Porter County show helps gardeners leave winter behind
By John Robbins Post-Tribune correspondent January 21, 2012 12:06PM
Gary Mikita of Portage arranges a plant to his Gary's Out of Africa booth featuring African violets during the 9th Annual Gardening Show at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso, Ind. Saturday January 21, 2012. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: February 23, 2012 8:18AM
A little snow wasn’t going to keep gardeners away from the ninth annual Gardening Show held at the Porter County Expo Center on Saturday. The show was sponsored by Purdue Extension-Porter County and the Porter County Master Gardeners Association.
The show offered seminars on gardening topics such as raised bed gardening, small gardens, heritage peonies and selecting the best plant for your garden. A seed and bulb exchange, photo contest, exhibits and vendors were also featured.
Third year Master Gardener Tina Ryczek and Donna Brown, a 13-year member, were answering gardeners’ questions at the Master Gardener booth that ranged from how to grow hops to what plants grow best in shade.
Brown became a master gardener in anticipation of her retirement. “I wanted to get into gardening. I didn’t have time to garden then but wanted to get the knowledge,” she said.
Brown showed off the new dibbler she bought at the show to help her plant the 100 impatiens plants she puts around the edge of her garden every year.
Ryczek, a self-described newbie gardener, noted that “spring is right around the corner,” and plans to put more mulch on her garden.
Kayla Praschak and Mary Hrivnak are neighbors in Kouts. Hrivnak comes every year and brought novice gardener Praschak along for her first show.
“I have to teach her,” said Hrivnak. “The booths are really good this year and the seed exchange is wonderful.”
Hrivnak helped Praschak plant her new garden. Praschak wants to master growing the herbs she uses in her cooking and Hrivnak concentrates on growing vegetables that she preserves.
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