August - Seed saving, Composting, Ponds, Shade and Vertical Gardening

Apr 6

August 2nd - Kids Day with Oak Springs Garden Foundation Seed Saving & Preserving your harvest

Seed saving basics: https://extension.psu.edu/seed-saving-basics

Preserving your harvest: https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/harvesting-and-storing-home-garden-vegetables

August 16th - Composting

Make Compost Out of Yard Waste: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/426/426-703/SPES-393.pdf

Using Compost in the Landscape: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wie2rMqnECkQQ85R4KgJOAEEFRVEtXn4/view?usp=sharing

August 16th - Ponds

Pond maintenance and plant selection: https://forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/content/dam/forestupdate_frec_vt_edu/resources/presentations/WoodsandWildlife2013/ponds.pdf

Fauquier and Rappahannock Master Gardener Pond Assessment Program: https://www.mgfrc.org/pond

August 16th Bonus - Saturdays in the Garden - Drought & Wildfire Preparedness

Join guest speaker Michael Guditus, Fauquier County Emergency Manager, for an afternoon filled with essential insights. He will share how Fauquier County assesses drought severity and provide tips for managing water consumption during dry spells. From proper landscaping techniques to emergency preparedness planning, you’ll leave equipped with the tools to tackle challenges head-on. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to protect what matters most and strengthen your community’s resilience! Here is a link to a Virginia Cooperative extension on lawn management during heat and drought: https://ext.vt.edu/lawn-garden/turfandgardentips/tips/lawn-managment-during-drought.html

August 21st Bonus - Twilight Talk - All About the "Spuds"

Come join us for this Twilight Talk and farm field trip, presented by Rick Crofford, owner of Berry Simple Farm. He will share his experiences on his part-time farming lifestyle, and particularly how to grow potatoes, incorporating integrative pest management practices. He will also discuss extending the growing season by using hoop houses. Here is a Va Tech publication about potatoes: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/SPES/spes-685/SPES-685.html