The NDSU Department of Plant Sciences will host a public event called “Plants, Local Foods and Outdoor Spaces” on Tuesday, Aug. 9, from 3 to 7 p.m.
The event is set for the NDSU Horticulture Research and Demonstration Gardens, located on the NDSU campus at the corner of 18th Street and 12th Avenue North.
Tours of the annual and perennial flower gardens will be highlighted. The gardens are an official All-America Selections bedding plant display garden.
Each year, the NDSU Department of Plant Sciences evaluates the performance of more than 200 varieties of annual bedding plants under harsh North Dakota growing conditions. Plants are rated for vigor, bloom and uniformity. “New this year, we will have the general public vote on their favorite annual bedding plants,” said Esther McGinnis, NDSU Extension horticulturist and associate professor. “This is an example of how the public can help us with our research.”
A key feature of the event will be tours of the American Daylily Society Historic Collection. Lisa Schmidt from the Central North Dakota Daylily Society is scheduled to give a special presentation on daylilies at 3:30 p.m.
“We are having this event earlier in the season than in previous years to celebrate our American Daylily Society Historic Collection as NDSU has more daylily cultivars than any other public institution in the country,” McGinnis said. “The collection is a virtual history of daylily breeding.”
In addition, Don Kinzler, Extension horticulture agent for Cass County, is set to give a presentation at 4 p.m. about preparing your yard and garden for fall.
Children’s activities at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. will include a special pollinator scavenger hunt.
Plant sciences faculty members Alan Zuk and Deying Li are scheduled to give educational demonstrations on selecting the best turfgrass species and mixes, and on home irrigation at 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively.
At 6 p.m., a special riding tour of fruit, vegetable and organic research projects is planned.
Extension Master Gardeners will be on site to accept donations of fresh garden produce and canned goods to benefit the Fargo Emergency Food Pantry as part of their Veggies for the Pantry initiative.
The Extension Master Gardeners also will answer plant questions, with Peg Skaflen giving a talk about uncommon uses for herbs at 5:30 p.m. under the big tent.
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