All events are located at Ploughshares Nursery 2701 Main Street Alameda unless otherwise noted.
Drip Irrigation Systems Workshop
Saturday, June 22
12:00pm-1:30pm
Cost: Free
Kim Titus of Urban Farmer is coming back to Ploughshares to discuss drip irrigation for container gardening and for drought tolerant plants. Urban Farmer offers high quality drip irrigation equipment and expert advice on installation.
Sheet Mulching Demonstration
Sunday, June 30
12:00pm-1:00pm
Cost: Free
You bring the cardboard and we’ll supply the mulch! Nursery Manager Jeff Bridge will demonstrate how to convert a plot of old grass or weeds into useable gardening space through the technique of sheet mulching. Learn how easy it is to transform difficult overgrown areas into fertile ground for new plants.
APC Farm and Nursery Tour
Sunday, July 14
12:00pm-1:30pm
Cost: Free
Ploughshares General Manager Jeff Bridge will lead a tour of the Alameda Point Collaborative farm and community garden adjacent to the nursery. The tour will start at Ploughshares to learn how plants are grown from seed and cuttings in our greenhouses. The next stop will be the site of the new Ploughshares retail building (under construction), and then over to APC farm to visit the chickens and bees. APC’s community garden will be the last stop on the tour.
Backyard Goats Workshop
Sunday, July 21
12:00pm-1:30pm
Cost: Free
Meet Mali and her urban goats! Bay Area native Mali McGee is the owner and operator of Milk Mama Goat Farm. She raises goats and sheep in a holistic way to create rich ecosystems for wildlife, livestock and people. After receiving a BS from UC Berkeley in Community and Environmental Health she began raising sheep and goats to heal herself from food allergies. Mali offers workshops on cheese making, soap making, wool processing, and holistic land management using livestock. In this workshop we will be focusing on holistic goat and sheep care in an urban area.
RECENT EVENTS
How to Plant and Care for Grapes Workshop
Sunday, June 16
12:00pm-1:30pm
Cost: Free
Join Nursery Manager Jeff Bridge for a grape planting demonstration followed by a discussion of soil, sun, and fertilizer needs for grapes. Learn which varieties do best in Alameda’s marine influenced environment and how to prevent pests and diseases.
Gardening Q & A
Sunday, June 2
12:00pm-1:30pm
Cost: Free
Something eating your favorite ornamental plants? Nothing seems to grow in ‘that’ part of the garden? Neighbor’s dog doing business in your yard? Nursery Manager Jeff Bridge and Edible Gardener Jeremy Watts will ponder your most challenging gardening conundrums and hopefully send you home with solutions. Feel free to bring your funny looking leaves and suspicious soil for us to investigate!
Not Your Mother’s Garden Party
Sunday, May 19
3:00pm-6:00pm
Ticket cost: $30.00
Join Ploughshares staff, friends, and partners for a delightful gathering in our gardens to support Alameda Point Collaborative, our parent organization. Guests will enjoy custom cocktails by St. George Spirits, a farm-to-table tasting menu featuring produce grown at APC Farm, garden tours, and live music. Rain or shine! All event proceeds will support housing and services for formerly homeless families living at Alameda Point. The nursery will be open for regular retail hours during the event.
California Native Shrubs and Trees Workshop
Saturday, May 18
12:00pm-1:30pm
Cost: Free
Join Ploughshares General Manager Jeff Bridge to learn about the special needs of California shrubs and trees and how to properly prune and water them. Jeff will also discuss the historical distribution of these long-lived native plants and what roles they play in the ornamental and edible home garden.
Edible Mushrooms Workshop
Sunday, May 5
12:00pm-1:30pm
Cost: Free
Food artisans should attend this repeat of Ploughshares staff member Jeremy Watts’ demonstration and how-to session on growing edible mushrooms. Growing your own oyster mushrooms will probably never be cheaper or less labor intensive than buying them at the market but foodies who jar preserves or make their own wine and beer will love this stuff! Jokes about growing psychedelic mushrooms limited to one per person, please.
Blueberry Workshop
Saturday, May 4
12:00pm-1:30pm
Cost: Free
Blueberries are well suited to Alameda’s climate and growing them yourself can ease the strain on the pocketbook if you are a regular consumer. After a little history lesson about our favorite fruit we will learn which varieties work together to increase yield and how to best plant them in the garden for delicious results.
Care and Feeding of Succulents Workshop
Wednesday, May 1
12:00pm-1:00pm
Cost: Free
Succulent plants have grown in popularity in the last few years because they have a reputation for being easy to grow and requiring little attention. Learn where these fascinating and beautiful plants originate from as well as how you can best use them in your garden. It’s not all about ‘Hens and Chicks’ anymore!