2026 Haywood Gardener: Learn to Grow Series
Are you interested in learning more about gardening? Come take a class with N.C. Cooperative Extension of Haywood County. The Learn to Grow series and Lifelong Gardening classes provide our community with information presented by NC State Extension Master Gardener℠ (EMG) volunteers on a full variety of home gardening topics. Classes provide research-based, unbiased information on current garden, fruits, and landscape practices.
All Learn to Grow classes will be held at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Haywood County Center located at 589 Raccoon Road in Waynesville. Pre-registration is required and classes cost $10. You may register below via an online form or by calling 828-456-3575. Register soon, as class sizes are limited. Registration for each individual class opens approximately one month before the class date.
Lifelong Gardening
Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 10 am - 12pm REGISTER HERE
Lifestyle and physical changes do not mean you have to give up gardening; it just means changing the way you garden. When mobility and other issues arise, gardening does not have to end. There is increasing evidence that exposure to plants and green space, and particularly to gardening, is beneficial to mental and physical health. This presentation covers the basics of good body mechanics to help protect and support joints including backs. It will address alternative garden styles, ergonomically designed and adaptive tools, and ways to inexpensively adapt tools already on hand.Planning a Vegetable Garden
Container Gardening
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 1pm-3pm REGISTER HERE
Just in time to help you create an award-winning container garden for the September, 2026 Haywood County Fair Haywood County Fair Website Learn how to choose containers to fit your space, as well as the right blend of plants that will allow your assortment to not only grow, but thrive. Have fun with artistic design - choose a plant that is the standout plant – it can be large, tall or full of interesting flowers or have an intriguing form. Next choose the plant that will fill the middle ground or space of the container and finally, a plant that will soften the container’s edge by growing over the edge like a cascading waterfall. We'll discuss color, texture, fragrance and how to put it all together in your plant masterpiece.Small Fruit & Tree Fruit for the Home Gardener
Soils, Soil Sampling & Fertilizers
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 1pm-3pm REGISTER HERE
To plants the soil is EVERYTHING. Discussions will include soil composition and structure; the importance of pH and how to adjust it; how to improve your soil; soil nutrition; where, when and how to take soil samples; reading soil test reports; fertilizer types; synthetic versus natural fertilizers; and how to read a fertilizer label. Weather permitting, there will be a soil sampling demonstration.
Winter Gardening – Aiming for Year-Round Appeal
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 1pm-3pm REGISTER HERE
Does your garden appear barren, boring, and bleak over winter? Learn how to improve your garden’s winter look during the dismal months of December through March, in Haywood County. The class will cover the basic principles of winter gardening, including specific examples, as well as a tailored list of recommended plants (mostly native). You will also learn easy techniques to maximize existing garden features and immediate improvements to your winter landscape, creating a foundation that will grow more beautiful with each passing season.
Milk Jug Winter Seed Propagation
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 9:30am-11:30am REGISTER HERE
Think gardening season is winding down? Get a head start for next spring with winter sowing, a simple, budget-friendly way to grow native plants that pollinators love. All you need are recycled containers (like milk jugs), potting soil, and seeds. These mini greenhouses sit outside all winter, giving seeds the cold stratification they need to break dormancy. Come spring, you’ll have strong, hardy seedlings ready for transplanting, no indoor lights or heating mats required.
Haywood County Public Library – Both Waynesville & Canton Locations
Please contact the library to register for classes held there. Check out the library calendar for latest offerings!
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, N.C. Cooperative Extension will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. Please direct accommodation requests to: Sally Dixon, srdixon@ncsu.edu, 828-456-3575. Requests can be served more effectively if notice is provided at least 10 days before the event.
N.C. Cooperative Extension prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, political affiliation, and veteran status.
