Local Gardening Classes 2023

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Opportunities abound for gardeners to learn in 2023! NC State Extension in Henderson County, Bullington Gardens and Blue Ridge Community College will be providing classes covering a variety of home gardening topics in the new year. The Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show will continue to provide timely gardening information every Saturday morning at 8 a.m. on WTZQ 95.3 FM. Be sure to sign up for a class and listen to the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show and learn how to make your garden grow better!

NC State Extension Gardening Classes

steve pettis teaches

N.C. Cooperative Extension, Henderson County Center Agent Steve Pettis is a plant health expert and pest management specialist. Steve will be teaching his Conserving the Mountains classes at Bullington Gardens in 2023.

Mountain Mushrooms January 10, 2022 – 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show, will teach attendees about basic fungal biology, how to grow mushrooms at home, and the top wild mushrooms to collect in the forest.

Shiitake mushroom taste good and are healthful.

Spring Ephemeral Flowers, Mosses and Ferns – February 16, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show, will discuss the many flowers that grow in the Spring time in the forests of Western North Carolina. He will discuss some of the most common spring ephemeral plants’ biology, their pollinators and some of the interesting history of these special plants as well as mosses and ferns.

firepinks

Learn about those flowers that appear in the mountain forests.

Environmentally Friendly Landscaping – May 4, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Many of the landscape methods that we utilize have negative environmental repercussions. Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show, will help you manage your landscape in the most environmentally friendly way possible.

leave the leaves

One of the easiest things you can do to make your landscape more environmentally friendly is to leave the leaves each fall. Many kinds of insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals depend on the fallen leaves and seeds for shelter, food and habitat.

Identifying Trees and Shrubs in WNC – June 8, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show, will teach you how to identify the most common trees and shrubs in the Western North Carolina forests.

sweetgum fall color

Sweet gum trees are great landscape trees. They fruit can be annoying so gardeners should mulch under the trees and rake the fruit into the mulch.

Gardening for Pollinators – (with a garden walk) – July 13, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show, will discuss the importance of beneficial insects and pollinators and how to garden for their benefit. Then Steve will lead a pollinator walk through the Bullington Garden grounds.

echinacea and pollinator

Pollinating insects are essential to agricultural plants and wild plants.

The Secret Lives of Trees – August 17, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show, will talk about the importance of Western North Carolina’s tree canopy, tree health, tree care and more.

forest

A contiguous tree canopy creates habitat for wildlife, cools the air, moderates the climate, cleans pollutants from the air, captures rainwater to prevent flooding, produces oxygen, captures carbon dioxide and generally makes people feel better.

Registration through Bullington Gardens
Cost: $15 per person. $12 for Friends of Bullington.

Blue Ridge Community College Gardening Classes

Container Gardening

Learn to make a great container garden for the porch or the yard. From modest to elaborate, the possibilities are endless. You will learn about soil, water, container size and what plants need to grow. You will make a small garden that can be taken home at the end of class with plants that will be available to be potted. Bring a flower pot with soil to class for your project. Registration Fee: $35.

Date               Day      Time             Instructor        Location          Course #

5/24/2023       W        1 – 4 p.m. Dixon   TCC, TRCT 220 CSP-8560-421

5/25/2023       Th        5 – 8 p.m. Dixon   TCC, TRCT 220 CSP-8560-431

Native Plant Identification

Discover the native plants in our community! Learn both common and Latin names for a variety of local plants as well as their growth requirements and ecological significance. By exploring campus, you will be a part of a live biodiversity learning experience in identifying native plants. Registration Fee: $65.

Date                          Day      Time              Instructor        Location          Course #

4/26 – 5/3/2023          W        1 – 3 p.m. Meriwether     HCC, HEND 102           CSP-8773-401

Rachel Meriwether in the greenhouse

Horticulture Professor Rachel Meriwether teaches students about all aspects of both commercial horticulture and home gardening.

Plant Propagation

Get ready for spring by growing your own plants for transplanting at the right time and at a cheaper price. Learn how to start seedlings and how to save your own seeds for future growing seasons. Discover how to increase plant population by dividing, cutting and separating your perennials, along with grafting and how to get several fruits on one tree. At the conclusion of class, you will take home seeds you started in the classroom. Registration Fee: $35.

Date               Day      Time             Instructor        Location          Course #

3/1/2023         W        1 – 4 p.m. Dixon   TCC, TRCT 220 CSP-8581-421

3/2/2023         Th        5 – 8 p.m. Dixon   TCC, TRCT 220 CSP-8581-431

Spring Gardening 

Learn what vegetables and flowers are best suited for spring gardens and how to plan for a summer garden. Preparation of the soil is key along with location, size and type of garden are key elements to successful gardens. You will also learn about pest and disease management related to a spring garden. Registration Fee: $65.

Date                         Day      Time                 Instructor        Location          Course #

3/29 – 4/12/2023        W        1 – 3 p.m. Meriwether     HCC, HEND 102           CSP-8784-401