Submitted by WSU Master Gardener Program.
Please join the San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners for two free community webinars exploring how to successfully grow your own food. Dr. Carol Miles and Dr. Linda Gilkeson will spend 2 hours each on two separate Tuesdays, reviewing the basics of food gardening. This event has been generously sponsored by the Orcas Island Garden Club and the Lopez Island Garden Club. Please register early for each webinar as registration is limited.
Sustainable Vegetable Production
On Tuesday, January 26 from 1-3 p.m., Vegetable crop scientist, Dr. Carol Miles will explain how to plan, plant and get the most out of your food garden. She will discuss site location, how to decide what to grow, when and how to plant and year-round gardening. Register at: https://wsu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ghKGz8ThTGenGwxX5__ikg
Dr. Miles is a Professor in the Department of Vegetable Horticulture at Washington State University and is the Interim Director of the Washington State University Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center. Carol has diverse international experiences both growing up and in her early career where she has lived in subsistence agriculture communities in places such as Panama, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Malawi and Tanzania. Carol received her B.S. in Bio-Agricultural Science from Colorado State University, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Vegetable Crops from the Department of Fruit and Vegetable Science at Cornell University.
Cut Your Losses: Managing Pests and Diseases in Your Food Garden
On Tuesday, February 2 from 1-3 p.m., Dr. Linda Gilkeson, well known PNW entomologist and garden book author will discuss how to identify, prevent and manage common pests and diseases of vegetables and fruit using organic methods. Tips for dealing with common problems, such as aphids, late blight on tomato, root maggots, and the latest on managing recently introduced pests will be shared. Register at: https://wsu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YcImy10qT4qo0JpSkN9pmA
Dr. Gilkeson earned a Ph.D. in Entomology from McGill University in 1986, and then moved to British Columbia to work for a company that produces biological controls. From 1991 to 2002 she worked for the provincial government, promoting programs to reduce and eliminate pesticide use. She was head of the provincial State of Environment Reporting Unit for the next six years, then the Executive Director of the Salt Spring Island Conservancy until the end of 2011. She now devotes her time to writing, teaching and consulting.
For more information about San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners visit https://extension.wsu.edu/sanjuan/ or email mg.sanjuancounty@wsu.edu.
