4 Ways To Develop Your Green Thumb
From nature centers to college classrooms, there are several places in Bergen County to learn more about planting and gardening.
Why wait for April showers to bring May flowers when you can get a head start on your spring garden? It may be a bit premature to plant in the backyard (the last frost date in Bergen is around the first and second weeks of April), but now is the right time to start buying supplies and picking out which plants you’ll want to grow.
If you’re not quite ready, however, or if you’re still learning the difference between annuals and perennials, there are dozens of nature centers and nurseries with pros who are ready to help. In addition, many Bergen County spots offer classes and meetings that can help anyone develop their green thumb.
Below are a few ways you can learn a few garden and nature pointers this season:
Learn from the pros. The Master Gardeners of Bergen County holds regular in-person and Zoom lectures and guest speakers. This past week, for instance, the organization—which is run by volunteers trained in the Rutgers Master Gardeners program—hosted a free meeting on small space gardening in Hackensack. Visit their website for their upcoming schedule.
Learn in class. Garden enthusiasts can sign up for horticulture classes at Bergen Community College. No, you don’t have to matriculate to take courses; you just have to be 18 years and older and have an interest in one of the following: indoor plants, outdoor tree and shrub identification and care, the basics of gardening, pest identification and management, garden design, floral design, lawn care and even plant biology.
Learn in the field. Bergen’s nature centers and sanctuaries offer a wealth of knowledge and resources. Tenafly Nature Center has seasonal programs for all ages, offering participants lessons about plants and nature in general. The Thielke Arboretum in Glen Rock has year-round educational classes for kids through high school as well as guided walks along the center’s trails. At the Lorrimer Sanctuary in Franklin Lakes, seasonal programs are available for all residents, including a lecture on lichens on March 23 and a creative flower-framing workshop in April.
Learn on tour. Gardening gurus who want to see more beautiful spaces can sign up for the Wyckoff Area Garden Club’s annual “Step Into Our Gardens” tour on June 9. You need not be a member (or a Wyckoff resident) to take part in this walking tour of seven local gardens across Franklin Lakes, Mahwah, Upper Saddle River, Waldwick and Wyckoff. The club also schedules monthly meetings and programs that are free and open to the public.
Want to show off your garden project? Tag us on Instagram @bergenmagnj!
