2009 Winter Organic Gardening Series at Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse
Release Date: 12/10/08
Discover the wonderful world of nature! Spark your curiosity and explore the fun & educational offerings fall 2008 at Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse, 3501 N. Kilbourn Ave., the Chicago Park District’s only park with a teaching organic greenhouse. Register online for winter programs @ www.chicagoparkdistrict.com or in-person at the park.
* Growing Micro greens in Your Home
BillShores, Shores Garden Consulting, Inc.
Saturday, January 24
10 AM – Noon
Fee: $20
Micro greens are delicious, nutritious, and space-efficient leafy greens that you can grow at home, whether or not you have a garden! In this class, Bill will demonstrate how to plant micro-green seeds in growing trays. He will also discuss growing, maintenance, and harvesting techniques suited to small indoor or outdoor spaces. BillShores is a professional gardener who has grown specialty greens for more than 10 years and currently manages Chef Rick Bayless’ urban garden.
* The Edible Organic Garden: Spring & Summer Basics
Anna Viertel, ChicagoBotanic Garden
Saturday, January 31
10 AM – Noon
Fee: $20
Are you eager to get the most out of your organic garden? In this class, learn organic principles to help you start strong in spring and reap a robust yield in summer and beyond. Topics to be covered include the care and feeding of soil, early spring season extension, planting a succession of crops, reducing disease and insect problems, and companion planting. Anna Viertel is the school garden coordinator for the ChicagoBotanic Garden and specializes in urban agriculture.
* Seed Starting Basics
Nancy Benjamin, Chicago Master Gardener
Saturday, February 7
10 AM – Noon
Fee: $20
Maybe you crave unique vegetables, old-fashioned French marigolds, delicate herb chervil, or other plants that are hard to come by. Maybe you want to share the wonders of plants with your children. These are just some of the reasons to grow plants from seed. Come and learn the basics of seed starting from Nancy Benjamin, a Master Gardener and organic advocate.Seed sources, trays, growing mediums, lights, and germination tips and times for many vegetables and flowers will be covered.
* Keeping a Garden Journal
Bonnie Tawse, MillenniumPark
Saturday, February 28
10 AM – Noon
Fee: $20
Do you have a connection to plants and enjoy observing the natural world? Have you toyed with the idea of keeping a journal? This workshop will get you started on the wonderful process of keeping a garden (or nature) journal. It will cover nuts and bolts of journaling, explore paths for inspiration, and suggest how to stay connected to both your garden and your journal. Bonnie Tawse is the Coordinator of Environmental Programs for MillenniumPark. She has a Master's Degree in Creative Writing and recently led nature journal workshops as part of the Chicago Public Library's "Read Green, Live Green" series.
*Backyard Permaculture-What's Permaculture?
Vicki Nowicki, the Land Office
Saturday, March 14
10 AM – Noon
Fee: $20
Permaculture is a sustainable way of landscaping that supports the food, energy, and resource needs of human beings.Once confined to big acreagesites in third world countries, permaculture methods are now being successfullyadapted to small-sized lots in the city and suburbs!Come and learn how to get started with permaculture. This workshop will cover general layouts, plantideas, suggestions for growing organically, and starting a fewappropriate vegetables. VickiNowicki and her husband Ron have practiced permaculture for 30 years at their home in Downers Grove.
*Grafting Fruit Trees
Oriana Kruzewski, Oriana’s Home Orchard & Nursery
Saturday, March 28
10 AM – Noon
Fee: $20 + $5 material fee to bring home your own grafted pear tree!
In this hands-on workshop, you will graft and take home a low-maintenance fruit tree that can produce fruit organically without harmful spraying. Oriana will also offer fruit-growing tips for those with little space, how to add or change a variety in an established tree, and how to repair a damaged tree by bridge grafting. Oriana Kruszewski began growing Asian pears in her Skokie backyard more than 30 years ago. Now she owns 40 acres in northwestern Illinois and grows 20 varieties of pears from China, Japan, and Korea, as well as hybrids developed in the United States.
Kilbourn Park is located at 3501 N. Kilbourn Ave., just west of Milwaukee Ave., and Addison St. in Chicago.Questions call Kirsten Akre at 773.685.3359 or kirsten.akre@chicagoparkdistrict.com.
- Contact Phone: 312 742 7529
- Publication Date: 12/10/08
