GREEN THUMB GATHERING LURES HUNDREDS.Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Daily News Staff Writer In a busy modern world filled with the technological distractions of cell phones, Web sites and 24-hour cable channels, many people find their greatest pleasure in a freshly tilled plot of dirt. On Saturday, that humble calling drew hundreds of enthusiasts to Ventura College Ventura College is a California-state funded community college located in Ventura, California. Established in 1925, the college has a 112-acre campus with an enrollment of 13,000 students. The college is part of the Ventura County Community College District. to celebrate the satisfaction of cultivating life from the earth. ``The world has been moving toward more and more technology,'' said Deborah Mills, a member of Master Gardeners of Ventura and Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. Counties. ``Gardening is something so humanistic, putting your hands in the soil. It's getting back to basics.'' The third annual Master Gardener Symposium drew people from all over Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, to the Ventura campus, lured by seminars on all things green, from ``The Plant Whisperer: Learning Sustainable and Biodynamic bi·o·dy·nam·ic adj. 1. Of or relating to the study of the effects of dynamic processes, such as motion or acceleration, on living organisms. 2. Skills'' to ``Topiary topiary Art of training living trees and shrubs into artificial, decorative shapes. Topiary is known to have been practiced in the 1st century AD. The earliest topiary was probably the simple development of edgings, cones, columns, and spires to accent a garden scene. and the Art of Living Sculpture in Landscape Design.'' Held at the college every other year, the conference demonstrates the latest techniques for tending gardens and offers a diverse variety of seedlings and cuttings from local nurseries for sale. ``As a gardener, you're always thinking your plants are doing well, and usually they are, but they can always use a little more TLC TLC total lung capacity; thin-layer chromatography. TLC abbr. 1. thin-layer chromatography 2. ,'' said Lauren Alexander, 75, who has 40 roses and a myriad other plants and trees in his Ventura garden. ``Here, you can learn the fine points of taking care of your plants.'' Professionals told conference attendees that the best time to prune flowering plants plants which have stamens and pistils, and produce true seeds; phenogamous plants; - distinguished from See also: Flowering and trees for spring blooms is during the winter months - between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day Valentine's Day: see Saint Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day Lovers' holiday celebrated on February 14, the feast day of St. Valentine, one of two 3rd-century Roman martyrs of the same name. St. . Also, they suggested feeding plants a balanced diet balanced diet n. A diet that furnishes in proper proportions all of the nutrients necessary for adequate nutrition. balanced diet of fertilizer because nutrients stimulate different elements in plants - some will encourage lush green leaves; others help flowering. Above all, many said that for the best and most robust results, gardeners should take inventory of the soil, weather conditions and the amount of sunlight each spot receives before choosing plants to grow. Included on the list of speakers Saturday were landscape architects, florists, arborists, breeders and farm advisers from throughout the region. Tammy Tatum, publisher of Digitalseed, an online gardening resource at www.digitalseed.com, taught visitors to garden organically, using seed placement and natural products to control pests. David Lemon, a 40-year flower breeder and research director at Oglevee Ltd., explained how to spice up a garden using pelargoniums - including ivy and scented-leafed varieties. And Jack E. Christensen, an Ontario-based rose breeder with dozens of hybrid creations to his credit, outlined the basics for those growing roses in their gardens. One of the main concerns brought up during Christensen's hourlong discussion was the problem of rust and how to prevent the disease's spread among the blooms. Christensen said it's important to keep plants clear of dead or decaying material. ``Another thing you can do is find the instigator in·sti·gate tr.v. in·sti·gat·ed, in·sti·gat·ing, in·sti·gates 1. To urge on; goad. 2. To stir up; foment. [Latin rose,'' he told his audience. ``There always is one where it takes hold first and if you let it go, it'll pass on the rust to others. ``You want to separate it. Put it in another part of the yard if you really love the rose,'' he said, ``or give it to someone you don't love.'' Many symposium visitors said the primary reason they enjoy tending plants is the meditative and nearly spiritual feeling they get from working with the soil. ``It's so exciting to be gifted with a piece of land that we can take care of for our lifetime,'' gushed Marlena Ross, who transformed her front yard in Culver City Culver City, city (1990 pop. 38,793), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles; inc. 1917. It is a center of the U.S. motion-picture industry, whose roots in the city date to c.1915. Its chief manufactures are rubber products and computers. from a dry wasteland into a garden paradise filled with dozens of citrus trees. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1--Color in Conejo and Simi Editions only) Kathryn Pierce examines plants for sale Saturday at the Master Gardener Symposium at Ventura College. The biennial event drew hundreds to the campus. (2--Color in Conejo and Simi Editions only) Renee Sherry lectures a packed classroom on floral arrangements as part of Saturday's symposium. Michael Owen Baker/Daily News |
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