|
GARDENING TIPS: If you didn’t get around to cleaning your gardening tools before putting them up this winter, do so now at the beginning of the season. Look them over and give them a good cleaning. Sharpen the business edges of shovels and hoes. Sand down wooden handles and then rub them down with linseed oil. Here’s one way to keep trowels, shovels, and other tools from getting rusty: Fill a 5-gallon bucket with sand almost to the top and then sprinkle some motor oil over the top. Stick the sharp ends of your tools in there when they’re not in use and they won’t get all rusty. Sarah P Duke Gardens
Duke Gardens now offers demonstrations and classes as online events; click here to register (even for the free events):
Backyard Composting 101
Keep Durham Beautiful will host Backyard Composting 101 with the City of Durham on Thursday, October 22, noon–1pm. IdeaStarter and the City’s Solid Waste Management department will teach how to transform food scraps into rich soil conditioner during this live, virtual interactive training session and demo. Somebody is going to win a new compost bin; click here for more info and to attend this free Zoom event. Write to Mariel Klein at mariel.klein@durhamnc.gov if you have any questions.
Science adventures
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, ecoEXPLORE Central NC, and the Prairie Ridge Ecostation will cohost Insects in Order on Friday, October 2, 4–5pm. Learn about the one million+ species of insects and how to get better at identifying the ones in our area. This online adventure is designed for k–8 students. Visit the Facebook event page for more info, and click here to register and attend this free event.
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will host the Teen Science Café: Latinxs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) on Thursday, October 2, 6–7pm. Marshall University Professor Andrea Duhon will discuss the connection between math and cryptography (the art of writing or solving codes). Learn how the principles basic encryption and decoding can be applied to everyday life. Visit the Facebook event page for more info, and click here to register and attend this free online event. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, ecoEXPLORE Central NC, and the Prairie Ridge Ecostation will cohost All About Monarchs on Wednesday, October 7, 3–4pm. Students from kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to learn about the milkweed-fed caterpillars change into beautiful orange-and-black-striped butterflies. Visit the Facebook event page for more info, and click here to register and attend this free online event. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, ecoEXPLORE Central NC, and the Prairie Ridge Ecostation will cohost Metamorphosis Isn’t Just for Caterpillars on Thursday, October 8, 4–5pm. Students from kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to learn about the surprising changes in appearance and lifestyles some insects go through. Visit the Facebook event page for more info, and click here to register and attend this free online event. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, ecoEXPLORE Central NC, and the Prairie Ridge Ecostation will cohost Tales of Swallowtails on Thursday, October 15, 4–5pm. Students from kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to learn about the various types of swallowtail butterflies, their caterpillars, and the plants they love. Visit the Facebook event page for more info, and click here to register and attend this free online event. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, ecoEXPLORE Central NC, and the Prairie Ridge Ecostation will cohost Intro to Entomology on Tuesday, October 27, 4–5pm. Students from kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to learn all about different types of six-legged insects and the scientists who study them. Visit the Facebook event page for more info, and click here to register and attend this free online event. Free online ‘Backyard Naturalist’ course
The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, in partnership with government agencies and universities, will be running a 14-week, online webinar series open to anyone interested in learning about North Carolina’s biodiversity, ecosystems, and conservation efforts by concerned residents and organizations. The Carolina Backyard Naturalist Online will be held on Zoom, and you can attend just for fun or to earn North Carolina Environmental Education Continuing Education credits. Here’s the program schedule:
Click here for more info and to register (scroll down and click on “Register Online.” You’ll be sent a Zoom link every week for your class. The Weekend Gardener
WPTF’s Weekend Gardener radio show has been on the air since 1985 and is a wonderful 3-hour exploration of flower and lawn care, soil improvement and pest control ideas, and much more. It airs every Saturday, 8–11am, on 680am AND 98.5fm. If you were too busy to listen, you can always click here and listen to past shows.
How to run a community garden during the pandemic
The North Carolina Cooperative Extension has put together a guide for managers of community gardens who want to maintain successful community gardens while practicing proper social distancing. Some of the topics include planning the garden, how to build a handwashing station for less than $20, and how to keep everyone safely engaged. Click here to read “Steps for Garden Managers and Gardeners.”
How to tell certain ‘flying things’ apart
NC State’s ‘Extension Gardener’
Here’s the Winter edition of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s online publication, “Extension Gardener”:
Digging Durham Seed Library
A creative partnership of the Durham County Library, SEEDS, the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, NC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, and the Durham Library Foundation has resulted in the Digging Durham Seed Library. Now you have a place to get free seeds to start your garden, including flowers, vegetables, and herbs. The South Regional, East Regional, North Regional, and Southwest Regional libraries have seed libraries. Contact Margaret Anderson at 919-560-8598 or manderson@dconc.gov for more details.
Tell us your success story about planting a garden using seeds from the Digging Durham Seed Library: Main Library—300 N Roxboro St, 919-560-0100 [closed; under renovation] South Regional—4505 S Alston Ave, 919-560-7409 East Regional—211 Lick Creek Ln, 919-560-0203 North Regional—221 Milton Rd, 919-560-0231 Southwest Regional—3605 Shannon Rd, 919-560-8590. |
|