BELFAST — On Tuesday, March 19 — the first day of spring — the Belfast Garden Club will present a timely talk by two horticulture experts from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service who aim to answer some of the most frequently asked questions on Midcoast Maine gardening.
The one-hour public program, free to all, with Cooperative Extension educators Viña Lindley and Kate Garland will begin at noon in the Abbott Room at the Belfast Free Library, 106 High Street. Those who wish to join from home may attend via Zoom. For more information and to register, visit belfastgardenclub.org
Lindley and Garland will address a wide range of topics, including jumping worms, gardening in wet areas, and the changing gardening calendar. They will also talk about UMaine Cooperative Extension programs created to help gardeners.
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is part of the nationwide Cooperative Extension System, a publicly funded educational network. It receives federal support through the US Department of Agriculture, state support through UMaine, and local support through Maine county governments.
Lindley, based in Waldo County and passionate about childhood nutrition, works on a variety of youth and family food systems projects, including managing the statewide FoodCorps program, which collaborates with schools and communities to provide kids with nourishing meals and food education. Lindley also chairs the board of the Maine School Garden Network.
Garland, based in Bangor, helps gardeners improve efficiency and build skills through workshops, newsletters, social media posts, and one-on-one support. Among other responsibilities, she coordinates the Master Gardener Volunteer program, which provides in-depth horticulture training to civic-minded gardeners in exchange for their time supporting Cooperative Extension projects in the community.
Founded in 1928, the Belfast Garden Club promotes the knowledge and love of gardening, the protection of native flora and fauna, and the importance of civic beautification.
