Seed Starting Class

 

Starting your own seeds has many benefits: gives you independence and a sense of self-reliance, allows you to try varieties not easily found locally, gives you more flexibility with planting dates (like getting those tomatoes out extra-early) and saves you money.  If you've ever wanted to learn how, you would have had you been at the Spicewood Pea Patch's Seed Starting Class yesterday.

It was a beautiful day for a seed starting class ~ breezy, overcast and cool.  Ten people (and two dogs!) gathered to hear Linda talk about all aspects of starting seeds.  She started by telling how a seed is a living thing, then explained exactly what hybrid, open pollinated, heirloom and GMO seeds are.  She touched on how to save seeds as well, but the main subject was how to start those seeds indoors. 

Two of Linda's dogs, BJ and Nellie, enjoy the class.

Linda talked for over an hour about soilless mediums, sowing containers, planting dates, adequate lighting, bottom watering, germination temperatures and what to feed those babies when they finally start growing up.  She explained how you could really can start seeds on a budget using butter tubs, get fancy and use handmade newspaper pots she showed how to make, or get fancier still and buy any of a number of commercially available seed starting trays.  She talked about problems and how to remedy them, and ended the class by touching on how to save seeds and generally propagate garden plants.

If you're interested in learning about starting your own seeds, this class will be repeated next year.  Just contact Linda to get on the Pea Patch email list and she'll make sure you hear about upcoming classes.   

Press Release: (Feb. Class) From Seed to Fork: A Seed-Starting Class with Linda Wall

Get a jump start on the Spring gardening season and save money by learning to grow your own vegetables and flowers from seed with gardening expert Linda Wall. Linda, who grew up on a farm and is currently working at the Natural Gardener in Austin, will demonstrate how to start your own plants from seed, saving you money and allowing you to grow heirloom and hard-to-find varieties of veggies and flowers. "Seed starting doesn't just save you money," Linda says. "It lets you get started earlier, gives you access to varieties of plants you won't find in the nurseries, and is just plain fun!" The class will be held on February 26 at 2pm in the Pea Patch behind the Spicewood Library, 1011 Spur 191 (next door to the Spicewood Elementary). A suggested donation of of $10.00 will go to support the Pea Patch, the Spicewood Library's community Organic Teaching Garden. Space is limited, so sign-up now! Contact Linda at: 830-220-0320 lindawall@gmail.com or visit: spicewoodlibrary.org.

Spicewood Library's Fruit Tree Class a Success!

Under a bright blue sky on a mild winter day, the Spicewood Library's Pea Patch held an outdoor class on the selection planting and care of fruit trees, berries, grape vines and more. Class members filed into the Pea Patch and sat at folding tables and on wooden benches, eager to learn how to select, plant and care for fruiting trees and plants.

Ably presented by the very knowledgeable and engaging gardening expert Linda Wall, the class consisted of beginner and experienced alike. The eleven class attendees received instruction on planting and selection, an explanation of chill hours and why they are important, and handouts on the best varieties of fruits, nuts, grapes and brambles for the Spicewood area. Linda also demonstrated various pruning techniques, answered questions from the attendees, and as a bonus, class members could select from several types of fig tree cuttings to take home with them. "Even though I have had fruit trees for many years, I learned a lot from this class," said attendee Kelly Baty.

This successful class, with 11 people in attendance, was the first in a year-long series of Organic Gardening classes to be held each month at the Spicewood Library Pea Patch. Future class subjects will include basic organic gardening, seed saving, and preserving the harvest. The Pea Patch is an organic teaching garden where the public is invited to learn how to grow their own food organically and sustainably. Organizers expect it to grow from the current fenced patch of wide-row planting beds to a full-fledged demonstration garden with a greenhouse, cold frames, herb garden, grape arbor, raised beds and more. If you would like to donate materials, money or time to help them reach this goal, please contact Linda at the email address or phone number below.

The next class will be "Seed Starting: From Seed to Fork" on Saturday, February 26, at 2pm. Linda Wall, who grew up on a farm and is currently working at the Natural Gardener in Austin, will demonstrate how to start your own plants from seed, saving you money and allowing you to grow heirloom and hard-to-find varieties of veggies and flowers. "Seed starting doesn't just save you money," Linda says. "It lets you get started earlier, gives you access to varieties of plants you won't find in the nurseries, and is just plain fun!" A suggested donation of of $10.00 will go to support the Pea Patch, the Spicewood Library's community Organic Teaching Garden. Space is limited, so sign-up now! Contact Linda at: 830-220-0320 lindawall@gmail.com or visit: spicewoodlibrary.org.