Desert Garden Institute
Learn the Tips, Techniques and Tricks to Make the Most of Your Time and Money in the Garden and Landscape
The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Maricopa County Master Gardeners are pleased to announce their Desert Garden Institute series of classes. This year-long program of ten classes teach you the tips, techniques, and tricks to make the most out of your time in your garden and landscape. Based on research from the University of Arizona, the Maricopa County Master Gardeners can help you reduce your use of water, pesticides, fertilizers, and time as well as minimize green waste and water contamination. In addition, they maximize food production and create energy savings by using appropriate shade trees and landscape plantings. These practices result in healthy plants, healthy people, and a healthy environment.
Classes are taught at the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County office at 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon. The cost of the class is $25. You can either print and submit the form in the brochure or pay on-line with a credit card. We are pleased to provide the following sessions:
January 16, 2010
Backyard Chickens for Your Garden
Instructor: Carolyn Hills
Learn everything you need to know to incorporate chickens into your backyard garden. Kitchen scraps and garden leftovers, recycled through your hens, become useful eggs for your family and manure for your garden. This comprehensive class teaches how to properly care for your hens through their entire life cycle, including recommended breeds, city codes, coop design, basic tools and equipment, feeding guidelines, and how to help them through our super hot, low desert summers.February 20, 2010
Permaculture
Instructor: Doreen Pollack
This introductory course into Permaculture will demystify the term and reveal the key to creating ecological systems. Think edible gardens, rainwater harvesting, composting, backyard fruit tree orchards, natural pest and weed control. This session will also show you how to begin to observe your property to identify what you can do to create a more sustainable environment. Come learn how to replicate nature and reduce the use of outside resources, time and money!February 27, 2010
Landscape Design
Instructor: John Minnet
Ready to overhaul, bulldoze, dig up and start over? Before you do, come learn the basics of converting your old landscape into a beautiful new outdoor space. Learn the benefits of site assessment and mapping techniques. Bring your drawings, pictures and ideas to this educational, hands-on workshop.April 17, 2010
Container Gardening
Instructor: Cherie Czaplicki
You can get big results in small spaces. Cherie will share her secrets for growing a fabulous container garden in any season. Learn the tricks of plant selection and enjoy beautiful year round color.April 24, 2010
Citrus
Instructor: James Truman
This class will cover most aspects of backyard citrus growing: varieties; selection; planting; watering; fertilizing; pruning; grafting; diseases; insects; pests; and frost protection.September 18, 2010
Vegetable Gardening in the Low Desert
Instructor: Pam Perry
If you have four square feet, 40 square feet, or 40 acres, you can grow and harvest fresh vegetables for you and your family! This class offers basic steps and resources available for gardeners who wish to harvest something fresh, nutritious and home-grown every month of the year. This class will cover soil basics, seasons for planting, irrigation, pest management, and resources available to home gardeners interested in vegetable gardening. People have been gardening in the Valley for over 1000 years - join them!September 25, 2010
Wildflowers
Instructor: Judy Curtis
Would you like to recreate the beautiful wildflower landscapes you see on the hillsides? You can! Let us show you how, where, and when to plant for a glorious show next Spring. With instruction and generous Spring rains, you will enjoy beautiful blooms and plenty of color.October 2, 2010
Fall Herb Gardening
Instructor: Carolyn Hills
Fall is our premier herb planting season in the Low Desert. Learn how to prepare your soil, how to plant and where to place your herb plants, which varieties do best in our climate, and how to care for herbs in your desert landscape.October 16, 2010
Aloes, Agaves and Cactus
Instructor: Michelle Anderson
These amazing drought tolerant plants thrive in our Sonoran desert, giving us dramatic sculpture, color, and intrigue. Learn the difference between aloes and agaves, how to live with them, care for them, and tricks to keep from getting “stabbed” when working around them. The flowers are spectacular, and some even open at night, for a stunning nighttime display. These unique plants can be lots of fun to incorporate in your landscape design, not to mention they are low maintenance, and the results can be dramatic. We will discuss the use of various colors, textures and shapes to create eye-popping combinations in your yard. These same plants do remarkably well in patio pots, requiring minimal water and maintenance. We will also discuss easy ways to add irrigation to pots for carefree convenience.November 6, 2010
The Nature of Design
Instructor: Jo Miller
Learn how to design or renovate your landscape by working with natural systems to grow edibles, attract wildlife, or simply maintain healthy plants. Jo will give you the basics on designing for water and energy efficiency. Find out how an earth-friendly design can reduce your energy and water bill and how you can direct 7,000 gallons of rain water to your plants each year.
The Mission of the Maricopa County Master Gardener Program is to teach people to select, place and care for plants in an environmentally responsible manner based on research specific to the low desert.
Persons with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting 602-827-8200 and pressing 311. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.
