Civic Garden Center Calendar of Classes and Tours 2013

For Immediate Release …
For information, contact Vickie Ciotti 513/221-0981   vciotti@civicgardencenter.org

Civic Garden Center Calendar of Classes and Tours 2013

Community Garden Development Training Class Series

CGDT Class 5 – Know Your Garden: Composting and Place-based Practices
Wednesday, January 16, 6:00-8:30 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructors: Madeline Dorger & Peter Huttinger
Cost: Free, Open to the public but pre-registration required. Call 221-0981
This class will provide an introduction to the seasonal cycle of soil – including composting, green manure and cover crops.  In addition the class will provide basic garden site management strategies, including fruit and vegetable cultivation, as well as gardener engagement in care of your community garden site.

CGDT Class 6 – Botany & Seed Starting
Wednesday, January 23, 6:00-8:30 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructors: Charles Griffin, Our Harvest CSA Farm Manager & Madeline Dorger
Cost: Free, Open to the public but pre-registration required. Call 221-0981
Part 1: Basic Botany:  Learn what you need to know to grow healthy plants in your garden.
Part 2: Seed Starting:  Learn the process of starting plants from seed indoors and out.

CGDT Class 7 – Organic Vegetable Gardening
Wednesday, February 13, 6:00-8:30 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Cost: Free, Open to the public but pre-registration required. Call 221-0981
Instructor: Dave Koester, Campbell County Extension Agent
Topics: Timing the vegetable garden, seasonal considerations, fall gardening, variety selection and intensive gardening, succession planting and companion planting techniques.

Schoolyard Garden Development Training
Saturday, February 9, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Parker Woods Montessori, 4370 Beech Hill Cincinnati, Ohio 45223
Instructors: Madeline Dorger, Youth Education Coordinator and Sam Dunlap, School Gardens Coordinator
Cost: Free. Please register by calling 221-0981 x 11
This training is for teachers, parents, and community members who wish to start a schoolyard garden. The training is a full day of learning a design process for a socially and ecologically diverse garden. We share ideas and examples from other schools, teach basic gardening and composting skills, and model gardening lessons you can use in the classroom.  After participating in the training you are enrolled in our Schoolyard Garden Network, which means you have access to free seeds in the spring time, Civic Garden Center volunteers, consultations from our staff, and plant or material donations.

Permaculture Series: Introduction to Permaculture
Tuesday, February 19, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Sam Dunlap, CGC School Garden Coordinator and Permaculture Educator
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
The first in a series of permaculture workshops in the offers an exploration into a vision beyond sustainability. That’s right: beyond sustainability. What are the ingredients of a regenerative relationship between humans and our ecological support systems? Join us for a lively and interactive evening in which we’ll discover and discuss permaculture principles, examples and strategies and how to apply them in our households, yards, businesses and communities.

Homegrown Tomatoes
Thursday, March 7, 6:00-8:00pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Jack Bishop, 40+year seasoned vegetable gardener
Cost:  $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
A guide for the tomato gardener in the quest for the perfect tomato and the beginner tomato gardener just getting started. Grow varieties with superior flavor and color that you can’t find at the grocery store. Topics will include origin & history, soil fertility, seed and plant variety selection, growing & harvesting, pests, saving seeds, starting plants from seeds, seed and plant suppliers.

School Garden Idea Exchange
Saturday, March 9, 10:00 am-1:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Cost: Free, but please RSVP with Sam Dunlap at sdunlap@civicgardencenter.org or 221-0981 x35 by February 1.
The Civic Garden Center is excited to announce our first School Garden Idea Exchange! We can’t wait for the fun and learning that’s bound to happen when we get a room full of educators together to share experiences and ideas for using gardens as a learning tool. The event will include a few brief presentations from teachers who have been using gardens in their curricula, time for exchanging ideas in small groups, discussion, lunch, and a format for exchanging resources. CEUs are available.
Master Composter Series
Twice a year the Civic Garden Center hosts the Master Composter Training Series in collaboration with Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services. The classes are offered free of charge. Participants who take all three classes and complete 10 service hours can be certified Master Composters. You may also attend one or two classes of your choosing if you are not interested in the certification process.

Spring Dates: March 13, March 27, April 10 from 6:00-8:00 pm
Fall Dates: September 4, September 11, September 18 from 6:00-8:00 pm

Class 1: Why do we compost? Reducing waste, saving our soil, and growing healthy plants
Wednesday, March 13, 6:00-8:00pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Cost: Free. Please register by calling 221-0981 x 18
Before we learn how to compost, we want to learn why we compost and analyze our soil’s needs.  This first class will cover why farmers and gardeners stopped using organic matter and what modern agricultural methods are doing to soil.  To build a foundation for the remaining series, participants will learn soil basics, including its chemical and physical properties, how these properties relate to healthy plants, and how to conduct a soil test.  Analyzing your soil can help you know your soil’s specific needs.

Class 2: Soil Biology and Composting Methods
Wednesday, March 27, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Cost: Free. Please register by calling 221-0981 x 18
Participants in this class explore our demonstration compost piles and discuss the pros and cons of various bins and tools. Practice flipping and sifting, and discover the differences in open and closed compost bins.  This class covers the most simple and straight-forward composting techniques, explores different ways to compost in place and how to use soil amendments like biochar.  Finally, we will dive deeper into the benefits of compost from a microbial perspective: what compost does to soil, how plants relate to the ecosystem of fungi, bacteria, nematodes, worms and arthropods living in finished compost.

Class 3: Composting in Small Spaces: Vermicomposting and Bokashi
Wednesday, April 10, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Cost: Free. Please register by calling 221-0981 x 18
By introducing red wigglers or effecti­­ve microorganisms we can use the same basic principles as outdoor composting but apply them to more concentrated spaces.  We will learn how to use these methods by actually building bokashi bins and worm bins.  If you would like to take one home, you must order your vermicompost or bokashi system ahead of time.

Plan a Vegetable Garden
Thursday, March 14, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Jerry Luebbe, seasoned vegetable gardener
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981 x 18
Are you interested in starting a vegetable garden this year? This course will introduce the basics of planning a successful garden. Topics to be covered include site selection, soil preparation, choosing what you want to grow, what to plant where, when to plant and harvest different crops and strategies for keeping your plants healthy throughout the season (watering, crop rotation, companion plants).

How to Build and Use a Rain Barrel
Saturday, March 16, 1:00-2:30pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Jerome Wigner, CGC Volunteer
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
FREE WATER for your plants! A rain barrel is a great way to help reduce storm water runoff and save a little money spent on summer watering. Take home tips to help you install and maintain a barrel at your home.

Fruit Tree Selection and Maintenance
Saturday, March 23, 1:00-3:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Dave Koester, Campbell County Extension
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
To grow successful fruit trees it helps to start with plants that are the right size for your site and are disease resistant. Take home ideas for fruit tree varieties that are well adapted to our region. Learn what you need to do to keep them healthy and disease-free, including shaping and annual pruning. This class will include a classroom presentation and a pruning demonstration in a CGC community garden.

Organic Landscaping and Yard Care
Saturday, March 23, 10:00 am-Noon
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Mike McCleese, owner of A Guy and His Dog Landscaping
Cost: Free (open to the public) presented by Wild Ones.
Mike McCleese has been using chemical free landscaping practices for over 10 years. He will share with you the principles of organic yard care – how it is different from conventional landscaping, and why it is important to practice it in your own yard. You’ll leave with an understanding of how to care for your yard through the entire year, and how to start caring for your lawn now – chemical free!

Fruits for an Edible Landscape
Tuesday, March 26, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Sue Trusty, Horticulturist
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Would you grow strawberries, currants, gooseberries, serviceberries, elderberries, jujube, pawpaw, persimmon, and other fruit and nut trees if you knew they were easy to care for, tastier than store bought, and looked terrific in the landscape? In this class you will learn about: How to choose and prepare the best site for your fruits, which cultivars perform well here, where to buy good-quality plants, pruning and training, pests, fertilizing, watering and harvesting.

Green Learning Station Tours
To learn more about the Green Learning Station’s features, stop by during daylight hours for a self-guided tour using our educational signage and QR code-linked videos. Want to talk to a real person? Attend one of the guided tours listed below. Tours happen the last Saturday of the month in the spring, summer and fall at 10 am and 11 am. See below for specific dates and tour descriptions. Tours begin at the base of the Green Learning Station steps, are engaging and interactive, fun for the whole family and free. You will be outside in the sun for a full hour so please plan accordingly.

10:00 am tour: Growing Food in the City
Growing food isn’t just for farmers! At the Civic Garden Center we grow food in pots, on rooftops and in our own “backyard.” Learn easy strategies for getting started with urban (or suburban) vegetable gardens on this tour that will have you tasting, tromping and digging in the dirt (and compost).

11:00 am tour: Slowing Stormwater in the City
Did you know that you can help improve the quality of the Ohio River from your own backyard? Visit the Green Learning Station to find out how we are keeping rain where it falls and what you can do at home to do the same.

2013 Tour Dates: March 30, April 27, May 25, June 29, July 27, August 31, September 28, October 26

Managing Rain on your Property: Tour and Talk
Tuesday, April 9, 5:30-7:00pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Ryan Mooney-Bullock, GLS Program Coordinator
Cost: Free. Please register by calling 221-0981
Did you know that 14 billion gallons of raw sewage and stormwater flow into our region’s streams each year during rain events? Explore the ways the Green Learning Station is reducing the amount of stormwater that goes into our sewer system and develop your own list of actions to take at home. This class will cover the key things to consider when selecting green stormwater controls and will provide you with ideas and resources for getting started on your project. All ages welcome.

Family Class: Water, Water Everywhere
Saturday, April 13, 2013, 9:00-10:30, 11:30-1:00, 2:00-3:30
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Madeline Dorger, Youth Education Coordinator
Fee: $5 per participant, registration is required.  Contact Madeline at 221-0981 or mdorger@civicgardencenter.org
Cincinnati has a combined sewer and rain water system, which means when it rains and the sewers get too full – that raw sewage gets dumped into the Ohio River.  Gross! Luckily there are fun ways to catch and use rain water.  Come play water games with us and learn about things you can do at home to catch rain where it falls.

Color for Every Season
Wednesday, April 17, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Bennett O. Dowling, CGC Horticulturist
Cost:  $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
The best garden is one in which every season offers beauty, diversity, and color. Some of the best plants provide color through many parts of the year. Color comes not only from flowers, but from foliage and bark as well.  We will discuss a selection of great plants, some common and some underutilized, and ideal locations for them in your garden.

Identifying and Removing Invasive Plants: a hands-on workshop
Saturday, April 20, 10:00-11:30 am
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Bennett O. Dowling, CGC Horticulturist
Cost: $10 free for CGC volunteers. Please register by calling 221-0981
Our region is plagued by many invasive plants, and the Civic Garden Center grounds are no exception.  A presentation of different invasive plants and their effects on local ecology will be followed by a walk on the grounds to view these criminals in action.  Different removal and control methods will be discussed.

History of Hauck’s Sooty Acres: talk and tour
Saturday, April 20, 2:00-3:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Guide: Bennett O. Dowling, CGC Horticulturist
Cost: Free. Please register by calling 221-0981
When gardening enthusiast Cornelius J. Hauck landscaped this property in the first half of the 20th century, he named it Sooty Acres in reference to the smoggy air of this urban site.  Despite all the challenges of city living, many of his original specimen trees and shrubs thrive.  Learn about the history of the gardens and some of the interesting heritage trees on the grounds, such as a rare oak, and other specimens you do not commonly see in our region.

Organic Vegetable Gardening
Sunday, April 21, 2:00-4:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Melinda O’Bryant, Education Director at Turner Farm
Cost: $10 (free for CGC Volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Spend an afternoon learning how to grow vegetables without chemical fertilizers or -cides.  You’ll learn how to care for your soil and plants using compost, organic fertilizers and pest controls, and weed suppression techniques. Pick up some great ideas for planting to maximize yield and minimize maintenance from Turner Farm’s experienced farmer and educator.

Permaculture Series: Cultivating Mushrooms Outdoors
Saturday, April 27, 9:00-11:00 am
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Romain B. Picasso, Mycologist
Cost: $20 ($10 for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
This workshop focuses on outdoor techniques for growing mushrooms. We will explore a multitude of ways to cultivate using logs, stumps, mulch beds, burlap bags and other materials. Learn how fungi can be used to filter and deter harmful organisms and compounds in the environment and which mushrooms are best suited to each type of project. Hands-on activities will include inoculating logs and building an outdoor mulch bed. A portion of the class will be held outdoors regardless of the weather. Participants will take home materials to start their own fungi gardens at home.

Native Bees for Your Yard: A Do-It-Yourself How-To Class for Families
Saturday, April 27, 2:00-3:30 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Jason Neumann, Experiential Education Specialist for the Cincinnati Nature Center
Cost: $10/family (free to CGC Volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Come prepared to have a sting-free experience with these misunderstood, non-aggressive creatures that provide pollination, a service on which we are wholly dependent. Explore bee diversity through hands-on learning then delve into nesting options and plant selection to encourage bees in your own yard. We’ll take a peek inside a giant flower, build a “bee arch” and, weather permitting, take a bee catching trip outside. Suitable for parents and children age 6 and older.

Family Class: Tea Ceremony
Saturday, May 11, 2013, 10:30am-Noon or 1:00-2:30pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Madeline Dorger, CGC Youth Education Coordinator
Fee: $5 per participant, registration is required.  Contact Madeline at 221-0981 or mdorger@civicgardencenter.org
Our garden grows lots of herbs we can use for tea.  Tea has a rich, ancient culture that comes from both western and eastern traditions.  Come learn how to serve tea, how to make tea, and what you can grow to make tea of your own.

Container Gardens Indoors and Out
Monday, May 13, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructors: Bennett O. Dowling, CGC Horticulturist and Ali Burns, Horticulturist
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Are you interested in gardening but lack a yard? There are plenty of plants you can grow in containers… on a roof, balcony, stoop or even indoors. Learn the basics of keeping container plantings healthy and fresh throughout the seasons. We will dive into how to design both ornamental and edible containers for visual, olfactory and taste appeal.

Permaculture Series: Introduction to Mushroom Cultivation
Saturday, June 1, 9:00-11:00 am
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Romain B. Picasso, Mycologist
Cost: $20 ($10 for volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
This workshop teaches the basics of mushroom cultivation by focusing on techniques practiced indoors. From learning to build your own laboratory, to using sterile and semi-sterile inoculant for propagation, the introduction course is an in-depth hands-on workshop explaining every step needed for abundant and on-going harvests. Hands-on activities will include making spore prints, sterile water-based inoculants, and jar cultures and propagating grain to straw bags or boxes. Participants will take home materials to start their own fungi gardens at home.

Planning a Shade Landscape
Wednesday, June 5, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Bennett O. Dowling, CGC Horticulturist
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
As the heat of summer sinks in, gardeners spend a little more time in the shade, often to find this is the least interesting part of their yard.  This class will help you assess the conditions of your shady site and choose plants accordingly.  Different shade perennials and shrubs will be presented along with their cultural needs and factors such as pest and deer resistance.
Unique Plants for Cincinnati Landscapes
Saturday, June 8, tours will start as groups collect, starting at 10:30 am, ending at 3:00 pm
Location: 6396 Licking Pike, Cold Spring, KY  41076
Instructor: Kevin O’Dell, Founder, Kendrick & O’Dell Landscaping, Inc and his staff
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Are you tired of seeing burning bush, taxus and callery pears everywhere?  There are an amazing variety of beautiful, interesting and easy to grow trees, shrubs and vines for the tri-state that few people are planting. Get the inside scoop on both new and old varieties of underutilized plants that will be conversation starters in your garden. Explore the amazing collection of plants at the Kendrick & O’Dell nursery in Cold Spring, Kentucky with Kevin O’Dell and his staff, who have scoured the region for superb specimens. Tours will meet directly at the nursery so please look for directions on our website.

Rain Gardens
Tuesday, June 11, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Brian Crone
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Rain gardens and bioswales are simple and beautiful plantings that can capture stormwater on your property. The class will cover site selection, testing your soil’s ability to absorb rainwater, plant picks for shade and sun rain gardens and installation basics. Please bring a topographic map, or sketch showing contours, of your site.

Backyard Composting
Saturday, June 15, 10:00 am-Noon
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Jerry Luebbe, Master Composter
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Do you want to start a compost pile but have no idea how to even begin? Come learn the basics about composting to get you started.  This class is an excellent introduction to why we compost, different styles of composting, and how to compost.

How to Build and Use a Rain Barrel
Saturday, June 22, 1:00-2:30 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Jerome Wigner, CGC Volunteer
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
FREE WATER for your plants! A rain barrel is a great way to help reduce storm water runoff and save a little money spent on summer watering. Take home tips to help you install and maintain a barrel at your home.

Get the Most out of your Tomato Plants
Tuesday, June 18, 2013, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Jerry Luebbe, President – Cincinnati Heirloom Open Pollinated Tomato Associate Growers (CHOPTAG)
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Help your tomato plants not just survive but thrive throughout the growing season. Learn how to prevent or deal with common pests, diseases and other pitfalls of tomato cultivation to maximize your plants’ yield and the flavor of their fruit.

Garden Pest Problem Solving Panel
Tuesday, July 9, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructors: a panel of experienced local growers and gardeners
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Summer is here and with it the myriad critters who want to enjoy our fruit, herb and vegetable plants. Bring your burning pest questions to our panel of experts to find out how they handle them. Feel free to bring specimens (both plant and animal) or photographs to serve as clues.

Permaculture Series: The Permaculture Yard
Saturday, July 20, 10:00 am-Noon
Location: 5087 Grosse Pointe Lane, Cincinnati, 45238
Instructor: Vince and Amy Stross, Hillside Community Garden Coordinators
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Edible landscaping is building up quite a buzz in the gardening community these days. Food in our yards? What a great idea! Edible forest gardening takes this concept a step further by mimicking the structure and functions of healthy forest ecosystems to add natural resilience, stability and abundance into our edible landscapes. Visit a .10-acre residential permaculture site in its 3rd year of development.  See two types of rain harvesting techniques, an edible landscape that includes various fruit trees, berry bushes, and vegetables, and many perennial plantings that both support the health of the soil and a diversity of birds, bees, and butterflies.  Hear stories about how the site has been incorporated into a community-building ethic.

Family Class: Munch Your Way through the Garden
Saturday, July 20, 2013 10:30am-Noon or 1:00-2:30pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Madeline Dorger, CGC Youth Education Coordinator
Fee: $5 per participant, registration is required.  Contact Madeline at 221-0981 or mdorger@civicgardencenter.org
July is a great time of year to eat tomatoes ripe off the vine.  We love to eat straight from the garden in the summer, and so do some of our favorite insects.  Munch your way through the garden and discover what other insects help our garden grow.

Fall Vegetable Gardening
Tuesday, July 23, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Charles Griffin, Our Harvest CSA Farm Manager
Cost: $10 (free for CGC Volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Most of us think that spring is the time to pour all our energy and resources into the garden – but the fall garden offers a bounty that can take you into winter and even into the next year.  Come to explore the crops that are suitable for fall planting and harvesting, crops for overwintering, season extension methods and how these crops fit into a rotation planting schedule.

Lovely and Luscious Lamiaceae
Tuesday, July 30, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Sue Trusty, Horticulturist
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Also known as the mint family, this is the third largest plant family worldwide. It includes many plants of culinary and ornamental interest, including herbs (mint, sage, basil), landscape plants (beebalm, Russian sage, coleus), medicinal plants (horehound, chaste tree) and a few unusual members (lion’s ear, patchouli, teak). Members of this family are widely grown in our area, not only because of their aromatic qualities but also their ease of cultivation. Come learn the fun facts about the mint family!

Season Extenders: How to build and use cold frames and low hoop tunnels
Saturday, August 8, 10:00 am-Noon
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Peter Huttinger, Neighborhood Gardens Program Coordinator
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Harvest cool weather crops later in the fall and sooner in the spring by protecting them from the weather with a cold frame or low-hoop tunnel. In this hands-on workshop you will learn how to design and build a system that will work for your vegetable garden. You will also learn strategies for using hoop tunnels and cold frames successfully, and ideas for where to find materials at low cost.
The Joy of Heirloom Tomatoes
Tuesday, August 20, 2013, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Jerry Luebbe, President – Cincinnati Heirloom Open Pollinated Tomato Associate Growers (CHOPTAG)
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Join us for a tomato taste test in the height of the season to sample a wide variety of heirloom tomatoes. Pick up ideas for which varieties to grow next year and how to use them in your kitchen. Learn the art of tomato seed saving so you can pass on your own heirloom seeds.

The Bird Friendly Landscape
Thursday, August 22, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Sue Trusty, Horticulturist
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
It’s fun and interesting to incorporate plants in the landscape that will attract the interest of our flying feathered friends. This presentation reveals the secrets to attracting birds to your yard using appropriate plants and landscaping. Also learn how to make your backyard a certified wildlife habitat.

Making the Most of Perennials: How to Dig, Divide and Transplant
Saturday, September 7, 10:00 am-Noon
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Bennett O. Dowling, CGC Horticulturist
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Spring and fall are two ideal times for dividing and transplanting your perennials. This class will be a hands-on demonstration of dividing certain common perennials as well as a discussion of which perennials prefer certain times of year for division. Take away tips for effective transplanting with minimal shock, and hopefully a confidence boost to get over that fear of hurting your plants (they’re tougher than you think)!

Managing Rain on your Property: Tour and Talk
Monday, September 9, 5:30-7:00pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Ryan Mooney-Bullock, GLS Program Coordinator
Cost: Free. Please register by calling 221-0981
Did you know that 14 billion gallons of raw sewage and stormwater flow into our region’s streams each year during rain events? Explore the ways the Green Learning Station is reducing the amount of stormwater that goes into our sewer system and develop your own list of actions to take at home. This class will cover the key things to consider when selecting green stormwater controls and will provide you with ideas and resources for getting started on your project. All ages welcome.

Saving Seeds
Tuesday, September 17, 6:00–8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Sue Trusty, Horticulturist
Cost: $10 (free for CGC Volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
Collecting seed from plants can be exciting, economical and is essential for preserving genetic diversity of plants.  Through discussion and demonstration, find out how to collect and store seed from annuals, perennials and woody plants; learn the best references to use in determining collection techniques; discover the difference between hybrids and open-pollinated plants.

History of Hauck’s Sooty Acres: talk and tour
Saturday, September 28, 2:00-3:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Guide: Bennett O. Dowling, CGC Horticulturist
Cost: Free. Please register by calling 221-0981
When gardening enthusiast Cornelius J. Hauck landscaped this property in the first half of the 20th century, he named it Sooty Acres in reference to the smoggy air of this urban site.  Despite all the challenges of city living, many of his original specimen trees and shrubs thrive.  Learn about the history of the gardens and some of the interesting heritage trees on the grounds, such as a rare oak, and other specimens you do not commonly see in our region.

Caring for Woody Plants
Tuesday, October 8, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Bennett O. Dowling, CGC Horticulturist
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
This class will present strategies for caring for trees and shrubs in the landscape in relation to feeding, watering, and proper pruning techniques. We’ll discuss the ideal timing for pruning and feeding different species of plants. A variety of tools will be present for demonstrations.

The Rain Garden:  A Beautiful and Beneficial Way to Slow Storm Water
Saturday October 12, Noon-2:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Ryan Mooney-Bullock, Green Learning Station Program Manager
Cost: Free, open to the public, presented by Wild Ones
Rain gardens and bioswales are simple and beautiful plantings that can capture storm water on your property. The class will cover site selection, testing your soil’s ability to absorb rainwater, plant picks for shade and sun rain gardens and installation basics.  After the class we will tour the rain gardens on the CGC site, so dress for the weather.

Green Roofs, Pervious Paving and Rainwater Harvesting
Thursday, October 24, 6:00-8:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructors: Steve Keller, Reading Rock, Rose Seeger and Pam Simmons, Green City Resources
Cost: $10 (free for CGC volunteers) Please register by calling 221-0981
There are a variety of options on the market to help solve stormwater problems on your property and decrease flow to the combined sewer system. Join us for an overview of different “green infrastructure” systems by a panel of experts working in the fields of permeable pavers, green roofs, and rainwater harvesting.

Wild Workshop!
Sunday, November 3, 1:00-3:00 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructors:  Jim Brace, Chris McCullough and Cara Hague
Cost:  Free, open to the public, presented by Wild Ones
Get ready for the holidays, or learn some crafts to occupy your time while your garden is sleeping with three Wild Ones members.  Jim will show you how to make a garden arbor using copper piping, Chris will share her love of and skill in origami, and Cara will demonstrate how to make seed bombs.

Family Class: Compost Kids
Saturday, October 19, 10:30 am-Noon, 1:00-2:30 pm
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor: Madeline Dorger, Youth Education Coordinator
Fee: $5 per participant, registration is required.  Contact Madeline at 221-0981 or mdorger@civicgardencenter.org
Composting is essential for any successful garden and keeps organic material out of the dump.  Decomposers do most of the work, but come learn how you can help them make compost most effectively.  We will identify decomposers, practice turning bins, and use compost to plant a seed to take home.

Family Class: Natural Christmas Ornaments
Saturday, December 14, 9:00-10:30, 11:30-1:00, 2:00-3:30
Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Road 45206
Instructor:  Madeline Dorger, CGC Youth Education Coordinator
Fee: $5 per participant, registration is required: contact Madeline at 221-0981 or mdorger@civicgardencenter.org.
There are a lot of little treasures nature leaves us in the winter time.  Learn how to take dried nuts and plants and turn them into ornaments for your Christmas tree.

Additional information about each of the above events and programs is available at www.CivicGardenCenter.org.

The Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati is a gardening resource dedicated to building community through gardening, education and environmental stewardship.  Its delightfully landscaped eight acres located on Reading Road two-and-a-half miles from downtown Cincinnati are open Monday to visitors Monday through Saturday from 9am to 4pm at no charge.  The grounds are maintained by volunteers who donate their time and provide financial support.  The non-profit organization was founded in 1942.

The Civic Garden Center provides education and information to individuals, schools, organizations and businesses through its Horticulture Hotline, Hoffman library, classes, hands-on workshops, tours, field trips and special events.  The Neighborhood Gardens program touches over 40 communities throughout the tri-state.

(12-10-19 redirect from lohre.com)