SCC’s first Floral and Garden Show today
Green grass made an appearance in my backyard last weekend. My cat is in seventh heaven because he finally has something to nibble on. The snow drops are blooming and the daffodils are poking out. Spring is here.
It’s the perfect time to take in the season’s first local flower show. Today, Spokane Community College’s Greenhouse and Floral Program will host its first Floral and Garden Show.
The show will feature a flower market, garden and floral exhibits, lectures and demonstrations and a sprout room where kids can make a flower arrangement, learn to plant a seed and meet a flower fairy.
The show will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Lair building on campus, 1810 N. Greene St. Parking and admission are free.
Get gardening space
Community gardens around the area are now accepting applications for beds. Each garden handles its own bed registration and assignment. A list of gardens and how to contact gardens open to new signups is located at the WSU Spokane Extension Master Gardener website: www.spokane-county. wsu.edu/spokane/ eastside/. Community gardening has become popular here so beds go fast and some gardens may already be full.
One new garden that will have lots of space is located at Fourth Avenue and Pittsburg Street just northeast of Liberty Park in the East Central neighborhood. The garden has not only traditional raised beds but seven large in-ground plots ranging from 650 to 1,300 square feet; perfect for a small market garden or a group project garden. There are several handicapped accessible beds.
The garden was built by theSpokane Community Development Office as part of redevelopment work related to the north-south freeway project. The city will eventually move a historic apartment building onto the site when the freeway work along Interstae 90 gets going. They chose to install the utilities now and let gardeners use the space for a minimum of three to five years.
If you are interested in getting a bed at the Fourth and Pittsburg garden please email me at pat@ inlandnwgardening.com.
Soil testing available
Have you ever wondered if you really need to add all that fertilizer to your garden or lawn? What does your soil really need? Instead of wondering and spending a ton of money on fertilizer, take a soil sample and find out for sure.
The Spokane Conservation District is now offering soil sample testing for home gardeners and small land owners.
The district has a kit available that will explain how to take your sample properly, a sample bag to send your sample in to the lab and information about how to read the results of the test. The basic test for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH and organic matter is $30 or about the price of a sack of fertilizer. By knowing exactly what nutrients to add to your soil, you give the plants what they need and reduce the leaching of unused nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium into soil and runoff. Kits can be picked up at the conservation district office at 210 N. Havana St.