Edible Gardening Exchange to host two programs on mushrooms
The Edible Gardening Exchange will be a busy place this week, as it will host its monthly meeting and a special Saturday workshop at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center.
On Thursday, the exchange will hold its monthly meeting on mushrooms, beginning with an informal open discussion at 5:30 p.m. before the actual 6:30 meeting.
The guest speaker will be Benjamin Dion, a local expert on the identification, use, and ecological role of various fungi in Southwest Florida.
Karen Harty, who runs the exchange, said she found Dion through ECHO.
“We’re looking for professionals who will advise us on edible mushrooms. Many people are asking if they can eat certain mushrooms,” Harty said. “I won’t say because all I know is that some are good and some are bad for you. He will show us which is which and how we can grow them ourselves.”
On Saturday, from 1 to 3 p.m., the exchange will hold a special workshop on organic controls for the home gardener.
Attendees will learn how to use organic controls to tackle disease and insect pests in the home garden.
Harty will be the speaker for the workshop. She said many organic gardeners know about organic controls, but can’t figure out how to do it or which controls are organic.
“It gets a little overwhelming when you look at the wall of pesticides when you go to Home Depot,” Harty said. “This will help them understand what the products are and what they will do.”
There will be a $20 fee for the program, which will include presentation, a laminated pest/ disease control guide, and workshops on making yellow sticky traps and an organic spray mix, which will be custom made for whatever needs the gardeners have.
“The last time people had to buy an entire kit, and nobody wanted to do that because they didn’t all have the same issues. This will allow them to make their own educated decisions,” Harty said.
Registration is required. Participants will have the opportunity to place orders for difficult-to-find organic controls at the workshop.
“We keep it fun and friendly. Our club has never had a president or vice president. I want to treat it as educational and that’s what this is about,” Harty said.
The membership fee for monthly meetings April through September is $10. In addition, a $10 Lee Parks and Recreation lifetime membership is required.
The Saturday workshop does not require a membership.
For more information, contact Karen Harty at 610-530-8883.