Over the garden fence: Home Gardening School is designed for gardeners of all skill levels
Even in the depths of winter, things are still happening in the garden. Herbaceous perennials die back and return their carbon to the soil, and the seeds of many native plants receive the freezing temperatures they need to successfully germinate in spring. Snow insulates slumbering bulbs, roots, insects and wildlife under a protective layer and helps conserve soil moisture. But while the garden is dormant, what’s a gardener to do?
Keeping the bird feeders filled, nursing holiday plants through the New Year and planning your 2025 seed catalog order can help keep you entertained during the long winter months. Or even better, join with other gardeners in learning something new at the Home Gardening School!
The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Centre County will offer a Home Gardening School on March 22 at Penn State. Titled “World Wonders to Backyard Bliss: Planting Garden Inspiration,” the event is designed for gardeners of all skill levels.
Are you a novice gardener? The Home Gardening School will help you move up the learning curve and meet other gardeners in your community. An experienced gardener? At the Home Gardening School, you can speak with experts about your garden plans and problems and share your success stories.
Heather Andrews, aka “The Thoughtful Gardener,” is slated as the keynote speaker. She will present “Traveling for Garden Inspiration: A garden from every continent (except Antarctica!) with lessons to implement in your own backyard.” For further inspiration and education, breakout sessions will feature speakers on topics that include:
A Tree for Every Season – How to Identify Woody Plants Year-Round
Building Community One Bird Walk at a Time
Growing Flowers for Cutting and Arranging
Beneficial Insects in the Home Garden
From the Ground Up: Transitioning to a Natural Landscape
The Real Proven Winners: Under-used and Over-achieving Native Plants for your Landscape
Grow Your Own: Keys to Successful Vegetable Gardening
Growing Berries in the Home Garden
In addition, Master Gardeners will be on hand to staff learning tables on various garden subjects, and there will be door prizes too!
The Master Gardeners are excited to provide this opportunity to bring gardeners together for a day of learning and fun. So mark your calendars: March 22, from 8:15 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Forest Resources Building at Penn State. The $60 registration fee includes all sessions and lunch. Registration is capped at 100 participants, so don’t delay — visit extension.psu.edu/world-wonders-to-backyard-bliss-planting-garden-inspiration
In the garden this month:
One of the surest signs that spring is on its way is the emergence of the soft white buds of the pussy willow. Pussy willows are beloved worldwide for use in springtime celebrations and religious ceremonies. In addition, the benefits of using the native pussy willows in our landscaping are many.
The willow’s soft white catkins are actually the buds of the pollen-producing flowers that emerge weeks after the first show of white. It’s an important pollen and nectar source for bees coming out of diapause in early spring, and also supports many specialist bees, which depend exclusively on the native pussy willow to survive. The American pussy willow (Salix discolor) is our native variety that hosts some 18 butterflies and moths as well as 15 different specialist bees, and the dense branches are preferred nesting sites of songbirds who consume the many insects drawn to the willow.
Although spring is still a waiting game, bringing the fuzzy catkins of pussy willow indoors in late February can provide a welcome foretaste of spring. Just follow these easy steps recommended by Iowa State Extension:
Branches can be cut for forcing as soon as buds begin to swell. Select branches containing round, plump buds. Make clean, slanting cuts 1 to 2 feet from the tips of branches with sharp hand pruners, choosing branches that won’t spoil the shape of the plant. Set the branches in a tall container of water and place them in a cool (60-65F), dimly lit location. Mist the branches several times a day to prevent the buds from drying out, and be sure to change the water in the container daily during the forcing period–this will inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi. When the buds begin to open, move the branches into a cool, bright room, keeping them out of direct sunlight to prolong the bloom period. By taking cuttings at different times through the winter, you can have a fresh and beautiful display from mid-winter right through to spring!
Lisa E. Bolton is an avid home gardener, trainee Master Gardener, and professor of marketing at Penn State. Cindy Way has been a Master Gardener since 2011 and enjoys sharing her love of gardening with young and old alike.
