flowers in a vase

March 24, 2022

SIU invites community members to sustainable gardening workshops

by Kamaria Harmon

CARBONDALE, Ill. — In sustainable gardening workshops starting April 2 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, you will learn the tools of the trade and be able to take home what you made in mini greenhouses of recycled materials.

Lindsey Orphan, Sustainable Farms manager at SIU, said these workshops are the initiative of community outreach in surrounding areas. Participants, including novice gardeners, will learn how to sustain their own gardens at home.

“Food production and gardening is a lost art,” she said. “We want participants to be capable of growing their own gardens.”

Orphan says she hopes the workshops will spark interest in people who are not familiar with gardening. The workshops will appeal to many tastes, including heirloom vegetables, seed starting, gardening for pollinators and cut flowers.

The College of Agricultural, Life and Physical Sciences, University Farms and Sustainable Farms are sponsoring these gardening workshops, which will take place at the Agronomy Research Center.

These workshops are open to the public and cost $25 to $50. Organizers will offer two workshops per day, one in the morning and afternoon with a maximum of 10 to 15 people per session.

Workshops

  • April 2, Heirloom Vegetable ($25)
    • Compare heirloom veggies to store bought ones and learn how to grow them. Take home seeds and resources for future gardens.
  • April 23, Spring Seed Starting ($30)
    • Learn how to efficiently start seeds for your own garden.
  • May 14, Celebrating Mom ($50)
    • The morning workshop focuses on flowers and the afternoon one is about herbs. Plant and take home your container and gift to mom for Mother’s Day.
  • May 24, Gardening for Pollinators ($25)
    • Learn about the roles of pollinators and how to support them. Take home a native pollinator plant.
  • June 18, July 2, Aug. 20, Summer Cut Flowers ($45)
    • Tour the cut flower garden at SIU Center of Sustainable Agriculture and take a bouquet home with you.

Learn more

For more information and registration, visit the Saluki Gardening Workshops webpage.

Inquiries may be directed to Sustainable Farm Manager Lindsey Orphan at lindsey.orphan@siu.edu.