SUMMIT COUNTY
Rain garden course. Summit Soil and Water Conservation District is holding a virtual orientation meeting for its Master Rain Gardener course Aug. 8. The series of online classes will have weekly virtual meetings with office hours to answer your questions. These office hours are optional and not necessary for your course completion.
The first office hours will be held during the week of Aug. 15, and the last office hours will be held during the week of Sept. 12. Invitations will be sent for the virtual office hours Aug. 8. Webinar access will be permanent. Upon completion of the course, and either installing your own rain garden or helping to maintain a community rain garden as a volunteer, you will receive your Master Raingardener certificate.
The cost for the class is $25. Register for the class at: sswcd.summitoh.net. Registration and payment should be received by Aug. 1. You may pay by mailing a check to Summit Soil and Water Conservation District, 1180 South Main St., Suite 230, Akron, OH 44301, or drop a check off to the office at 1180 South Main St. Call 330-926-2452 for more information.
PENNSYLVANIA
Pest hotline. A Penn State Extension toll-free hotline that provides quick updates on the latest disease and pest management issues for Pennsylvania vegetable, fruit and greenhouse growers has expanded to include new topics for the 2023 growing season.
While the hotline is designed primarily for growers who do not use computer technology to make timely crop management decisions, anyone can call 800-PENN-IPM to access pest and disease updates.
Penn State Extension faculty specialists and county-based educators record 90-second messages about critical concerns they see on produce farms and greenhouses across the state. The team meets regularly to discuss the latest production issues related to insects, diseases and plant nutrition. Messages typically are updated weekly or more frequently if needed.
Anyone with phone service can access the hotline, providing a way for extension specialists to reach the Plain community and other growers with important crop management information. The hotline was upgraded and expanded for 2023 to feature dedicated lines for the cut flower industry, for agronomic crops and industry updates, and for weather conditions and forecasts.
Listeners can contact a county office of Penn State Extension to receive a printed copy of these instructions by mail. Callers can reach out to their local extension educators to suggest topics that should be addressed or crops that should receive a dedicated message box on the hotline.
ONLINE
Planting for Pollinators in Sun and Shade. Penn State Extension master gardeners are presenting the Second Saturday Gardening Series: Planting for Pollinators in Sun and Shade. Attracting pollinators to your garden is easy and fun, with a little prior planning and limiting your plant choices to native varieties. Learn to pick the right plants for sun, shade, dry and moist areas.
This on-demand online course is intended for beginning and intermediate gardeners. It will be offered until March 14, 2024. Access the course online at web.cvent.com/event/859a0025-5cbd-4045-a6aa-562cf79b5435/summary.
(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.)
