“Watering the Garden and Landscape”

Saturday, June 4, 2022, from 10:30 am to 12 noon

Master Gardener Woodcock Demonstration Garden

2711 Woodcock Road, Sequim, WA 98382

Improper watering is one of the most common causes of poor plant performance in the garden and landscape. Watering too little or too much, too often or not often enough can lead to a multitude of plant problems. So, how do you reach the Goldilocks zone and water your garden and landscape “just right?”

On Saturday, June 4, from 10:30 am to 12 noon, Clallam County Master Gardeners Tom del Hotal, Susan Kalmar and Roger Steinert will talk about efficient and effective watering practices at the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden.

During the June 4 presentation, Tom, Susan, and Roger will discuss

· Garden problems that result from improper watering practices;

· Key principles of watering including where to water, the timing, and amount of water needed;

· Different irrigation systems with a focus on drip irrigation; and

· Water conservation.

Tom, Susan, and Roger will demonstrate how to set up a drip system. Participants will be able to examine drip system components and practice setting up a drip system themselves.

Tom Del Hotal joined Clallam County Master Gardeners in 2021. Tom has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and four advanced certifications from the California Association of Nursery and Garden Centers. He is a certified arborist, a certified pesticide applicator, and a member of the International Plant Propagators Society. Tom was a part-time horticulture instructor at Southwestern College in San Diego, California, for more than 20 years and operated his own nursery and consulting business, Fantasia Gardens, from 1983-2020. Having come from southern California where water conservation has been a long-standing issue, Tom promotes water efficient irrigation practices and irrigation programs that optimize plant health and performance.

Susan Kalmar has been a Clallam County Master Gardener since 2017. Susan is an active volunteer at the Master Gardener Woodcock Demonstration Garden, maintaining the succulent garden and renovating the large herb garden. Susan combined forces with Brenda Lasorsa, Betsy Burlingame, and JoAnn VanAken to secure and install the new greenhouse at the garden earlier this year. Susan has been a regular contributor to the Sequim Gazette “Get It Growing” column, was editor-in-chief of the column in 2020-21, and was the chair of the 2022 Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale. Susan first used drip irrigation when managing a greenhouse and is an advocate for smart water use.

Roger Steinert has been a Clallam County Master Gardener since 2019. Roger is the President of the Clallam County Master Gardener Foundation. He is an advocate for the Demonstration Garden and works to maintain Master Gardener and community interest in the garden. He oversees the irrigation system at the garden, helps maintain selected plants, and performs other duties as assigned. Roger is a proponent of proper watering practices and says gardening success “depends on how you wet your plants.” (tee hee!)

Digging Deeper presentations are held from 10:30 am to 12 noon on the first and third Saturdays of most months. Presentations cover basic gardening topics relevant to many home gardeners. Presentations are free and open to the public and are scheduled for 90-minutes to allow for demonstrations and questions from viewers. The June Digging Deeper presentations are scheduled to occur out of doors, in-person at the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at 2711 Woodcock Road in Sequim. Attendees will be asked to mask regardless of COVID vaccination status and maintain an appropriate distance from others. Attendees are encouraged to check the Clallam County Master Gardener online calendar for updates about the location of the talk at https://extension.wsu.edu/clallam/master-gardener-calendar/. For more information about the Digging Deeper series call 360-477-0116.