Spring is starting to bud with vast opportunities

Hello gardeners! I have two opportunities to share with you this week.

The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners invite interested gardeners to sign up for its popular annual educational event: Home Gardeners School! You can sign up for any or all four of the online programs. Note: there is a $10 fee for each.

Check out these great and timely topics:

Gardening with Deer, 9 – 10 a.m. Cost $10

Kathy Salisbury, Director of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University and owner of Katsura Horticultural, will focus on the dilemma many gardeners face in coping with deer in the garden. Kathy will present the biology of White Tail Deer and examine strategies for dealing with them in our landscapes.

Managing Invasives, 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. Cost $10

Daniel Barringer, Crow’s Nest Preserve Manager, and Invasives Management Coordinator at Natural Lands, will help us develop goals and objectives for managing invasives in our landscapes. Dan will present an integrated approach for prioritizing species and choosing control methods. He will also identify some of the more common invasive plants and ways each can be managed.

Four Seasons of Color, noon – 1 p.m. Cost $10

Jane Corrigan, Penn State Master Gardener, will identify the best ways to incorporate color into the garden during spring, summer, fall, and winter. Jane will provide the best tips and images from her fellow Penn State Master Gardener network and from her own colorful garden. In addition, Jane will share insights from experts at top public gardens in the Delaware Valley, talented landscape gardeners, and top floral designers.

Gardening with Hummingbirds, 1:15 – 2:15 p.m. Cost $10

Eileen Boyle, Director of Conservation and Research, Mt. Cuba Center, will describe how you can make your yard a haven for hummingbirds with a great selection of native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. Learn their fascinating life cycle and how to create a garden with the ideal habitats, nesting requirements, and food sources that attract these stunning creatures from summer through fall.

To register, go to extension. psu.edu/home-gardeners-school, or call 877-345-0691. Registration deadline is 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 17. The sessions can max out, so don’t wait until the last minute to sign up.

The Barn at Spring Brook Farm is a small, nonprofit organization, with a mission to enrich the lives of children with disabilities through animal-assisted activities. Located on 17.5 beautiful acres in Pocopson Township, Chester County, the organization is currently looking for a volunteer or volunteers to help improve and maintain the overall aesthetics of the gardens. (Not the entire property!) If you are interested, please contact Nan Latona at nan.latona@ springbrook-farm.org. For more information on The Barn at Spring Brook Farm, visit https:// www.springbrook-farm.org/

Pam Baxter is an avid organic vegetable gardener who lives in Kimberton. Direct e-mail to pamelacbaxter@gmail.com, or send mail to P.O. Box 80, Kimberton, PA 19442. Share your gardening stories on Facebook at “Chester County Roots.” Pam’s book for children and families, Big Life Lessons from Nature’s Little Secrets, is available on Amazon, along with her companion field journal, Explore Outdoors, at Amazon.com/author/ pamelabaxter.