Now, before you get too busy, it's time to start a new calendar of gardening events and group meetings.
A mushroom fair will teach you more about mushrooms than you could ever read up on and they are lots of fun -- just ask the 1,000 people who went to the first one in Girdwood last year. Mark off Aug. 26-28 for Girdwood and Sept. 1-4 for the Cordova Fungus Festival. More information and a list of local mushrooms at fungusfair.com.
A great way to learn more about local trees and potential dangers is by becoming involved with the Alaska Community Forestry Program run by Patricia Joyner. Known as Treerific Anchorage, the group meets regularly. More information at http://sites.google.com/site/treerificanchorage/ or by e-mailing TREErificAnchorage@yahoo.com.
Speaking of trees, note on your calendar that the 2011 Society of American Foresters annual spring tree seedling sale is May 21 in the REI parking lot. Order forms need to be fill out by May 14. Seedlings are sold in bundles of 20 and are usually 8-inch seedlings. This is the best deal in town on bulk tree seedling purchases. Order form and more info at aksaf.org.
Permaculture takes a holistic approach to design and biology to create a system that works at its maximum efficiency and provides sustainable solutions to problems. The design principles involved can be picked up by attending meetings of the Permaculture Guild. There are groups in Anchorage, Mat-Su and Eagle River. Check out their site at http://akpermaculture.ning.com.
To become a master gardener, you can't just walk into next fall's classes; they are too popular. You need to get on the interest list because class entry is first-come-first-serve. The office here in Anchorage is at 1675 C Street and you can get more information at www.uaf.edu/ces/anchorage or by calling 786-6300.
The Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association is a go-to if you want to learn how to grow fruits in Alaska. In the spring they have workshops on grafting apple trees and provide rootstock and grafting scions for purchase. They have a great newsletter, visit trees around town, own and loan an apple cider press for member use and provide all sorts of information. Find out more at apfga.org
The Alaska Native Plant Society hosts meetings and field trips and helps members learn photography. Sure, you can pick that stuff up from books, but when you can add a human element and see things live, they are always so much better. More information at aknps.org
Send me an e-mail about your group, when it meets and what is going on, so I can include you next time out.
Jeff Lowenfels is a member of the Garden Writers Hall of Fame. You can reach him at teamingwithmicrobes.com or by calling 274-5297 during "The Garden Party" radio show from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KBYR AM-700.
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