Watauga Extension will once again hold a Seed and Plant Swap as well as Educational Classes. on Sunday March 2rd, beginning at 1:30 Registration and details here Classes start at 1:30 and Seed Swap begins at 4:00 after the classes.  Please register so we can make sure we have planned properly for the number of attendees.  Bring seeds and plants, divisions, cuttings, bulbs, gardening items you no longer want.  But please come even if you don't have anything to give away, we want to help you get started in gardening!  There will be door prizes drawings for unique  plants.

Event Schedule:

You may arrive early before the class if you want to bring any donations inside when you come for the class.

1 :30-2:30 Successful Seed Starting: Learn what is required for successfully starting seeds both indoors and out. Learn which vegetables grow well directly sown in the garden and which are better started indoors. Gain knowledge about selecting containers, soils, and lighting for indoor seed starting.

2 :40-3:40: Pruning a Young Apple Tree: The first 5 years of growing your apple tree are the most important in terms of proper pruning and training for future success. Learn how to train your tree to the central leader system. Gain confidence to cut the leader to encourage lateral branching. Learn to select scaffold branches and set them at the proper angle for greatest strength. See pruning examples on trees in the Extension Educational Garden.

or

2:40-3:40: Grape Pruning : Learn the basic principles of pruning grapes with Richard Boylan, Small Farm and Specialty Crop Agent. Participants will then go into the educational garden while Richard prunes grape vines in our Extension Educational Garden.

4:00 Seed / Plant Swap will open for everyone (While you may attend just the plant swap, the room will not open until after the classes are over)

New this Year:

• Bring your hand pruners and loppers to our tool sharpening table where we will teach you how to sharpen your tools
• Seed library table
• Perennial plant division demo and plant giveaway
• Special plant raffles
• This year we are also asking participants to bring any unwanted items related to gardening. Pots, tools, supplies. This area will be outdoors in the parking lot near the dumpster for easy dropoiff. Anything left there will be donated, recycled, or thrown away.

How the seed and plant swap will work:

• The idea is to share plants and seeds with each other, and to help those who are new to gardening acquire seeds and plants to get started.
• Bring in seeds left from last year, seeds you ordered this year that you have too many of, seeds you collected from you garden or the wild
• Bring plants that can be divided (or are already divided), cuttings, live stakes, scion wood, houseplants, bulbs, rhizomes, any part that can be shared
• We will have envelopes, zip locks, bags and such to carry things home in as well as tape and pens for labelling. Feel free to bring anything with you that will help in taking home material
• If it is not obvious what the seed, plant, or plant part you are sharing does or looks like please write a description or bring a picture of it.

• You can also drop off any items the day before (Saturday Apr. 6) from 2:00-4:00 while we are setting up.