The LaPorte County Master Gardener Association, along with Purdue Extension-LaPorte County, will present their annual Spring Garden Symposium, “Gardening Green,” on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The event, which is open to the public, will be held at Best Western Hotel and Conference Center, 444 Pine Lake Ave. in LaPorte and will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Mike Nowak
Featured speakers will include Mike Nowak, Chicago radio host on station WCPT 820 AM and a voice of gardening and the environment for more than 10 years. In his talk, “Good Planets are Hard to Find,” Mike will present new ways of looking at pests, pathogens, and low-impact gardening solutions. He has appeared on WGN-TV Channel 9, CBS 2 Chicago, the DIY Network, and is an award-winning columnist for Chicagoland Gardening Magazine.
Sharing the stage with Mike will be Dr. Liz Maynard, Purdue University Extension specialist with the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. In her presentation, “Heirloom Vegetables,” Liz draws on her experience of developing educational resources and conducting production research to support vegetable farming in Indiana and the region. Liz will answer questions such as “What are heirlooms?” “Why grow them?” “Which are best?” and “How can they be grown organically?”
In addition, Ruth Semones, owner of Root Seller LLC, will offer “Container Gardening- Mixing Veggies with Bloomers.” With 25 years of container gardening experience, Ruth will share her knowledge and insight concerning potting containers, soilless mixes and plants. Her program emphasis will be on combining vegetables and flowers and on accessibility for physically challenged gardeners. Drawing on her horticulture background of 33 years, Ruth operates a specialty nursery business near her home in Baroda, Michigan.
Garden vendors will be selling garden-related goods, Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions, door prizes and raffle items will be awarded, and attendees will receive “green” gift bags containing garden magazines, seed packets and more.
Morning coffee and lunch will be included in the $28 advance registration fee. Tickets may also be purchased at the door for $33. Registration flyers, with directions, are available at the Purdue Extension-LaPorte County Office at 2358 North U.S. 35 (near the intersection of U.S. 35 and Johnson Road) in LaPorte. Tickets may be reserved by e-mail at lpmastergardener@purdue.edu or contact Marcia Wolff at the extension office (219-324-9407). To access a registration flyer online, go to www.extension.purdue.edu/laporte, then click on Master Gardener and scroll down to Gardening Green Symposium to download a PDF file.
The LaPorte County Solid Waste District will host an Earth Day Celebration on Thursday, April 22, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the SWD headquarters, 2354 N. U.S. 35, LaPorte.
