March 10, 2024 General Meeting
March 10 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Sustainable gardening – the time has come.
Presented by Bobby Jensen – Master Gardener, Television Personality, Public Speaker
Are you interested in discovering a new way to help the environment while also enjoying the beauty of nature? If so, let’s talk about sustainable gardening! With this eco-friendly approach, you can create a beautiful garden while also reducing your carbon footprint. Sustainable gardening involves certain principles that aim to conserve natural resources, promote soil health, and reduce environmental impact. Key principles include water conservation, soil health improvement, integrated pest management, and encouraging native plant species. To achieve water conservation, techniques such as rainwater harvesting, drip irrigation, and using drought-tolerant plants can be employed. Soil health can be improved through composting, mulching, and avoiding chemical fertilizers. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies can be used to minimize the use of pesticides and encourage natural pest control. Encouraging native plant species can help support local ecosystems. The audience will be encouraged to take small steps towards sustainable gardening, such as starting a compost bin, planting native species, or reducing water usage.
Bobby Jensen opened his first garden center in Clifton, New Jersey in 1976 at the start of the “green revolution”. Following the opening of a chain of garden centers, he became the local expert on all aspects of gardening. He often spoke to local garden clubs and was a frequent guest on radio shows throughout the NYC area. In 1990, he left New Jersey to settle in Minneapolis/St. Paul area where he continued to be a voice for the green industry. As the horticultural expert/buyer for one of the Twin Cities’ largest garden centers, Jensen was able to continually monitor trends and advancements in the industry. In 1994, he partnered with meteorologist Belinda Jensen (no relation) at KARE 11, the Twin Cities NBC affiliate. Their weekly gardening segment, “Grow with KARE”, has been running for 30 years, 52 weeks a year. In his 40 years in the industry, Jensen’s mission continues to be learning, practicing and teaching the field of gardening; from the spectrum of new technologies and developments to sustainability and organics.