What do you want to accomplish garden-wise this year? Have you made a New Year’s resolution on your gardening goals? If not, we may be able to help you with some upcoming workshops.
You may want to install microirrigation in a landscape bed, add a compost bin or get a rain barrel. We refer to these as the Triple Workshops on Saturday, February 1 and March 7. Maybe you want to have less lawn and more groundcovers, or learn how to improve your vegetable gardening skills. Our landscaping opportunities are pretty much limited to our imagination, and, in some cases, homeowner association rules and restrictions.
At the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County office, we offer workshops on composting, vermicomposting (worms), microirrigation and rainwater harvesting. We provide many items for the minimal cost of $5 per workshop for Hillsborough County residents one time so they can conserve water and recycle kitchen and yard waste at home to use as soil amendments. There is an additional fee for worm composting to cover the cost of the worms and containers.
Our office has many publications you can browse and keep that will help you identify home gardening projects you may want to undertake. We have vegetable gardening guides, schedules of upcoming workshops, rain garden manuals, University of Florida calendars and brochures about different types of mulch and the benefits of each.
There are several demonstration/teaching gardens at our office you can walk through and enjoy. These gardens showcase Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ principles, which include right plant/right place, water efficiently, fertilize appropriately, mulch, recycle, control yard pests responsibly, reduce stormwater runoff, attract wildlife and protect the waterfront. For groups of 10 or more, we can arrange docent tours of the gardens.
Mark on your calendar that on Saturday, May 16, we will feature another Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ 101 with topics on groundcovers, ornamental grasses, pest and weed control, and there will be plant and plant product-related vendors on-site. Gift bags will be provided, containing a gardening book valued at $25 and many other great items. There is a small fee to attend this event as lunch will be provided. The registration link will be posted on the website shortly.
Check out the calendar of events at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/upcoming-events/. For horticultural assistance, contact the UF/IFAS Extension in Hillsborough County by calling 744-5519 or visit at 5339 CR 579 in Seffner.
