GEAUGA COUNTY
Birds, butterflies and pollinators. This program, held March 4 from 9 a.m. to noon, will help you in making your yard more butterfly and/or bird-friendly. Chris Pappas and Matt Valencic will introduce you (through pictures) to some of the butterflies and birds that make northeast Ohio their home and share what plants — annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees — can bring them to your landscape.
Learn best cultural practices to help birds and butterflies, and grow a cafeteria for butterflies, caterpillars and birds. Options will be presented for sunny yards, shady yards, and partial sun/partial shade yards. Registration is appreciated by calling 440-834-4656.
LUCAS COUNTY
Gardening workshops. The Black Swamp Conservancy team will host two gardening workshops led by master gardener Vicki Gallagher, who will offer gardening tips and inspiration.
The March 18 workshop, A Year in the Garden, will take participants through a calendar year of the hows and whens of developing and maintaining flower and vegetable gardens.
The April 16 workshop will highlight the benefits of a vegetable garden. Participants will learn about soil preparation, seed and plant selection, crop rotation, successive gardening, pest control, harvest and end-of-season best practices.
Both workshops will be held at the Way Library in Perrysburg from 1 to 3 p.m. on the scheduled days. Registration is $10 per workshop, and the events are limited to 20 participants each. Guests can learn more and register online at blackswamp.org/upcoming-events.
NATIONAL
Pollinator garden program. The GROWMARK System would like to help youth organizations do their part to help sustain and increase honey bee populations. This is the eighth year of the program, open to 4-H clubs, Ag in the Classroom groups, FFA chapters and other youth organizations throughout the United States.
Groups who previously participated in the program have been automatically re-enrolled. Organizations are asked to locate a public place and secure permission to plant a pollinator garden prior to filling out an application.
GROWMARK will provide enough seed to plant approximately a 700-square-foot area, as well as educational signage to be placed around the garden.
Clubs wishing to participate should fill out the online application by March 8 at bit.ly/2023GMK. Pollinator questions may be directed to Karen Jones, kjones@growmark.com or 309-557-6184.
(To add a nonprofit event to our gardening listing, send details at least three weeks in advance to: Gardening News, Farm and Dairy, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460; or email: editorial@farmanddairy.com.)
