Free Master Gardener Class Offered on Seed Saving & Portable Cold Frames

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (August 2, 2024) -- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Master Gardener Program presents two programs of interest on Wednesday, August 21 at 6 pm at their demonstration gardens next to the JCC tennis courts.

Topics are "Saving Your Own Garden Seed: It's Easier Than You Think" and "Extend Your Growing Season: How to Make and Use a Portable Cold Frame."

Saving your own garden seed can be a source of great pride and lots of fun. It can help you develop a favorite crop that is well-adapted to your garden and growing environment. It can be the beginning of your own family heirloom that carries your gardening story into the future. So come and learn about the basics of seed saving, when and how to harvest crops for seeds, how to prepare wet seeds like tomatoes and dry seeds like bush beans. You will also learn about isolation distances to prevent cross-pollination and proper storage to maintain seed viability.

Lifelong gardener and Master Gardener Volunteer Dinah Hovey will be your host for this presentation.

Every garden should have a cold frame! Learn how to construct and use cold frames and other techniques to extend your growing season. Harvest vegetables early in the spring growing season as well as after frost and cold weather arrive. A great way to use succession planting and produce more food for your family.

Lifelong gardener and Master Gardener Volunteer Laura Marsala will be your guide for this portion of the program.

So, bring a folding chair! Bring a friend! Learn something new! Won't you please join us on August 21st for an Evening in the Garden? Light refreshments to be served. Book drawing to be held.

Evenings in the Garden are held the third Wednesday of every month from June to September, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, at the College Community Gardens on the campus of Jamestown Community College, Curtis Street (near the tennis courts). Evenings are enhanced by Master Gardeners and professionals speaking on a variety of topics that coincide with the Western New York growing season.

The Master Gardener Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a subordinate governmental agency with an educational mission that operates under a form of organization and administration approved by Cornell University as agent for the State of New York. It is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The association is part of the national cooperative extension system, an educational partnership between County, State, and Federal governments. As New York’s land grant university Cornell administers the system in this state. Each Cornell Cooperative Extension association is an independent employer that is governed by an elected Board of Directors with general oversight from Cornell. All associations work to meet the needs of the counties in which they are located as well as state and national goals. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua . Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Last updated August 2, 2024