All Over Albany

A row of upcoming gardening classes

The sun is shining. Birds are singing. Buds are on the trees. Spring has returned (again).

So now is a good time to be giving some thought to garden plans for the spring and summer -- whether it's just a few flowers, tomatoes in containers on the porch, or raised beds in the backyard. Toward that end there are a whole bunch of garden classes / info sessions coming up around the area, on topics ranging from vegetable gardening to composting to garden planning to mushrooms.

Here's a quick scan of some upcoming classes...

This is not a comprehensive list. Some classes require pre-registration, so make sure to check the links for more info. All blurbage via the various orgs.

April 14: Soil Health and Building | Capital Roots
Make dirt work for you by improving your garden soil for a better yield and happier plants. Topics covered will include info on organic fertilizers for feeding your garden, materials for effective mulching, and different tilling and weeding techniques to support healthy soil and plant growth.. April 14 at 6 pm, Leonard Place Garden in Albany - $5

April 16: Cabbage Family 411 | Capital Roots
Join Capital Roots for an introductory class on the cool weather brassica (cabbage) family. Fill your garden with crisp cabbage, bountiful broccoli, spicy mustard greens, and crunchy kohlrabi! Instruction will include soil preparation, exploring easy to grow varieties, care and maintenance, disease and pest identification, and harvest methods for popular brassicas like cauliflower and brussels sprouts. April 16 at 10 am, Sand Street Garden in Albany - $5

April 16: Vegetable Gardening 101 | Hewitt's
Learn soil building, scheduling indoor seed starting and direct sowing in the garden, weed control and lots more. April 16 at noon, Hewitt's in Guilderland - free

April 19: Fabulous Flowers | Capital Roots
Bring your garden plot to bloom with an introductory class on fabulous flowers. This class will explore easy to grow flower varieties that will add colorful splendor to your garden and attract beneficial pollinators and insects. Instructions on seed-to-bloom care and techniques will be provided. April 19 at 5:30 pm, Halfmoon Heights Garden in Clifton Park - $5

April 19: Understanding & Improving Garden Soil | Cornel Cooperative Extension, Rensselaer County
There are many gardening practices you can follow to increase the value of your soil. Soil is the reserve for minerals, air, moisture and microorganisms, and growing healthy plants requires a balance of these reserves. CCE Rensselaer Master Gardener, Doug Pratt, will share his tips on improving your soil "bank account. April 19 at 7 pm - $6

April 20: Gardening for Beginners | Capital Roots
An introductory course to provide new gardeners with fundamental gardening information needed for a successful growing season. We will discuss key points related to basic organic garden practices including practical tips on soil building, weed suppression, and maintaining a healthy, productive plot. April 20 at 6 pm, Urban Grow Center in Troy - $5

April 21: Lasagna Composting and Soil Health | Capital Roots
This class will provide detailed information for new gardeners to improve their soil and develop lasagna composting techniques. Topics will include types of organic fertilizers to feed garden plants, materials useful for effective mulching and soil building, and different tilling and weeding techniques to support healthy soil and plant growth. April 21 at 5:30 pm, Father Flanigan's Farm in Troy - $5

April 23: Pet and Wildlife Friendly Gardening | Hewitt's
A review of all the non-chemical and organic products to make your yard pet and wildlife friendly. April 23 at noon, Hewitt's in Guilderland - free

April 26: Tomato Family 411 | Capital Roots
Join Capital Roots for an introductory class on the warm weather solanum (tomato) family. Fill your garden with juicy tomatoes, zesty peppers, plentiful potatoes, and plump eggplants! Instruction will include soil preparation, exploring easy to grow varieties, trellising, care and maintenance, disease and pest identification, and harvest methods. April 26 at 6 pm, Hartman Road Garden in Albany - $5

April 26: Straw Bale, Keyhole Gardens and Scoop & Dump | Cornell Cooperative Extension, Rensselaer County
Come learn some novel gardening techniques! Planting directly into straw bales sounds odd, but provided amazing results and many advantages. Keyhole gardening is a water-saving raised-bed technique designed for dry conditions. Scoop & dump was pioneered at Cornell University for large projects on compacted soils and has proven the power of compost. April 26 at 7 pm - $6

April 30: Create a Kitchen Garden in Your Backyard | Cornell Cooperative Extension, Albany County
Join Horticulture Educator, Sue Pezzolla, to learn the basics to create a kitchen garden in your backyard. Sue will share the history and culture of kitchen gardens and give you the guidelines to plan your own. Come and learn why these small gardens are gaining in popularity and why they feed body and soul. April 30 at 10 am, The Gade Farm in Guilderland - free

April 30: DIY Lawn Care Discussion | Faddegon's
Bob Graves will share his expertise on lawn care and maintenance. He knows what works and what doesn't! You'll learn the best practices for beginning, maintaining or rejuvenating a lawn. Bob will cover seeding, crabgrass control, fertilization, weed control and soil concerns. Have the healthiest lawn possible! This is the time of year to get ahead of lawn problems! April 30 at 9:30 am - free

April 30: Cultivating Mushrooms | Berkshire Botanical Garden
Explore the fascinating realm of growing your own mushrooms with Willie Crosby of Fungi Ally, a mushroom cultivation and education business based in Amherst, MA. After explaining the life cycle of mushrooms and the important ecological role that fungi fill, Willie will focus on several methods of cultivating mushroom cultivation on various types of wood, including shiitakes on logs, oysters on totems, and winecap mushrooms on wood chips. Participants will leave with the tools and knowledge to start cultivating mushrooms at home and will be given an inoculated mushroom log. April 30 at 1 pm - $55

May 12: Container Herb/Veggie Gardening | Cornell Cooperative Extension, Schenectady County
This class will cover all the techniques necessary to create and maintain your beautiful container garden, such as plant selection and planting tips; design considerations; will also be covered. After the presentation participants will create their own container garden to take home. A selection of veggies and herbs will be available to choose from. Please register with payment by May 5. May 12 at 6 pm - $20

May 14: Bin Composting Basics | Capital Roots
Learn how to organically enrich your garden and reduce waste by developing and improving composting techniques. The class will cover introductory lessons on creating your own organic fertilizer and maintaining a healthy and productive compost pile. May 14 at 10 am - Swift and 7th Garden in Troy

May 14: Are weeds getting the best of you and your garden? | Cornell Cooperative Extension, Albany County
Join CCE Horticulture Educator, Sue Pezzolla, to learn about the top ten weeds and what to do about them. May 14 at 10 am, The Gade Farm in Guilderland - free

May 18: Maximizing Your Garden | Capital Roots
This class will provide gardeners with the keys to planning a successful garden with limited space. Topics covered will include preparing your soil, creating an optimal garden layout, selecting space-saving and easy to grow plant varieties, trellising and vertical growing methods, and succession planting to maximize your growing season. May 18 at 6 pm - $5