This conference is open to everyone, whether you are a master gardener, a novice or just love fresh food. Come and listen to nationally known speakers, participate in workshops, and learn the benefits of eating fresher, locally grown foods, growing your own produce, and supporting local farmers. Mark your calendars now for June 6-8, 2013 and register before May 20th for a seat.  Special guests and speakers are: Peter Hatch, the former Director of Gardens and Grounds at Monticello; Tony Avent, Owner of PLANT Delights, horticulturalist, plantsman and Jim Noble, Owner and Exec Chef of King's Kitchen and Rooster's. For more information and updates visit: mastergardenersunioncountync.org 

Mecklenburg EMGs were happy to participate in the Green Goats and Gardens celebration held this year on Saturday 4/27/13 from 11am to 3pm at 1000 Louis Rose Place in the University Research Park. This event is organized by University City Partners www.universitycityclt.org. A great day to talk gardening with Festival goers! http://www.greengoatsandgardens.org/. 

Every year, we EMGs get together for a HUGE plant sale where we donate prized plants from our own gardens, to make the moolah to fund free gardening & environmental community service programs, projects and educational events in your community. This is it!  See you there.  


May 4th -  Spring Plant Sale Mecklenburg Extension Master Gardeners  7:30 am to 12 noon - Offering beautiful plants and a large selection of EMG-grown edible, native and ornamental plants including herbs, native plants, groundcovers, perennials, annuals, shrubs, and trees.  Find great prices on great plants proven to thrive in our Southern Piedmont gardens! At the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, Yorkmont Road in the greenery shed.  Come Early for the best selection. EMGs are on hand for your gardening questions.

May 11th - Another Spring Plant Sale  from 7:30am-noon at the Matthews Farmers Market.   Featuring top selling plants available for sale and knowledgeable Master Gardeners on hand to help. Come early once again!  

It was a beautiful day with families, children and Extension Master Gardeners at Celebrate Earth Day with the Charlotte Nature Museum this past Saturday. We were happy to hear your gardening with children stories! and so pleased to offer lots of great info for your home gardening & nature projects with kids. There's more children's gardening and nature programs coming up with Extension Master Gardeners - we'll be keeping your 'Jr. Garden Explorer' very interested in learning much more...in summer weeks to come beginning in June.   
Just a hop-skip-away from the Charlotte Nature Museum is the Freedom Park Demonstration Gardens. A family-friendly garden along the grassy (stroller-friendly) paths located near the Mahlon Adams Pavilion at Cumberland and Lilac Ave, Charlotte NC. Drop in for a self-guide tour and see what's growing. 

“Ask a Master Gardener Days” This Saturday, April 27th at BOTH Charlotte Regional & Davidson Farmers Markets fom 7:30 - noon.  At these informal plant clinics, EMGs offer expertise on a wide variety of horticultural topics: landscape design + organic gardening + lawn care vegetable gardening+ composting + native plants+plant selection +  garden pest, weed, and disease control. Bring your gardening questions!  More dates coming up, topics of interest here - MORE...

Friday 4/19/13 & Saturday 4/20/13, 9am-3pm; Sunday 4/21/13, 11 am-3pm Don't miss this botanical extravaganza of wildflowers, trees and shrubs, perennials, carnivorous plants, orchids, tropicals, and indoor plants. A great local source of native plants for your garden. Staff and volunteers are on-hand to answer questions and help in plant
selection.  This is the major fundraising event for the UNCC Botanical Gardens and McMillan Greenhouse; all proceeds support their operations. Directions and additional info are available on the UNCC Botanical Gardens website or call 704-687-0721. Cash and checks only. Parking attendants on hand to direct free parking. 

Celebrate Earth Day at Charlotte Nature Museum by getting your kids outside to connect with nature for an Earth Day Play Date on 4/20/13 from 10am-1pm in Fort Wild (the natural play area). Join the fun with demonstrations on backyard gardening, including a kids' take-home planting activity. Mecklenburg Extension Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer gardening questions and provide ideas/handouts for gardening with children. Indian Land’s Eco Warriors will perform and there will be a special story time. Activities are free with Museum admission.

The Mecklenburg County Fruit & Vegetable Coalition's 3rd Annual Can You Dig It, Charlotte Community Garden Tour is Saturday, May 4th from 9:00 - 12:00 pm followed by a garden gathering and lunch from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm. The tour features four different community gardens within Mecklenburg County. At the end of the tour we will host a Garden Gathering to allow for networking amongst participants and to provide resources to promote fruit and vegetable gardening.  The tour will begin at Garinger High School and wrap up at CMC-University Hospital, visiting Reedy Creek Park & Newell Farmer's Market in between so we have a University area focus this year.  Please  visit the garden tour webpage for more details.  See you there!  

Mecklenburg Extension Master Gardeners (EMGs) provide expert, research-based answers to  your gardening questions at the  Charlotte Regional Farmers Market on Yorkmont Road. From 7:30am-12:30pm beginning THIS Saturday April 6th. Find EMGs at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market in the Greenery Shed in the first stall on the left as you enter through the front entrance. At these informal plant clinics, EMGs offer expertise on a wide variety of horticultural topics: landscape design + organic gardening + lawn care vegetable gardening+ composting + native plants+plant selection +  garden pest, weed, and disease control. Bring your gardening questions! 
We'll be featuring Soil and Composting on April 6th: Learn about building healthy soil including how-to’s on home composting and soil amendment; free soil test kits available on request. And more dates and markets coming up: 
EMGs will be at the Davidson Farmers Market beginning April 27th and the Matthews Farmers Market too. 

Something fun to learn on your Lunch Hour - From Garden Glory to Indoor Artistry   Wednesday, April 10, 2013  Bring the beauty of your garden inside by learning the basics of simple floral design from Extension Master Gardener Susan Hooper.  Her easy, creative approach to transforming flowers and greenery from your yard into a feast for your eyes is inspirational. Lunch & Learn Program details here at www.mastergardenersmecklenburg.org  and advance registration here.