Purdue Extension is offering a series on gardening that looks at vegetable production practices.
The series, "Home Vegetable Gardens: For the Pleasure of Growing Your Own Produce," will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 19 and 26 and March 5, 12, and 19. The program will be held at the Purdue Extension Office, 202 W Main St., Warsaw, in addition to 15 other sites around Indiana.
Participants also have the option to access the sessions from home via a high-speed internet connection.
Each day will feature a two-hour session that covers a topic important to vegetable growers. The agenda includes:
• Feb. 19 - Session 1: Getting Started in Vegetable Gardening.
• Feb. 26 - Session 2: Starting Early and Fresh Produce Safety.
• March 5 - Session 3: Vegetable Varieties: Cool and Warm Season.
• March 12 - Session 4: Disease Management: Diagnosing Tips and Prevention Tips.
• March 19 - Session 5: Pest Management: Pest Identification and some Organic Controls.
Purdue presenters include Jeff Burbrink, Dr. Dan Egel, Dr. Rick Foster, Rosie Lerner, and Nikky Witkowski.
Nikky Witkowski, educator, Purdue Extension-Lake County, notes this a great program for different levels of growers. “Families really like the idea of growing your own fresh produce. Sizing the gardens right can be a challenge as well as diagnosing what insect or disease likes your vegetables as much as you do. The various experts we have will assist you to be able to identify them and control them,” she said.
The series will speak to those who are looking at getting started in growing. It will also offer a wealth of information for those that have been growing for many years. Among the topics, a look at varieties of vegetables, plus insect and disease issues. The series is also a great reminder about best practices.
Registration is $35 per person for all sessions or $10 per person for an individual session. The fee includes all handouts and resource materials.
For more information regarding program content, available viewing sites or how to register, contact Purdue Extension Kosciusko County office or Kelly Heckaman at 574-372-2340, kheckaman@purdue.edu. A full brochure is available at https://tinyurl.com/2017VegetableGardening
