Are you ready for veggies?
raised beds were dry. However, we didn’t have the right temperatures for germination for about four weeks. It doesn’t hurt these seeds. They just patiently waited for the time to arrive.
As gardeners we patiently (or impatiently, depending on your personality) wait for spring to arrive to begin planting. If you are tired of waiting, why not attend some classes to help you with your garden this year?
We normally have our Backyard Vegetable Garden Workshop in person in Springfield, Ohio, but this year, due to the pandemic, we are still holding virtual sessions. Hopefully, it won’t be too much longer before we can get out and have face-to-face and hands-on training. I am impatient for this!
On the evenings of March 25 and 26, 2021, from 6- 8 p.m. there are two programs each night focused on backyard gardens. This year, we are moving out of the vegetable garden a bit and into fruits.
On Thursday, March 25, Brad Bergefurd will be online talking about extending the growing season. This popular trend allows gardeners to harvest well into the winter and sometimes, temperature dependent, all through the winter.
He will also talk about variety selection, transplants, high and low tunnels, succession plantings and using plasticulture. Don’t be thrown by these words; these are all topics for beginning to advanced gardeners.
Bergefurd, Ohio State University Extension Vegetable Specialist, will also talk about another new trend, growing strawberries under plastic. How cool would it be to harvest strawberries all year long? Bergefurd shares the latest research at Ohio State University and how we might do this in our backyard garden.
On Friday night the focus is on herbs. With so many people looking to grow their own vegetables and cook with them, herbs are one of the ways to enhance flavors.
Susan Leichty, OSU Master Gardener Volunteer and past President of the American Herb Society will talk about creative
Chives are great for flavoring many dishes.
and tasty techniques to preserve the herbs you grow over the summer. She will teach you how to make sure you have that fresh flavor throughout the year in her session on Savor the Summer.
After that, she will discuss Harvesting Herbs and share with participants her 12 favorite herbs. She will talk about how to grow, prune, and harvest for best results.
I follow Leichty on Facebook and you should see some of the incredible meals that she makes with her herbs.
Registration for both nights is
$20. If you can’t attend the presentations live on Zoom, you can register, pay, and receive access to the recording for a week to view at your own leisure. All who attend will also receive access to the recording. To register and pay for the Veggie Workshop, go to go.osu.edu/ clarkvegreg21