Events
Workshops 2012
Workshops are free and held at the store unless otherwise noted. We add to this list regularly. To learn about upcoming workshops, bookmark this page or sign up for our monthly e-newsletter by putting your e-mail address in the bright green box to the left and pressing GO.
To sign up for a workshop please call the store at (206) 324-0737 or send us an e-mail. We will cancel if there are not enough potential attendees. Thanks!
2012 Workshops
- Winter Fruit Tree Pruning, February 5th
- Build Your Own Terrarium, February 11th
- Pruning Ornamentals, February 18th
- Using Hoop Houses to Extend the Growing Season, February 25th
- Growing Fruit Trees in Containers, March 3rd
- Backyard Chicken Farming, March 3rd
- Dividing Perennials: Spring, March 10th
- Early Season Edibles, March 11th
- Apartment Gardening. March 17th
- Soil Preparation for Vegetable Gardening, March 18th
- Winning Combinations: Spring, March 31st
- Permaculture & Fruit Trees, April 7th
- Planning a Year Round Edible Garden, April 8th
- Small Urban Garden Design Tour, April 21st
- Growing Great Tomatoes, April 28th
- Managing Pests in Fruit Trees, May 6th
- Beautiful Containers, June 2nd
- Growing Fall and Winter Edibles, July 14
- Fruit Drying Basics, September 8th
- Dividing Perennials: Fall, September 15th
- Apple Identification, September 22nd
Winter Fruit Tree Pruning
Sunday, February 5th, 11 am - noon
Pruning fruit trees improves their overall health and appearance and can increase fruit production. This class presents the biology behind pruning fruit trees, basic cuts, tools, and how to stimulate fruit production. Instructor Ingela Wanerstrand is the owner of Green Darner Garden Design, specializing in edible garden design. She has been pruning fruit trees professionally for 15 years.
Build Your Own Terrarium
Saturday, February 11th, 11 am - 12:30 pm
Create your own miniature oasis. Terrarium experts Gwen Buck and Terence Huang will teach you how to make these popular desktop gardens. Easy to care for, fun to make, and beautiful, terrariums are greatly rewarding and can make a lovely Valentine's Day gift. Come to observe or build your own. We will have mini terrarium kits on hand for $4.99 and larger ones for $7.99. Purchase a glass container or bring your own. Plants available for $1.99 each.
Pruning Ornamental Shrubs & Roses
Saturday, February 18th, 11 am - noon
It's the best time of year to prune many shrubs including roses. Learn how to make strategic and healthy cuts and the do's and dont's of winter pruning from instructor Richard Greenberg, owner of Earthwizardry Gardens, a landscape design, installation, and maintenance company.
Using Hoop Houses to Extend the Growing Season
Saturday, February 25th, Noon - 1:00 pm
Join Alex Ekins of Scratch & Peck, makers of the Hoopla Garden Hoops system (greenhouse, shade house, bird deterrent, insect barrier, as you need through the seasons) as he demonstrates how to use the Hoopla system to extend your harvest of greens and other hardy vegetables. He’ll also talk about fall vegetable harvesting and storage, clearing your beds, cover crops, and winter planting.
Growing Fruit Trees in Containers
Saturday, March 3rd, 11 am - noon
Growing fruit trees in pots saves space, reduces disease, and, in many cases, produces more fruit. This class covers the appropriate trees for containers, soil types, rootstocks, pruning techniques, and special considerations for care. Instructor Ingela Wanerstrand is the owner of Green Darner Garden Design, specializing in edible garden design.
Backyard Chicken Farming 101
Saturday, March 3rd, 1 - 2 pm
Rosalinde Gosnell, a sustainable agriculture student at Evergreen State College, gardener, and chicken enthusiast, returns to cover the basic information you need to get started keeping happy, healthy chickens. Rosalinde will walk you through purchasing, chick care, coop specifications as well as how to integrate chickens into your garden landscape. She'll also be available to answer your questions about other domestic fowl.
Dividing Perennials: Spring
Saturday, March 10th, 11 am - noon
Spring is the time to divide late summer and fall blooming perennials which you can then plant around your garden or share with friends! Richard Greenberg of Earth Wizardry Gardens will go over which perennials to divide and demonstrate the best techniques including which tools to use and how to care for the divisions after returning them to the ground.
Early Season Edibles
Sunday, March 11th, 11 am - noon
Your green thumbs are starting to itch, but what vegetables can be started this early, and how can you ensure their success? Learn about timing for early-season crops such as peas, greens, potatoes, and radishes and get growing tips Bill Thorness, author of Edible Heirlooms.
Apartment Gardening
Saturday, March 17th, 10:00 am - 11:00
Amy Pennington, author of Apartment Gardening, Plants, Projects, and Recipes for Growing Food in Your Urban Home will talk about maximizing your garden space. Learn how to grow edibles in your small urban dwelling in practical, efficient, and economical ways. Grow Smart!
Soil Preparation for Vegetable Gardening
Sunday, March 18th 11 am - noon
Scott Behmer, Farm Coordinator for Solid Ground's Lettuce Link Program will discuss how to improve your soil to increase your chances of a healthy harvest. He will go over soil types with hands-on demos to help you identify your own soil and will also discuss amendments and cover cropping.
Winning Combinations: Spring
Saturday March 31st, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Join Professor Emeritus Walt Bubelis, Horticulturalist and local plant expert, as he picks out pairs and groups of plants that look great and thrive when planted together. Walt will discuss things to consider when picking combinations of plants, and, weather permitting, will walk you through the nursery to find more great plant pairs.
Permaculture and Fruit Trees
Saturday, April 7th, 11:00 am - noon
Permaculture is a set of techniques and principles for creating landscapes that are naturally sustainable. You will learn how to create healthy soil relationships, how to control pests using natural predators, how to create diverse plant relationships and how to prevent disease by keeping trees healthy. Instructor Jackie Cramer is a landscape professional who incorporates permaculture into the gardens and orchards she designs.
Planning a Year Round Edible Garden
Sunday, April 8th, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Bill Thorness, author of Edible Heirlooms, will help you get your vegetable garden started earlier and extended later using cloches, cold frames, and other techniques to warm and dry your soil. He will also discuss how to use succession plantings for continuous production and when to start fall and winter crops.
Small Urban Garden Design Tour
Saturday April 21st, 11:00 am
Richard Greenberg of Earth Wizardry Gardens will lead a tour through three gardens with possible viewing of others in the Wallingford and Crown Hill districts of Seattle that illustrate small garden design concepts. Attendees will have the option of choosing to eat at a local restaurant for lunch after the tour to discuss the gardens and ask questions. Meet at the Garden Store.
Growing Great Tomatoes
Saturday, April 28th, 10 am - 11 am
A homegrown tomato is the Holy Grail of the kitchen garden, and yet it can be one of the most challenging hot-season crops to grow in our moderate Maritime summers. However, help is on the way! Bill Thorness, author of Edible Heirlooms, will share tips and techniques to help you have your best tomato year yet using season extension, pruning, trellising, and proper fertilizing and watering.
Managing Pests in Fruit Trees
Sunday, May 6th, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Learn how to prevent and manage common fruit tree pests and diseases – including codling moth, apple maggot fly, scab and fungal diseases – without toxic chemicals. Simple preventative measures such as practicing good tree hygiene and encouraging beneficial insects are encouraged. Instructor Ingela Wanerstrand is the owner of Green Darner Garden Design, specializing in edible garden design. She has many years’ experience teaching urban pest management.
Creating Beautiful Containers
Saturday, June 2nd, 11:00 am - noon
Garden Designer Alison Greene will teach you how to fill your pots with color, texture, and style. She will go over plant choice and care. The store will be filled to brim with both annuals and perennials to make some incredible displays for your deck or front porch.
Growing Fall and Winter Edibles
Saturday, July 14, 10 am - 11 am
You don't have to put the vegetable garden to bed at the end of tomato season. With some planning and planting now and through September, you can eat fresh salad crops, root vegetables and brassicas like broccoli and kale throughout the fall and winter. Bill Thorness, author of Edible Heirlooms, will share timing and techniques for year-round gardening.
Fruit Drying Basics
Saturday, September 8th, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Drying fruit is a simple way to extend its life into the winter and dried fruit is a sweet snack with no added sugar. In this class you will learn basic preparation for drying fruit, types of dryers, drying time, storage, how to make fruit leather and recipes for dried fruit. Instructor Kristen Danielson-Wong is a long-time fruit preserver, has taught fruit drying for City Fruit and several schools, and works as a nutrition educator.
Dividing Perennials: Fall
Saturday, September 15th, 11 am - noon
Fall is the time to divide spring blooming perennials. Richard Greenberg of Earth Wizardry Gardens is back to go over which perennials to divide in fall. He will demonstrate the best techniques and tools for the job and go over how to care for the divisions after returning them to the ground.
Apple Identification
Saturday, September 22nd, 11:00am - noon
Instructor Lori Brakken is president of the Seattle Tree Fruit Society. More info to follow.
