In the Garden

it is to do this, and was eager to share not only the procedure, but also the wonderful health benefits of fresh greens and sprouts. Of the generous sample of seeds she gave out my favorite was the Sunflower seeds, though the Cress and Radish are great too, just spicier. Many different kinds of greens and sprouts are available as we have seen in stores. The nutrients in these tiny plants are abundant. A study done by NIH in 2020 attests to this: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7 587365/, and two studies referenced in that article showed that "sprouts, microgreens or "baby" vegetables at early growth stages are better sources of nutrients than their mature counterparts [21,22]." That's a big claim! Sources of seed germinating kits are available on the internet. Read reviews and proceed with courage once you understand more and know how to grow them with success. Another helpful link is: microveggy.com/sprouts-vs-microgreens/. My seeds sprouted within two or three days, and were ready to eat within 5 to 7 days. They were delicious and we enjoyed over several days.

Maybe February will look more like Winter. As I write this, warm temps and a rainy forecast don't look at all like Winter. A year ago Fredericksburg was buried in the aftermath of the January 3rd storm: snow, ice, and broken trees. I still expect cold and snow, even if things look entirely different right now. But what is there to do when all seems dormant?

First: Take on an easy food growing task that can be done on the kitchen counter or near a window: grow sprouts and/or microgreens. Master Gardener Jessica Addis showed us how easy

Next: Welcome Spring by planning to attend the MGACRA Symposium scheduled for April 1 at Gari Melcher's Home and Studio. The theme is 'From Roots to Blooms.' Registration is open, and can be done by mail or online with payment through Paypal: www.mgacra.org/2023-springsymposium.html. Bryce Lane from North Carolina returns to talk about soil building for strong roots. Stacey Chapman will talk about growing flowers for cutting. She and her husband own Westwind Flowers in Orange, VA. Nancy Berlin, a Master Gardener in Prince William County will talk about Container Gardening. Come and learn; it's an informative day at a beautiful venue!

June and August: With information from our Symposium speakers, grow flowers for our next Flower Show, and help rebuild the population of pollinators while you are at it. Master Gardener Laurie Clarkston led us through our first Flower Show last year, and this year the efforts will kick off in June when MGACRA volunteers will give short talks on the basic needs of a seed and flower. We hope to see lots of children and adults grow and show their flowers. In late August, flowers that people have grown can be brought to the downtown library for showing. Ribbons will be awarded. Dates, times, and more information will be on our website: https://www.mgacra.org/june.html.

Tina Will is a Master Gardener and lives in Stafford County. She can be reached at brianandtina.will@gmail.com photos y Jessica Addis