Library to host spring garden workshop

SANDPOINT — The East Bonner County Library is continuing to educate the community with its monthly Natural Connections events, teaching attendees all about different ways to be self-sufficient.

In April, the workshop will be centered around how to grow a successful garden. 

“No registration is required and you can come to any part of the event that interests you,” library staff said.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with the first talk by University of Idaho extension educator Jennifer Jensen, centered on understanding North Idaho’s climate and using that to your garden’s advantage. With this information, gardeners will be able to plan for a successful garden that will thrive no matter what the weather brings this spring and summer season.

“Whether you are just starting your garden or are planning to make it more productive, we will have tips to help create a beautiful and bountiful garden,” staff said. “We will be discussing garden planning, cultivar selection and season extension techniques, such as frost cloths, caterpillar tunnels and greenhouses.”

The next talk — seed saving and the seed library — will begin at noon with Elizabeth Strube, Idaho Master Gardener volunteer, and Kelli Burt, garden coordinator and seed librarian for the EBCL District. Saving seeds from this year’s garden for the upcoming year can greatly decrease gardening costs.

“Whether you want to continue growing a family favorite, adapt a variety to local growing conditions, or just want to share seeds with others, this workshop will get you headed in the right direction,” staff said.

Strube and Burt will also educate attendees about the seed library at the Sandpoint Library, which allows the community to share their seeds with others.

An hour later, Jensen and Strube will be back with Alison DeLong, founder of Mother Element LLC, and Nancy Mangham, Idaho Master Gardener volunteer, to talk about how to successfully start seeds in a garden rather than buying small plants that have already sprouted.

“Starting your own seeds is a fun way to start the gardening season,” library staff said. “Learn to successfully start your own garden plants from seed. We will discuss different techniques for starting seeds including soil blocking and creating your own seed tape.”

This will be a hands-on workshop, giving those in attendance a chance to make seed tape, plant a seed and transplant starts into larger containers.

The last discussion of the day will come at 3 p.m. Jensen and University of Idaho food safety advisor Tina Imlay will talk about how to preserve a garden’s harvest. If planning to preserve any amount from a garden for later consumption, different amounts need to be planted, and the two presenters will give guidance on how much may be too much, or too little.

People of all ages are invited to attend the free April 13 event, but the demonstrations are geared toward adults, ESBL staff said.