March Classes from USG

March class schedule:
Seed Swap
1 Saturday 3-6pm
FREE

• Come share your seeds and meet other gardeners from Utah County!

Eco-garden Fundamentals (Permaculture Fundamentals)
8 Saturday 3-6pm
FREE

• Learn how to think nature friendly in the garden.

Cool Weather Planting
15 Saturday 3-6pm
$20 at the door, Early registration only $15

• Hands on gardening for March planting, including lists of what to plant and when to plant it.

Fruit Tree Care

Rescheduled for April

• Pest control, thinning, and other tips for good fruit on your trees.

Building the Plant Community (Plant Guilds)
29 Saturday 3-6 pm
$20 at the door, Early registration only $15

• How to blend plants in the same beds so they help each other and make your life better.

For more information contact Alex Grover at:
utahsustainablegardening@gmail.com

All events happening at Pioneer Book in downtown Provo.

Talking about pruning and trees with Brian Brinkerhoff

My talk on pruning and trees with Brian Brinkerhoff of Western Life Radio at the 24:30 mark.

http://www.backcountrynetwork.com/Download/WesternLifeRadio59-1-26-14.mp3

Sustainable Gardening Presentation at Utah Valley Earth Forum

Alex Grover, of Utah Sustainable Gardening, will lead the discussion on how we can reduce pollution, improve our nutrition and have "the best looking yard on the block" with earth-friendly, sustainable gardening (permaculture). Alex earned a BS in Urban Horticulture from BYU. Refreshments provided. See our Green Events Calendar at http://uvef.us/ for more details.

Wednesday, January 15th, Provo Library, Room 201, 7 PM.

Pruning Safety

Self inflicted damage from fruit tree pruning
in 2012.

Most of the pruning saws now sold are the Japanese or "razor" style. These cut quick and easy and save a lot of time and effort when pruning. Unfortunately they cut human flesh even more easily. Here are some safety tips for pruning with a saw around the home.

1. Wear gloves. Some pros choose not to wear them when climbing because they need a reliable grip, but a home owner isn't going to climb that aggressively.
2. Always be aware of what your saw is cutting into and anything else that is near its edge. This seems like a no-brainer, but it is easy to lose track of it when you get moving.
3. Be more careful when you wear gloves. Gloves can save cut down on damage if you slip, but a sharp saw will still go through gloves and sloppy pruning will increase the damage.
4. Make sure you have good footing. Whether you are on the ground, on a ladder, or on a branch, if you slip you are in danger of a nasty cut.

Be safe and remember that pruning can be good for your tree and fun, but only if you are not hurt in the process.

Manana!

Let it Snow!

Or I should say, make it snow! While I empathize with the sunbirds and their relentless drive to promote warmth and light all year round, I joy in the snow. I love the relief from the oppressive summer heat, I love the dominance of white on the color pallet, and I love the rest it brings from the business of the other times of the year. Honestly, I need the break!

Even more important for me is the water it brings to my family and garden year round. In my neck of the woods the only way we have enough water is to gather from the snowpack fed streams that come down from the mountains. So until the weather systems and geography changes:

Let it snow!