While it seems like our world is turning upside down lately, there are still many positive things that we can do for ourselves and our families. It has been an exciting time for me as a Master Gardener because so many people are finding the positive in gardening in some form. I am also excited because the U of M Extension has been able to step up to the plate and provide some very interesting educational pieces for just about everyone including gardeners.

If you go to the U of M Extension website to courses and events, you will find a ton of webinars to watch from the comfort of your own home. If you miss one, don’t worry because chances are that you can get a link and watch it later.

The first series starts this week so about the time you read this, the first class will be over but you might be able to watch it as a saved video from the Extension. Here is the information about the first series of classes gardeners might find interesting. “Join Extension Educator Robin Trott for a series of six gardening webinars designed for all levels of gardening knowledge and experience. These 30- to 40-minute weekly sessions will be delivered on Zoom. For the best experience, please download the Zoom app before joining the webinar. Webinars begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. May 6: Low care, no care vegetables, May 13: Gardening raised to a whole new level, May 20: Herbs for use and delight, May 27: Weird and wacky vegetables, June 3: Garden 911: What to do when things go wrong”

Another series starting in May sounds like another great opportunity for gardeners, new and experienced to learn some more about gardening. The information for that class is as follows: “Gardening from the Ground Up Tuesday, May 12, 2020-Friday, May 15, 2020. Extension educators from across Minnesota will share their expertise in four webinars across four days, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 12: Soil and Soil Testing, Wednesday, May 13: Fertilizer & Nutrient Deficiencies, Thursday, May 14: Cover Crops, Friday, May 15: Beneficial Insects.”

If you would like to step into a new area of gardening, how about beekeeping? Well, beekeeping isn’t quite gardening but what you do in your garden can certainly help our pollinators including bees. There is a series out now that can be watched on identifying bumblebees. “Bees are an integral part of the insect species. They are important pollinators and face challenges that affect the size of the bee population. These classes and events are designed to help professionals and homeowners support and keep bees. They are also for bee owners and those who raise bees for honey production.” The next class available online is on May 27.

If you are interested in online learning, please visit the U of M Extension website for courses and events at the following link https://extension.umn.edu/courses-and-events. There are also links for online learning for youth which include meeting some of NASA’s engineers and much, much more.

For more information on gardening, you can reach me at s.dejaeghere@me.com. If you would like to learn more about becoming a Master Gardener, please find more information online at https://extension.umn.edu/master-gardener/about-master-gardener