The cost of everything from eggs to lettuce keeps rising. Hunger is a growing issue in Oregon, one in 10 people face hunger in rural, urban and suburban communities throughout the state, according to the Oregon Food Bank. So this year’s Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up series from Master Gardeners aims to help take a bite out of hunger.
The webinars are free and held the second Tuesday of the month at noon, running through October. OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers receive 1 hour of continuing education credit for each class.
This year’s topics:
Nowhere to Grow but Up: Gardening without Land, May 14. One of the first things we’re taught about plants is that they need sun, water, air, and soil to grow. But you don’t need a yard, you can grow a surprising amount of food with little or no land. Master Gardener Richard Bertram will walk attendees through some methods, such as hydroponics and using vertical space. Click to register
What’s Eating My Food?: Garden Pest Management, June 11. Growing healthy plants to produce good vegetables is only one challenge to gardening for your table. Another is using sustainable gardening practices to limit the use of pesticides, since you’re eating the produce and overuse of pesticides can lead to and speed up resistance. Entomologist Jessica Green will show you responsible ways to defend your veggies from hungry invaders. Click to register
Giving It Away: Growing Produce You Can Take to the Food Bank, July 9. Sharing your garden’s surplus with a food bank is great way to ensure that people in need in your community have access to fresh, nutritious produce. Klamath-Lake Food Bank director Niki Sampson will lead a panel discussion with gardeners who support their communities in this meaningful way, so you can learn how to take food banks into account when gardening. Click to register
Don’t Lose the Plot: Making Community Gardens that Endure, August 13. Community gardens connect people with the land and their communities as they grow their own food. But it takes planning and care to make community gardens successful. A panel of experienced community garden organizers and supporters, hosted by founder and director of Veterans’ Employment Base Camp and Organic Garden, will offer the strategies, practices, policies, and resources they use to keep their community gardens thriving. Click to register
Fruit Fight: Dormant-Season Fruit Tree Care, September 10. If you want productive, resilient fruit trees, you will need to do some preventative maintenance on them during the winter. OSU Extension horticulturist Cody Copp will show you what you can do about pests and diseases between growing seasons and share pruning principles, so that you can nip fruit tree problems in the bud and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Click to register
A Shroom of One’s Own: At-Home Edible Mushroom Production, October 8. If you like eating mushroom, perhaps culinary mushroom cultivation is next on the menu for you. With a focus on Shiitake mushrooms, OSU Extension agent Alicia Christiansen will cover preferred growing media, inoculation methods, caring for your logs, money-saving tips, harvesting, and more. Click to register