Look for free gardening tip sheets, presentations, activities and Extension Master Gardener program information at the Escanaba Kiwanis Home and Garden Show, April 8-10, 2022.
Although snow has recently blanketed the Upper Peninsula, gardeners can still think spring by planning to attend this year’s Escanaba Kiwanis Home and Garden show on April 8-10, 2022. Michigan State University Extension will again be providing its educational gardening booth featuring Smart Gardening resources, presentations and activities. Extension Master Gardeners and MSU Extension consumer horticulture and nutrition staff will be available throughout the show to assist gardeners.
Held in the Ruth Butler Building on the Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds, 2401 12th Ave N, Escanaba, MI 49829, show times are Friday, April 8, from 5 a.m.-8 p.m. EST, Saturday, April 9, from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. EST and Sunday, April 10, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. EST. Entry to the home and garden show is free. Help support the Escanaba Kiwanis by purchasing tickets for their pancake feed.
Look for MSU Extension’s booth where Smart Gardening will be the focus. Earth-friendly sustainable practices that save gardeners time, money and effort throughout their gardening experience are at the heart of the effort. Research-based messages and resources such “Don’t guess, soil test,” “Right plant, right place” and “Mow high for weed and grub control” help gardeners find quicker success. Smart Gardening for Shorelines, Smart Gardening for Pollinators and Smart Gardening to Prevent Oak Wilt are some newer topics for show goers. Many Extension Master Gardeners trained in Smart Gardening outreach will be on-hand to assist show goers with these gardening tips and resources.
Over 30 free Smart Gardening tip sheets will be on-hand to take, as well as bookmarks highlighting MSU Extension’s toll-free Lawn and Garden hotline at 1-888-678-3464 and the Ask Extension online question resource.
MSU Extension will be providing free presentations. Here is the presentation schedule.
2022 Escanaba Kiwanis Home & Garden Show Smart Gardening presentation schedule
Friday, April 8
5:30 – 6 p.m. — Priority Invasive Species in the Central Upper Peninsula, Elise Desjarlais, coordinator of the Lake to Lake Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area
6:30 – 7 p.m. — Preparing for Food Preservation – pressure canner lid testing, jar prep, and lots more, Stephanie Ostrenga-Sprague, MSU Extension educator
Saturday, April 9
9 – 9:45 a.m. — What are beneficial insects and how do I invite them to my garden? Dianna Lawson, Extension Master Gardener trainee
10:15 – 11 a.m. — Small Space Vegetable Gardening, Rebecca Krans, MSU Extension Consumer Horticulture Educator
12:15 – 1 p.m. — Escanaba Community Garden, What’s going on there? How to become a member? Rebecca Krans, MSU Extension, and Extension Master Gardener trainees Dianna Lawson and Harold Worden
2:15 – 3 p.m. — Bee Facts, Bernie Driggs, beekeeper for over 40 years, 2019 Beekeeper of the Year Award from Michigan Beekeeper’s Association
3 – 3:45 p.m. — Horticultural Mysteries – Have you have ever been on a walk around your neighborhood or yard, looked at a tree branch or leaf, seen something strange and thought: “What is that?!”, Amalia Anderson, Extension Master Gardener
Sunday, April 10
9:30 – 10:15 a.m. — Small Space Vegetable Gardening, Rebecca Krans, MSU Extension consumer horticulture educator
11:30 – 12:15 p.m. — How to prune your apple tree, Rebecca Krans, MSU Extension consumer horticulture educator
Extension Master Gardeners and trainees will be available to assist children and families to learn more about ladybugs while creating a make-and-take ladybug feeder. The first 100 visitors to the MSU Extension booth will receive these. Information will also be on display featuring Upper Peninsula Extension Master Gardener volunteer projects so that the public can see and learn more about how Extension Master Gardeners give back to their communities via educational gardening projects.
If you are interested in a future Extension Master Gardener training course, see upcoming Extension Master Gardener trainings.
Did you find this article useful?