By Doug Walton
It’s garden planting time, at least for some of the early crops. But as wet as it has been lately, the important step of planning is just about all that one can do.
To help Muskogee area residents with that task, a free “Basic Training” workshop for gardeners is being offered from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul United Methodist Church Activity Center, 2130 W. Okmulgee Ave.
This half-day class is organized by the Muskogee City Wellness Initiative and will bring together several experienced local gardeners and educators to introduce participants to the wonderful world of growing food.
In these times of super-sized everything — from meal servings to TVs and waistlines — gardening offers a plateful of fun and fulfillment for any and all who partake.
Whether it’s a container on the patio, a corner of the backyard or a patch in the back-40, where else can you get fresh air in the great outdoors, away from most things electronic, while burning some calories and actually producing something as yummy as a homegrown tomato or fresh-picked pepper?
Some of the hot topics and featured speakers will include:
• Choosing a garden site and growing backyard fruit, Sue Gray, Tulsa County OSU Extension.
• Earth-friendly gardening, Doug Walton, Muskogee Farmers Market.
• Selecting vegetable varieties, Matthew Weatherbeee, Blossoms Garden Center.
• Seed starting and transplanting, Martha Stoodley, Master Gardener.
• Irrigation and weed control, Kim Walton, Waltons Farm.
• Kitchen garden herbs, Sharon Owen, Moonshadow Herb Farm.
And it’s free for everyone. So, if your green thumb is itching for growing something, you won’t want to miss “Gardening: Basic Training” on Saturday.
Please call OSU Extension at 686-7200 to let them know you’re coming.
