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CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

This 2-day workshop explores the critical connections between soil, bugs, plants and sustainable practices, plus the many healthful benefits of gardening.

Friday, March 3 - Practical Sessions at various locations offer interactive, hands-on demonstrations, both indoor and in the garden.

Saturday, March 4 – Keynote plus a full day of sessions with select classes live-streamed. Choose from Focused Classes or attend Themed Sessions featuring presentations on related topics followed by a Q&A.

Click to see Focused  Classes or Friday Practical Sessions

Morning Focused Classes A
Morning Classes A

Jessica Dahl

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Edible Garden Design

A01

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Sue Goetz

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Garden Design Makeover

A02

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Dave Thomas

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Healthy Gardening at Any Age

A03

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Robert Hallbauer

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Watering Strategies

A04

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Ed and Martha Hollis

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Panel: Tips for Beginners

A05

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Marcia Dillon

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The Basics of Tomatoes

A06

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We will cover all aspects of growing great tomatoes in the Pacific Northwest, from seed to harvest. We will also discuss mitigation strategies for climate challenges and reveal our trial garden winners from the Bellevue Demonstration Garden.

Jay Williams

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Japanese Maples

A07

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Morning Classes B
Paul Kusche
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Small Space Planting

Anybody can enjoy the bounty of a garden with a little planning and creativity. Learn what "Growing in 3 Square Feet" can do for you, how to include your personal food production in with your flowing plants and perennial shrubs, and the value of alternative planting designs.

B01

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Tobey Nelson
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Eco-Gardening

Everything we humans do has an impact on the planet, for better or for worse. As gardeners, we are keepers of the earth. In this class you will learn ways that any gardener can help make a positive impact to help the fight against climate change by employing eco-friendly gardening approaches. You will learn strategies for how to make your own garden more resilient to the changes facing all of us.

B02

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Dr. Robert K. Pelant
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Collecting and Preserving Seeds

B03

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Dawn Hawkins
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Greenhouse Growth All Year Long

B04

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Lisa Taylor
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The Basics of Pruning

B05

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Eva Gordon
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Fun with Fungi

B06

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Tricia Heimer
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Camellias

B07

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Afternoon Classes C
Afternoon Focused Classes C
 Afternoon Focused  Classes C
Craig Cogger
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C01

Raised Beds for Home Gardens

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 Afternoon Focused  Classes C
Toni Grove
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C02

Controlling Weeds

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 Afternoon Focused  Classes C
Eric Conn
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C03

Organic Vegetables

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 Afternoon Focused  Classes C
Diana Wisen
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C04

25 Tips for Great Gardening

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 Afternoon Focused  Classes C
Dan Vorhis
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C05

Fruit Trees: Selection and Care

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 Afternoon Focused  Classes C
Karen Chapman
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C06

Deer Resistant Garden Design

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 Afternoon Focused  Classes C
Harvey Brenneise
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Orchids are mostly exotic tropical plants that will often grow well and bloom in modern houses as houseplants. The class will focus on practical issues for making this possible and how they are different from terrestrial (dirt-based) plants. By the end of the class, participants will understand issues of temperature, water, light, fertilizers, growing media and other issues of growing them at home. The class will provide the most benefit for participants with basic knowledge of growing houseplants in traditional media.

C07

Orchids

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 Afternoon Focused  Classes C
Paul Kusche
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Whether you dig and divide or just leave them in the ground for next spring, it is good to learn about dahlias, how to grow and care for them, and the role they play for pollinators. You will learn about the different classifications of dahlias, how each can support your late summer desire for blooms, and also support the pollinators that frequent them. Bring your questions and your enthusiasm so we can have a conversation, but most of all bring your love for the flower that brightens our gardens from August to October.

C08

Dahlias - More Than Just a Pretty Flower

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 Afternoon Focused  Classes C
Mara Grey
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Did you know that you can grow over forty types of drought-tolerant annuals? Plus perennials from over 150 genera, not counting species and varieties? You will receive a list of these plants and learn how to set up your garden, how to push plants to the limit of their drought tolerance, and how to water most effectively.

C09

Drought Resistant Gardening

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 Afternoon Focused  Classes C
Don Krafft
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This class will cover a basic technical description of the composting process and materials, along with the challenges and choices that gardeners face. We will look at how to make compost, including composting input feedstock, where to compost, hot vs. cold composting, trouble-shooting, and using the final composted product. This will be an interactive session with questions and comments welcome throughout the discussion.

The objective of the class is to enhance gardeners’ understanding of the composting processes, challenges, and benefits with a focus on practical considerations for the home composter.

C10

Composting

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Afternoon Classes D
 Afternoon Focused  Classes D
Dr. Robert K. Pelant
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Meadowscaping - Enhancing Lawns and Yards

D01

Learn about locally appropriate native plants and how to incorporate them into your garden or lawn. The discussion will include using bare-root plants, plugs, bulbs/corms, rhizomes, and seed. Examples of varying success and failure will be shared. The style of the class will be free-flowing with questions welcome throughout the presentation.

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Toni Grove
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Herb Garden Design

D02

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Judy Zugish
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Kokedama and Hardy Cyclamen (Hands-on Class)

D03

This class will be taught by Judy Zugish and Carol Anne Ebert.

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Anza Muenchow
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Vegetables: Year-Round Crop Rotations

D04

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Don Ham
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Tool Selection, Use, and Care

D05

Can you imagine gardening without tools? Good tools are your ticket to the garden of your dreams. Learn more about how to select the best tools for yourself and how to properly clean, sharpen, and store them. Good tools pay off in the growth of your garden, the efficient use of your time, energy, and money and in your pleasure while performing even minor garden tasks.

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James Watson
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Backyard Habitat Stewardship

D06

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Tobey Nelson
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Shrubs for Pollinators or Drought Tolerant Plants

D07

How we maintain our gardens has as much influence (or more!) on keeping pollinators around as what we plant in them. As the last class in a series of three, this session will build on the others to help you understand best practices for tending your garden with optimizing pollinator habitat in mind. Tobey will share lots of practical tips for gardens of every level.

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Susie Reynolds
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Rhododendrons and Azaleas in Your Garden

D08

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Jessica Dahl
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Pollinator Panel

D09

Pollinators play a crucial role in our ecosystems, yet many are facing population decline from the pressures of pesticides and habitat loss. The good news is that even a small pollinator garden with the correct elements can make a difference! Learn how to build a framework for attracting a range of pollinators to your landscape through key strategies for designing habitats. Pollinators need food, water, and shelter throughout the seasons and throughout their lifecycles. Native plants are often their preferred choice for both food and shelter. Four often-overlooked native plants that play a key role in supporting native pollinator species in all seasons will be highlighted.

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Deb Mitchell
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Seed Starting (Make and Take)

D10

If you can buy a packet of seeds, you'll get the information to ensure sprouts, but what do you do then? This class will cover all the details that the seed packets don't tell you. You can extend the growing season by starting some plants indoors, though timing is essential. Other seeds are better sowed directly in the garden. Light requirements differ, in that some need light while others prefer to sprout in the dark. Size impacts planting depth. Transplanting must be done carefully to avoid ruining those tender sprouts. Moisture, heat and disease control are also essential to maximize your results. This class will provide practical, logic-based instructions for starting your plants from seed to help you achieve better results.

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Practical Sessions
Practical  Sessions
Friday March 3
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