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AppalSeeds gardening class offered at library

March 13, 2007|Samieh Shalash

Free tomatoes, anyone?A little dirt, a little digging and pretty soon you'll have some, courtesy of the Clark County Public Library.

AppalSeeds, a program created by library director Julie Maruskin in 2000, will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday with a seed-starting workshop.

Each attendee will get three live heirloom tomato seedlings, some soil, and instructions on how to transplant them.

The presentation will focus on where the most common vegetables come from, and showcase older varieties that aren't typically found in produce aisles, but are still grown and made available through seed-save cooperatives.

"This year we did it so there's a lot more focus on the Appalachian garden as whole, its history and how to recreate and add to it," Maruskin said.

Do try her tips at home - attendees will leave with starting soil and their choice of six packets of seeds (valued at $14) from more than 50 varieties of open-pollinated tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.

"This year I'm pushing eggplant," Maruskin said. "I think more people should be friends with eggplant."

A lunch of sandwiches, chips, fruits and cookies will be served afterwards, then followed by another program at 2 p.m.

John Maruskin will present "Raising by the Moon," a tradition in which the moon sign is used to set up planting cycles. The program should last until 2:30.

Registration is required for both events, which are free and open to the public. To get a spot, call the library at 744-5661.

"Bring an open mind," Julie Maruskin said. "It's fun, we get to play in the dirt."

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