Free Gardening Classes

Armstrong Nursery and other gardening facilities and organizations currently offer free gardening classes.  Classes include Rose Pruning and Fruit Tree pruning (dates and times may vary, verify with the organization):

Rose Pruning on Saturday, February 11, 9am. Armstrong Nursery's experts will demonstrate proper pruning techniques and give you helpful hints. You’ll also get tips for planting and caring for roses.

Fruit Tree Pruning on Saturday, February 11, 11 a.m. At Armstrong Nursery, learn how to prune your fruit trees for a fruitful harvest. Armstrong Nursery's garden experts will show you pruning techniques, what to look for in a pruner, and more.

Photo: Southern California Vegetable Gardening

Tomatoes will be available at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, at Southern California's Armstrong Nursery locations only, and then at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 31, at all of Armstrong Nursery's California locations. Home-grown tomatoes taste great, are a safe food source, and are easy to grow. Let Armstrong Nursery's friendly experts show you how to plant and care for tomatoes in your or container garden.

Garden Party on Thursday, March 15, from 4pm to 7pm. Join Armstrong Nursery as they kick off Spring! Enjoy complimentary wine from Monte de Oro Winery as you wander through the garden center and see Armstrong Nursery's new Spring merchandise. This annual event is Armstrong’s way of saying “thank you” to its neighborhood and community. Available at all locations.

Gardening for Beginners on Saturday, March 17, 9 a.m. Not sure where to start? Armstrong Nursery will share its fantabulous gardening basics, like soil preparation, light and water requirements, seeds versus starts, and season changes. Plus, don’t miss Armstrong Nursery's tried-and-true garden tips!

Free Garden Classes are held at all Armstrong Garden Center locations unless noted. No registration is needed. Simply show up ready to learn. What a great, free list of events to attend. Thank you, Armstrong Nursery!!

Free gardening classes in Orange County, California:

• UCCE Master Gardeners of Orange County
• OC Fairgrounds Farm & Garden Classes - OC Fair & Event Center

Source: http://armstronggarden.com
Armstrong Nursery's Facebook Page 
Armstrong Nursery's Twitter Page
Armstrong Nursery Store Locator

Photo: Sibley Backyard Birding Flashcards

The Mystique of the Master Gardener

Master Gardener sounds authoritative and unknown as if the gardener could really have a master. Sometimes, I feel as if the garden is the master, and I am truly abiding by its rules through successes and failures.   

Photo Source: thujawoodart.com

What exactly is a Master Gardener:
Master gardeners are avid, somewhat educated (not necessarily from school) gardeners who have taken training programs to help others (usually homeowners) become better gardeners.  Master Gardeners use a variety of activities to teach, inform, and reach out to other gardeners, using activities such as workshops, lectures, and even a gardener's hotline to answer questions about home horticulture, sustainable landscaping, and integrated pest management using primarily University of California research-based information. After specialized Master Gardener training, you will be qualified to help others with their gardening dilemmas.

Photo: Thujawoodart Cob Garden Wall 

Who can apply to be a Master Gardener?

• All ages and come from all walks of life can apply.
• A basic knowledge of landscape and food gardening is needed.
• The desire to expand on their current knowledge of horticulture procedures and techniques.
• An interest in volunteering in their community to share their horticulture knowledge and gardening skills.

To find a local Master Gardening Program in your area, check out California's UC Davis Master Gardening Website for more details. Also a great asset is the American Horticulture Society's website, learn more here. 

Be an asset and do what you love by applying to become a Master Gardener today.

Photo: Gardener's Supply Company Wooden Rain Barrel Stand

Photo: Gardeners Supply Company Planting Ruler and Dibber

February Gardening Calendar and How to Grow Avocados

Prepare for February by following your February gardening calendar. Start by taking care of your avocado trees.

Photo: Biggun Avocado Tree Growing Kit 

1. Remove any suckers growing from below the bud union. these can inhibit further growth. Although February is a great time to remove the suckers (An undesired stem growing out of the roots or lower trunk of a), specific sources say that they can actually be removed most times of the year. Some suggest when heat levels are too high.
2. Additional pruning includes close cuts to the lateral branches. Be sure to let the pruning wounds dry out naturally without sealants or dressings. Take caution when pruning your Avocado tree, as an adequate amount of foliage is needed to protect and produce a good-yielding plant.
3. When pruning your avocado tree, remove as few green leaves and green wood as possible.

If you are planning to grow an Avocado tree, the ideal time of year to plant one in California is from March through June. Also, if you haven't fertilized your tree lately, be it through organic or chemical means, do check your schedule and decide the next date for fertilization. Keep an eye out for more gardening tips for February.

Photo: Fuerte Grafted Avocado Tree - Cold Hardy - Live Avocado Tree

Photo: Fuerte Grafted Avocado Tree - Cold Hardy - Live Avocado Tree

8 Tips On How to Design Your Garden, Landscape and More

Designing your garden is a lot like creating a room, although there are a few other elements to take into consideration during your planning process.

1) What is the primary purpose for your garden? Leisure, play, events and company, edibles and feeding the family, educational purposes. The list goes on, however, if you determine what you will be using your garden space for, the design portion will be much more fluid.

2) What is your soil like? Does it consist of clay, hard dirt, or sand? If so, what procedures will you implement to test and adjust your soil to meet the needs of your plants?

Photo: Soil Management

3) Choose your garden's color theme, including foliage and flowers. Purple, red, orange, and yellow, there are so many exquisite possibilities.

4) Garden styles: Whether you choose a low-maintenance cottage garden, a bulb predominate Dutch garden, privacy or shade garden, or a soothing Japanese garden, a beautiful garden always starts with one thing, a well-thought-out and executed garden design.

5) Incorporate fixtures and accessories into your garden with the use of birdhouses, trellises, fountains and much more. These items make great centerpieces to design your garden around or use as smaller accent pieces.

6) How much work and maintenance do you want to put into your garden? Daily, Weekly, Monthly?

Photo: Solar Bird House with Camera

7) Will you be adding container gardening to your dirt garden

8) Consider your climate, planting times, harvest times, and sunlight or shade needs for your plants to survive.

Best wishes on your garden design, and be sure to subscribe to my blog to learn more about designing your garden and incorporating new and exciting strategies into it.

Check out these fun and helpful links I found on garden design:

• Better Homes and Gardens Free Garden Design Tool
• BBC Gardening and Design
• HGTV's Landscape Design Tips
• California Native Plant Design
• White Flower Farm - How to design a garden
• Create your own Victory Garden