RENO — Gardening is a great activity that can be done at home, and University of Nevada, Reno Extension is offering online courses to teach gardening basics. This April, Extension’s Grow Your Own, Nevada! Program will live stream eight classes statewide to help those who want to get on a path to more sustainable, local, healthy living by growing more of their own food.
“Preschool children served homegrown produce are more than twice as likely to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day as children who rarely eat homegrown produce,” Extension Horticulture Specialist Heidi Kratsch said. “Gardening in Nevada can be a challenge, but Grow Your Own educators are experienced gardeners and growers, and are excited to share what they know with the community.”
The series of workshops will run 6-7:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 7-30. The workshops will provide gardeners and those interested in growing healthy foods with a back-to-the-basics guide to producing bountiful harvests in Nevada. The topics will include:
- April 7: Raised Bed Gardening
- April 9: Gardening in Nevada’s Soils
- April 14: Irrigating & Fertilizing Vegetable Gardens
- April 16: Native Pollinators & Beneficial Insects
- April 21: Growing in a Hoop House/Shade House
- April 23: Growing Herbs & Edible Flowers
- April 28: Backyard Livestock
- April 30: Identification & Control of Vegetable Garden Insect Pests
Registration can be done online at http://www.growyourownnevada.com/horticulture-programs/home-horticulture-programs/grow-your-own/. Residents must register for every class they wish to attend. All workshops are free of charge and will be held through Zoom connection. “Anyone can become a better gardener by attending these classes,” Kratsch said. “From the beginner to the advanced gardener, everyone can benefit from a Grow Your Own class.”
