Go Green This Earth Day at The Great Outdoors

Leading Experts Offer Environmental and Gardening Tips to Central Texans

AUSTIN, Texas, April 16 /PRNewswire/ – At The Great Outdoors, every day is Earth Day, but to celebrate the “official” occasion, Austin’s famed garden center will be hosting a composting class given by local compost guru Patrick Van Haren. Patrick’s company, Sunergie, specializes in making the finest compost and compost extract to infuse your lawn and garden with beneficial microbes.

“Compost, whether you’re making it or using it, is arguably the most important ingredient in an organic garden,” said Matt Welch, manager of The Great Outdoors. “Whether you’re growing flowers or vegetables, nothing connects the consumption/production cycle like composting.”

A few composting tips from The Great Outdoors include:

• When building your compost heap, always layer it by putting down dead leaves and stems, then green waste like lawn clippings and food scraps, followed by a small amount of garden soil. Repeat until pile is at least 3′ high.
• To speed up the composting process, when building or turning your heap, layer in an organic nitrogen source like bat guano or other composted manures.
• Keep the heap damp, but not wet, and turn it every 1 1/2 to 2 weeks to add oxygen.

The Earth Day event is part of The Great Outdoors Spring Speaker Series, in which leading experts from around the nation speak about topics ranging from gardening without tap water to vegetable production on a small scale. For flower lovers, there will be plenty of classes on ornamentals that “thrive on neglect,” blooming year after year with little to no care or extra water.

“We are proud to host expert gardeners at The Great Outdoors for our Spring Speaker Series,” said Tom Tinguely, founder and president of The Great Outdoors. “We strive to stay current with our customers needs and to provide them with the knowledge and resources to have their dream garden.”

Attendees can enjoy a total of 11 events at The Great Outdoors Spring Speaker Series, half of which are offered at no cost. The maximum entry fee is $5 dollars.

• April 18th (Earth Day), 10a.m. Patrick Van Haren, Sunergie: “It’s hot! It’s steamy! It’s dirty! Yes, it’s humified compost! And it’s good for you and the Earth!”
• April 25th, 7p.m. Laura Joseph, Austin Area Garden Council: “Staghorn Ferns”
• May 2nd and 3rd, Art Under the Oaks: Local Artists showcase their creations
• May 9th, 7p.m., Dr. Bill Welch, Notable Author, “Tough, Sustainable, Perennial: Great Plants for Central Texas”
• May 16th, 7p.m., Matt Welch, The Great Outdoors: “All Bark and No Blight: Easy, Tough Trees For Austin and How to Grow Them”
• May 23rd, 7p.m., Dawn Stover, Research Associate at Stephen F. Austin University: “Everything Including the Kitchen Sink: Annuals and Perennials for the Condo Patio”
• May 30th, 7p.m., Brad Lancaster, Permaculture Guild: “Rainwater Collection & Usage”

About The Great Outdoors

The Great Outdoors Nursery has been helping central Texans create distinctive, sustainable indoor & outdoor living lifestyles since 1985. Their staff of certified nurserymen and designers have unmatched experience in working with the region’s climate and soils. For more information, please visit http://gonursery.com

    Media Contact:
    Sonal Shah
    c.a.k. + associates
    (512) 347-0300
    sonal@cakplus.com

SOURCE The Great Outdoors