---News flash--- Spring is around the corner! And here, to help you with new plants, new growing information, and just plain plant fun are the spring programs from the Summit County Master Gardeners.

 

 

These are FREE Programs but registration is required. Check out the schedule below and click the Register button to reserve a spot.  All programs will be offered via Zoom.   We invite you to share this program information with your gardening family and friends. Better still---share with a gardener-to-be!

 

 

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY (and LOW MAINTENANCE) ANNUALS Wednesday, April 7, 6:30 p.m.  Who doesn’t love to fill their beds with annuals that offer season-long color, ease of care, and a visual treat? Making the right annual selections, using interesting, colorful, and easy-to-care-for plants will get your beds and containers off to the best start and keep them looking beautiful throughout the gardening season. Join us for this special program in which Pam Bennett, OSU Extension Educator, shares results from the extensive annual trials of new and noteworthy plants in the Clark County trial gardens.   Pam is an Associate Professor with The Ohio State University and serves as the State Master Gardener Volunteer Program Director and Horticulture Educator for OSU Extension in Clark County. She specializes in herbaceous ornamental plant trials and presents programs on annuals and perennials as well as other landscape topics locally, statewide, and nationally. Pam is the co-author of an award-winning book, Garden-pedia, An A-to-Z Guide to Gardening Terms, writes a weekly gardening column for eight counties receiving the Cox Publishing brands, authors the bi-monthly Ask the Expert column for Ohio Gardening Magazine and is a frequent writer for popular gardening magazines as well as trade publications.   Click on the button below to register for this first installment of the Summit County Master Gardener Spring Series.

 

Register for New and Noteworthy Annuals

 

 

INSIDE THE HIVE: A Closeup Look at the Honeybee’s Home   Wednesday, April 21, 6:30 p.m.   What’s going on inside the beehive?! As the County Bee Inspector, Randy Katz has many questions. Is there a nice quantity of healthy bees? Are there mites and other diseases? Any signs of a potential swarm? How healthy is the queen – is she marked? Are there enough brood (egg) cells at various stages of growth? Is there sufficient food available to raise the larvae? So many questions with so little time – tune in to this presentation to see the answers as Randy takes us along for a beehive inspection.   Recently retired, Randy co-owned and operated City Scrap & Salvage Co. for 30 years. He graduated from Leadership Akron and now co-chairs Environment Day for Junior Leadership Akron. Randy sits on the board of the Summit County Master Gardeners and is vice president of the Summit County Beekeepers Association. He serves as the Summit County Bee Inspector, and currently has 8 beehives, 26 chickens, 20 dogs, 2 cats, along with a garden of dreams!   Click on the button below to register for this installment of the Summit County Master Gardener Spring Series.

 

Register for Inside the Hive

 

 

NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S CONTAINER   Wednesday, May 5, 6:30 p.m.   We all know how to put the usual suspects into a pot and call it a container. Spike, geranium and petunia – check them off the thriller, filler and spiller columns. Let’s think beyond those usual plants and consider adding some spice to the mixture. Diane Fort designs gardens and pots for local gardens and will show us how to put a unique container combination together, and how to make it long lasting and visually exciting.   A note from Diane: I would like to introduce myself to all of you wonderful gardeners. My name is Diane Fort, and my passion is, of course, creating flower and garden containers. I am a self-taught gardener, with a long history of gardening. In the ‘80s I ventured on my own with my store called “The Secret Garden” and worked with both live and faux arrangements. I have worked for both Donzell’s and Suncrest Gardens spanning 25 years. Now that I have retired from 30 years of greenhouse employment, I love having the free time to browse for lovely plants and create containers. And, as we all know, learning is never ending! I’m looking forward to our workshop in May. ‘Til then, think spring!!!   Click on the button below to register for a program that you will not want to miss.

 

Register for Not Your Grandmother's Container

 

 

HOW TO GROW TERRIFIC TOMATOES  Wednesday, June 2, 6:30 p.m.   What is the most popular vegetable in US gardens? The tomato, of course. Navigating your way through the different selections, determining the best planting techniques, and dealing with the pests and diseases that may come your way can be challenging. Lee Paulson, Summit County Master Gardener and “Mr. Tomato”, will share his time hewn wisdom and advice for growing the tastiest and most prolific tomatoes. Join us for his Terrific Tomatoes program and be on your way to tomato success.   Believe it or not, Lee has many varied horticultural interests besides growing tomatoes. Topping his list is growing dahlias. This is followed by tropical plants, annuals, roses, beneficial insects, photography, heirloom vegetables, seed starting and cannas. He has served as the chair of the Summit County Master Gardener Speakers Bureau for the past half dozen years.   Click on the button below to register for this wonderful program.

 

Register for Terrific Tomatoes

 

 

Once registered you will be sent a Zoom link, which will give you access to the program on the day and time indicated. If you have registered for a program, you will be sent a link so that you can re-view the recording at your leisure. Those links will be sent out approximately one week after the program date.   If you need accommodations to participate in this webinar, please contact Jacqueline Kowalski at kowalski.124@osu.edu