This hands-on series will explore the technical side of gardening. Learn the basics of how to propagate plants while getting a few new plants to take home an grow on your own.
Cost: $120/Member; $132/Nonmembers
Time: 2-4 PM
Saturday, February 24, 2018 - Seeds: In this first workshop of our plant propagation series, we will learn the basics of the most common method of plant reproduction/propagation using seeds. We will cover best practices for sowing seeds indoors, outdoors, at home, and in a greenhouse. We will look at the some of the more common materials in the wide spectrum of materials used for starting seeds. Timing, temperature, seed treatments, as well as using commercial vs. collected seeds will also be covered. Everyone will sow seeds to take home for a unique little collection of plants for the upcoming growing season.
Saturday, March 10, 2018 - Cuttings: In the second installment of our propagation series we will learn all about the basics of stem and leaf cuttings. Why do we do this? So that we can sustain a population of identical plant species with phenotypes we love! We will cover best practices for a professional horticultural setting as well as for successful home propagation. We’ll also learn about the best time for different species of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees as well as the optimal environmental conditions needed to successfully stimulate root growth. What we learn will be put to practice, and participants will go home with an assortment of stem and leaf cuttings.
Saturday, March 17, 2018 - Grafting: What is grafting? In this workshop, we will learn about the ancient practice of grafting, that is joining the tissues of one plant species to another species that are in the same family to preserve and protect the desirable attributes of the flowering or fruit bearing shoot. This is a widespread horticultural practice that is essential sustain many of favorite ornamental trees, shrubs, and heirloom vegetables that struggle to resist root borne pathogens. Participants will graft and take home several small plants.
Saturday, April 21, 2018 - Layering: Layering is one of nature’s most common forms of asexual reproduction. We can find it forests, along roadsides, and our gardens. As gardener’s with the appropriate knowledge, we can manipulate this phenomenon to propagate new plants of species in our own collections that we love. Join us as we learn about different forms of layering and learn the method of air layering together.
