Rose Marie Nichols McGee, president of Nichols Garden Nursery in the Willamette Valley, will be the keynote speaker at the Clatsop County Master Gardeners ‘winterizing your garden’ workshop.

ASTORIA — The Clatsop County Master Gardeners Association presents a workshop on winterizing your garden Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds. The event is free.

The beginning of a productive garden starts in fall and winter.

This workshop focuses on preparation and planning to insure a healthy and abundant growing season for next year. Attention to soil is crucial and keynote speaker Rose Marie Nichols McGee will provide answers on this. There will be mini workshops throughout the day that provide more gardening inspiration as well as a plant sale, garden treasure sale, raffles and kids activities. Fresh vegetables will also be for sale.

The plant sale includes plants that thrive in our region including hostas, daylilies, hellebores, spring garden bulbs and winter over vegetable starts. There will be small tree starts of Japanese maple, hazelnut, alder and espaliered apple. Pre-planted “salad bowls” are also planned. Master Gardeners will answer questions and advise on best planting techniques and growing requirements.

At 11 a.m., keynote speaker Nichols McGee with speak on “Putting your garden to bed.” Nichols McGee is president of Nichols Garden Nursery in the Willamette Valley. She co-authored “Bountiful Container Gardening” and writes the famed high demand Nichols Garden Nursery catalog, “Herbs, Fine Seeds and Goods for the Gardener Cook.” Nichols McGee has a passion for organic food gardening and sharing winterizing advice focusing on quality soil maintenance and cover crops. She will also recommend plants that thrive in winter and show gardeners how to build a circle garden with a compost pile center. She promises to bring seeds from Nichols Nursery and her book will also be available.

All day events include learning about mushroom foraging on the coast from Dan Osis, a park ranger at Fort Stevens State Park who has taught mushroom identification for 14 years; Marion County Master Gardeners will share their success in growing vegetables without irrigation; mini workshops from Clatsop County Master Gardeners on bees and pollinator plants, bulb forcing for inside spring flowers, composting and mulching, garden tool maintenance, plant division and Ph soil testing – bring one cup of garden soil in a plastic bag to assess your own Ph levels.

The Clatsop County Fairgrounds is located at 92937 Walluski Loop in Astoria.