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April 12, 1999

Center for Agroecology sponsors spring gardening workshops

By Jennifer McNulty

If the chilly spring has left you itching to get into your garden, here's a chance to fine-tune your gardening skills just in time for the warm weather. Gardening instructor Albie Miles will offer in-depth organic gardening instruction during four workshops that will be offered in April and again in May. Pick and choose the sessions you're most interested in, or sign up for the four-class series.

Workshops will be offered the weekends of April 17-18 and April 24-25. The four-course series will be repeated May 15-16 and May 22-23 (see detailed schedule below).

Miles will discuss and demonstrate practices that save both money and natural resources while maximizing your garden's productivity. Topics will include soil and garden-bed preparation, sowing, organic soil fertility and compost, seed starting, irrigation, year-round gardening, the needs of particular crops, and pest control. Each class will include both lecture format and "hands-on" components. Although the classes will focus on vegetable crops, these practices can be applied to any garden or landscape.

The fee for each class is $25 for the general public; $20 for members of the Friends of the UCSC Farm & Garden. The fee includes informational handouts; preregistration is required. To register or for more information, call John Fisher at (831) 459-3248, or send e-mail to johnfish@cats.ucsc.edu. Class size is limited and early registration is recommended.

Additional details of class offerings:

Class One: French Intensive Soil Cultivation, Saturday, April 17, or Saturday, May 15

Objectives of the French Intensive System • Double Digging in Theory and Practice • Soil Preparation -- Appropriate Timing • Choosing Tools • Direct Sowing and Transplanting Demonstration

Class Two: Organic Soil Fertility and Compost, Sunday, April 18, or Sunday, May 16

Objectives of Organic Soil Fertility Management • Soil Testing and Interpretation • Compost Pile Building in Theory and Practice • Cover Crops

Class Three: Home-Scale Propagation and Irrigation, Saturday, April 24, or Saturday, May 22

Propagation -- Materials, Mixes, and Containers • Season Extension • Transplanting Demonstration • Varietal Selection • Seed Sources • Irrigation -- Tools and Techniques for Drip and Overhead Irrigation • Water Conservation

Class Four: Putting it All Together -- The Garden Year-Round, Sunday, April 25, or Sunday, May 23

Growing Specific Crops • Sowing Schedules • Crop Cultivation and Fertilization through the Season • Pest Control • Cover Crops • A Tour of the Garden • Year-Round Garden Care

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