Gardening Seminar Series 2020
Monday evenings, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
February 17 through April 6
Montrose Library Meeting Room
Summary – This session series of garden topics may be attended as a building series or as stand-alone sessions. Each session will focus on a different topic pertinent to gardening in western Colorado. Geared for the novice gardener to the experienced grower, there will be something for everyone interested in “growing their own” in western Colorado’s climate and soils. Sessions will be informal and will include discussion and teaching as well as class participation, hands-on interaction, and question & answer dialogue.
Presenters – Sessions will be led by avid gardeners Larry Wobeter, Reed Irwin, and Dave Dearstyne. Larry and Reed are both experienced master gardeners. Dave is a soil scientist with over 30 years experience. These presenters bring over 100 years of gardening experience, much of which was acquired on the west slope of Colorado. The three presenters come from across the country, gardening from Florida, to New York, to Kansas, to Idaho. They bring a background of varied techniques and methods on how they grow successful gardens in western Colorado.
Week 1 – Toto We’re Not in Kansas Anymore: Understanding the Differences in Soils and Climate in Western Colorado – Monday, February 17, 6:30 PM
Topics will include some of the many and varied soils a gardener might encounter in Western Colorado and their
associated characteristics, potential benefits, and problems. Climate portion will include helpful information on
temperature, moisture, humidity, wind, and other related weather topics that impact gardening in western Colorado.
Week 2 – Seed Starting Inside – Monday, February 24, 6:30 PM
The when, how, and where to starting your outdoor transplant sets from seed. Plants will include lettuce, onions,
Brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.), nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, etc.). Included will be starting mixes, potting mixes, containers, seeding depths, seed germination, temperature/moisture control and more.
Week 3 – Seed Starting Outside – Monday, March 2, 6:30 PM
This topic will be a combination of discussion and hands-on class participation in setting up for and planting various seeds in the soil. Discussion topics will include early, mid, and late species plantings as well as transplant sets. Learn
the when, how, and where of planting everything from fine seeds such as carrots, to large tubers such as potatoes, and
everything in between. Garden planning will be discussed. More discussion will include how to plant a variety of
common garden species including seeding depths, spacing, rows, beds, and containers. Also included will be sun/shade requirements, companion planting, frost dates, watering techniques, scheduling, and much more.
Week 4 – Early Season Activities & Challenges – Monday, March 9, 6:30 PM
This session will discuss the what and when to do’s for the months of March, April, and May. Included will be watering, weeding, pests, weather, germination and establishment, fertilizing, and replanting.
Week 5 – Growing Season Activities & Challenges – Monday, March 16, 6:30 PM
This session will discuss the what and when to do’s for the months of June, July, and August. Included will be watering, weeding, pests, weather, plant maintenance, thinning, and early season harvesting.
Week 6 – Late Season Activities & Fall Harvesting – Monday, March 23, 6:30 PM
When and how to harvest crops, storage, cover crops, compost applications and more.
Week 7 – Improving Soil Health, Investing in Your Future – Monday, March 30, 6:30 PM
The four principles of soil health and why and how you should be practicing them in your garden. How to build the
health of your soil biology while improving your garden plants’ abilities to resist pests and diseases and minimize
climate impacts. How soil health can reduce or even eliminate the need for outside synthetic fertilizer applications.
How soil health improves the nutritional quality of your garden produce. Discussion on starting a new soil health
garden in comparison to an established garden will also be conducted.
Week 8 – Outdoors at Rotary Park, Columbine Middle School Trees – Monday, April 6, 6:30 PM
The how to, where, and when to be successful in your planting of woody and viney species for their fruit and/or shade. Fruit trees, berries, grapes – soil preparation, planting process, care and maintenance, pruning, insects & diseases,
cultivation, mulching and harvesting to insure successful planting resulting in quality produce. A walking tour, looking
at old and new plantings, pruning, and shaping.
