Melrose Area Community Education

The Sauk River Watershed District is once again hosting Garden Classes via Zoom.  Participants can receive a free native plant book and a chance to win a door prize from a local nursery! See additional details and specific class dates online.

Early Spring Bloomers - January 30

That first pop of color is welcomed by all gardeners after a cold and gray winter. We will chat about some of the best early native bloomers you can add to your gardens for a longer season of color. Not just the spring woodland favorites, but also early growers for all gardens.

Improve Your Soils – February 13

Healthy soil is important for growing strong, resilient, and tough plants that can handle our wacky MN growing conditions. Whether you are starting a new flower garden or trying to revitalize and old veggie patch, we will cover it all. From soil testing to composting, and so much more.

Pollinator Palooza Plants – February 15

We all agree that a garden full of beautiful butterflies, busy bees, and racing hummingbirds is a BIG bonus to compliment all the blooms. We will chat about some of the top native perennials to make your backyard a pollinator playground from early spring to late fall.

Wildflowers for Soggy Soils – February 22

Do you have a ditch, shoreline, or wetland on your property you want to spruce up beyond cattails and swamp grass? Do you have an area of yard where the grass just won’t grow because it is wet most of the time? There are lots of varieties of natives and non-native perennials that can be used to add color, texture, and eye-appeal that don’t mind having wet toes. Let’s figure out how to add an aesthetic splash into that soggy site.

Rain Gardens 101 – February 27

Let’s learn about the latest trend in landscaping including sizing, location, installation and plant selection for your rain garden and rain water harvesting. With the wide variety of plants and materials available you can create a rain garden with a natural wild look or an organized planting suitable for the most refined settings.

Wildflowers for Shady Spots – March 7

Do you have a dark and damp corner of your property that you want to bring out of the shadows with blooms and bunchgrasses? Let’s go beyond hostas and the humbugs of traditional green foliage for these tricky shade areas. There are lots of woodland treasures that will add a nice glow to the shadiest swaths

Establishing a Pollinator Patch – March 11

A native wildflower garden will attract beautiful butterflies and bees to your yard and help pollinators stay healthy. You can plant a garden anywhere from the tiniest corner of your city lot to an open prairie setting and about anything in between. We will cover it all from weeds to seeds and start to bountiful blooms. We will even “walk” through a project from scratch to bountiful blooms.

Bloomers and Clumpers for Lousy Soils – March 14

Do you have that patch of lousy soil where nothing seems to grow very well? There are plenty of tough MN native plants that will not only survive, but thrive in sketchy soil conditions. We will chat about all aspects of those tricky soil sites to get plants and blooms started for season to come.

Greening Up Hot Spots – March 22

Do you have a hot garden spot that normally bakes and dries out with the summer sun? Are you tired of watering day after day to keep your garden healthy and growing? There is a wide variety of native prairie plants that thrive in the full sun and dry soils. Let’s look at some of these great growers to add to your gardens and landscaping.

Hold Your Shore – April 12

Are you losing ground? Is your shoreline eroding, unsightly or seem to be a goose magnet? Did the excessive rains last year take a toll? Is the ice pushing up a new ridge every year?Learn how to improve water quality, reduce erosion and beautify your property using native plants, simple installation techniques and smart planning for easier long-term maintenance.

Native Plant Basics – April 17

Learn how to put down some roots and use native plants in your landscaping, flower gardens, and everywhere else. We will help identify some of our favorite natives for a wide variety of soils, shade levels, and overall hardiness. Also learn some easy ways to integrate native plants into your current landscaping, or start a whole new project.

Eco Grasses and Bee Lawns – May 2

We love our lush green lawns, maybe a bit too much? Join us to learn what else we can plant to benefit the bees and birds, while also keeping some green turf. We will discuss lawn alternatives that are more environmentally friendly that will keep your backyard buzzing. Small changes can go a long way towards the environment while saving you time and money.

Milkweeds for Monarchs – May 20

We have over a dozen Milkweeds that are native to Minnesota. Let’s chat about the wide variety of these great pollinator plants! Some are wildly popular and very common growing in gardens and local sceneries. We also will discuss where to buy milkweed plants and seed, plus how and where to add these pollinator magnets to your landscapes.