Garden and Home Lawn Practices to Protect our Planet
- Saturday, May 21, 2016, 9:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Want to grow the perfect pumpkin or tomato? Or have a low-input lawn your neighbors envy? Do you know that you should use fertilizers but want to minimize any harmful impacts on the environment? Join Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County on Saturday, May 21 st for Home Lawn and Garden Practices to Protect our Planet covering the basics of soils and plant nutrition, how to soil test to determine plant nutrient needs, fertilizer application timing and best practices for fertilizing vegetable gardens, lawns, and ornamentals. The workshop runs from 9:30 am to 3:45 pm with check-in starting at 9:15 am in Dard Hunter Hall (upstairs meeting room) in The Print Shop on the Roycroft campus, 21 So. Grove Street; East Aurora, NY 14052.
Phosphorus, found in many common fertilizers, is one of the leading causes of water pollution. Even if you live far from a water body, excess phosphorus from your lawn can wash off and pollute lakes and streams, harming fish, and limiting boating and swimming access. Phosphorus applied to a lawn that doesn’t need it won’t be used, can cause water pollution and is against the law in NYS. This workshop will help homeowners understand how to use fertilizers, how much to apply and when to use them.
The classroom sessions in the morning will be followed by hands-on activities in the afternoon. Hands-on activities will include determining soil texture by feel, using soil pH test kits, how to take a soil sample, reading soil test reports, and selecting and applying fertilizers.
Joann Gruttadaurio, from Cornell University Department of Horticulture will lead the afternoon hands-on sessions. Morning workshops will be presented by Sharon Bachman, Community Educator with CCE of Erie County and Allen Young, Technician with the Erie County Soil & Water Conservation District.
The workshop is free and open to the public thanks to funding provided by the Air & Waste Management Association Niagara Frontier Section. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. Register on-line by clicking on the link for this workshop at erie.cce.cornell.edu. Lunch is on your own. For more information, contact Sharon Bachman at sin2@cornell.edu or 716-652-5400 x 150.
To register for this free workshop, please click here.
Fee
Free
Last updated May 6, 2016