Think Spring! Rutgers’ Home Gardeners School to Help Green Thumbs Cultivate Lush Landscapes

If you’re a gardener, it’s never too soon to think spring.

For anyone with a passion for making things grow and bloom, the Rutgers NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education (OCPE) will offer its 37th Annual Home Gardeners School, Saturday, March 23, at Hickman Hall on the Douglass Campus in New Brunswick. Coffee/tea and registration begin at 8 a.m. and workshops will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Featuring 35 workshops covering a variety of topics related to gardening and landscaping, the program gives both novice and experienced home gardeners an opportunity to receive expert instruction, learn new horticulture skills, and connect with others who share their interests.

This full-day event will feature speakers from OCPE’s commercial horticulture and landscape- design programs, along with Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) and School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) faculty and staff. These highly energetic and knowledgeable speakers will share their gardening wisdom and give attendees practical information that can be used to enhance existing gardening practices or implement new techniques. Students will leave with the know-how to prepare their gardens for the spring and beyond.

The 35 gardening workshops cover a wide range of topics, including composting, irrigation, lawn care, tree care, beekeeping, and pruning techniques. Some workshops include hands-on activities, such as building a water garden, creating a terrarium or learning the art of fresh flower arranging.

This year’s Home Gardeners School also includes 16 new workshops covering topics ranging from gardening using social media to bird-friendly landscapes to shade-loving plants. Attendees can create their own schedules by selecting the workshops that are most relevant to their gardening interests for a truly exciting day of learning!

All participants will have an opportunity to attend the one-hour keynote lunch presentation at noon, “Where Have All the Stinkbugs Gone?” featuring Dr. George Hamilton, Rutgers University Extension Specialist in Pest Management and stinkbug expert.

The fee to attend the Home Gardeners School is $60 on or before March 10, or $75 after that date. Registration for graduates of Rutgers’ Master Gardeners program is $55.

Register for Home Gardeners School online or by calling 732-932-9271. Participants may purchase an optional boxed lunch for $10 or bring their own. Space is limited and admission to workshops will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so participants are encouraged to register early.