Iowa County Master Gardeners host workshops, plant sale, summer camps

The Iowa County Master Gardeners have a full slate of activities planned to educate and assist gardening enthusiasts as they step into a new growing season.

The Master Gardeners’ annual plant sale will be held Friday, May 12, from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturday, May 13, from 9 a.m. to noon at Zentmire Hall at the Iowa County Fairgrounds, Marengo. Note the change of location from last year’s sale.

The event will offer a variety of locally grown vegetables including 44 varieties of tomatoes, 21 varieties of peppers, 13 herbs and much more. There will be lilies, annual flowers, mosquito dunks, tree seedlings and rain barrels also available for purchase.

Master Gardeners will be in attendance with educational information and materials and will available for any gardening questions you may have. Organizers note they can only accept cash and checks for this event.

Workshops

The Master Gardeners are teaming with Iowa County libraries to present a series of gardening workshops. Dates and topics are:

April 19, 1 p.m., transplanting houseplants, Marengo Library

April 22, 2 p.m., fruit tree guilds, Williamsburg Library

April 24, 6:30 p.m., native tree selection, Victor Library

May 10, 7 p.m., straw bale gardening, Williamsburg Library

May 15, 6:30 p.m., rain barrels and rain gardens, Victor Library

May 20, 11 a.m., “Digging in the Dirt,” Williamsburg Library. Space is limited for this event. Preregistration is required at the circulation desk.

Kids’ garden day camps

The Iowa County Master Gardeners and Iowa County Conservation will join forces this summer for a three-part series of garden day camps for children. Each day camp will be held at Lake Iowa Park and will have different topics with hands-on activities for kids to learn about gardening.

Participants will receive kits with supplies to take home and continue what they have learned by gardening at home.

Dates and topics are: June 6, 9 to 11 a.m., “Plant It!”; July 11, 9 to 11 a.m., “Care for It!” and Aug. 8, 9 to 11 a.m., “Harvest and Eat It!”

Iowa County Transportation will provide free rides to and from Lake Iowa Park. Transport is open to the public; see event online for more details.

Preregistration is required online at https://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Iowa/Events.aspx

Email Mary Bulger, mbulger@iowacounty.iowa.gove for more information.

Seed libraries

The Iowa County Master Gardeners remind gardeners “seed libraries” are available at the Williamsburg Public Library and, new this spring, the Marengo Public Library. A large selection of vegetable seeds and a limited number of flower seeds are available. Many are from seed dealers while others have been harvested from local gardens.

Comments: Melinda.Wichmann@southeastiowaunion.com