Master Gardeners offer three Growing Season webcasts

The Iowa Master Gardener program with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a trio of Growing Season webcasts this summer. Master Gardeners will gain educational hours while learning about insects, tree care, organic vegetables, composting and growing roses.

The two-hour webcasts will be shown at the ISU Extension and Outreach Allamakee County office in Waukon. The webcasts are open to the public for a fee and open to anyone who may be interested. Those Growing Season webcast topics include:

• Tuesday, July 31 at 9:30 a.m. or 3:30 p.m.: Insect Update and Tree Care - Get the latest details about invasive garden pests, including Japanese beetle, Emerald ash borer and spotted wing drosophila from Donald Lewis, professor and Extension entomologist at Iowa State University. Then learn about how to maintain the health of trees from Jesse Randall, associate professor and Extension forester at Iowa State.

• Tuesday, August 14 at 9:30 a.m. or 3:30 p.m.: Local Bees and Organic Vegetables - Find out how to attract native bees and other pollinators to the garden from Randall Cass, entomologist with ISU Extension and Outreach. Then learn how to organically maintain a vegetable garden from Kathleen Delate, professor and Extension organic specialist in horticulture and agronomy at Iowa State.

• Tuesday, August 28 at 9:30 a.m. or 3:30 p.m.: Compost 101 and Growing Roses - Build a compost IQ with Ajay Nair, associate professor and Extension vegetable production specialist at Iowa State. Learn how to manage a home composting system and troubleshoot potential problems. Then learn how to grow roses that will make a garden shine with Aaron Steil, assistant director of Reiman Gardens.

Master Gardeners can gain six continuing education hours for participating in the webcasts. Ten hours are required each year to remain active Master Gardeners. To register, contact the Allamakee County Extension Office at 563-568-6345 or email dahlstro@iastate.edu.