Garden talks will focus on raised beds, native flowering shrubs

The East Baton Rouge Master Gardener Association will present talks on raised bed gardening and native flowering shrubs from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Zachary Branch Library, 1900 Church St. The talks are free and open to the public. Seating is limited.

Lyn Hakeem will give the raised bed gardening talk. Hakeem became a Master Gardener in 2019. She began working with raised bed gardening when she received a small “Improve Your Block” grant from former Mayor Kip Holden in 2014 to do a community garden in a neighborhood in the 70805 area.

Hakeem was amazed at the yield of produce and the success of her first try with the concept of raised bed gardening. She says, “I do not claim any expertise when it comes to raised bed gardening, I’m a novice at best. But I’m increasing my knowledge on raised bed and container gardening each moment I get.”

Topics covered will include choosing the best spot on your property for a raised bed, different garden layouts (what to plant and when) and placement of pollinator plants within the garden for better yield and growth. Weeding, thinning and best methods for pest control also will be discussed.

Bob Dillemuth will make the Native Flowering Shrubs presentation. Dillemuth has been a Master Gardener for 16 years. He has a broad range of garden and horticultural interests including using native plants, sustainable gardening, gardening for wildlife, maintaining plant diversity and garden design. He is a member and past president of the Louisiana Native Plant Society and a certified Louisiana Master Naturalist. He is an active member and supporter of the LSU Hilltop Arboretum where he serves on their board and site management committee.

If you are thinking of adding some additional color into your garden, consider using some of our Louisiana native shrubs. Learn how native plants can add seasonal interest, diversity and habitat for birds and wildlife. Get recommendations for selecting and using native Louisiana shrubs in your home landscape.

The Zachary program is the eighth of 26 in the EBRMGA’s annual Library Series of gardening presentations. The next event will be April 28 at the Fairwood Branch Library and will offer a presentation on soil basics another called “Some Like it Hot.”

For additional information on the series or the association’s other outreach activities, visit https://ebrmg.wildapricot.org.