Welcome
all gardeners! Whether you are new to, or
an old-hand at gardening, the “East Austin Garden Fair: A Passion for Plants” is
perfect for you. Experts from the
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Travis County Master Gardeners and
Austin Parks and Recreation will be available to answer your questions and
share their gardening expertise.
Admission is free and the event
is open to the public. The theme for
this year’s fair is “Learn. Teach. Grow” and will take place from 9 a.m. to 2
p.m. April 13 at the Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center, 2608 Gonzales St.
in Austin.
With over
50 booths exhibiting on a variety of topics, the fair will appeal not only to
the traditional homeowner but also to those who favor more urban lifestyles. A special section just- for-kids brings lots
of family-fun activities. There will be
a plant giveaway, lots of free gardening materials, and complimentary soil
screening.
“This fun, hands-on fair
involves community members in creative,
low-cost ways to grow foods to improve their family diet, as well
as providing people an opportunity to learn about EarthKind landscaping,” said
Daphne Richards, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture, Travis County.
Richards said EarthKind landscaping combines the best of traditional and
organic techniques while emphasizing reduced use of chemicals.
Daphne will be available to answer questions about gardening
and horticulture and to talk about the Master Gardener volunteer program as
part of the “Meet the Horticulture Agent” feature at the fair.
Travis County Master Gardeners
will provide information on a variety of horticulture topics, while community
partner organizations will provide information on related services, programs
and projects.
“The
fair’s demonstration activities will include straw bale
gardening, tools and techniques, and composting, as well as learning about best
irrigation methods and how to garden using containers,” Richards said. “Attendees
can also learn how to care for their fruit trees, house plants and vegetable
gardens, plus learn about subjects like backyard chickens and beekeeping.”
Richards said free soil screening for gardeners will be offered through Austin Resource Recovery. To have soil tested for metals, pH and nutrients, attendees need to bring a 2-cup soil sample in a quart-size zip-lock bag. Instructions for soil sampling can be found at http://austintexas.gov/soilkitchen.
Free vegetable,
herb or ornamental plants will be given to attendees while supplies last.
Community
partners and new participants in the fair include the Sustainable
Food Center, Central Texas Food Bank,
H-E-B,
Green Corn
Project, Home
Depot Kid’s Workshop, City of Austin representatives from the Fire
Department, Resource
Recovery, Urban Forestry,
Watershed
Protection, Water Utilities, Parks and
Recreation, Soil Kitchen, in addition
to Travis County
AgriLife Extension Service.
For more information, call 512-854-9600 or go to AgriLife Extension’s Central Texas Horticulture site at http://bit.ly/eastaustingardenfair.