Poweshiek gardeners to speak at symposium at

NEWTON — Just in time for spring, the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach 2025 Seeds for Thought Garden Symposium will be held Saturday, March 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the DMACC campus in Newton.

This event is a joint effort by the county extension horticulture staff and Master Gardeners from Jasper, Mahaska, Marion and Poweshiek Counties.

This educational event is open to all who are interested and will offer presentations on a variety of gardening topics for gardeners of any experience level.

Gardeners can learn and grow their skills with educational breakout sessions on topics such as annual flowers, lawn management, turf establishment, vermicomposting, native gardens, garden journals, conservation, vegetable gardening, Integrated Pest Management and soil blocking.

Randall Vos, commercial horticulture extension specialist with Iowa State University, is the keynote presenter and will share his expertise on “Extending the Flowering Annual Season.”

Following the keynote, participants will attend three breakout sessions which they will choose during registration for the event.

Adam Thoms will present “Lawncare Management for You” and “Growing the Next Field for Jack Trice Stadium.”

Lydia Dingeman will discuss “Vermicomposting for Your Home,” and Myriam Lafreniere-Landry will present a program called “Create a Native Garden with Ease”

Suzette Striegel’s breakout session is “Garden Journal: Your Most Valuable Tool,” and Adam Janke’s is “Conservation in the Garden.”

Megan Bollhoefer will present “Planning a Vegetable Garden to Feed Your Family” and “IPM and Healthy Soil,” and Cathy Benscoter will present “Be a Blockhead: Ditch Plastic and Grow Healthier Seedlings with Soil Blocking”

The registration fee is $45 and includes the keynote presentation, a variety of breakout sessions and lunch. The registration deadline is March 21.

After March 21, call for availability. If space is available, there will be an additional $15 late fee.

For a registration brochure, which includes descriptions of the session topics, visit ISU Extension and Outreach at the Jasper, Mahaska, Marion or Poweshiek County offices, visit their websites or call ISU Extension and Outreach Jasper County at 641-792-6433.