Garden Events & Classes

EVENTS

February 5, 1-3pm – Spring Garden Book Soiree, Garden Fever! – For the 8th year, Garden Fever! is gathering inspiring people and books together for an afternoon of garden merriment, including (1pm) Tom Fischer, Timber Press Editor in Chief; (1:30pm) Patty Cassidy, author and horticultural therapist; and (1:45pm) Willi Galloway, author, radio commentator and blogger. After the speakers, meet more local authors for book signings.

February 8-12 – Northwest Flower & Garden Show, Seattle, Wash.

February 17-19, the 2012 Yard, Garden & Patio Show! – Showcase gardens, plant sales, educational displays, free seminars, garden art, wine and beer, live music, kid's activities, and you'll find every imaginable supplier of garden goodness at the Oregon Convention Center, Friday and Saturday, 10am-7:30pm and Sunday, 10am-5pm.

CLASSES (unless noted, classes are free)

January 7
• 10am (Sherwood) and 1pm (Woodburn) – What to do in the Garden in January, Al's Garden Center—Learn what to do in the garden this month. There are a few things that you can do now to give your yard and garden a headstart.

• 1pm – Rainwater Harvesting, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Portlanders get rainwater aplenty through the winter; collecting it is one way to turn that bounty from a liability to an asset. Learn about how to plan and assemble the appropriate rainwater harvesting system for your needs. Click here to register for this class.

January 8
• 11am – Mason Bees: Fruit's Best Friend, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Discover how these non-aggressive, hard-working mason bees pollinate apple, cherry and other fruit trees and increase your harvest, even in the cold and wet of early spring! Brenda Calvert, of Halfmoon Farms, will walk you through setting up nesting boxes and blocks, the benefits to your garden or home orchard, and the minimal yearly maintenance and supplies involved in keeping mason bees. Click here to register for this class.

• 1pm – Intro to Backyard Beekeeping, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Learn how to make honey in your own backyard! Brenda Calvert, of Halfmoon Farms, will cover the basics of backyard beekeeping and bring her own honey for tasting. She will discuss the different styles and supplies needed to start your own colony, organic techniques, and how to get the most out of your honey production. Click here to register for this class.

• 1pm – Indoor Herb Gardening, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Don't have much room outside? Dream of having fresh herbs at your fingertips in the kitchen? This class will highlight which herbs are easiest indoors and what supplies you will need to be successful. Click here to register for this class.

January 14
• 10am (Woodburn) & 1pm (Sherwood) – Growing from Seed, Al's Garden Center—Growing from seed can be economical and rewarding. Learn how to start your garden from seeds.

• 11am – Basics of Indoor Gardening and Seed Starting, Tsugawa Nursery (Woodland, Wash.)—In the dark cold months of January and February it's hard to not start dreaming of the coming sunny days of spring. This is a great time to start planning what you want to plant in your garden. Get a jump start on the planting season. We will show you how to get the herbs and vegetable that you have been craving started right in your home. Register on-line.

• 11am (Cedar Hills) & 2pm (Lake Oswego) – Houseplants as a Winter Hobby, Dennis'7 Dees—Learn the ins and outs of houseplants and pick the perfect one for any setting in your house. Bring your questions and even a photo or two of spaces you are looking to fill with a houseplant. You'll go home with a beautiful solution and the knowledge to keep your houseplants happy and healthy! Cost: $20, which will be given back to you in the form of a gift card to be used on your houseplant purchases. Register here.

• 11am – Growing Citrus in the Pacific NW, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Join Jim Gilbert of One Green World Nursery and learn how to successfully grow citrus in containers in the Pacific Northwest. He will discuss winter and summer care, lighting requirements, fertilizing and pruning tips. Jim's talk can help bring your citrus into full production! Click here to register for this class.

• 1pm – Common Garden Plants for Common Illnesses, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)— Gradey Proctor, Arctos School of Herbal and Botanical Studies, will discuss common plants that are available in the winter garden and various remedies and sample teas for such common ailments as sore throats, colds, fevers and stress. Click here to register for this class.

January 15
• 11am-12:30pm – Planning Your Year of Vegetables, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Get the most out of your vegetable garden with a planting plan! Learn about cool vs. warm weather crops, keeping a garden journal, the basics of succession planting and crop rotation, and other great tips for growing a well-planned garden. Click here to register for this class.

• 1pm (Woodburn & Sherwood locations) – Terrarium Workshop, Al's Garden Center—Plant up a selection of houseplants and learn tips to keep your terrarium growing. Registration is required; space is limited. Cost: $25.00 per kit, which includes a glass container, 3 small houseplants, soil and decorative stones. To register call the appropriate store (Woodburn at 503-981-1245, or Sherwood at 503-726-1162).

• 1pm – Vermiculture: the Art of Working with Worms, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—If your main source of compostable materials is the kitchen, there's a great alternative to outdoor compost bins: a worm bin! Learn how to get a worm bin running right and keep the little workers happy. Worm castings make great fertilizer, and the worms themselves are intriguing to children and adults alike. Click here to register for this class.

January 21
• 10am (Woodburn) & 1pm (Sherwood) – All About Fruit Trees, Al's Garden Center—Have you always wanted to grow your own fruit? Learn how to plant, fertilize and care for a variety of fruit trees.

• 11am (Lake Oswego) & 2pm (SE Powell) – Fairy Gardens, Mini Gardens & Mini-scapes, Dennis' 7 Dees—Class includes selection of containers, appropriate small plants to use (indoors or out), design ideas as well as care and maintenance for your creations. Cost: $25 fee for class will be used toward your purchases for your project or to purchase a finished garden. Register now.

• 11am - Houseplants 101, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Learn the basics and leave confident in how to keep your indoor plants happy and thriving! Class will cover lighting conditions, watering and fertilizing methods, correct soils to use, humidity issues, and common pests as well as some popular houseplant varieties and helpful troubleshooting tips. Click here to register for this class.

• 1pm – How to Build a Terrarium, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Genevieve Layman will demonstrate the basics of creating a little ecosystem in a glass container! She will discuss terrarium "ingredients", lighting and moisture requirements, and choosing the right plant combinations for a healthy, thriving terrarium. She will also give great tips for how to use different container styles and decorative additions to spice up your little green scene. Click here to register for this class.

• 1pm – Orchids 101 with Michael Jenne of the Oregon Orchid Society, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—What's the number one secret of keeping your orchids happy? Knowing what orchid you have and where they're from. Orchids are marvelously diverse, and beautifully adapted to very specific habitats. Michael can help you understand what sort of surroundings (humidity, temperature, light, potting medium) will best simulate the orchid's happy place. Click here to register for this class.

January 22, 1pm – Build Your Own Terrarium with Genevieve Layman, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Learn to create a little ecosystem in a glass case and how to keep it healthy. Genevieve will talk about materials, lighting, moisture, and choosing the right plants for the magical little green scene you'll make and take home. Hands on class; space is limited. Cost: $30 materials fee. Click here to register for this class.

January 28
• 10am (Woodburn) & 1pm (Sherwood) – Growing Small Fruits and Berries, Al's Garden Center—Bradley Weeks, Weeks Berry Nursery, will help you be a successful small fruit and berry gardener. Learn how to plant, grow and care for a variety of fruit.

• 11am – Sow Your Garden Now - Reap the Rewards Later, Dennis' 7 Dees (Seaside location)—Late winter is the perfect time to prepare for a productive spring garden. Learn how to identify what type of soil you have in your garden and how to amend it before the gardening season begins. A quick start guide, garden shed essentials check list and helpful garden habits that you can start now to save time and money later will be discussed. Cost: $20 fee for the class to reserve your spot, which will be given back to you in the form of a gift card to be used on your gardening needs. Space is limited. Register Now.

• 11am – Pruning & Dormant Spraying of Your Fruit Trees, Tsugawa Nursery (Woodland, Wash.)—Learn fruit tree pruning techniques that are employed by gardeners to control growth, remove dead or diseased wood or stimulate the formation of flowers and fruit buds. Learn the proper use of dormant spray for fruit trees and deciduous shrubs to prevent the spread of fungal diseases and control harmful insects. Register on-line.

• 11am-12:30pm – Early Spring Seed Starting: Indoors & Out, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)— Tim Lanfri, Community Garden Creators, will share tips and techniques for starting your garden from seed, raising your own transplants for early spring plantings and much more! Click here to register for this class.

• 11am (Lake Oswego) & 2pm (Cedar Hills) – Terrarium Making, Dennis' 7 Dees—Create a unique, customized terrarium that you can enjoy all year. Learn how to create these mini ecosystems and how to care for them. You will select from a variety of glass containers, choose appropriate small plants, recieve design ideas as well as care and maintenance information for your creation. Cost: $25 fee for class will be used toward purchases for your project. Register now.

January29
• 11am – Let the Worms Do the Work: Vermiculture 101, Portland Nursery (Division Street location)—Learn how to turn your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich compost with help of worms! Katie Gwynn will talk about various styles of worm bins, necessary materials to make your worm friends happy, the benefits of worm castings, and the incredible work that worms do. Click here to register for this class.

• 1pm – Introduction to Mason Bees, Portland Nursery (Stark Street location)—Mason bees are non-aggressive North American bees that emerge in the spring and do a great job of pollinating early spring flowers – like those on your fruit trees. Learn about the supplies and techniques you can use to attract and make them at home in your yard. Click here to register for this class.