It’s beginning to feel a lot like Spring in Crofton, but we know it’s too early to take this nice weather for granted. A March snow is not all that unusual.
Frustrated gardeners aren’t sitting on our hands, however. Crofton Village Garden Club members are attending winter workshops at nearby nurseries and public gardens.
Marcia Richard and Margaret Woda learned the Basics of Bonsai from Homestead Gardens Horticulturist Gene Sumi last week: How to choose and pot a young plant, how to keep it moist but not over-watered, how much light it needs, and how to train the plant to grow in directions not intended by Mother Nature. The $30 fee included a Serissa plant, container and soil.
There will be four workshops at Homestead Gardens in nearby Davidsonville this weekend:
Saturday, February 25, 11 a.m.: A Rose is a Rose is a Rose ($5)
Growing roses in the humid Maryland climate can be tricky business. And the varieties? Climbing, scented, tearoses, floribunda…the list goes on and on. So let’s go back to the basics and take roses step-by-step to find the best ones for your particular needs.
Saturday, February 25, 2 p.m.: Diving into Water Gardening ($5)
Water gardening expert, Dave Kemon,walks you through the process of getting your pond ready for the spring, answering all your question from plants to fish and everything in between.
Sunday, February 26, 11 a.m.: A Cutting Flower Garden ($5 )
Few things are more elegant and stylish than a vase filled with a brilliantly-colored floral arrangement. How would you like to have access to fresh-cut flowers whenever you want and at the peak of their beauty? We’ll show you how to plant and cultivate a cutting garden that will keep your home filled with stunning, fragrant flowers throughout the season.
Sunday, February 26, 2 p.m.: Cool Weather Vegetable Gardening ($5)
Tomatoes and peppers are great, but they are pretty finicky about the weather. How about some tougher crops that thrive in the cold temps of early spring and late fall? Lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and others are the topic of this delicious and fascinating workshop.
Attendance is limited so you must register in advance by calling 410-798-5000.
Two free demonstrations and two workshops will be offered at Behnke’s in Beltsville this weekend:
Saturday, February 25,1 p.m.: Cool Vegetables: Growing Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Leafy Greens and Brussell Sprouts (FREE)
There’s nothing tastier and healthier than home grown vegetables. Learn how to extend the life of your garden with these cool customers. Find out what to grow in he early spring and how to care for it. Now get out there and grow! Sign up here.
Saturday, February 25 at 2 p.m. Watering and Irrigation: Conserving Water in the Garden (FREE)
Be an efficient waterer! Find out about the methods that will help you conserve. Sign up here.
Sunday, February 26, 11 a.m.: Build a Terrarium ($40)
Make a garden in miniature that’s much easier to care for than its larger counterpart and more versatile, but just as attractive.
Sunday, February 26, 1 p.m.: Make a Hypertufa Planter ($35)
Create a rustic planter using a hypertufa mixture that, when dry, looks like aged concrete, but is much lighter and easier to handle.
You can register online for these workshops at Behnkes.com
Local nurseries aren’t the only resources available to gardeners for informative workshops and deomonstrations. Be sure to click on the links in the left column of this website to view the calendar of events at the public gardens throughout our region.
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om Horticulturist Gene Sumi that plants begin their journey to the shelves of Homestead Gardens and other retail stores as seedlings, plucked by machine from 72-plant flats and meticulously placed into pots. They spend the next few weeks and months in Dutch-designed greenhouses where computers control temperature, moisture, and light for thousands of plants with varying requirements. The plants are labeled, monitored, fertilized and tended by a large staff of humans, as well.
