Sunday, March 25, 2018

Gardening Classes at Valley View Farms-Update

Happy Spring! This winter seems to be hanging on for far too long! But, the weather changes fast, and getting ready for spring is on all of our minds. Why not take some time on Saturday mornings before getting out in the yard to learn more about some aspect of gardening? Here is an updated list to consider for the rest of  March and April.

Spring Pond Opening, March 31 at 9 am is for our water garden enthusiasts who know that it's about time to get things up and running again. Aquatic gardens manager Tim McQuaid will go over the what, whens and how-to's of getting filters, pumps, plants and fish off to a good start.

Spring Lawn Clinic at 11 is for all of our lawn lovers who are looking to green up and grow a weed free lawn. Nathan Salupo and John James will go over proper timing and techniques to get growing! Bring in a soil sample for a free soil test to be completed by our staff during the seminar.

Create your own Bonsai, April 7 at 9 am, with the help of our visiting Bonsai grower, Martha Meehan. The $35.00 cost of this class provides everything needed to create the project, including the help of local Bonsai enthusiasts.

Native Plantings are for the Birds, at 11 am, by speaker Susan Creamer, Director of Urban Education and Conservation with the Patterson Park Chapter of the Audubon Society. Learn how native plantings create a necessary environment for birds and other wildlife in the garden. Susie will provide inspiration and knowledge to help us conserve and create habitat.

New Annuals, Perennials, and Tropicals is being held on Monday, April 9 at 7 pm. Our staff, including Robert Scott, Carrie Engel and Eric Rutledge, will show our attendees some of the new plants we're excited about having this year.

Maintaining a Beautiful Perennial Garden, April 14 at 9 am, is the perfect workshop to attend to learn what, when and how to schedule tasks to keep the perennial border thriving and colorful. Robert Scott will provide tips and techniques for our gardeners.

An Introduction to Water Gardening, April 21, 9 am, is a basic course for those ready to dive into this fascinating hobby that brings sound, motion, and tranquility into the garden. Tim McQuaid, our Water Gardening manager, will show everyone how.

Landscape Design Basics, April 21 at 11am, will be taught by Melanie Hotham, a Masters candidate studying at Morgan University. Melanie juggles her schooling with a job here at Valley View Farms and another at Cylburn Arboretum.

Growing a Variety of Summer Vegetables, April 28, 9 am, takes place on the same day as Tomato Tornado IV. Our greenhouse will have almost 80 varieties of tomatoes, 40 peppers, and a huge selection of squash, eggplant, cucumbers, and other vegetable plants. We will talk about when and where to grow them in gardens and containers and answer questions about which varieties may be best for various conditions. After an initial get together to go over all of our handouts, we will proceed to the greenhouse where our coworkers are ready to help with plant  selection and questions.

How to Select and Care for Roses, April 28 at 11 am, is a timely workshop as most of our roses have recently arrived from our area growers. Learn how to choose roses for fragrance, easy-care, containers and climbing. Cindy Mann will be our host telling us all about our national flower.

Stay tuned for more classes after our May rush. If you would like us to host a group here at Valley View Farms for a class of garden enthusiasts, please contact Carrie Engel.