Celebrate Spring with FREE Gardening Classes on Saturday!

by Lori Braunstein on March 19th, 2010 Comment

The weather will be perfect tomorrow, so come on out to McNaughtons Garden Center for a day of FREE gardening classes.  Sustainable Cherry Hill is partnering with the family owned, local garden center to bring the community some great information about healthy organic gardening and composting.  Don’t forget to bring your empty milk jug or container to bring home some compost tea for your home garden!  No need to sign up… we’ll see you there!

9:00 AM  PLANNING YOUR LANDSCAPE

Landscape architect Harry Gamble teaches you the basics of creating a great garden plan. Learn the elements of good design the selection of trees and shrubs that are suitable for your growing conditions, how you can take advantage of a plants form, texture, color and seasonal interest and how you can integrate hardscaping to enhance your outdoor oasis.

10:30 PM  ORGANIC LAWNCARE

One of the most important ways you can reduce your carbon footprint is to eliminate the use of chemicals on your lawn. Horticulturist Tom Measey discusses how you can achieve a healthy lawn with products that are environmentally friendly and are safer for kids and pets. Learn about the use of corn gluten to prevent weeds, proper mowing practices and the best times to water and seed to maximize the limited resources we share on this planet.

In addition, our lawn and garden experts Mike Phillips and John Lincoln will demonstrate how to make an organic compost tea brewer. Be sure to bring in a recycled plastic milk jug to get a free gallon of our home-brew. Your garden will thank you.

A representative from Espoma organic products will be on hand.

1:00  PM  PLANNING A POND

From gurgling waterfalls to trickling fountains, to the tranquility of a reflecting pool,  the use of water in the garden continues to be a growing trend. Pond expert, Mike Phillips discusses how you can create a water feature that complements your landscape whether it be a self-contained fountain in a pot or a large pond with a waterfall. He will take you from the planning and design stage through installation and completion. Mike will also cover proper pump, plant and fish selection, as well as care and maintenance.

3:00 PM COMPOSTING (Spring clean-up)

If you desire a healthy garden, you should consider the benefits of composting. Sometimes referred to as “black gold”, compost teems with microorganisms that help make your soil come alive. Melisa Skyrm from Sustainable Cherry Hill will teach you how you can recycle your leaves, grass clippings and kitchen scraps to create your own compost. She will also discuss how to manage the compost pile to avoid foul-odors and encourage the decomposition that will eventually turn your debris into a rich, brown garden dressing.