The Lewis County Master Gardeners’ “Gardening for Everyone” event will be held on Saturday, April 8, at Centralia College’s Washington Hall.
According to Jeannette Lawson, of the Lewis County Master Gardeners, the Gardening for Everyone event is free and occurs in the spring and fall. The free event will feature refreshments and information on how to become a master gardener.
Lawson told The Chronicle this year’s event will include nine classes, with three different sessions being offered during each of the three separate time periods. None of the classes require pre-registration and members of the public can sign in when they arrive. All classes are taught by volunteers.
“The Lewis County Master Gardeners truly invite the community to come. … (The classes) are informative and useful to your backyard,” Lawson said.
During the first time period, from 9 to 10:30 a.m., there will be a class presented by the Lewis County Stream Team. The class will be presented by Stream Team founder Kenna Forsnacht, who will discuss planting riparian buffers and creating a wildlife habitat in backyards. There will also be information on how to get involved in the Stream Team.
Another class that will begin at 9 a.m. will be focused on basic vegetable gardening. The class will be taught by Lewis County Master Gardener Karen Survey, who will discuss developing a garden mindset, basic tools and how to start slow and small.
The third class for the 9 a.m. slot will be on stormwater management and will be taught by Centralia Public Works Director Kim Ashmore. The class will cover inspections as well as municipal operations and outreach.
During the 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. time slot, there will be a class titled “Inviting Pest Fighting Pollinators Into Your Garden.” Taught by Alice Slusher, a Cowlitz County master gardener, the class will cover how to make a garden hospitable to beneficial insects while reducing the need for pesticide use.
Another 10:45 a.m. class will be called “Roses: Selection, Planting and Care.” Michele Thomas of the Cowlitz County Master Gardeners will present on the history and selection of roses, as well as rose planting and care.
Lewis County Master Gardener Bob Taylor will teach the third 10:45 a.m. class on growing plants in a greenhouse or polytube. Taylor will discuss decisions involved in having a greenhouse or polytube.
The third time slot will be from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. One class starting at 12:45 p.m. will be taught by Jerry Durr, a Lewis County master recycler composter, who will cover aerated static compost.
Another class on the identification and control of priority noxious weeds will be taught by Danika Davis, a Lewis County noxious weed specialist. Davis will teach attendees how to identify the top five noxious weeds in Lewis County.
A class starting at 12:45 p.m. will be taught by Lewis County Master Gardener Jim Swanger and will cover “hoop-houses,” described as an inexpensive alternative to a greenhouse.
The Gardening for Everyone event will also feature vendors located in the lobby and representatives from groups such as 4-H, the Master Recycler program and Fungi Perfecta, as well as a free plant clinic for those wanting a diagnosis for their plants.
“It really is a lot of fun. We get a big turnout. We get hundreds of people to come,” Lawson said.
While the event has a large turnout, capacity has never been an issue. Lawson said the smallest classroom used for the event contains 40 seats and if necessary they will have people stand to fit anyone who wants to listen.
According to Lawson, the Lewis County Master Gardeners are able to go out into the community and hold free events, such as their Gardening for Everyone classes, thanks to money raised during their annual plant sale. Lawson told The Chronicle this year’s plant sale will take place on Mother’s Day weekend on May 13 and 14. The group will also be accepting donations during the Gardening for Everyone event.
“I’m looking forward to a big turn out. I look forward to engaging with the community and the more people we can turn out for these events the more successful we are,” Lawson said.
To learn more about the Lewis County Master Gardeners, visit https://lewis-mg-mrc.org/.
