By KELLY HECKAMAN
Extension Educator, Purdue Extension, Kosciusko County

Kelly Heckaman

WARSAW — “How to Create Curb Appeal” kicks off the annual Gardening Away the Winter Blues series on Tuesday, March 8. The Kosciusko County Master Gardeners and Purdue Extension are offering the series from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at the Extension Office in Warsaw and continues March 15, 22, and 29.

The objective of this class is to provide practical ideas and solutions for homeowners to inspire them to get excited for the upcoming gardening season. Upon completion of the series, homeowners will have the resources to troubleshoot and solve common problems found in their gardening experiences.

Highlights of each session are:

March 3rd – How to Create Curb Appeal

Leesa Metzger, Metzger Landscaping and Design, LLC will share tips for creating curb appeal, designing unique gardens, welcoming outdoor rooms, the use of seasonal décor and some fun ideas for your garden made from reclaimed items.

March 10th – Don’t Let Your Plants Put You in Jeopardy

Dr. Day, AlignLife of Warsaw will share tips on how to protect your back, knees, and joints while working in the garden. Kelly Heckaman, Purdue Extension will highlight things to think about in making sure you are keeping food safety in mind in your garden.

March 22nd – The Amazing Honeybee

Stan Ide, Beekeeper and Kelly Heckaman, Purdue Extension
Ide and Heckaman will be discussing the various anatomical aspects of the honeybee, its importance in crop pollination and honey production, and the many things that threaten its existence. We will also discuss plants to plant to attract pollinators.

March 29th – Strawberries in the Straw and Lettuce in the Living Room

Linda Lent, Kosciusko County Master Gardener, will share her experiences with vegetable gardening in straw bales—the dos and don’ts to making this method a success. Steve Koontz, Kosciusko County Master Gardener Intern will share techniques and equipment needed to grow lettuces and herbs indoors. He’ll talk about how to use soil-less growing systems, plus simple and inexpensive ways to grow indoors in pots.

This series is open to the public. The registration fee is $25 per person, $35 per family or $10 per session received by March 1. This includes eight hours of educational instruction, handouts, refreshments, and other landscape related information. Master Gardeners who complete the class will earn eight hours of educational credit or two hours per session. You may also register for individual sessions for $10 per person and receive handouts for that session.

If you have any questions or would like a copy of the registration flyer with complete session and speaker details, contact the Purdue Extension – Kosciusko County Office at (574) 372-2340 or visit the office’s website and look under Current Events.