Arboretum offers Edible Gardening series
Gardeners will be well on their way to enjoying homegrown, vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh greens, heirloom apples and more next month when the Morton Arboretum's Edible Gardening Workshop series returns.
The series caters to gardeners of all skill sets and showcases design concepts, resources and techniques for incorporating edible plants and trees into home landscapes and gardens.
The five-part series takes place from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays in March and April at the arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. The workshops will be led by instructors William Moss, an urban gardening expert with the National Gardening Association, and Jeanne Nolan, author of "From the Ground Up." The fee per class is $35 for arboretum members, $44 for others and includes arboretum admission.
"According to research from the National Gardening Association, one in three households in the country grow food," said Megan Dunning, manager of adult programs at the Morton Arboretum.
"Led by passionate experts, this workshop series is the arboretum's response to the increasing popularity of edible gardening. Our workshops teach gardeners of all abilities useful tips and techniques to grow healthy and delicious fruits and vegetables, all without having to sacrifice beauty and style in their home gardens."
Workshops in the series are:
• "Prepping for a Successful Gardening Season," Saturday, March 11.
Looking to grow your best garden yet? This workshop covers techniques for successful vegetable gardening in the Midwest. Topics will cover tasks, techniques and tips from winter to autumn, as well as basic botany, soil prep, crop selection, rotation and planning, pest solutions, harvesting and more. Demonstrations and activities include sowing seeds, sketching, and planning your garden calendar.
• "Top 10 Edibles for Chicagoland and How to Grow Them Organically," Saturday, March 18.
Join a local organic gardener as she shares vegetables proven to thrive in the Chicago area and how to best plant, manage and harvest them throughout the season using organic practices. Learn about the supplies, tools and knowledge you need to get your own organic garden started.
• "Grow a Food Forest in Your Yard," Saturday, March 18.
Turn your front- and backyard into an edible landscape that is beautiful and productive using the design principles of permaculture - which means "permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture." In this class, you will learn about the concepts of forest gardens and food forests, find out about zones and sectors, get strategies for soil building and learn how planting in seven layers will decrease the amount of work that goes into a garden. Following these principles will ultimately allow you more time to enjoy and relax in your space and reap the perennial fruits of your labor.
• "Backyard Orchard: Grow Heirloom Apples Anywhere," Saturday, April 1.
Learn to grow heirloom apples in backyards and urban environments with an expert. Heirloom apples offer a wider variety of tastes than most commonly found grocery varieties and are easy to grow. Learn what you need to have your very own historic orchard, or add one or two heirloom trees to your backyard. For the adventurous, the class will feature a grafting demonstration that allows you to grow more varieties than what you can find at your local garden center.
• "Get Style and Function with a French Kitchen Garden," Saturday, April 8.
Learn how French kitchen gardens combine beautiful design with common sense vegetable gardening. This ornamental vegetable gardening program will look at examples of attractive design in a productive garden. Learn to decoratively combine vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers in a garden that is bountiful and beautiful. Delve into the elements of good gardening and discuss how they apply to vegetable gardens. Learn about interplanting, companion planting, successional sowing and plant culture. Be inspired, but also leave with a practical guide to growing food in your own yard.
For information or to register, visit mortonarb.org.