I finally finished my homework from the last class of my Master Gardener course, so time to do an update. The Last two classes were ‘Composting and Houseplants’ and ‘Landscape Design 1’.
Composting – Currently I don’t do any composting at home, I know bad of me. In the past we had a small composter that we purchased from our local landfill but it filled up fast, was hard to turn over and I put it in a bad spot, we didn’t take it with us when we moved. Obviously we plan to start composting but I want to build the best kind for us and want to put it in the best location. The class covered such things as building a compost bin(s), keeping mice out, managing snow and rain, what to compost and what not to.
Houseplants – covered things like light, temperature control, watering, nutrients, pot size as well as types of pests and how to control them.
Along with the course material it is also great to hear other tips and experiences that people share during the class.
Landscape Design 1
We went through what a site analysis is and what to take to a site. We discussed various local resources for property lines, plot dimensions, neighbourhood covenants and local bylaws. Then we got into the actual planning, drawings and choosing plants.
For the homework we were given a local address and told the owners were a young couple, no kids, wanted low maintenance, fruit bushes, curb appeal, screening from the neighbours and had a $5000 budget to work with (just a scenario). We had to draw a plot plan (includes: property lines, house, driveway, existing plants, other structures) all to scale, draw a bubble diagram, concept plans (rough drawing), massing elevation(s), and a preliminary drawing (semi-finished).
My next 2 classes are Greenhouses and Landscape Design 2.
I look forward to drawing out the designs for my yard. I think the instructor said that is going to be the homework for ‘Landscape Design 2’. If so I will try to scan the preliminary drawing and post it.
-- Alan - Prince George
6 comments so far
Robin
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2146 posts in 377 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 194 days ago
Thanks for the update on your course. I think I would really have enjoyed the class on design. Design is an area where I feel I have much to learn. I have started drawing a plant map of our yard and I am amazed how many plant names/placements I have forgotten – Is this a Patriot, a Northblue or a Northsky blueberry bush? I wish I had started sooner, but at least I am making one now.
Was it fun to plan our the young couple’s yard? I would like to see the plan you come up with for your own yard.
-- Robin, Massachusetts - "Live simply so others can simply live." M. Gandhi
MsDebbieP
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7956 posts in 1114 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 194 days ago
it sounds like you are really enjoying the class and getting lots out of it.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan
mmh
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204 posts in 643 days
hardiness zone 7a
posted 194 days ago
I’ve been composting for almost 18 years. I’ve given away the plastic compost bin, as it’s to small and cumbersome. I find it easier just to make a large pile in a moist shade spot that I can manuever my pitchfork around and get the wheel barrel to. I’ve hidden the pile behind a planting of azalea bushes & ferns and have a pathway that is easy to access it. This has really worked well, as we dump the leaves on it in the Fall, no bagging or hauling, and every week I take out the two buckets of kitchen scraps (winter time too) to bury. We have very little trash to pick up, and NO garbage for the land fill.
Once you have it functioning and can manage to turn it over, it’s really very low maintenance. It’s also a good workout to turn over. No gym fees!
-- A weed is a plant that is growing where it was not purposefully placed by human hands.
sharad
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547 posts in 331 days
hardiness zone 11
posted 193 days ago
Alan, why don’t you tell us in short what you have learnt in the subjects you have been taught during your course, unless it is forbidden to disclose the information. We would like to know more about composting, plant nutrition, pot size etc.
Sharad
-- Bagwan-- “If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their life, then it means they have never tried a new thing in their life”.-Albert Einstein
Bon
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4999 posts in 894 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 193 days ago
Very interesting Alan.Thanks for the update.
-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more
Al_PG
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73 posts in 318 days
hardiness zone 3
posted 190 days ago
Thanks for the comments. I will try to post things that I’ve learnt on forms specific to those topics. I’m sure most of what I’m learning many of you already know and from reading the different comments and project everyone posts on this site I continue to learn new things. The combination of my course, and this site is great for someone new to gardening. This blog was meant to give an overview of the course and my general impressions of it.
-- Alan - Prince George