Home Orchards Class

Home Orchards class offered by Central Gorge Master Gardeners

OSU Hood River Extension Central Gorge Master Gardeners invite community members to attend a Master Gardener training class on Home Orchards to be held on Wednesday, March 6, 6 – 8:30 PM at the Hood River Valley Christian Church, 975 Indian Creek Road, Hood River, OR. This Home Orchards class will be taught by OSU Hood River and Wasco County Extension tree fruit horticulturist, Ashley Thompson, Ph.D. Attendees will learn about establishing and caring for a home fruit tree orchard.

Master Gardeners complete a series of classes on a variety of gardening topics in the winter months in preparation for their service as OSU Master Gardener volunteers. One of the most frequently asked questions that Master Gardeners receive is about the care of home fruit trees. Since the Central Gorge is a major commercial tree fruit area, it is important that home orchards are properly cared for. Unmanaged fruit trees can threaten the health of trees in commercial orchards, the top industry in our area.

The recently published booklet, “Living Among Orchards” by Lesley Tamura for Columbia Gorge Fruit Growers will make its debut appearance at this class. Each participant will receive a complimentary copy.

This Master Gardener training class on caring for your home fruit trees is offered free of charge to everyone as a service of OSU Hood River County Extension Central Gorge Master Gardeners. No pre-registration is needed. Please arrive by 5:50 PM as class begins promptly at 6:00. Refreshments will be provided by Hood River Soil and Water Conservation District. For more information on this class, contact Megan Wickersham, megan.wickersham@oregonstate.edu.

Central Gorge Master Gardener volunteers provide free beginning gardening classes and continuing education to home gardeners. For research based information about specific gardening or pest questions, submit your concern online at extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/hoodriver or by phone at 541-386-3343. Home gardeners can also drop off plant or pest samples Monday – Thursday between 9 AM and 4 PM at the OSU Hood River County Extension Service, 2990 Experiment Station Drive, Hood River, OR. 

The Central Gorge Master Gardener program is a division of the OSU Hood River County Extension Service. OSU Extension Service prohibits discrimination in all its programs, services, activities, and materials.