The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service will be holding free seminars next month aimed at getting ready for the growing season.
“How to Establish and Maintain Your Blueberry Patch” will be held on Wednesday February 5, from 10-11:30 a.m. An outdoor pruning demonstration will take place at a nearby farm in Franklin from 1-3 p.m.
Bill Cline, North Carolina State University blueberry specialist, will cover site selection and preparation, proper soil and plant fertility needs, spacing, weed control, choosing the right cultivars, pruning, harvesting, and more. This free class will cover all aspects of blueberry production and will include a “hands on” pruning demonstration at a nearby blueberry farm in Franklin.
For demonstration purposes, attendees need to bring their own pruners and loopers.
“Strawberries: How to Start and Sustain Your Strawberry Patch” is a free seminar on how to establish and maintain a strawberry patch. This event will be held on Wednesday, February 12, from 6-7:30 p.m. This seminar is geared for those new to growing strawberries or desiring to brush up on the basics. Participants will learn about site selection and preparation, proper soil and plant fertility needs, spacing, weed control, choosing the right cultivars, pruning, harvesting, and more. Also discussed will be the most common disease and insect problems and their possible control options.
The blueberry and strawberry workshops will be held at the Macon Extension Center located on 193 Thomas Heights Rd., Franklin.
The Master Gardener Association of Macon County will be holding a Shiitake mushroom hands-on learning workshop for homeowners who desire to grow Shiitake for additional income as an alternative agricultural crop or simply for personal consumption. This workshop will be held on Saturday, February 15, during two time slots, at the Environmental Resource Center located 1624 Lakeside Dr., Franklin.
Speaker Christy Bredenkamp, Macon County extension director, will cover all aspects of Shiitake mushroom production and individuals will inoculate and bring home their own logs.
For demonstration purposes, attendees are asked to bring two logs cut in the dormant season (November-March), preferably red, white, or scarlet oak that are 3– 6 inches in diameter, 4 feet long, and with bark intact and free from bare or diseased spots. The presence of lichen or moss is fine.
This workshop fee is $35 (pay at door cash or check).
There are two timeframes for registration:
- 8:30 a.m. sign-in and attend classroom session from 9-10 a.m.; inoculate logs from 10-11:30 a.m.
- 11:00 a.m. sign-in and attend classroom session from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; inoculate logs from 12:30–2 p.m.
For more information on any of these workshops or to register, visit www.macon.ces.ncsu.edu/events or contact the Macon County Extension Center at (828) 349-2046; or, e-mail Debbie Hunter at [email protected].