Program offers tips to plant this and not that

NEWPORT — Many people don’t realize when they purchase a beautiful plant for their garden that it may be listed as an invasive species and, therefore, should not be planted.

In fact, a 2021 study found that 61% of 1,285 plant species identified as invasive in the U.S. were still available for purchase through the plant trade.

Escaped garden ornamentals are one of the ways invasive/noxious plants enter our ecosystem, which is why the Newport Community Garden Committee is hosting a free, informal class this month on “Plant This, Not That.” Loretta Nichols, Coordinator for the Pend Oreille County Noxious Weed Board, will be providing information and answering questions about what you should or should not grow in your garden.

The program will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 28, at the Newport Public Library, 116 S. Washington Ave. Reservations are required for the class by going to the Library’s event calendar at www.pocld.org. If you need assistance registering, please contact the library at 800-366-3654.

The garden is a collaborative project between members of the Pend Oreille County Library District, Friends of the Pend Oreille County Library District, the local WSU Extension and Master Gardeners, SNAP-Ed and the Pend Oreille Conservation District. Funding has been provided through grants from SNAP-Ed, the Innovia Foundation, Catholic Charities, and an Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant through the National Association of Conservation Districts, as well as fundraising efforts by the Friends of the Library.