Know More, Grow More — Part 2
Last week, my column talked about resolutions for gardeners, including learning or trying something new. I shared information about some of my spring season gardening programs I will be offering. I had so many programs planned that they all wouldn’t fit into one column.
In addition to the monthly Horticulture Power Hours I introduced in my column last week, there are a couple specialty programs for adult/child in particular. Those programs are for everyone but are particularly tailored to have an adult bring a child (of any age) to make a garden gift make and take for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
These classes used to be called “Mommy and me” or “Daddy and me,” but it really can be anyone. I don’t have kids but would often go to “Grandparent’s Day” at my nieces’ grade schools. So, think of them as caring adult bringing younger person.
In May, the week before Mother’s Day, I will be offering a “Teacup Garden” program where participants will use an upcycled teacup and saucer to make a miniature succulent garden to take home with them to give for Mother’s Day.
In June, the week before Father’s Day, I will be offering a “Griller’s Herb Garden” program where participants will make a mini-grill container (well, at least I hope it looks like a grill) and will plant various herbs that go with grilling. Educational materials and recipes will be included. Again, anyone can participate, but I am hoping to have kids make this for their Dad or favorite griller in the family.
Almost all of the programs will be in person in Will, Grundy and Kankakee counties, except for one series. This program, Grow Your Own Groceries, is a 10-part online series about learning to grow the most 24 common herbs, fruits and vegetables. Each session will cover one plant family or group.
You can sign up for one, two or as many as you want. Each program will provide participants with seeds for the crop, educational handouts and some recipes. Each session will cover everything from a discussion of varieties available, through site preparation, planting, cultural care, disease and insects, proper harvest time, storage and food preservation. Recipes for each crop will also be included.
This program was developed by Holly Froning, the Kankakee County Master Gardener Program Coordinator, and me during the dark days of COVID, when we couldn’t hold in-person classes. It was really popular then, and, with winter weather always being a question mark when it comes to driving to night programs, we thought we would offer it again online so you could learn about your favorite garden plants from the comfort of your own home.
Here are first five session topics and what plants we will cover in that week. Next week, I will cover the other five sessions:
Week 1: Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard and more. In this first week, we will cover all of the greens that we grow in Northern Illinois. Many people grow lettuce once and then find the taste to strong or bitter and never grow it again. We will talk about the different varieties and their different flavor profiles. We will also share the storage secret of making your salad greens the sweetest they can be.
Week 2: Onions, scallions, leeks, shallots and chives. The onion family is easy to grow but can be quite confusing. What is the difference between onions, scallions, leeks and chives. The first two come from the same seed or set; the third and fourth are different vegetable in the onion family.
Did you know the difference between a regular onion and a scallion (green onion) is only how deep and far apart the onion sets are planted!
Week 3: Peppers — From the sweetest mild, to the hottest of the hot, peppers bring flavor to any dish. The reason we cover peppers so early in the series is they are one of the slowest to germinate so extra time is required to get them going. We will also talk about the tips and tricks to get the biggest harvest, even if it isn’t the hottest summer.
Week 4: Tomatoes are the number one crop grown in home gardens everywhere. No surprise, there is nothing like that fresh-picked, sun-ripened garden tomato. But what varieties are the best for flavor? And can tomatoes be grown in a container? If so, which ones are best for it. And what is the difference between determinate and indeterminate? All these questions will be answered in this session.
Week 4: Root for your vegetables! This week will cover all of the root vegetables (besides the onion and potato families). This includes carrots, beets, radishes, parsnips and turnips. These crops, particularly carrots, often trouble gardeners with gnarled roots, or poor quality. And why is it radishes from the garden are often too hot and woody? Learn all about how to get the best of the root crops.
Week 5: This spud’s for you: All about potatoes. With potatoes being one of the most economically inexpensive crops to buy at the store, why would you want to grow them in the home garden? There is nothing like the flavor of home-grown potatoes. And did you know there are many different varieties of potatoes, depending on what you are going to use them for.
Potatoes also have three interesting planting options: in ground, above ground or even in containers. If you have young kids or grandchildren, growing potatoes is a fascinating way to get them interested in gardening.