Local gardeners met at the Nolan Center Thursday evening, March 12, to share advice in Wrangell's first chautauqua event of the season.
The name "chautauqua" comes from a movement that began in the late 1800s, begun near Lake Chautauqua in New York, where public speakers would travel around to spread culture, education, and entertainment. The Nolan Center has hosted its own chautauqua series for many years, giving a number of unique guest speakers a platform.
This first chautauqua meeting of the spring was very informal, with gardeners just sitting around in a circle asking questions and sharing advice. For anyone interested in starting a garden, for example, an important first step is knowing what grows well in the Wrangell area. Michael Bania said that she has had a lot of success growing parsley, while Loretta Rice said chives also grew well. Alice Rooney said that beans and tomatoes are also good vegetables to try, as well as potatoes, and added she was going to try and grow some corn this year.
Some other advice that was offered included getting the right kind of soil and fertilizer to garden with. If one is going to use regular, local soil, it is important to sift out as many rocks as possible. The "Black Gold" brand of fertilizer was also recommended. Homemade compost and fertilizer was also easy to come by. This can be made with things like lime, coffee grounds, and egg shells. Rooney added that seaweed also makes a good addition.
The next chautauqua event was originally scheduled for March 19. However, the Nolan Center has been closed for a minimum of two weeks due to precautionary steps to avoid spreading COVID-19. Keeleigh Solverson, with the Nolan Center, said they don't know when the event is going to be rescheduled.
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