By JANET OWLE
EBCI COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
The EBCI Garden Contest will begin on Tuesday, June 23 and run through Wednesday, July 1. Call EBCI Cooperative Extension 359-6939 or 359-6937 to sign-up. Judging for individual (adult) gardeners and family gardens will be judged by community on these dates:
June 23 – Wolfetown, Big Y, Birdtown and 3200 Acre Tract
June 25 – Big Cove, Towstring, Yellowhill, and Painttown
June 29 – Cherokee County and Snowbird
June 30 and July 1 – Youth Gardeners (up to age 18) and Community Gardens
Please provide clear driving directions to the garden when you call to sign-up. Other questions that will be asked is the age of the gardener and if the garden is organic.
A team from the EBCI Cooperative Extension office will bring judges to visit the gardens. Judges are Master Gardeners from surrounding counties. They will score the gardens in the following areas: General appearance, planning for season-long food production, evidence of exceptional gardening practices such as soil preparation, plant selection, pest control and season-extending techniques, and creativity such as creative design, unique plants or other features.
Winners will be announced at the EBCI Cooperative Extension’s Community Awards Program in September.
Owle is the interim director at the EBCI Cooperative Extension Office.
