Thinking of starting a new garden? Do you have concerns each summer with your existing garden? The Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District can help with these and other issues. As part of its Urban Agriculture program, SWCD staff are available for free site visits to any backyard and community garden in Hamilton County. Staff can provide guidance with planning, advice on weed and pest management, tip sheets, and much more. To schedule a site visit, contact Andrew Fritz at andrew.fritz@hamiltoncounty.in.gov or (317) 773-2181. In addition, tip sheets and many other online resources are available at www.HamiltonSWCD.org/UrbanAgriculture.
SWCD staff also host quarterly meetings of the Hamilton County Garden Network (www.HamCoGardenNetwork.org) which is a group for managers of community gardens. Since this quarter’s meeting topic addresses the universal garden issue of weeds, all gardeners (community and backyard alike) are invited to attend. After the presentation, attendees will be invited to share weed management tips that have worked for them in the past. The meeting will be on Wednesday, April 26 from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. in the O.V. Winks building at the Hamilton County 4-H Grounds (2003 E. Pleasant Street in Noblesville). For more information or to RSVP, contact Cara Culp at cara.culp@hamiltoncounty.in.gov or (317) 773-2181.