Garden Talks are offered at the ACUA Environmental Park on Delilah Road in Egg Harbor Township.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – The Atlantic County Utilities Authority and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County will offer free gardening programs to the community. Programs are held at the Geo Administrative Building, 6700 Delilah Road.
Garden Talks will be held 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday of the month unless noted otherwise in the garden, weather permitting, or inside the Geo Building.
2024 Garden Talk Series
Jan. 22: Gardening with Grow Lights – Growing with light in the winter is a great way to keep harvesting fresh veggies and herbs year-round, or to get a jump start on spring from the comfort of your home. Learn about different colors of light, types of plants, and how to get started without spending a lot of money.
Feb. 26: World of Worms –This Garden Talk is great for adults and children. Red wigglers are worms with a job – they eat up to half their body weight every day and in return produce high-quality compost. Worms are cheap and quiet pets and are so much fun to have. Check out different types of worm bins, learn how to care for these special creatures, and of course, load up on tons of wormy fun facts.
March 25: Growing Upward – Increase your produce yields, even in a small space. Trellises, arches, and methods to grow plants vertically are a great solution for even the smallest of backyards. There are so many climbing vegetables, flowers, and other plants that can’t wait to grow up.
April 22: Companion Planting – Plant the right plants next to one another to maximize the produce yield, pollinator interest, and protection from pests. Whether the relationship is one-sided or mutually beneficial, learn about types of plants that make garden bed neighbors, and the types of plants that prefer to grow with a little more space apart.
*May 20: Living Fences that Protect Your Garden – Stop winds, pests, or even maintain a little privacy with a living fence. This is a natural way to not only shelter your garden, but add some seasonal interest with blooms, year-round greenery, or even some shade when it’s hot.
June 24: Make Seed Bombs – This is another family friendly Garden Talk that is great for all ages. Roll up your sleeves and make a seed bomb. These biodegradable balls of seeds are an easy and fun way to plant wildflowers and other types of plants in your backyard. As the ball decomposes, it nourishes the seeds, helping them grow strong all season long.
July 22: Harvesting Crops Without Damaging Plants –After you pick, pinch, pull, dig, snip, snap, cut, your plants may need to recover. Learn how to harvest your yields in a way that keeps your plants content and continuing to produce all season long.
Aug. 26: Planting Herbs and other Cool Season Plants –Although the end of summer may be approaching, it doesn’t mean an end to gardening. There’s another whole season ahead of us. Now is the time to prepare and plant for fall crops like herbs, greens, and even flowers.
Sept. 23: Saving and Starting Open Pollinated Seeds –Seeds that are “open pollinated” produce new plants that are just like their parents. This is great because gardeners can harvest their own seeds to grow plants the next year, then again, then again, and again. However, not all types of plants make great candidates for seed saving. Learn how to successfully save seeds in your garden to share with your friends and plant again in the future.
Oct. 28: Foraging –South Jersey is full of wonderful, wild edibles, if you know where (and how) to look. Learn how to safely get started by finding and identifying tasty plants in the forest, and even your own lawn. Foraged food is such a special treat, but location is key – there are a lot of safety measures to keep in mind when deciding to find your own food.
Nov. 25: Recycle Your Pumpkin into a Living Centerpiece – Bring your own pumpkin. Cut the top off your Halloween pumpkin and scoop out the pulp. Bring the prepared pumpkin along to this Garden Talk and we’ll provide supplies and walk you through how to turn it into a beautiful living centerpiece just in time for Thanksgiving.
*Dec. 16: Winter Sowing – Start your garden early by planting seeds in the winter. Learn techniques to make this project a success and get a good jump start on the growing season. Your plants will be so big and beautiful early on.
Register in advance at https://www.acua.com/forms/Garden-Talk-Registration-Form.aspx
For more, email ar@acua.com or call 609-272-6950.
