Boothbay Region Adult and Community Education is pleased to welcome Master Gardener Jean Vose of Nobleboro as one of their spring instructors. The topic is "Companion Planting - Plants You Should Grow Side-By-Side.”

The program on Wednesday, Feb. 26 is from 6 to 8 p.m. at Boothbay Region High School on 236 Townsend Avenue in Boothbay Harbor.

Companion planting is a method of getting the most out of one's garden in the most natural way. It’s a good way to not only make your garden work but also to make it look good. It may seem a little chaotic, but fun. So, you'll want to try it in your backyard. This is the ideal time to decide which plants to use in the coming summer's gardens. The illustrated slide show program discusses how to use plants to create an environment to attract pollinators and repel insect pests. This includes identification of these creatures, how they work in gardens and how they overwinter in the yard. Eco-friendly yard tips are included as well as ways to support overwintering pollinators. There will be take-home handouts and an opportunity during and after the program to ask questions.

Vose has over 30 years' experience as a gardener and a beekeeper. She will describe what companion planting is, its benefits, various techniques, and examples of the plant pairings. Jean will share her favorite companion plants for home-scale vegetable production as well as recommendations from the books “Companion Planting for the Kitchen Gardener “and “Rodale’s Successful Organic Gardening® Companion Planting.”

This way of planting focuses on plants that bring in pollinators, help repel bad bugs while improving the health of plants around them. Most people who garden stay with what is now considered to be a typical garden --- vegetables in separate rows, flowers in flower beds and maybe some herbs in an herb garden. But there is a better way, and it’s not new. In fact, it’s been around for thousands of years. Interested in increasing what your garden produces, while creating more beauty and diversity and at the same time bringing in pollinators?

For additional information or to register: https://boothbayae.coursestorm.com/course/companion-planting