Written by Master Gardener Volunteer Rebekah Heppner
Master Gardener Volunteers are now serving the southern part of Pinellas County with educational classes and one-on-one assistance. Boyd Hill Nature Preserve requested us, and we were happy to oblige. Every month, on the second Wednesday 9:30-11:30 AM and second Saturday 2-4 PM, master gardener volunteers are on hand in the lobby of Boyd Hill’s Lake Maggiore Environmental Education Center for “Meet a Master Gardener” sessions. They’re happy to share their love of gardening with park visitors and answer questions about how to grow native plants, vegetables and more. Sometimes they even have plants to give away!
Please help us spread the word about this new service—and stop by to see us!
Starting in December, we will also have speakers on timely topics of interest to both experienced and beginning gardeners. These will start at 11:30, right after Meet a Master Gardener, so there will be plenty of experienced gardeners on hand to answer questions.
The first topic will be Florida Vegetable Gardens on December 13. Have you planted yours yet? It’s not too late. Learn the keys to successful vegetable gardening in Florida: preparing and caring for your garden, what to plant when, managing pests and diseases. Master Gardener Trish Burch will also share tips for where to buy locally grown vegetables in season.
Feel free to bring your lunch and, of course, come early or stay after class to take a walk through this beautiful preserve. Both Meet a Master Gardener and the speaker series are free. No advanced registration is required.
Stay tuned for these upcoming topics: Pinellas County Plant Ethnobotany, January 10 and Creating a Pollinator Garden, February 14.
Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and Lake Maggiore Environmental Education Center are located at 1101 Country Club Way South in St. Petersburg. There is plenty of free parking adjacent to the center, which is at the main entrance to the preserve. Please note: although the Master Gardener programs are free, there is a $3 fee if you want to enter the preserve. It’s only $1.50 for children 3-16 and free for children under 3.
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