The Master Gardeners of Susquehanna County offer speakers on a variety of topics. We do this on a time-available basis at your club or group meeting location. Please schedule at least a month in advance.
These talks may be presented by Master Gardeners or Master Gardener trainees. Our presentations vary in length, a half-hour or an entire hour-long session. We can customize a talk to include hands-on activities where available or shorten the length of the presentation. We even will take requests provided you give us at least eight weeks advance notice so we can properly research and prepare. A fee of $50.00 per ½ hour is customary.
What's a Master Gardener? (1/2 hour)
Learn exactly what a Master Garden is and does. This presentation will teach you how it all started and what we do in and around our community.
Seed Starting (1 hour)
Learn how to start your seeds indoors. We will cover choosing what to plant, when, soil/potting mixes, light requirements, hardening off, storing leftover seed, and more.
Saving Seeds (1/2 hour)
An introduction to the world of saving your own seeds. This presentation will give you the basics of plant reproduction, collection, processing, and storage of seeds.
Winter Sowing (1/2 hour)
Learn how to sow seeds without using electricity. No lights or heat mats are required. With a bit of know-how, you can let Mother Nature do all the work. This class can be extended an additional ½ hour to include a hands-on activity. Each person can go home with their own homemade mini greenhouse.
Make Your Own Seed Tape (15 min)
Learn how to make your own seed tapes at a fraction of the cost of store-bought tapes. This class can be extended an additional ½ hour to include the actual making of your own seed tapes.
Reuse in the Garden (1/2 hour)
Learn how to use everyday items or even trash and transform them into gardening treasures. This presentation will give you many creative ideas.
Jumping Worms: The Unwanted Invasive Guest (1 hour)
Learn about the Asian Jumping Worms and how they affect your soil, garden, and property. Learn how to identify them and the latest research in controlling them.
Gardening for Pollinators (1 hour)
Learn what you can do to increase various pollinators around your home by simply planting the right flowers, providing nesting sites, water, and more.
Living Fences (1/2 hour)
Learn how you can create windbreaks & snow breaks by using trees and shrubs.
Fruit Trees for the Home Orchard (1/2 hour)
This presentation will cover the basics of growing … fruits in your own backyard.
Poison Prevention (kids 6-8yrs) (1 hour)
Teach kids to be safe at home, on the farm, or elsewhere. Help them learn about look-a-like dangers, pests, and Mr. Yuk.
Good Bug Bad bug (1 hour)
Learn about a few good, helpful bugs as well as a few bad, pesky bugs. Pick up a few tips on how to attract or avoid them.
Garlic (½ hour)
How to grow the best garlic yet! Tips on growing, harvesting, and storing your garlic.
Growing Herbs (1 hour)
This presentation will give you tips on growing the top 10 herbs.
House Plants (1 hour)
Tips on growing house plants.
Mason Bee Lodge 101 (1/2 hour)
How to make a very simple mason bee lodge by using things that are around your house and yard. Also covers where to place lodges as well as a few facts about these native bees.
PA Invasive Plants (1 hour)
Learn to identify some common invasive plants that are found in PA and what you can do about them.
Creating a Hummingbird Garden (1/2 hour)
Everyone loves these tiny birds. Learn what plants will attract hummingbirds and a few interesting facts about hummingbirds.
Queen for a Day(Lily) (1 hour)
One of the easiest perennials that can be grown! Learn how to about different varieties as well as how to care for them.
Lasagna Gardening (1/2 hour)
Tired of tilling and digging every year in your garden? Getting too old for this? Learn about a much simpler method with the added bonus of less weeding too!
Irrigation & Critter Control (1/2 hour)
Here are a few tips on making your garden easier to water and reducing excessive use of your water supply. Also a few tips on controlling some of those pesky critters who feast on your vegetables!
Composting (1 hour)
Understanding how your compost pile works as well as learning what to add or not add to your compost pile.
Intensive/Raised Bed Gardening (1 hour)
Do you have a raised bed? Would you like to learn how to garden intensively? See how you can get the most out of your raised beds.
Root Cellaring (1/2 hour)
"What's for dinner? It's in the root cellar honey!"
Do you live in an older home with a root cellar? Want to know how it can be used? Would you like to have one? Learn about root cellars, how they work, plus some local history.
Alternate Methods of Storage (½ hour)
Learn how you can store your harvest even though you don't have a traditional root cellar.
Forcing Bulbs (½ hour)
Learn how you can force various bulbs to bloom for you indoors.
Bats & Night Gardening (1/2 hour)
Learn about bats and gardening for evening scents and beauty.
Pretty Things We Can Eat (1/2 hour)
Vegetables and Fruits are not the only things we can eat.
Rain Gardens: Why & How (1 hour)
Learn about rain gardening and using that wet spot.
Poisonous Plants (1 hour)
Learn about a few of the common poisonous plants that may be in your yard, woods, or garden.
Lyme Disease: It Can Happen to You! (1/2 hour)
Get some facts about Lyme disease, ticks, and how to protect yourself.
Planting for Bees (1/2 hour)
Get some tips on what to plant for honeybees and native bees.
Soil Sampling Options: Penn State vs. Amazon.com (1/2 hour)
Find out the results of a fun research project that a Master Gardener Trainee conducted and judge the results for yourself!
Native Bees of North America (1/2 hour)
Get to know some of the common native bees near you.
An Invasive Plant Specie (1/2 hour)
Find out what is clogging our waterways and appearing just about everywhere!
Sprouting and Microgreens (1/2 hour)
Learn how easy it is to grow your own sprouts or microgreens. Samples can be provided for tasting.
For additional information, please contact the Master Gardeners at 570-666-9003 or susquehannamg@psu.edu.
