Gardening

Join the Genesee County Master Gardeners for their lunchtime garden series called “Garden Talk.”

On the first Tuesday of each month from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., the Master Gardeners hold an informational workshop focusing on a specific gardening topic. Bring your lunch to the CCE office (420 E. Main St., Batavia) and think spring!

The next session will take place on March 3rd and the topic will be “New Plants for 2015.” We will take a look at a sampling of the new annuals, perennials, vegetables and shrubs that will be hitting the market this year.

This program is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Contact Brandie at 585-343-3040, ext. 101, for more information.

Future topics and other Master Gardener events will be posted on the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County Web site at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/ and also on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CCEofGenesee

 Beginning September 10, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will begin training a new class of Master Gardeners through our “Principles of Gardening” program.  Classes will be held at the CCE office at 420 East Main Street, Batavia on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 pm through November 19.  (There will also be a full day session on Saturday, November 8.)  Pre-registration by August 25 is required as the class size is limited.

Participants will enjoy learning about a variety of horticulture topics including: botany, plant pathology, entomology, soils & fertilizers, lawn care, vegetable gardening, weed identification, woody ornamentals, fruit, perennials and annuals.  Each class will focus on a different topic throughout the training.

Anyone interested in learning more about gardening may attend the course.  The fee for training is $225 per person.

This training is the first requirement to becoming a Genesee County Master Gardener.  Genesee county residents who complete the course are then eligible to apply to the Genesee County Master Gardener program.  (Other county residents should contact their local Master Gardener program.)  A Master Gardener volunteer should have a willingness to give back to the community and help put into practice what they learned at training.  Enthusiasm for sharing their skills and knowledge is a must.

For an application or to register contact Brandie Schultz at 585-343-3040, ext. 101 or stop by the Extension office at 420 East Main Street in Batavia.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will be offering “Principles of Gardening” training on Wednesday evenings, starting Sept. 10 and running through Nov. 19, from 6 to 9 pm. Classes will be held at the CCE office at 420 E. Main St., Batavia.

Participants will enjoy training in horticulture topics, including botany, plant pathology, entomology, soils & fertilizers, lawn care, vegetable gardening, weed identification, woody ornamentals, fruit, perennials and annuals. Each class will focus on a different topic throughout training.

Pre-registration and payment by Aug. 25 is required. Class size will be limited. No walk-ins will be allowed. The fee for training is $225 per person.

This training is also the first requirement to becoming a Genesee County Master Gardener.

Graduates of the program (Genesee county residents) are then eligible to apply to the Genesee County Master Gardener program. (Other county residents should contact their local Master Gardener program.) A Master Gardener volunteer should have a willingness to give back to the community and help put into practice what they learned at training. Enthusiasm for sharing their skills and knowledge is a must.

For an application or to register contact Brandie Schultz at 585-343-3040, ext. 101, or stop by the Extension office located at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia.

Press release:

Join the Genesee County Master Gardeners on April 16th for “Square Foot & Container Gardening.”

Would you like to grow nutritious, great tasting vegetables but always come up with the same excuses? Too much work – too many weeds – takes too much space – bad soil…

Square Foot Gardening solves all these problems in a simple, easy and logical manner. Let us show you how it is done. Still not sure? Try growing your veggies in a container. We will share with you the basics of container gardening.

Fee for the class is $10. It will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, 420 E. Main St., Batavia. Pre-register by April 15 by calling Brandie at 585-343-3040, ext 101.

This program is part of the Genesee County Master Gardeners popular Coffee and Dessert Series. Participants enjoy a variety of gardening topics taught by Master Gardeners along with coffee, tea and dessert.

For more information visit our Web site at: www.genesee.shutterfly.com <http://www.genesee.shutterfly.com

Attention plant lovers, gardeners and landscapers -- the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District is offering a wide selection of trees, shrubs, wildflowers and habitat supplies for sale in its 2012 brochure.

Deadline to order is April 1.

The full-color brochure / order form is available for viewing and printing online at:

<http://geneseeny.org/departments/soilandwater/TreeBrochure2012.pdf>

There are plenty of choices and a variety of quantities available for purchase. They include:

• Evergreen seedlings: NEW this year are Tamarack American larch and Dawn redwood
• Shrubs: NEW -- American plum, common lilac
• Deciduous tree seedlings: NEW -- pin cherry, sour cherry, Northern apricot, Eastern redbud
• NEW Category -- Evergreen transplants such as blue spruce and Douglas fir

Wildflowers seeds offered include the white water lily, purple coneflower and pickerel weed.

Plus there are variety packs, ferns, edible berry bushes, groundcovers, planting and garden supplies, signs, bat houses and Eastern bluebird nesting boxes.

To get a printed brochure / order form you can also contact:

Genesee County SWCD, 29 Liberty St., Suite 3, Batavia, NY, 14020

Phone is 343-2362. Fax is 345-1815

Checks should be made out to: Genesee County SWCD

Attention plant lovers!

The Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District is still accepting
pre-orders for tree and shrub seedlings and native plants and perennials.

Our brochure is on the Genesee County website:
http://geneseeny.org/dpt/soilandwater/treebrochure2011.pdf.

The seedlings and plants will be distributed at Genesee County Fairgrounds
on the following dates:

Thursday, April 21 – 8:30 to 4:30

Friday, April 22 -- 8:30 to 6:00

Saturday, April 23 -- 8:30 to Noon

Also, a Cash & Carry Sale of excess inventory of seedlings and plants will be held at the fairgrounds during seedling distribution on April 21-23.

Genesee County Master Gardeners will be offering their Coffee and Dessert Series this spring, along with the ever-popular container gardening class.

Participants enjoy a variety of gardening topics taught by certified Master Gardeners along with coffee and dessert. Cost is $10 per person per class.

Pre-registration is required as class size is limited.

All programs are from 6 to 8 p.m. at Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension at 420 E. Main St., Batavia, unless otherwise noted.

April 13 – “Plan for Autumn Awesomeness." Is your garden smashing in the springtime but looking worn out by mid-August? Spent by September? Start planning and planting now for a garden overflowing with Autumn Awesomeness! Peek in on six, local fall gardens to discover amazing autumn plants and combinations to try in your garden this year. Registration deadline: April 8.

April 20 – “Landscaping Difficult Sites." Do you have shade, slopes or other challenging areas in your garden? Let us show you how to deal with these difficult situations. Learn how to add garden “bling” to those tricky backyard places. Registration deadline: April 15.

April 27 – “Backyard Birds." Spring is the time to adjust your bird-feeding system to accommodate springtime migrants, as well as the permanent resident birds that have been visiting your feeders all winter. Learn about some of the interesting birds that may show up in your backyard this spring and summer. Registration deadline: April 22.

May 11 – “Creative Container Gardening!”. When it comes to choosing containers for plants, why opt for the typical terra cotta pot? A wealth of more intriguing objects is just waiting to be transformed into creative container gardens. Join us for some inspiration, so you can learn to fashion container gardens from unexpected sources this season. Registration deadline: May 6.

May 25 – Hands on Program – "Container Gardening." Select from traditional and unusual plant materials to create your own unique container garden. Bring your own container (no bigger than 12 inches across), hand trowel and gloves. Potting soil, fertilizer and flowers will be provided. (Excessively large containers will be charged extra.) This class will be held at the Kennedy Building at the Genesee County Fairgrounds, Route 5 in Batavia. Pre-registration is required by May 20. Cost is $20.00 per person.

To register, contact Amy at 343-3040, ext. 101, or stop by our office at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia to register. For more information visit our Web site at: www.genesee.shutterfly.com.

BATAVIA – Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will be offering the popular Master Gardener Training series from 5:45 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, Sept. 8 through Nov. 17.

Participants will also be required to attend an additional session from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30.

Pre-registration by Aug. 27 is required. No walk-ins are allowed. The fee for the series is $200 per person and includes a NYS Master Gardener Manual on a CD.

Sessions will be held at the Kennedy Building located on the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Route 5 in Batavia.

Master Gardener Training teaches participants about: garden botany; growing fruit at home; herbs; insects; perennials and annuals; organic gardening; pruning; soils and fertilizers; turf grass; vegetable gardening; weed identification; woody plant materials; and how to diagnose plant diseases/problems.

Graduates of the program are eligible to become “Certified” Master Gardeners by completing volunteer work at their local Extension Office.

More information can be found on the extension website at <http://genesee.shutterfly.com/gardening>.

To register, contact Amy Berry at (585) 343-3040, ext. 106, or stop by the extension office located at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia.