays of the latest and greatest new plants on the market. These well attended events get us enthused about gardening again, usually before we can really get out in the garden and they gives us a chance to mingle with fellow gardeners to see what they have up their sleeve for their yard this year.
Here are a few of the upcoming events that I am aware of: Spring Fling in Wheaton, presented by Traverse County Master Gardeners, on Thursday Mar 27. It begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Bethlehem Covenant Church. Contact Pat Tracey at the Extension Office for full details 320-563-4515. Several of the topics include Flower Arranging, Making Stepping Stones, and Growing Small Fruits. You also can go to their website www.extension.umn.edu and then click on Traverse County for the complete program.
Let's Get Growing sponsored by Douglas County Master Gardeners will take place on Saturday, March 29 at the Alexandria Technical College. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. with the first session starting at 8:30 a.m. There will be five sessions during the day with each session having six choices of presenters. Their keynote speaker is Eric Bergeson scheduled to speak at 11 am. Contact the Douglas County Extension Office at 320-762-3890 for a brochure and complete list of presenters. Some of the interesting topics include Top Performing Annual, Growing Peonies the Green Way, Roses For Zone Three, and Fairy Gardens. You can also click on our website by going to www.extension.umn.edu, and click on regional and county offices and then the county. Each of these events is listed in a box in the center of page.
April 5 will be the Garden Day 2008 in West Ottertail County (218) 998-8760 to be held at the Underwood Public School. The registration begins at 8 a.m. with the program beginning at 9 a.m. They offer six sessions throughout the day with each session having twelve presenters. Some of their new topics include Lawns, Landscaping & Lakes, Succulents, Willow Basket Weaving, Blending Sun and Shade Plants and Stonescaping. Their guest speaker is Eric Bergeson. In addition to their great lineup they will have a large number of vendors and of course their flower pot lunch.
Hands on Horticulture Workshop takes place on Saturday, April 12 at the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris. These hands on two hour sessions have been a hit the past couple of years. The five topics of which you choose two are Editing your Digital Photos, Grow Your Own Food Part A and B, Hardscape: Block Walls and Patio Pavers, and All Season Containers. Contact Jean at 320-589-1711 to register or for more details go to http://wcroc.cfans.umn.edu .
All of these programs ask that you pre-register so that they have adequate handouts and lunches available. Each event has a registration fee for the day.
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