Advice To Grow By Workshop -Winter Chores and Tool Maintenance
By Andrea Peck Master Gardener
As winter sinks her icy claws into our coastal landscape, you may be wondering how to keep your garden at its holiday best. This month’s Advice to Grow By workshop addresses your winter garden concerns. Tool maintenance will be demonstrated as a bonus. The workshop, put on by the University of California Master Gardeners, will be held on Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Garden of the Seven Sisters, located at 2156 Sierra Way, San Luis Obispo. Bring a comfortable chair, a notepad and be prepared to take notes.
Did you lose a plant last year to frost? There are many ways to protect plants from freezing weather. The Master Gardeners can show you tried and true methods, plus answer your questions on this topic. Interested in saving on your water bill? Find out how to get the most out of the rainy season. Winter is the time to alter water schedules and adjust irrigation systems. As you look around your garden, you may be disturbed by plants that look dead. Before putting up a “for rent” sign on those empty garden spaces, learn about dormant plant care. Did you know plants love to be kept warm with a blanket of mulch? Mulch also keeps erosion at bay and retains moisture. Winter is a great time to prune. Come and find out which plants and trees appreciate a good winter thinning. Learn how to keep the garden in tip-top shape to discourage pests and decrease the spread of disease.
Tools, often neglected, or used and replaced without a second thought, will get their day of pampering at this workshop. Come and learn how to sharpen and clean those steady workers. You’ll go home with a new appreciation of those “extensions of your arm.” Maybe you’ll even learn about a new tool or two to add to your quiver.
Get the most out of the workshop. Wear comfortable clothing and sunscreen and please park in the lot adjacent to the demonstration garden. Most of all, enjoy!