Art of Gardening
Offered through EICC's Office of Continuing Education, Art of Gardening is one of
our most popular seminars. Hundreds of gardeners and plant enthusiasts flock to the
college each year for the event. Its mission is "to educate and inspire others to
seek enjoyment and fulfillment through a variety of home gardening-related topics
and activities." No matter if you're a seasoned gardener or just starting your journey, we invite individuals of all skill
levels to participate.
Immerse yourself in a variety of engaging topics and activities centered around gardening. Learn from Master Gardeners as they share their knowledge and insights, providing valuable tips and techniques to enhance your gardening skills. From cultivating vibrant flowers to growing your own delicious produce, explore the artistry of gardening and unlock your green thumb potential.
This year’s seminar will be held:
Saturday, March 18, 2023
8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Muscatine Community College
Cost: $50, includes lunch.
Note that some sessions have additional workshop costs.
Schedule
- Registration: 8 - 8:30 a.m.
- Session 1: 8:30 - 9:20 a.m.
- Session 2: 9:30 - 10:20 a.m.
- Vendor and Coffee Break: 10: 25 - 10:55 a.m.
- Session 3: 11 - 11:50 a.m.
- Lunch and Keynote Speaker: 12 - 1:30 p.m.
- Session 4: 1:40 - 2:30 p.m.
- Session 5: 2:40 - 3:30 p.m.
Session Opportunities
- Bird Friendly Gardens and Landscaping
Deb Walser
Choose wisely when planting new landscapes. Whether you are planting one tree or dozens, you can select native trees and fruit trees that provide a habitat for birds all year long. - Container/Bucket Gardening
Erin Parks
Gardens come in all shapes and sizes! Erin Parks, a co-chair of the Muscatine County Fair's Bucket Brigade, will present some tips an dtricks for building your bucket- based garden and provide insight on how to enter your bucket beauties into the Bucket Brigade this summer at the Muscatine County Fair! - Houseplant Propagation
Kathy Haltmeyer
Got a black thumb? Why do all of your houseplants die? Find out what the correct light, water and fertilization needs are for different types of houseplants. Different types of houseplant propagation will be demonstrated. - Cheap Tricks Gardening: 'Cause You Don't Need to Spend a Fortune to be Fabulous
Lisa Hinzman-Howard
We will explore ideas for using flea market finds and found items in unique, beautiful, funky and whimsical ways in the garden throughout the year. - Beautiful Peonies for Every Garden
Wanda Lunn
Choose long-living peonies that bloom early to late fall. - 20/20 Vision for Daylillies in 2023
Keith Riewerts
Overview of the incredible variety of daylillies. Photos and discussion of the many forms and variation that today's hybridizers are exploring. What will grow best in our local climate? What resources are avaiable locally, in CVIDS and online?
- Garden Apps
Brandy Olson
Keep that phone handy!! Learn about apps that will take your gardening up a notch or two. - Controlling Bugs and Pests
Abe Ales
Minimize mosquitos in your yard this summer. Beneficial bugs, not harm! - Raised Bed Gardening
Deb Walser
No space for a garden? You can plant enough vegetables in a 4X4 garden to feed two people for the season or a family of four. Raised beds also help with weed and bug control. - Bee City USA: Promoting Bees in the City
John Koch
Learn how communities are coming together to sustain pollinators by increasing native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing pesticides. Muscatine is looking at becoming a Bee City in the near future! - Make and Take Worm Composting - Additional $5 cost
Lana Artz-McComb
In the United States roughly 150,000 tons of food is thrown away every day.This food waste sits in landfills as it rots away. Learn how to tun your household food waste into usefull and valuable compost. You will take home and know how to care for your own simple worm composting bin. - Bees, Birds, Bats, & Butterflies
Lisa Hinzman-Howard
Discover how you can attract pollinators to your garrden and help them thrive. Supporting pollinators matters!
- Renovating that Overgrown Garden the Kiwality Way
John Kiwala
Tips and tricks for bringing an overgrown, confusing, messy spot in the back to life. Did you inherit a mess? Have you let that spot go to seed? Dreding getting into it? Well then this workshop is for you! - Organic Food Waste
John Koch
Learn about MORC, Muscatine's Organic Recycling Center in a regional initative to repurpose aged food and packaging to create new energy sources. Don't throw the garden veggies away!! - Spring Decorations - Additional $45 cost
Kathy Haltmeyer
Decorate for spring with a door swag or table runner. - The Gardens of England
Lydia Whitman
Take a step into the gardens of England with Lydia Whitman. - Shade Gardening: Hostas and More
Mary Danner
Learn to grow a beautiful garden in shady areas. - How to Grow Siberian, Japanese and Bearded Iris
Wanda Lunn
Accent your garden from April to September with grass, like foliage, and little care. These are not your grandmother's irises!
- Garden Trends 2023
Aaron Steil
Learn the latest trends in gardening from our keynote expert presenter. - Donation Gardening That Blesses Both Giver and Getter
Bonnie Reeb, Terri Hanson, and Lynn Pruitt
Learn about two successful donation gardens in Muscatine. Successes and lessons learned will be presented to encourage others to start their own donation gardening adventure. - Useful Insects in the Garden
Paul Mayes
Learn about the insects that can be helpful in your garden, what they do, and how to benefit from them. - Can You Really Grow That Zone 6 Plant in Our Zone 5 Climate?
Ray Wolf
Learn about the plant hardiness zones and what they really mean. Learn about micro-climates in your yard, and how to fit the right plant in the right location, or modify the local environment to grow a Zone 6 plant in your yard. - Air Plants 101
Samantha Naranjo
Did you know there are houseplants that don’t need soil? Join us to learn everything about airplants! - Incorporating Natural Stone into the Garden
Todd Wiebenga
The use of natural stone can enhance the richness and feel of any garden space.
- Terra Cotta Fountain Make and Take - Additional $45 cost
Deb Walser
Gardens of all sizes can have water features. The relaxing sound of water has a way of attracting us and wildlife to your garden. You will never look at flower pots the same way again. Bring a drill and 1/2 mason bit. - Fairy Garden Make and Take - Additional $45 cost
Mary Wildermuth
Put a little whimsy in your gardening. Limited space and no yard plant yourself a succulent in a fairy pot or planter. Or have a yard and need to fill a space… make yourself a charming little fairy spot. In this session you will create your own fairy garden with succulents in a pot/planter/container!! Includes pot/planter/container, fairy, fairy dust and succulents. - Sustainable Gardening
Ray Wolf
Learn a number of simple and easy practices that you can do to make your garden more sustainable and environmentally and budget friendly. - The Importance of Plant Selection: Right Plant, Right Place
Todd Wiebenga
Selecting the right plant for the right place is both a science and an art. Learn how the pros do it. - Indoor Hemp
Ty Allchin
Learn to grow indoor hemp. - Soil Testing and Amendments
Virgil Schmitt
Explore appropriate soil amendments and soil management practices that will improve soil productivity.
