Name of Event: 2017 Smart Gardening Conference
Sponsoring Organization: Kent County MSUE
Date: March 4. 2017
Start Time: 8:30 am
End Time: 4 pm
Location : Devos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Description of the Event: 2017 Smart Gardening Conference debunks myths with science
Nationally-known horticulturists Linda Chalker-Scott and Stacey Hirvela are featured speakers at the 2017 Smart Gardening Conference on March 4 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Linda Chalker-Scott will debunk common gardening myths at the 2017 Smart Gardening Conference.
The 2017 Smart Gardening Conference will be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Saturday, March 4, at DeVos Place. With two nationally-known presenters, the Michigan State University Extension conference will help enthusiastic gardeners adopt "smart" practices at home. Five presentations, revealing insights on topics such as smart plants and smart soils, will enable us to get more out of our garden while being conservation-minded.
Horticulturist and author Linda Chalker-Scott will set the stage by debunking common gardening myths. Consumers are inundated with classy advertising and well-meaning advice from sources who have no connection to science-based research. How can a gardener sift through all the rhetoric? Scott will help demystify fact from fiction and provide examples of proven practices that stand the test of time.
Smart shrubs for Michigan gardens will also be a topic of discussion at this year's conference. Horticulturist Stacey Hirvela plans to explore dozens of native and thrifty exotic shrubs that will fill niches in a smart gardener's landscape.
What garden conference would be complete without a word on bees? MSU Extension entomologist Abi Saeed will review with us smart gardening for bees and reveal easy methods of making bee hotels.
What is Smart Gardening?
In 2012, MSU Extension launched a campaign using earth-friendly messages to help gardeners make smart choices in their own backyards. The idea is to equip home gardeners with a "tool kit" of research-based knowledge they can immediately use at home. Whether choosing plants, using garden chemicals, fertilizer or applying water, gardeners need to understand the long-term impacts on their communities.
To get more information about how to enroll in the 2017 Smart Gardening Conference, contact Rebecca Finneran at finneran@msu.edu.
Education Credit Hours: 6
