Join NECIC along with other community partners for this year’s 12th Annual Raising Richland Community Garden Summit.
The event is free and all are welcome. Beginning at 5 PM on March 16 at Kingwood Center Gardens, there will be vendors, speakers, food, and fun activities for kids k-6th grade.
A special emphasis at the Summit will be on native plants. Stop by the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District table to get information about native plants and to pick up a free packet of milkweed seeds.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources maintains a list of wildflowers in Ohio, which includes several native species in Richland and Crawford Counties, such as Harbinger-of-spring and Sharp-lobed Hepatica. When selecting native plants, it is important to consider factors such as plant hardiness zone and water needs. The USDA plant hardiness zone for north central Ohio is 6a, which means that plants must be able to tolerate winter temperatures that can drop to -10 to -5°F. Additionally, choosing plants that are drought-tolerant or have low water needs can help conserve water and reduce the need for supplemental watering.
For more information on the Summit, please contact NECIC Teaching Garden Coordinator, Mona Knuess at mona@necic-ohio.org or 419-564-3594. Learn more about rain gardens, pollinators, and native plants at https://richlandswcd.net/residential/programs/
