Bayshore gardening classes start Saturday, Feb. 22
The time has come for Bayshore Garden Center to renew a tradition it has carried on for decades – classes that teach wanna-be gardeners to grow their own plants.
Beginning next Saturday for the next four Saturdays, classes will focus on how to grow and maintain citrus, as well as butterfly gardens; container growing and how to grow roses, even here.
The fun starts at 9 a.m., Feb. 22, with guest speaker Pat DiCampli of Record Buck Farms, who will bring 20 years of experience in the citrus industry.
In this free class, she will share her knowledge of raising and maintaining oranges, grapefruit and other citrus in Southwest Florida, along with ways to treat them to keep them green and healthy.
“Many people love to grow citrus, but don’t know how to take care of it,” said owner Terry Chepy. “It’s good to know how to take care of it, feed it, prune it and keep it healthy from the start.”
One of Bayshore’s most popular features, learning how to grow a butterfly garden, comes on March 1, again free of charge. Guest speaker Kathy Hall will make learning fun with a presentation filled with her knowledge of raising butterflies and the plants that attract them.
On March 8, container gardening is back, and this class includes making your own plants that you can bring home.
For $5 for plants and supplies, you can bring your own container and let Bayshore’s gurus Laurie Farley and Lorene Raynor guide you to make the design of your dreams.
“It’s a new twist on the class. Instead of just teaching, we’re going to have people bring their own pot and let them pot themselves,” Chepy said. “We’ve never done it this way, but it will help people be more involved.”
Finally, one of Bayshore’s most popular free classes, The ABC’s of Gardening with Roses, will be held on March 15.
Ken Ellam, Bayshore Garden Center’s resident manager, will answer questions for the beginner rose garden enthusiast who wants to accept the challenge of raising roses in the sandy environs of Southwest Florida.
The store will also have an abundance of roses on sale that you can take home and put your knowledge to use.
“Roses in Florida are different here than in the north because it needs a different root stock,” Chepy said. “We teach them to prune and fertilize them and keep insects away, so it’s very comprehensive.”
Pre-registrations are requested for the classes. For more, call Bayshore Garden Center at 543-1443.