GARDENING CLASS RECAP

Our gardening and pruning class last Thursday was A-MAZING!

We started by learning about seeds, how to store them and how to "wake them up" we you're ready to use them. Seeds from heirloom plants can be harvested and saved for the next planting season. Seeds store longer in the freezer. But before you store your seeds, make sure they are completely dry. Storing your seeds in the freezer extends the life of your seeds, but if you don't usually store them in the freezer, you'll want to freeze them for 24-48 hours before you plant so that they'll wake up and grow faster when you're ready to plant. Our contact for the heirloom seeds we purchased in the stake order is Mitch West.

Next, we learned about pruning. We learned that it's best to prune stone fruit trees (apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums) while the trees are dormant and other fruit trees while they're blossoming (apple, pear, etc.). But it's better to prune than not to prune. For more information about pruning, click HERE.

We also learned about vertical gardening, which is great for small spaces and bountiful harvests. Almost anything can be grown vertically, but tomatoes are the most common. For more information, click HERE.

We also spent some time talking about traditional gardening. We learned about soil preparation, controlling and eliminating weeds and pests, and when to plan. We also learned to keep a notebook on what we plant, where it was planted and how well it did, so that we can learn from our mistakes.

We learned the common mistakes that are made when planting trees, how to amend soil, and how to garden using the "Back to Eden" method. We also learned about watering, cover crops and compost.