Let?s get started gardening

Starting annual flowers and vegetables at home can be fun and offers several advantages. Gardeners can select specific varieties, enjoy vegetables and blooming annuals earlier in the growing season and also reduce environmental hazards that can occur when seeds are sown directly in the garden.

On Saturday, Feb. 14, from 9 to 11 a.m., Washington County Master Gardener Dianne Nelson will lead a free program on starting garden transplants at home. The program will be held at the Washington County Extension Office.

Information will include selecting seeds, potting mixes, containers, seeding, lighting, transplanting and thinning, seedling care, and moving seedlings to the garden.

Debbie Stanton from the Washington Public Library will also be present to discuss the ?Seed Lending Library.? Seeds may be ?borrowed? from the library at the beginning of the growing season (free of charge), and then a portion of the harvested seeds are returned to the library at the end of the growing season to replenish the stock

Please RSVP to the Washington County Extension by calling 319-653-4811 or e-mail nadrian@iastate.edu .