Gardening

Come and learn how to construct, set up, and maintain a worm bin to compost kitchen vegetable waste in order to recycle it as plant food. Join Jock Robie as he discusses the harvesting of worm castings and vermicompost for gardening and houseplants as well as “worm tea”!  Each student will set up their own worm bin with worms to take home. All materials and worms are supplied at no extra charge. Jock Robie has over eight years of practical experience designing, building, and using worm bins to compost kitchen waste. He feeds his 40 worm bins close to 35 pounds per week of kitchen scraps. Visit Jock’s blog at mainelywormbins.blogspot.com for more information about worm composting.  Limit 10 students

Composting is the most practical and convenient way to handle your yard wastes. It can be easier and cheaper than bagging these wastes or taking them to the landfill or transfer station. Compost also improves your soil and the plants growing in it. If you have a garden, a lawn, trees, shrubs or even planter boxes, you have a use for compost. UMaine Extension Horticulturist Kate Garland will go over the best practices for setting up a successful backyard compost system and help troubleshoot issues with existing compost systems.

Have you always wanted to know how to store your vegetables safely all winter long? Learn about planning, constructing ands maintaining root cellars for winter food storage in your home.

This workshop will review the proper techniques to create a successful raspberry and blueberry planting in your yardm including varieties, planting, fertilizing, pruning and pest management.

This will be a free session for any interested alumni and new students. The instructor will inspect worm bins, demonstrate and assist with harvesting, and answer any questions.  The instructor will bring six harvest kits for alumni to use harvesting their own worm bins. Attendance at the Composting for beginners class is required to qualify for this free class