I'm so inspired! Gardening Symposium

[herbgeek]

Today was the Western Mass Gardening Symposium. I drive over 60 miles to attend this, because there is nothing like it closer to home. Two classes of your choice, and a keynote speaker for $30. Such a deal.

Class #1 was about how to get more out of your vegetable garden. Most of the stuff I knew, but I did learn that there is a bacteria that fights late blight. Maybe I will actually get tomatoes this year. One of the brand names for this bacteria is Serenade. I'll definitely be singing if my tomatoes hold up.

The keynote was on landscaping for energy saving. Not just on cooling your house with shade trees, but options that save water, and fertilizer, etc.

Class #2 was all about making your own salad dressings. We got to sample 4 in the class, and we got sent home with samples of another 6, along with all of the recipes.

There were lots of other topics, but these were the ones that interested me the most.

The next best thing to actual gardening is talking about gardening. :laff:

Tomorrow I'm going to put a couple more low tunnels, to warm up the soil, so I can get some early crops in at the end of the month.

[rosarugosa]

Herbgeek, that sounds like a wonderful symposium! May I ask where it was? We're near Boston, but often go "out West."

[Gina]

Sounds great. Last year I was burned out and my garden was minimal. This year I am really reved up and have many things started. Of course it's mild here, so I am able to get a really good jump on those living in colder climates.

I'd been planning on working outside all weekend, but it's raining and, sniff, I won't be able to. I was able to transplant 3 more flats of lettuce this morning (16 plants/flat), and a couple other things, but not nearly as much as I had wanted. And it's supposed to be worse tomorrow. And Monday. Well, that's ok, we need the rain - it's probably the last good one of the season.

[herbgeek]

The symposium I attended was in South Deerfield. There are also ones in Holyoke, and Lee coming up.

Here's the website: http://www.wmassmastergardeners.org/

[rosarugosa]

Thanks, HG. Looks like a great program! DH & I took a bunch of courses at the Arnold Arboretum many years back. One of best time/money investments we ever made!