FREE GARDENING LECTURE SERIES

Thanks to Lenore Friend for this information:

http://fingerlakescommunitycollege.blogspot.com/2011/02/free-gardening-lecture-series-in-geneva.html

Finger Lakes Community College will offer a free gardening lecture series called Ecological Gardening in four evening sessions starting March 15 in room 307 of the Geneva Campus Center, 63 Pulteney St.

Classes will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on the following Tuesdays: March 15, March 29, April 12 and April 26. Entry is free but reservations for one or more of the sessions are requested at (315) 789-6701, Ext. 6000 or 6001.

Jana Lamboy, associate professor of ornamental horticulture at FLCC, will lead the lectures and discussions. Lamboy has a Ph.D. in plant pathology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She retired from the Integrated Pest Management Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension and has taught at FLCC since 2004.

The Ecological Gardening series classes are as follows:

· March 15: Gardening Alongside Deer: Learn about deer resistant plants and other strategies to protect gardens. Topics include plants with fragrances and tastes that deer do not like, barriers, repellents, and other strategies.

· March 29: Composting and Soil Health: Making compost from kitchen garbage and yard waste is easy and saves money. The product is a valuable amendment for gardens, because compost supports the soil ecosystem and stimulates healthy plant growth.

· April 12: Constructing a Rain Garden: Even in an urban neighborhood, we can purify water by creating a special garden in which native plants happily receive a temporary flood with rain water. These gardens make suitable habitat for hummingbirds and beneficial insects.

· April 26: Gardening for Butterflies: This presentation is designed to teach about the requirements of several species of butterflies. To create a butterfly-friendly garden, one must welcome the larvae as well as the adults. The survival strategies of butterflies are very interesting and diverse.