With the wacky weather this winter, you might have volunteer cilantro sprouting in your garden and are still eating broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and greens!
Usually, this is the quiet time of year for gardeners when you are perusing seed catalogs and planning your layout. Regardless, it is a great time of year to take advantage of the Garden Smarter series hosted at Calvert Library and led by the Calvert County Master Gardeners.
The first session is Saturday, January 9th at 10:00 a.m. at Calvert Library Prince Frederick and Lucy Muehleisen will be teaching “Companion Planting.” No, that’s not growing your soul mate… but it is creating synergy for your plants. You will learn about positive symbiotic crop relationships, how to keep insect pests away while attracting beneficial insects, how to enhance the health of the garden soil and generally how to grow great tasting vegetables.
Each Garden Smarter workshop is free to the public, and there are often wonderful giveaways. For instance, on Saturday, January 23rd at Calvert Library Prince Frederick from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., there will be a seed swap. Whether you saved seeds from your garden, have leftovers from seed packets, or are looking for seeds, the 2nd Annual Calvert Seed Swap is the place to be! Plants and cuttings welcome. Heirloom seeds especially welcome. Please be sure to label carefully your gathered seeds with as much detail as you can.
Back by popular demand, Bill Santiff will host a workshop on how to build a Herb Spiral on Saturday, January 30th. This is just the first month of a year of great workshops held in various locations throughout the county. Check out the library website for the whole schedule and put your favorites on the calendar.
If you are growing your food, you are probably a foodie and possibly a locavore so you might also be interested in joining Calvert Eats Local. You can join for free by contacting Robyn Truslow at Calvert Library Prince Frederick at 410-535-0291. The winter potluck is Monday, January 25th at 6:30 p.m. Bring your plate, utensils, cup and napkin for a truly “green” experience!
