Whether gardeners kill everything they touch or their yards rival Versailles, Lewis County residents and other locals are sure to learn from the Washington State University (WSU) Extension Lewis County Master Gardener program workshops, which are complemented by Master Recycler Composter workshops over the next year.
Though COVID-19 “slashed” the workshops over the last two years, said Program Coordinator Jason Adams, the group is ready to ease back into a 2022 schedule.
“A lot of people have missed our workshops and they have expressed that,” Adams said, adding later: “We're getting back, because we're so resilient. We are coming back and really there's more opportunities available to us now, through zoom and some of these things that were never even thought of before.”
Starting Saturday, Feb. 12, the first of 14 Master Gardener workshops to be held in 2022 will kick off, titled “Knowing and Growing Grapes.” This will be held on a grape grower’s private property, so there is a $5 charge with pre-registration that allows for participants to receive the address. Pre-registration is required for all other workshops, but the rest throughout the year are entirely free. On April 9 and on Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the program will host its “Gardening for Everyone” events, where several classes are available in one day, free of charge.
Before the pandemic cut back the workshops, Adams said most classes saw anywhere from five to 20 attendees. The total number of folks who will show up to the future classes is hard to guess, he said, but they always see a “diverse” group. Many participants are great gardeners who are new to the area, seeking advice on working with the new terrain and weather. Others are total beginners.
Either way, they will receive WSU-approved scientific gardening advice from locals who can prove the tricks work.
“We have a wide variety of people that teach. They're going to share, not only the information, science based information, and the how-to’s and all that, but they’re also going to share their own personal experiences,” he said, later adding that presenters will not share unapproved methods, but will use their own gardens as examples, saying: “What is shared at the workshops, those are those things that are shared by the presenter are credible. That’s credible information that WSU will back up and support.”
Besides covering such a range of skill-sets, the workshops in gardening and those held by the Master Recycler Composter cover the interests of a wide range. There will be six recycler composter workshops held in 2022.
For workshop information or to pre-register, visit https://extension.wsu.edu/lewis/events/ or call 360-740-1212.
2022 Master Gardener Program schedule of workshops and plant sales:
• Feb. 10, 12 p.m. — “Knowing and Growing Grapes,” location sent after registration
• Feb. 26, 10 a.m. — “Rose Care and Pruning” at Chehalis Providence Place Demo Garden
• March 19, 10 a.m. — “Blueberry Care and Hands-on Pruning” at Chehalis Providence Place Demo Garden
• April 9, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — “Gardening for Everyone,” location to be determined
• April 23, 10 a.m. — Centralia Borst Demonstration Garden “Square Foot Gardening”
• May 21-22, Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Lewis County Master Gardener Annual Spring Plant Sale at Southwest Washington Fairgrounds (Blue Pavilion)
• June 11, 10 a.m. — “How To Grow Lavender” at Centralia Borst Demonstration Garden
• June 25, 10 a.m. — “Tool Sharpening 101” at Chehalis Providence Place Demo Garden
• July 9, 10 a.m. — “Building Limb and Twig Trellises For Your Garden” at Salkum Timberland Library Demo Garden
• July 23, 10 a.m. — “Hydrangeas: Care and Pruning” at Chehalis Providence Place Demo Garden
• Aug. 6, 10 a.m. — “Dividing and Multiplying Plants” at Salkum Timberland Library Demo Garden
• Aug. 13, 10 a.m. — “Heirloom Gardening and Heirloom Seed Saving” at Centralia Borst Demonstration Garden
• Aug. 20, 10 a.m. — “Creating A Food Forest” at Salkum Timberland Library Demo Garden
• Sept. 17-18, Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Lewis County Master Gardener Annual Fall Plant Sale at Centralia Borst Demonstration Greenhouse
• Oct. 8, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — “Gardening for Everyone,” location to be determined
• Oct. 22, 10 a.m. — “Planting Garlic At The Salsa Garden” at Centralia Borst Demonstration Garden
2022 Master Recycler Composter Workshops:
• Jan. 5, 5 p.m. — “Know Your Recyclables” at Chehalis Timberland Library and on Zoom. Register for details.
• March 2, 5 p.m. — “Know Your Soils” at Chehalis Timberland Library and on Zoom. Register for details.
• May 4, 5 p.m. — “Take A Bite Out of Waste” at Chehalis Timberland Library and on Zoom. Register for details.
• July 6, 5 p.m. — “Basic Composting” at Chehalis Timberland Library and on Zoom. Register for details.
• Sept. 7, 5 p.m. — “Worm Composting” at Chehalis Timberland Library and on Zoom. Register for details.
• Nov. 2, 5 p.m. — “Zero Waste Workshop” at Chehalis Timberland Library and on Zoom. Register for details.
2022 Master Gardener Program Location Directions:
Fort Borst Park Demo Garden and Greenhouse — Take Interstate 5 to Exit 82 and turn west at light. Follow to Johnson Road. Turn left on Johnson Road and go 0.2 miles to “T” intersection. Turn right and follow the road as it skirts past the NW Sports Hub and the ball fields. Veer right until you get to the park’s maintenance shed. The garden is to your left between the one-room schoolhouse and the historic Fort Borst Home. The greenhouse is inside the park’s fenced maintenance shed area.
Fort Borst Park Kitchen #1 — Off I-5 Exit 82, take Harrison Street heading west. Take the first left onto Belmont Street (before Safeway). At the stop sign, drive straight into the park. Kitchen #1 is on the left after Thorbeckes Wellness Center.
Providence Place Demo Garden — From I-5 take Exit 77. Turn east on Main Street and go 0.7 mile to South Market Blvd. Turn right and go 0.2 mile to SE Third Street. Turn left and go one block to SE Washington Ave. Find parking on the street around the building. Providence Place is a large apartment building taking up the whole block.
Southwest Washington Fairgrounds — From I-5, take Exit 79 to Chamber Way. Turn east on Chamber Way. Go to the last stop light and turn left onto National Ave. (Kresky Ave). Turn left on Exhibitor Road. Turn left at the next stop sign onto National Ave. (Gold St.) Immediately, turn right just after the fair office (on right). Follow approx. 450 feet to the south parking lot on the right. Park in the south parking Lot inside the gate. The Blue Pavilion is the first building inside the gate on the right.
Salkum Timberland Library Demonstration Garden — From I-5, take Exit 68 to U.S. Highway 12 going east. The library is at 2480 U.S. Highway 12, Salkum, 12.5 miles from I-5 on the left.
