Four experts to be featured at spring garden seminar

Spring is around the corner and so is the OSU Extension spring garden seminar.

“April Showers Bring Garden Flowers” is the planned seminar being offered by the OSU Extension, Hardin County Master Gardeners this year. Get your seat reserved while you can. Plenty of topics are on the agenda for this event which will get your thoughts turned to gardening and away from the cold weather that has been with us for the past few months. 

The garden seminar will be held April 7 at the Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative Community Room, 1210 W Lima St., Kenton. The seminar is open to the public, no matter how much gardening experience you have. The cost is $50, which includes a continental breakfast, lunch, handouts, and door prizes. For active OSU Master Gardener Volunteers, the fee is $40. Doors open on the day of the event at 8:15 a.m., the program starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. The registration deadline is March 31 with a limited class size. For more information about this event, call Kim Thomas 419-674-8012. 

 This year’s seminar will feature four expert speakers. Dave McPheron will speak on ‘Propagation Methods.’ Have you ever tried to start plants from seeds only to be disappointed in the result? You are not alone! We will look at starting plants from seed, cuttings, and division. What does it take to get a seed through the ground and to a transplant size to put into your garden? Find out why some seeds will not grow the first year. It may not be as difficult as you think. With a degree in horticulture, McPheron is the owner of Star Farms Native Plants. He gathers local seeds and grows those into plants to sell for landscapes. Currently an emeritus MGV, he was an active Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer for 16 years and served as the Hardin County Volunteer Coordinator for 7 years. 

Debra Knapke’s presentation will focus on ‘Edible Ornamentals: The Marriage of Use and Beauty.’ Today’s gardeners want gardens and landscapes that fulfill multiple functions. What better way to tap into this trend than to include plants that are pleasing to see, smell, and taste. The concept of edible landscapes dates back to ancient times. Why not add edible trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants to your design palette? A garden designer since 1994, Knapke has a masters degree in horticulture and runs a design and consulting business. Known as the Garden Sage, she has co-authored six books, shares a blog on Midwest gardening and has taught classes on Horticulture and garden design for 24 years. 

‘Attracting Birds to your Landscape’ will be the topic discussed by Jimmy Giannone. Creating different habitats in your yard to attract different bird species. The benefits that native plants provide to birds. Jimmy Giannone is the Pheasants Forever wildlife biologist in Hancock, Hardin, and Wyandot counties. He is a graduate from West Virginia University with a degree in wildlife and fisheries resources. 

Timothy McDermott will speak on ‘Container Gardening.’ What can you grow in containers? What kind of containers? What are the soil, light and water requirements of container gardening? Hopefully all you will need to be a successful container gardener this year. McDermott, DVM is an OSU assistant professor and has been an Extension Educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources for the past six years. He lectures locally as well as internationally on Local Food Systems and Veterinary Sciences where he spent 20 years in private practice.