Master Gardener Winter Series returns Dec. 8

The Master Gardener Program with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will again host the Winter Webinar Series, beginning in December and lasting through March.

Designed to expand gardening knowledge and allow gardeners to connect with experts from across the field, the sessions are free and open to the public, although registration is required.

December’s program will include three evening sessions related to pollinators, with presentations by Sarah Nizzi, pollinator planner with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and a partner biologist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Dec. 8; Randall Cass, extension entomologist with ISU Extension and Outreach, Dec. 13; and Donald Lewis, professor and extension entomologist at Iowa State, Dec. 21.

Three sessions in January will cover planting design tips and models, with Lisa Nunamaker, associate teaching professor in the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State. On Jan. 4, she will cover planting design tips, followed by a Jan. 11 talk on planting design models and a Jan. 18 talk on planting design graphics.

In February, gardeners will get a houseplant propagation overview Feb. 1 from Aaron Steil, consumer horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, followed by a Feb. 16 talk on advanced seed starting, with Cindy Haynes, associate professor at Iowa State.

In March, the series will conclude with a March 2 presentation on grafting biology and techniques, by Grant Thompson, assistant horticulture professor at Iowa State, and Patrick O’Malley, commercial horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach; and a March 8 presentation on starting a cutting garden, with Cindy Haynes.

“The Winter Webinar Series is an important part of the Master Gardener Program that people have really enjoyed in the past and it’s an important way for master gardeners to continue their continuing education hours,” said Alicia Herzog, Master Gardener Program coordinator with ISU Extension and Outreach.

Herzog said the series is a good educational opportunity for existing master gardeners, those interested in becoming master gardeners and those who may just want to learn more about these topics.

If participants wish to attend in-person, they should check with their ISU Extension and Outreach county office to see when and where sessions are being offered.

If they want to attend virtually, they will need to register; Zoom registration is available at extension.iastate.edu/mastergardener/winter-webinar-series or on the Iowa State University Master Gardner Facebook page.

All webinars will be live with question and answer at the end. Registration is limited to the first 300.

For more information, contact Alicia Herzog at 515-294-3627 or aherzog@iastate.edu.

Shareable photo: [ https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://iastate.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cf9d2526907c313f64367ec34&id=2cc8661c34&e=a66aba61ba__;!!M4vhdRTxuY8!kSIjQ61H8GynsPWgDv-I9wJkeCN9PxKoUqSHpCf1xT-SF9Q4B8-i20khFhKDgOLQ6Dqiog$ ]Tending beehives. Randall Cass tends beehives at the Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station north of Ames.