Free Class!

Growing Vegetables and Herbs

Wednesday, April 6, 10:00 - 11:30
Opening Day, Poplar Grove Farmer's Market!
Upstairs in the Cultural Arts Center
Poplar Grove Plantation, 10200 US Highway 17 N., Wilmington
http://www.poplargrove.com/

FREE!

Learn the basics of growing vegetables and herbs with a special emphasis on the challenges and opportunities of gardening near the coast. Pender County Extension Horticulture Agent, Charlotte Glen, will cover the following topics :

• Which vegetables and herbs you can grow and when to plant them
  
• Growing vegetables and herbs in containers and raised beds
• Fertilizers, pest problems, and other essentials

This class is free, but space is limited so registration is required. Please call (910)259-1235 before 5pm, April 4, to register.

While you're there, be sure to visit the Poplar Grove Farmer's Market, where you can buy fresh, local produce and handmade crafts every Wednesday, 8am - 1pm, April 6 - December 14. http://www.poplargrove.com/farmers_market.htm

Ask a Master Gardener!

Does a weed or insect have you perplexed? Want to know the best time to plant vegetables or which shrubs or perennials will thrive in your yard? If so, it is time to ask a Master Gardener! Master Gardeners are trained Cooperative Extension volunteers willing to share their time and expertise to help you garden more successfully.

Pender County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers will be available to answer your gardening questions during the following upcoming events: 

• March 26 & 27, Poplar Grove Herb and Garden Fair, $5 admission, http://www.poplargrove.com/herb_fair.htm
• April 14, 15, 16, Master Gardener Plant Sale, Pender Cooperative Extension, 801 S. Walker St. Burgaw - http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/content/2011PlantSale
• The 2nd Wed. of each month April - Oct., 9am - 1pm, at the Poplar Grove Farmer's Market, http://www.poplargrove.com/farmers_market.htm
• The 3rd Mon. of each month April - Oct., 10am - 1pm, at the Hampstead Library 
• April 30, 10am - 3pm, Pender County Earth Day Celebration, Poplar Grove Plantation, http://www.penderearthday.org/

Find out more about Master Gardener Volunteers, including how you can become one, from the Pender Cooperative Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+121.

Grow Your Own!

Whether due to the slow economy or just a desire for fresh, tasty food, many of us are deciding to try our hand at growing our own. Many vegetables and herbs can be grown in our area, though some are easier than others. 

If you have the room, watermelons are among the simplest of summer vegetables to grow. Easy herbs and vegetables for smaller spaces or containers include peppers, basil, chives and zucchini. 

For more suggestions of easy to grow herbs and vegetables, see the full article on the Pender Cooperative Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+120.

Be Prepared for Cold Snaps!

Flower buds, such as these blueberry blossoms, are more sensitive to frost than dormant stems and roots. At this time of the year gardeners should be on the lookout for cold snaps and prepared to cover tender blossoms and new transplants. (Picture by Bill Cline, NCSU, Dept. of Plant Pathology).

Thankfully the arctic cold our area experienced in December and January has been replaced with more seasonable temperatures. Recent mild weather has encouraged buds to swell and may have some gardeners anxious to start planting. But we are not out of the woods yet. Pender County is typically not frost free until mid April, and tender summer vegetables and flowers like tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash, vinca, and marigolds should not be set out for at least another five weeks. Gardeners also need to be prepared for sudden cold snaps that could damage delicate flower buds and new growth on shrubs and recent transplants.  

Learn more! Read the rest of the story on Pender County Cooperative Extension's website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+119.

Growing Vegetables and Herbs - Free Class!

 
Wed., March 16, 1:30 - 3:30,
Surf City Community Center

Sat., March 19, 10am - Noon,
Burgaw Libary




Learn the basics of growing vegetables and herbs with a special emphasis on how local soil and climate conditions impact crop growth. Pender County Extension Horticulture Agent, Charlotte Glen, will cover the following topics

• Which vegetables and herbs you can grow and when to plant them
• Managing insects and diseases
• Fertilizers, soil preparation, and other essentials

These classes are FREE, but registration is required.
Call (910) 259-1235 by 5pm March 15 to register for the March 16 class
Call (910) 259-1235 by 5pm March 17 to register for the March 19 class

Early Spring Lawn Care

Spring is on its way, but is not here yet so don’t be too eager to get your lawn growing. Trying to force growth in lawns by applying fertilizer too early often results in disease problems and cold damage. Instead of fertilization, the big focus for lawns in early spring is weed control. Now is the time to treat lawns to kill weeds like henbit (left), whose bright purple flowers are just staring to open, and burrweed, whose sharp, prickly seedpods ripen later in spring, causing pain for pets and people. Many products are currently available in garden centers for weed control, but they should be used carefully. Some will hurt your lawn more than they will help it.

Learn more! Read the rest of the story on Pender County Cooperative Extension's website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=AGRI+8.