On the last night of the Gardening Away the Winter Blues program, Juergen Voss, left, passes out an informational pamphlet and speaks on stage about gardening with bulbs. John Woodmansee, seated to the right, spoke later on the proper techniques and times of pruning. Previous classes have included information on bees, landscaping, air plants, food safety, plant propagation, greenhouses, planting trees correctly, how to get fresh food longer and pruning.

WARSAW — Although spring is officially upon us, the weather is still not cooperative for outdoor planting and gardening. While greenhouses are a common way to get an early start on the planting season, the Purdue Extension Kosciusko County office provides other options for adults and children.

“In the winter it’s kind of dreary and dull,” Kelly Heckaman, extension educator-agriculture and natural resources, commented. This inspired the Gardening Away the Winter Blues program more than 20 years ago. Each year different topics are chosen that provide participants with valuable information for the upcoming gardening season, as well as tips for things that can be done to prepare.

Master gardeners form the planning committee and choose topics they know are of interest to the public based on suggestions or evaluations from previous program sessions. Classes are mixed with some having guest speakers and others being more hands-on and interactive. “People seem to like the hands-on, where they can make and take something,” Heckaman remarked while perusing participation numbers.

Heckaman hopes participation in these classes will help others to save money by correcting problems, preventing problems or providing long-term solutions. “Not everyone wants to commit to becoming a master gardener,” Heckaman explained. “But many still want the information.” These classes provide participants with the knowledge to ensure they are doing it correctly so their plants are healthier, live longer and will not have to be replaced as often.

While classes have ended for the season, they provided participants with knowledge to better prepare them for this year’s growing season. “Our goal is just to provide horticulture information to the public,” Heckaman stressed. “We teach a wide variety of things that they can go home and implement.”

This tower garden sits in a third grade classroom at Eisenhower Elementary School. Once the vegetables are ready, the class will celebrate by eating salads, some students for the first time.

Some children within the local Warsaw Community Schools have already gotten a head start on their planting. After receiving a grant from the K21 Health Foundation for 15 tower gardens, area schools began getting them for their classrooms to encourage healthy eating through explore to fruits and vegetables. They have just been awarded a second grant to add 13 more tower gardens.

These tower gardens are aeroponic meaning their roots hang in the air instead of in soil or water. A large tub filled with water, nutrients and a pump is at the bottom. A pole comes up from the center of the tub with plants in pots all around the pole. A pipe runs up the inside of the pole and disperses the necessary water and nutrients to the roots inside the pole in the same fashion as a fountain. An indoor tower is also surrounded by grow lights.

Steve Koontz, master gardener, began tending a tower garden for a local business and, three years ago, brought the concept up to Warsaw Community Schools. He has since helped to set these up in the school system and teach the teachers how to care for the tower gardens. “It works well in a classroom since there’s no soil, no weeds and few bugs,” Koontz described. The maintenance is also simple, perfect for elementary aged children. The water’s pH levels must simply be tested and maintained weekly.

Teaming up with Mindy Wise, 4-H youth development educator, Koontz will be helping to teach the art of tower gardening to children in grades three to six throughout May and June. “It puts a spin on the 4-H experience,” Wise explained, since the program will be considered a 4-H spark club workshop. “The 4-H gardening curriculum is very traditional. This will give the kids a more modern taste.” It also emphasizes many of the 4-H mission areas and will teach participants about teamwork, gardening and healthy living.

Tower gardens offer the possibility of year-round growing as well as slightly faster growing. Koontz reflected it provides a much more controlled growing environment. “You’re able to do more plants with less square footage,” Koontz stated, since the plants grow vertically.

While traditional gardening season is still a month or more out, depending on temperature and precipitation, these programs provide information on what can be done to extend the gardening season and stay busy during the colder months.

For information on programs or to sign up for the tower gardening workshop, visit extension.purdue.edu/Kosciusko. Children interested in the workshop must be registered by May 1.