Making your garden productive

Marshall County Purdue Extension office is offering an educational series on growing annual and perennial vegetables. It will be a four-week series offered at the Plymouth Public Library on Tuesday nights from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It will start on May 3 and be held on four consecutive Tuesday evenings. The goal of this program is to enhance participants vegetable gardening knowledge.

Session one “Know Your Soil Productivity” will discuss selecting a gardening site, learn about soil properties, and how to properly fertilize a garden.

Session two “Vegetable Options” will discuss the growing season options for planting timing, seeding or using transplants, plant care, and considerations of various vegetable plants.

Session three “Managing Vegetable Pests” will discuss cultural practices and the use of organic and conventual pesticide options in controlling common vegetable pests. Being observant and timely with cultural practices can greatly reduce or eliminate the need for pesticides.

Session four “Container Gardening and Extending the Growing Season” will discuss the use of raised beds, containers, vertical beds, and low tunnels to increase gardening options and extend the gardening season.

Making Your Garden Productive is about enhancing your ability to grow vegetables and supplement your food options at home. This is a great meeting to bring questions to have answered on your vegetable gardens and selection options for vegetables. There is no cost for this program. If you are interested in attending the class, please contact Marshall County Extension office 574-935-8545 or e-mail ryoder@purdue.edu by noon on Tuesday, May 3.