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(Canceled) Spring Gardening Day 2020

• Saturday, April 4, 2020, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM

CCE prioritizes the health, safety, and well-being of the communities we serve. Given the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, and due to an abundance of caution, Spring Gardening Day on April 4th has been canceled. Registrants will be notified by email.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at columbiagreene@cornell.edu or call 518-622-9820.

The 2020 Spring Gardening Day event will be held at Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson, featuring keynote speaker Adam Wheeler, Horticulturist for Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, CT.

This event is hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties' Master Gardener Volunteer Program. In 2020, we will again be including plant and gardening vendors as well as our very popular used book sale. We will offer three informational sessions with a variety of topics.

The details of the sessions and event registration are now live. In 2019, we sold out three weeks before the event so register as early as possible for the topics of your choice and to secure your place at the 2020 event. Call 518-828-3346 for more information. We look forward to having you join us.

Register Online or Download the Brochure to Register by Mail

Keynote Speaker: Adam Wheeler

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX: USING EXCELLENT PLANTS IN CREATIVE WAYS

This presentation will focus on creative ways to use trees, shrubs, and conifers. Gardeners will learn how to use these plants with a creative, unique, and different approach. The main goal is to develop a thoughtful process around the plants we choose to build our gardens with and reinforce that gardening is fun and should be as much about the process as the end result. The theme is diversity using unique varieties and cultivars (some of which may be for sale at the event) available to the average gardener. You may find some of the species new to your thinking. Adam will also discuss creative ways to use more familiar species.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

Session I:

Vegetable Gardening 2020—JoAnn Concra

Want to grow tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, beans, lettuce, garlic, and much more but don’t know where to start? This class will give you the helpful information you need for a successful garden. Topics will include how to plan your site, how to select your plants, planting techniques, how to care for what you have planted including how to manage weeds, pests and diseases and much more.

Birding 101, Moving Beyond the Bird Feeder—Kathryn Schneider

This presentation covers the fundamentals of birding. Learn how to choose the right birding binoculars, discover how today’s birders use field guides and phone apps to home in on an ID and see how computers have changed the way we bird. This talk will expand your birding horizons so you can see more birds, grow your skills, and connect to the birding community.

Guarding the Garden from Deer and Other Wild-life—Teresa Golden, Jean Thomas

Wildlife plays an essential role in balanced eco-systems. However, wildlife management may be necessary when too many of a particular species impact the landscape. This session will help you to learn how to mitigate the impact of deer, groundhogs, rabbits and other wildlife using fencing, repellents, and wildlife resistant plants.

Naturalistic Planting on a Domestic Scale—Robert Clyde Anderson

This illustrated talk will focus on practical techniques for creating and managing naturalistic plantings at a size that’s feasible for the home gardener, in terms of both labor and expense. Using part of his own garden as the example, the presenter will share failures and successes in the development, over three seasons, of a wet mead-ow style planting. Topics addressed will include site selection and preparation, plant material sources, choices and acquisition, installation tips, and seasonal care.

Shade Gardening—Randy Hinz

Discover the benefits of shade gardening, and design tips for gardening in the shade, as well as trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and bulbs that will make your shade garden beautiful and low maintenance.

Introduction to Gardening with Natives—Glenda Berman

Native plants are beautiful, more reliable and easy to maintain. Incorporating native plants into your landscape is a sure way to attract a greater diversity of birds, butterflies, and bees to your garden. This course will explore native plant selection and gardening practices with a particular emphasis on attracting and supporting birds, butterflies, and bees.

Session II:

The Versatile Herb—Sue Charbonneau

Want to learn how to select, grow and use herbs that usually flourish in our area? Interest-ed in cool plants that can spice up your meals, add fragrance to your garden, and lend distinction to your bouquets? Check out the versatile herb.

Creating a Cutting Garden—Maureen Mooney

Having fantasies of colorful flower bouquets in every room of your home? You can create a low maintenance garden that will provide you with beautiful blooms from spring to the first frost. Come learn about some of the most popular annuals and perennials to grow. You will learn about growing requirements and resources.

Container Gardens—Linda Levitt

Growing plants in pots offers all the enjoyment of the in-the-ground gardening, plus so much more! Indoors and out, containers give you the freedom to move plants around, creating a constantly changing display of foliage and flowers. It is important to understand plants and how they grow in order to provide the best possible conditions. This class will give you insight as to the right container, adequate spacing, proper drainage and selecting a suitable container mix.

Designing your Front Yard—David Dew Bruner

With the ever-changing residential landscape, how homeowners use their properties are also changing. The once green lawn of the front yard is going through a much-needed transformation. We will look at some trends but also look at your own front yard. This is a participatory class. Bring pictures of your own front yard and ideas and we will discuss the process, as a whole class, in which we will alter the front to suit your own lifestyle and design ideas. We may not get to every participant but everyone will go home with new ideas about how to deal with their own and clients' front yard.

The Power of Purple in Garden and Landscape Design—Chris Ferrero

Whether they're called mahogany, burgundy or chocolate, deep purple offers contrast and depth that make other plants look better throughout the seasons. Learn how your gardens and containers can POP with "purple" trees, shrubs and flowering plants.

Pruning to Produce—Steve McKay

In this class you will learn the basics of why, when and how to prune fruit trees, canes and vines to boost fruit production, including the best time to prune, the difference between dwarfing and invigoration cuts, plant evaluation, proper techniques and much more.

Session III:

To be a Bee—Linda Aydlett

Presenting a stewardship perspective to the keeping of honey bees (Apis mellifera) that follows the rhythms of the four seasons from the honey bee’s point of view. This course is intended for new beekeepers, gardeners, and anyone interested in learning more about these remarkable creatures, regardless of prior knowledge and experience.

Gardening Tips: Be in the Know!— Abbey Block Cash

What do I know about gardening that you don’t? What do YOU know that I don’t? Let’s begin the dialogue by exploring eclectic gardening tips provided by me and other Columbia Greene MG Volunteers. Diverse areas will be explored including roses, tick-borne diseases, annuals, perennials, bulbs, trees, pests, invasives, and more! This interactive workshop will impose upon participants to divulge their insights, as well!

Plants in Jeopardy!—Dave Chinery

Based on the long-running game show Jeopardy!, this class is all about the science of sick plants, a.k.a. plant pathology. We’ll discuss some historical references, what causes plant diseases, plant problems found in local gardens, and management options. Come prepared to provide questions to the answers!

Introduction to Composting—Tammy Rusoff Hoen

This class will review exactly what compost is, the science of how it's created and why it's worth your time and energy both for the beauty of your garden and the health of the earth. Practical information about how to make compost, what is compostable, types of composting and composting bins/containers will be provided.

Sequence of Bloom—Mary Ann Iaccino

We will review garden basics: planning; site preparation and “the bones of the garden”. We’ll discuss how and when to plant bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes, along with annuals, biennials, perennials, and flowering shrubs to give a continuous display in the garden from spring through winter.

Supporting Wildlife and Adding Beauty with Native Trees and Shrubs—Tim Kennelty

Native trees and shrubs are the backbone of the landscape, not only adding structure and beauty but also providing food sources for insects and animals. This course will cover the benefits of using native trees and shrubs as well as profiling top choices to make your landscape a beautiful haven for wildlife.

Location

Columbia-Greene Community College
Main Campus
4400 Route 23
Hudson, NY 12534

Last updated April 3, 2020