Save the first Saturday of each month in 2026 for our monthly education series. This year, the Master Your Garden series features a variety of topics for home gardeners of all abilities, as well as others interested in horticulture. Each class begins at 10 a.m. and is held in the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Education Center, 12690 State Route 31, Albion. Suggested donation: $5. To register, call (585) 798-4265 or email klo54 [at] cornell.edu (klo54[at]cornell[dot]edu).
This year’s line-up includes:
Jan. 3: Smart Garden Research
Navigate the overwhelming world of online gardening advice with confidence. With Orleans County Master Gardener Julia Bender, you’ll learn how to identify trustworthy sources, spot red flags in gardening content, and build a toolkit of reliable websites and resources. Learn to critically evaluate social media tips and popular gardening blogs.
Feb. 7: Mastering Hydroponic Growing
Join Orleans County Master Gardener Noelle Wiedemer to learn the simple, pump-free, soil-free Kratky hydroponic technique for growing lettuce, herbs, and vegetables using static nutrient solutions in containers without electricity or complex equipment.
March 7: Help! What’s Happened to My Garden?
Does this sound familiar? Your garden starts out healthy and strong, but then you start to notice pests and problems. Leaves are drooping or chewed, and fruits or flowers are dying on the vine. Who’s the culprit? What can be done? This class, led by Orleans County Master Gardener Sue Starkweather-Miller, can help!
April 4: Nature Journaling for Gardeners
Transform into a garden detective with Orleans County Master Gardener Noelle Wiedemer! Sketch blooms, track sneaky pest adventures, decode weather mysteries, and create your own illustrated gardening saga.
May 2: Seeing Flowers in a New Light
Join Orleans CCE Horticulture Educator Katie Oakes to discover the remarkable world hidden within every bloom. Through guided observation and hands-on dissection of various flower types, you’ll explore how different blooms are ingeniously designed. You’ll never look at a flower the same way again.
June 6: Crafting Compost
Explore the cultural significance and sustainable practice of composting with Orleans County Master Gardeners Kate Hardner, Nancy Halstead, and Eileen Sorochty. We will discuss traditional methods, and introduce modern techniques using electric food recyclers, the deep litter method, indoor, and in-ground vermicomposting.
July: No class due to the Independence Day holiday.
Aug. 1: From Garden to Vase
Transform your garden flowers into beautiful arrangements with Orleans County Master Gardener Nancy Halstead. Learn essential design techniques, proper conditioning methods, and how to maximize your vase life. This class will teach you how to make the most of your homegrown blooms and bring your garden indoors all season long.
Sept. 5: Functional Lawns
Can lawns have flowers and support pollinators? Say green in the summer? Be Chemical-free? Save water? And more? Come find out with Michael Klepp, Nature Teacher NY, during this fun and interactive experience.
Oct. 3: Garden & Landscape Photography
Discover how to transform ordinary outdoor scenes into extraordinary photographs that reflect your unique perspective. Whether you’re using your smartphone or DSLR camera, Orleans County Master Gardeners Lydia Fernandez and Noelle Wiedemer can help you create compelling images of gardens, landscapes, and outdoor spaces.
Nov. 7: Sustainable Container Gardening
Gardening is a wonderful hobby, but popular potting mixes have sustainability problems. Peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite are finite. Join Kathy Contrino of CW Native Plant Farm to learn about renewable resources and sustainable practices that can help those finite resources become more sustainable.
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