Mark Your Calendar!

Workshops for gardeners scheduled

A series of workshops demonstrating art in the garden along with gardening basics will be presented by the Boyd County Extension Office. Class size is limited, so early registration is recommended. For more information, call (606) 739-5184.

Classes will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. The fee for each class is $10 and most classes are held at the Boyd County Extension Office, 2420 Center St., Catlettsburg, Ky.

The classes are:

May 26 -- “Steppin’ Out.” Beverly Sharp will present a program on decorating your garden with stepping stones that you create. This class will be at the Franks Building at the Boyd County Fairgrounds.

June 23 -- “Making a Splash in Your Back Yard.” Ray Wilson will explain how to install and maintain a decorative pond.

July 21 -- “Training Topiaries.” Aaron Boyd will show how to train topiaries to grow the way you want them to.

Aug. 23 -- “Bamboozled Trellis.” Lori Bowling and Aaron Boyd will explain how to turn common bamboo into a beautiful trellis. This class will be at the Boyd County Fairgrounds.

Sept. 22 -- “Plant Propagation: A Growing Science.” Aaron Boyd will show you how to save time and money by learning how to grow your own plants from seed or cuttings.

Oct. 18 -- “Hypertufa.” Lori Bowling will instruct on how to make your own lightweight planters out of limestone, sphagnum and perlite. This class will be at the Boyd County Fairgrounds.

Nov. 17 -- “From Trash to Cash.” Aaron Boyd will who how to turn your leftovers and yard trimmings into rich compost fertilizer for your garden.

Dec. 1 -- “Happy Holiday Wreath Class.” Lori Bowling and Aaron Boyd show how to make a holiday wreath out of real greens that will keep all winter.

Series of garden workshops offered

The West Virginia Extension Service is offering a series of workshops on a variety of garden topics throughout the spring and summer.

Classes are: “Wildlife Habitats” on March 15, “Nutrient Management” on March 29, “Rain Gardens” on April 12, “Water features” on April 26, “Mulching” on May 10, “Pest Management” on May 24, “Water Conservation” on June 7, “Composting” on July 19, “Terracing” on July Aug. 16 and “Tree Planting” on Sept. 13.

Classes will be conducted at the Pumpkin Park in Milton, W.Va., on Tuesdays. The fee is $10 a class. For more information, call (304) 204-4305 or email extension@wvstateu.edu    

Cincinnati Flower Show canceled this year

The Cincinnati Horticultural Society has announced it plans to revamp its annual Cincinnati Flower Show to appeal to a broader audience and as a result will not hold the show in 2011.

Frank Welsh, CHS board chairman, explained in a press release, “We recognize changing demographics and social trends, however, and, so to avoid these changes becoming an issue for us, we determined to take a year off to examine how we can reinvent and revitalize what has been a much-loved Cincinnati institution.”

Plans for the 2012 flower show will be announced in the fall. For more information, visit www.cincyflowershow.com\

International conference set for Charleston

The 2011 International Master Gardener Conference will be held October 11-4 in Charleston, W.Va. Sessions will take place at the Charleston Convention Center.
The conference will feature a variety of presentations for every level of the soil-yielding arts from the study of plant materials to the challenges of sustainability. Every facet of growing mediums, combat techniques against invading species, rapacious pests and new and exciting plants will be discussed. Tours, lectures and workshops will also be offered.

For more information, visit imgc.ext.wvu.edu/