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2024 Gardening Classes

• Saturday, January 27, 2024, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
• Saturday, February 24, 2024, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
• Saturday, March 23, 2024, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
• Saturday, April 27, 2024, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
• Saturday, May 25, 2024, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
• Saturday, September 21, 2024, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
• Saturday, October 26, 2024, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
• Saturday, November 23, 2024, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

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Join us for our 2024 Gardening Classes!

Taught by our Master Gardener Volunteers most classes will be held on the 4th Saturday of the month @ 9:00 am, unless otherwise noted. Sign-up for as many classes as you would like.

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2024 Gardening Classes

Date & Time	Topic	Description
Saturday, January 27th @ 9:00 am	Rejuvenating your Landscape: A Class for New and Existing Homeowners	Whether you are starting from scratch or want to reconfigure existing gardens, figuring out what to do with the landscaping can be quite overwhelming. This class will take you through the process starting with assessing everything in your yard, both the hardscaping — sidewalks, patios, driveways — and the softscaping — flowers, shrubs, tree, lawn. We will then discuss how to create a long-range plan for your yard and how to start making changes. In the event of inclement weather, this class will be held virtually via Zoom.
Saturday, February 24th @ 9:00 am	Understanding Healthy Soil	This class delves into the hidden world beneath our feet, exploring the fundamental principles of understanding and cultivating healthy soil. Participants will embark on a journey through soil science, learning about its composition, structure, and the dynamic interactions between microorganisms, plants, and the environment. The course emphasizes sustainable practices, teaching students how to enhance soil fertility, prevent erosion, and mitigate pollution. Students will gain the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about soil health in various contexts, from agriculture to landscaping. In the event of inclement weather, this class will be held virtually via Zoom.
Saturday, March 23rd @ 9:00 am	Lawn Reduction and Elimination	Picturesque lawns require vast inputs of time, energy, lawn care products, and water, but offer little wildlife habitat or food for people.  This program will cover the basics of lawn reduction or elimination for the homeowner.  We will discuss your goals, budgeting time and money, site assessment and site preparation, as well as the selection of appropriate plant material, timing, and short- and long-term maintenance. Participants are encouraged to bring photos, site plans, and plant lists from their current gardens. During the program, participants will work to develop a multi-year plan to reduce or eliminate their lawn. Class is limited to 20 people.
Saturday, April 27th @ 9:00 am	Creating a Wildflower Meadow	Turning a lawn into a wildflower meadow, a beautiful, interactive plant community made up of native flowers, grasses and sedges, can be a rewarding, creative process. Not only do wildflower meadows attract pollinators and help the environment, they also provide important ecosystem services like infiltration and filtration of stormwater, and nutrient recycling. While most of the work is done during the first year, when planning and planting, it can take a few years to ensure its success. Come learn how to establish a wildflower meadow in your yard — choosing a site, selecting plant species, planting, maintenance, long term expectations.
Saturday, May 25th @ 9:00 am	Vegetable Garden Pest Management	Without proper management, invertebrates (i.e. insects, mites, slugs, etc.), diseases, and weeds can destroy your vegetable garden leaving you with little produce to show for your efforts. Come learn the basics of integrated pest management including cultural, physical, biological, and chemical management practices that can be implemented in a small-scale vegetable garden.
Saturday, September 21st @ 9:00 am	All about Trees!	Come learn all about trees — planting, fertilizing, watering, mulching, pruning etc. After an hour long lecture learning the basics, we’ll take an hour long walk around our campus learning how to identify trees and seeing how proper and improper care affects their growth. This class will take place rain or shine, so please dress appropriately.
Saturday, October 26th @ 9:00 am	Putting the Garden to Bed	Preparing a garden for overwintering is an art and a science. Removing dead leaves from some plants is healthy; others require them for winter protection. Many species, though dead, contribute food, form, and creature protection; others benefit from wrapping against harsh winds and hungry deer. Learn the basics and how to apply them to your own garden.
Saturday, November 23rd @ 9:00 am	Winter Sowing	Winter sowing is a low-cost method of method of starting vegetable, flower, and perennials seeds by planting them in various containers and leaving them outside for the winter. In this class you will learn what winter sowing is, why it works as it does and all the instructions you will need to be able to begin your seed sowing as early as December!

Fee

$10 per class / $0 per class (solidarity pricing for those who cannot pay at this time)

Register

http://weblink.donorperfect.com/2024_Gardening_Workshops

Location

Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County
18 Seward Avenue
Suite 300 (third floor)
Middletown, New York 10940

Last updated December 23, 2023