2019 Sierra Mountain Gardening Spring Classes and Workshops.
Educated and experienced botanists, arborists, plant-lovers and garden professionals share their knowledge and understanding to help your mountain gardens succeed.
The folks at Villager Nursery have decades of personal and vicarious mountain and high Sierra gardening experiences to share. “We’ve killed thousands of plants in our own gardens so that our clients won’t have to”. Before beginning your own experiments in creating Mountain Gardens, learn from the many trials and triumphs of others.
MOST Seminars are held in the nursery @ Villager Nursery, 10678 Donner Pass Road, Truckee. Pre-registration is requested and drop-ins are welcome. We like to have an idea of the number of attendees for class hand-outs or samples. Most classes are still free of charge. Some workshops occasionally have materials fees. Registration isrequested for workshops.
Since classes are outdoors behind the shop, we may cancel or re-schedule if the weather is unbearable. Dress warmly and please bring loads of questions, pictures, ideas (and samples of plants for identification etc.. after each class). The setting is informal and we would’t keep doing it if we didn’t have fun. We have benches to sit on but you are welcome to bring your own folding chair.
We post classes on Facebook and in our e-mails or check villagernursery.com for more info.
April 28 – Sunday, 10:30-11:30 am: Spring Garden Resurrection. Every winter throws it’s darts. If it’s not the apocalyptic ravages of Sierra cement or mad rogue plow drivers, it’s mid-winter freeze-drying and voracious mammals. There is much that can be done to salvage wrecked plants. We’ll discuss pruning, protections, preventions, fertilizers, nuts, bolts, splints, stakes and masking tape for woody trees and shrubs. Often lawns and groundcovers only need a little TLC to revive with vigor. You have our sympathy and understanding, some plants in some gardens somewhere, suffer every winter.
May 5 – Sunday, 10:30-11:30 am: Spring Organic Garden and Landscaping Tips– “Dirt First!” Rob and Eric will cover the basics of sustainable gardening. Topics will include soils, soil biology, cultural practices, pest prevention, and natural pest control. We’ll discuss native and drought tolerant plants. We will also cover organic potting soils, bio-active fertilizers, natural soil amendments and of course… MULCH. These two have degrees and advanced study in Botany, Plant Physiology, Ecology, Entomology, Mycology, Microbiology, IPM, Organic Chemistry, Horticulture and much more. Along with native and plants and drought tolerant landscaping, organic landscaping has been a Villager mission since the mid 1980’s.
May 11-12 – Remember your Mother* (AND the Mother of your children) – Have the kids plant up an herb or cut-flower garden or fill a planter box with her favorite color flowers (and bring her to the free planting days at month’s end). Remember to water well and clean-up after yourselves.*(and don’t forget Mother Nature nor Mother Earth)
May 19 – Sunday, 10:30-11:30 am: Growing Edible Plants in your Mountain Garden and on your deck, aka: Organic Veggies, Herbs and Berries in Truckee – Growing some vegetables can be a little challenging in this climate but we, along with hundreds of friends and clients, have wonderful, productive gardens every year. Come away from the class with simple tips, techniques and ideas for a successful cold-climate vegetable gardens. We have specialty tomatoes and grafted selections grown for us in several sizes and Villager nursery has all the organic seeds, soils and nutrients available. H/O
May 31th & June 1 – Friday & Saturday, 10am – 2pm – 11th Annual Free Planting Days – Free Planting sponsored by Kellogg Garden Products – You buy the plants and pots(or bring up to 3 pots from home). We are THRILLED to have Eileen, who with our help, will plant them up FOR you using premium Master Nursery Gardener’s Gold and G&P potting soils and bio-active, organic G&B (Gardner&Bloome) Fertilizers. Come join the fun and create colorful baskets and planters – To be fair to everyone, PLEASE, no more than 3 pots with maximum pot size 18” in diameter (at the tip). And please, no window boxes or barrels. FYI: Sunrise: 5:37am, Sunset: 8:20pm today, make the most of it.
June 9 – Sunday, 10:30-12:30 am: Container Flowers, Pots and Hanging Baskets Workshop – This is a hands-in-the-soil workshop. Bring gloves and your own container (or purchase one here). Use our finest potting soil, fertilizer and water-holding gel. With an eclectic selection of scintillating plant materials we will help you arrange and create your own unique, living showpiece. A small fee ($30) is applied toward your materials and your choices of plants or pots. Space is limited – please pre-register at 587-0771 – Class is limited to 12. (We have not offered this workshop since 2015. Unfortunately someone found the ancient calendar buried on our old website and was really disappointed so we revived this fun gathering.)