How to grow your garden IQ
No matter how long we’ve been digging the dirt and growing things, there’s always a new lesson to be learned in and from the garden. Sometimes those lessons come from experience — our successes and failures are fine teachers. However, there’s a lot to be said for learning from others’ experiences and expertise and luckily those sorts of educational experiences are readily available through a variety of channels and resources. So as we prepare for the coming gardening season, here’s a little list of learning opportunities and options that may come in handy this year and for years to come.
- Want to take a deep dive into gardening know-how? Most of Alabama’s four- year colleges and universities offer degree programs in garden-adjacent fields such as horticulture, botany and landscape design. Several of the state’s two-year schools also offer degrees and certification programs in horticulture. Of course, going back to school is a big commitment of time and money, but for anyone interested in turning a gardening hobby into a career, it may be an ideal choice.
- Looking for a shorter-term but still immersive gardening education? Check out the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Master Gardener and Garden U programs. Both provide a series of expert-taught classes covering the basics of gardening, from growing plants to managing pests to building soils and more. Master Gardener classes are offered in the spring and the fall and after completing the coursework, participants must log 50 hours of volunteer service to become certified. Garden U offers similar training in an online-only, self- paced program that requires no volunteer commitment. (Learn more at aces.edu.)
- A plethora of shorter-term and less
- intensive learning experiences, such as workshops and field trips, are offered through ACES, Master Gardeners, conservation organizations, garden clubs, plant societies and local garden centers, many of which also offer online educational resources covering myriad gardening topics.
- Tons and tons of gardening information is available through social media channels, podcasts, and television shows, including the new Garden Party show on Alabama Public Television (aptv.org). And don’t forget old-school book learning!
- And as I always say, some of the best educators are our gardening friends and neighbors who have lots of local hands-on experience in success and failure. And if you don’t know any gardeners, seek them out. (A great place to find them is at local seed and plant swaps.)
Another way to learn is by doing for others. Volunteering at a school or community garden is a great way to get real-world experience working side-by-side with other, often more experienced gardeners.
And while you’re learning about gardening, take time to learn from the garden. It’s full of life lessons and opportunities to discover and master life skills such as patience, focus, adaptability and resilience. And also — perhaps best of all — gardens offer so many chances to cultivate a sense of wonder and awe.
Finally, consider sharing your own gardening experience with others. Whether you invite people to see your yard, offer to teach a workshop or simply mentor an up-and-coming gardener, you can be part of the education cycle.
Oh yes, as this new gardening year gets underway take a minute (or more) to contemplate your personal gardening goals and ethics. Gardeners can make big contributions to the health and wellbeing of our planet and communities. Learning about and adopting sustainable, Earth-friendly gardening practices really can improve how our gardens grow and how our environment thrives. Plus, generations of future gardeners and nongardeners alike will thank you.
March Tips
- Prepare garden beds for spring and summer crops.
- Plant cool season annuals and vegetables including carrots and radishes.
- Keep an eye out for early-emerging weeds and pests.
- If you haven’t already, get a soil test before applying fertilizer.
- Prune dead and diseased limbs.
- Get gardening tools and equipment ready for the season.
- Keep those bird feeders and bird baths clean and full.
Katie Jackson is a freelance writer and editor based in Opelika, Alabama. Contact her at [email protected].
