Ideas for another gardening class?

18 years ago

My first attempt at teaching a free public lecture on a gardening topic (seed starting) was a mixed success. I focused too much on sceintific stuff and ran out of time before I could get through all of the real "applied" stuff. Using what I learned from the first class I think I'd like to try again with a different gardening subject.

I'm looking for ideas of possible topics that I might teach. I feel like I could present a lecture on almost any subject but I need to find one that the general public would be interested in. This rules out some of the stuff I'd like to teach such as: "The Theory of Hydroponic System Design and Construction" :(

Since I'm sure most of the people here act as "garden advisors" answering questions about gardening from friends, family, and co-workers; what subjects do you most often get questions about?

So far I've considered:

Â Pruning Techniques

Â Integrated Pest Management

Â Basic Landscape Design

What do you think would make a good topic for a 1-2 hour lecture sometime this summer or fall?

Thanks,

-Ryan

"A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary." ~Thomas Carruthers

"The secret of teaching is to appear to have known all your life what you just learned this morning." ~Author Unknown

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Comments (9)

davka
18 years ago
How about grafting?
cannahavana
18 years ago
One thing I would like to know more about is rooting various trees and shrubs. I have had success with easy stuff, like brugmansias, but would like to do conifers and dogwoods. Rooting mediums too.

I like your hydroponic idea. I have messed around with semi-hydroponics with a couple of my orchids but would like to have a set up for things, like tomatoes for example, in small spaces.

Rebecca
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brandon7 TN_zone7
18 years ago
I second the recommendations above and would like to add greenhouse design.

Dual topics like rooting/grafting/propagation or greenhouse/hydroponics might also work and draw an even bigger crowd.
bigorangevol
18 years ago
Ryan......! :-)

I really like the landscape design idea.

What are your plans for Saturday October 18th?

You know that Lucas is going to be our guest lecturer at the MTPS this spring. You need to come too.
bigorangevol
18 years ago
I like the backwards thing! Scixelsyd are us.
maemae0312
18 years ago
Hey you guys need to move to the other side of the state!!! I like your topics, espsecially the green house design!!!

Mary
sdrawkcab
Original Author
18 years ago
Landscape design is a strong possibility for a topic to get taught. Of all the ideas I've had that is the one I'm "most qualified" to teach. Not that I would let a little thing like being unqualified stop me from teaching something else, but it would be nice to offer some credentials to my prospective "students".

I was thinking that rather than just sitting in a classroom showing powerpoint slides, it would be cool to do a walking tour through a well-landscaped neighborhood with stops to talk about the various elements of the landscapes we pass.

Quote:
What are your plans for Saturday October 18th?

I'm not even sure what I'm having for dinner tonight.

What is Lucas speaking about at the swap?
msbasselope
18 years ago
Ryan
What type of audience are you teaching? We need to know their level before I can give any advice. If it is the general public, then I would ask them or the person in charge of the meeting if there are any particular concerns or topics that the audience has or would prefer to hear. I am a Master Gardener and this is how I have prepared for my audiences. If they haven't had any topics then I have started one class with the basics of soil and dirt, moved up to composting, then fertilizing, then watering techniques and on up from there.
Hope this helps
Cindy
bigorangevol
18 years ago
The Legendary Mr. Holman (heretofore know as "No-Show Lucas") will be speaking on "Drought Tolerant Perennials and Annuals".

Ya'll need to hook up and drive down together next week so he doesn't get lost or nod off. Since Lucas finally made an appearance at the '07 fall MTPS I think it only fitting that we pass down the moniker and dub you "No-Show Ryan" until you rectify that circumstance.

Well Coop, I was contemplating on hitting you up do a lecture on Hydro's anyway but the Landscape thing sounds even better! A walking tour through the HHSP wouldn't work and I wouldn't want to see any elicit unauthorized laundry cart racing down the paved park path but a static "standing" lecture would be cool! :-)

Go ahead and mark your calendar anyway even if you donÂt want to do a lecture you should still come to the spring and fall swaps.

When you get a break from your busy schedule shoot me an email at jtoothmanindadj@comcast.net!

Jeff