Learning more about gardening

And the rain keeps coming down......

My Maine Coon Cat, Basil has the right idea. He went back to bed!

I've mentioned before that I learned much more about gardening once I got out there and actually dug in the soil. Most of what I've learned came from other gardeners.

I'm lucky to live in an area that has a great University; the University of Maine at Orono. They have a wealth of instructors, professors, and Cooperative Extension Educators that my garden club can ask to present programs for a small stipend.

I highly recommend to anyone new to gardening that they join a garden club, learn from the programs the club has to offer and if the club is federated all the better because they offer schools such as Gardening Study and Landscape Design Schools. If you have the time to invest, take the Master Gardener course. At all of these schools and meetings, you will meet people like you! Gardeners that want to learn more about gardening.

That is not to say that your garden centers can't help you find the right plants for the right place. But these are busy people selling you a product and sometimes they are seasonal help that might not have the expertise or the time to help you learn what you need to know.

Another wonderful way to learn about plants is at your local Farmer's Market. Many times there will be someone there selling perennials and annuals. When they are not busy, this is a good time to ask questions and make friends. Next time you visit they will remember you and take the time to help you.

Check out gardening magazines, too. I personally love People, Places and Plants because it is a regional magazine. Another I enjoy is Garden Gate. But beware and note zones when they discuss certain plants.

Well the rain is finally subsiding so I'll go see about those Japanese Beetles on my pole beans.