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The Green Thumb Gardening class series will give you the practical knowledge to keep your home garden thriving! Dane County Extension educator Lisa Johnson will provide in-depth and accessible information for everyone from the novice to the experienced gardener. Most classes are Thursdays 5:30 – 7:30 pm; two classes are on Tuesdays. Register for the complete class series at a discounted price ($70.00) or individual classes ($12.00) according to your interests. Full descriptions for individual classes are available on the Register page. All classes are held live and online.

September 26 – Great Ornamental Grasses
There are many beautiful species from tall to small, clumping and sod-forming to choose from that you can grow in a variety of situations, from shade to sun. We will cover native and non-native species and cultivars, planting, propagation, and maintenance.

October 3 – Fall Fireworks: Plants for Fall Color
People tend to think about maple trees when they think about fall color, and beautiful maples certainly abound. But there are many other woody species, trees and shrubs both that also provide plenty of fall interest. Tree and shrub diversity is important in a healthy, resilient landscape, so while we will talk about maples, we will cover other great species as well.

October 8 (Tuesday) – Fall Bulbs for Spring-Blooming Flowers
This talk goes beyond tulips and daffodils (although they are covered as well) and focuses on perennial bulb and corm species that don’t get as much attention but are stellar garden plants, such as crocus, Puschkinia, chionodoxa and alliums. We will also discuss bulbs for sun and shade situations, deterring critters that eat bulbs, and general bulb care.

October 17 – Getting the Garden Ready for Winter
Gardeners love summer. But as the old saying goes, “all good things must come to an end,” so too does the gardening season come to an end.  You may ask yourself, “Now what should I do?” Should I rake the leaves or leave them on the yard? Should I aerate or thatch the lawn before winter? How should I protect my shrubs and new trees from winter wildlife? All these questions and more will be answered in this presentation.

October 24 – Gardening with Climate Change in Mind: Trends, Challenges, and Adaptations
Are you have trouble with adapting your gardening to unpredictable weather patterns that are a hallmark of climate change? This first part of this presentation reviews the interconnected causes of climate change, patterns we are observing now, and projected climatic trends for the upcoming few decades. The second part includes a number of place-based suggestions for strategies and techniques to make personal landscapes more resilient to predicted weather trends and to shrink your carbon footprint in the garden. Many small actions of gardeners as a group can help with solutions for climate change effects.

October 29 (Tuesday) – Shady Characters: Great Perennials for Shade
Learn about how to select perennials for your garden as well as general care, propagation and maintenance. Find out about herbaceous perennial plants (native and non-native) that will thrive in light, medium, and deep shade. We will also discuss plants that tolerate dry shade and wet shade.

November 7 – Soils, Composting, and Fertilizers
Good soils are vital to growing healthy plants. This class will review physical and chemical structure of soils, pH, organic matter and techniques for improving the soil you have. We will also cover soil testing and test results and address selecting fertilizer products (both organic and traditional,) reading labels and calculating application rates.

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You can register for classes as a package for a slight discount, or choose selected classes for a slightly higher cost. In cases of financial need, a limited number of scholarships are available. Contact Lisa Johnson at Johnson.lisa@danecounty.gov for more information.