Master Gardener 2015 Regional Convention June 25-26, 2015

The 2015 Master Gardener Convention will take place on the BYU-Idaho Campus at the Thomas E. Ricks Gardens at 525 South Center Street in Rexburg on June 25th and 26th.  The program is sponsored by the University of Idaho Extension.   The program is open to master gardeners, students and to the public. Pre-registration is requested.

Thursday, June 25th will kick off with a keynote presentation by Dr. Stephen Love, "Where Wildflowers and Roads Meet".  The presentation will be located in the Benson Building in Room #219 on th eBYU-Idaho Campus.  It will begin at 6 :00 PM.

The Convention Will continue on Friday, June 26th with classes and tours.  Registration and check in will be from 8:00 AM to 8:40 AM on the East side of the Benson Building.  Look for signs pointing the way.



The program will begin at 8:40 with a welcome and presenter introductions.  Classes and tours will occur from 9 AM to 12PM and from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and will rotate hourly.

Lunch will be served on site in the orchard.

There is a pre-registration rate of $35.  Please download the Convention Brochure and complete the registration to received the preferential rate.  Admission will be $40 at the door.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9CQZD8nv5_AR2Zackk0VW1OdWM/view?usp=sharing

Below are the events to be presented.  You may attend 6.

1. Plant Problem Diagnostics Tour: A Walking Tour Identifying Plant Problems, and Their Causes
2. Breeding and Developing Vegetable Varieties: Learn about controlled pollination and developing your own variety creation.
3. Are Bees on Your Horizon: Basics of owning bees, managing a hive, and how honey is produced.
4. Herbal Lore and Legend: Exploring the Amazing Easy-to-Grow Herbs, Their History and Uses.
5. Using Worms to Do Your Dirty Work: We will do a vermicomposting demonstration using the right worms, what to feed them, and how you can do this at home.
6. Silk Purse Syndrome: Repurposing is the trend these days. We'll share with you creative ways to reuse discarded items for new worth around the garden. 
7. Resurrecting Garden Tools via Electrolysis: Learn how home gardeners can renew tarnished or rusted tools simply at home. 
8. Landscape Design Walkabout: A walking discussion given by BYU-Idaho’s premier landscape design professor of basic landscape principles and what inspired him to create the breathtaking theme gardens.
9. Grafting 101: This hands on class will show you how to graft plants via three different methods. 
10. Basics of Small Fruit Production: Producing your own fresh raspberries, strawberries, and other small fruit is rewarding, and this class will give you a hands on demonstration of how to do this.
11. Tree and Shrub Identification 101: Learn how to identify common trees and shrubs in the landscape for better success in diagnosing plant problems.
12. Saving Your Own Seed: Dr. Love will demonstrate methods of collecting, saving, and storing vegetable seed from your own garden successfully.
13. Basic Vegetable Gardening: We will discuss the basics of soil, tillage, amendments, planting, watering, growing, and harvest.
14. Tour of the Demonstration Gardens: Jungle Greenhouse, Production Greenhouses, and Orchard.