ORANGE COUNTY GREAT PARK SPRING GARDEN WORKSHOPS

UCCE Master Gardeners Partner with Great Park to teach free classes

IRVINE – Spring is around the corner and it’s time for spring gardening. The Great Park Garden Workshops will teach you everything you need to know about successful and sustainable gardening. Workshops will be led by the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County with support from Scotts Whitney Farms. Admission and parking are free.

These Saturday morning workshops will be held at the Orange County Great Park Farm + Food Lab from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. beginning March 17 and will include: Ways to Water Effectively, Beautiful Flowering Natives for Your Garden, What’s Hot Now?, Fruit Trees for the Home Garden, Jam and Jelly from Your Garden and Edible Gardening in Small Spaces. After the workshops, visitors can wander through the Farm + Food Lab demonstration garden and enjoy the many displays, including a visit to see a variety of hens at the new chicken coop.

“The UCCE Master Gardeners have become an integral part of our Farm + Food Lab, providing university-based scientific information to Orange County residents of all ages. We are excited to partner with them in presenting garden workshops at the Great Park,” said Beth Krom, Chair of the Orange County Great Park Board Corporation. “These workshops have been incredibly well received, because they provide hands-on experience with gardening experts who share their secrets for sustainable home gardening practices.”

All the workshops are free to the public and run through May 5. Visit ocgp.org for information about other garden workshops taught by UCCE Master Gardeners, which include the Sunday Children’s Gardening Workshops and the Gardening Basics for Adults series.

The Orange County Great Park is located at Sand Canyon and Marine Way, and can easily be reached by the 5 or 405 freeways.

For more information, please visit www.ocgp.org or call 949-724-OCGP.

Spring Garden Workshop Schedule

Ways to Water Effectively
March 17, 10-11am
Learn about water efficient irrigation practices from Nick Mrvos, Senior Water Efficiency Specialist for Irvine Ranch Water District. Discussion topics include irrigation system design and installation, maintaining and repairing sprinkler systems and proper scheduling and rebates for SmarTimers.

Fruit Trees for the Home Garden
March 31, 10-11am
Did you know that you can grow a fruit tree in any garden? Tom Spellman of Dave Wilson Nursery will teach you about which fruit trees are best for you, how to choose the right tree and information on planting and maintenance.

Beautiful Flowering Natives for Your Garden
April 7, 10-11am
Want to have a garden with beautiful, native and easy-to-grow plants? Debbie Cressey from Tree of Life Nursery will teach you about nourishing a native garden, gardening in containers and attracting songbirds and butterflies.

What’s Hot Now?
April 21, 10-11am
Hot tomatoes and pampered peppers! UCCE Master Gardener Kay Havens will teach you how to choose, plant and grow tomatoes large and small. Kay will also introduce you to the new darlings of the veggie world: peppers! Grow them in-ground or adapt them to containers.

Jam and Jelly from Your Garden
April 28, 10-11am
Incredible! Not to spread it on thick, but this is the newest endeavor of the University of California Cooperative Extension in Orange County: Master Food Preservers! They’re here to show you how to make delicious jams and jellies. Workshop occurs during the Artisan Food Festival.

Edible Gardening in Small Spaces
May 5, 10-11am
Limited space? Master Gardeners are here to show you the ins and outs of getting a great yield from little places. Choose your favorite vegetables and learn how to make the most of them. Scoot over, rutabaga!

About the Great Park
The Orange County Great Park, with its 1,347-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Great Park features an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. Other features include the Carousel, Farm + Food Lab, Kids Rock Playground, Walkable Timeline, Palm Court Arts Complex, North Lawn recreation area and historic Hangar 244. The South Lawn lighted soccer fields and Community Garden will be added in 2012. For more information go to www.ocgp.org

UCCE Master Gardener Volunteer Program
UCCE Master Gardeners play an instrumental role in educating the citizens of Orange County on the proper use of pesticides and fertilizers in home gardens and the important link proper use has to the quality of local channels, creeks, and beaches. Over 300 strong, UCCE Master Gardeners provide an effective conduit for the dissemination of science-based information to people of all ages. Annually, Master Gardeners provide over 12,000 hours of educational contacts per year on topics ranging from planning a school garden to safely controlling insects. Through various venues, volunteers donate over 4,000 hours per year to county residents.