Dispatch Spring Home & Garden Show to offer pointers for planters
Gardeners who are looking for ideas to improve or expand their vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens this coming growing season should plan to attend the Columbus Dispatch Spring Home & Garden Show scheduled for Feb. 18-26 at the Ohio Expo Center. While the weather outside may be cold and snowy, the temperature inside at the Home & Garden Show will be warm and the flowering plants, green foliage, and tomatoes growing on the vine will transport gardeners to spring and summer.
Edible plants on display
Gardeners can learn about growing vegetables, fruits, and herbs in the Edible Garden display on the Garden Stage in the Celeste Center at the show. The Edible Garden is a popular vegetable, fruit, and edibles garden designed to show gardeners how to grow edibles at home, particularly in small spaces. The garden will include raised beds and various container gardens with vegetables, herbs, edible flowers and even small fruits such as grapes. The garden will be staffed during the show by OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers, who will demonstrate the most effective backyard gardening techniques.
A new feature in this year’s Edible Garden will be an accessible garden bed display for gardeners with physical mobility challenges. The garden bed will be accessible to gardeners using a wheelchair, scooter, or walker. Adaptive garden tools which make gardening tasks easier for individuals with physical limitations and mobility challenges will be on display in the garden bed. A presentation on the topic “Adaptive Gardening as We Age” will also be featured at the show at 3 p.m. Feb. 18 on the Garden Stage.
New to the Home & Garden Show this year is a keyhole garden featuring dwarf fruit trees, tomatoes, and flowers. Master Gardener volunteers will be located inside the keyhole garden to demonstrate how home gardeners can incorporate fruit trees into the home garden and how to grow plump, juicy tomatoes in their home gardens this summer.
Presentations by experts planned
Plan to take in some of the 37 different scheduled presentations on many different gardening topics on the Garden Stage in the Celeste Center. Presentations will be taught by seasoned garden experts on topics such as using native plants in the garden, gardening for birds, becoming a beekeeper, growing and using herbs, edible flowers, container gardening, and dozens of other gardening topics. For a complete schedule of presentations, go to: www.dispatchshows.com/the-garden-stage.
Get your questions answered
While at the show, you can solve your toughest lawn, garden, and home landscape challenges by visiting the Ask a Master Gardener booth, where Master Gardener volunteers will be on hand to answer all of your gardening questions. Free gardening fact sheets on scores of different topics will be available at the booth.
What to know if you go
The Columbus Dispatch Home & Garden Show runs Feb. 18-26. The show will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, except Feb. 21, when it will be closed. Discount admission tickets are available online at www.dispatchshows.com/ 2023-admission-parking.
Mike Hogan is an Extension educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and associate professor with Ohio State University Extension.
hogan.1@osu.edu