Page 54 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 123

54 Issue #123 April 2023 www.sportsenergynews.com

Gardening at Seaway Senior Citizens Club with

Fred Deschamps

By Christine Ouellet gardening advice. Master Gardeners in
the Province of Ontario are experienced
n April, the Seaway Senior Citizens gardeners who have studied horticulture
IClub is hosting a very special two- extensively and continue to upgrade
part gardening information series their skills through technical training.
scheduled for April 11th and 25th. This With this training and continuing
event is open to the public as well as to education, Master Gardeners provide
club members. expert horticultural advice to the public.

Back by popular demand - based upon While he was studying at Guelph
his very popular Seniors Active Living University, Deschamps started to work
Fair session, Master Gardeners Fred for Gauthier Greenhouse in Bainsville.
Deschamps and his wife Frieda will be “It was a good opportunity because I
leading a “Way to Grow” Gardening was working, serving the people, and
session. They will cover a wide range of learning at the same time.”
gardening topics. Once Fred and Freida joined the
After retiring from Canada Post in Master Gardener program in SDG,
2013, Fred Deschamp was looking they met many people from all over Photo Fred and Frieda Deschamps Photo Submitted
for something to do. He always liked the County. He said, “You must be a
gardening and he decided to upgrade certified horticulturalist to join. Then, Gardener.” all questions they must answer.”
his education and become a certified the chairperson assigns each person Now Fred and Frieda are retired for He continues by saying, “First thing
horticulturist. Frieda, his wife, was to an event or a tradeshow, where the second time, but they give much of to do, is you should start by raking your
also interested, so they both enrolled they participate in workshops or make their time volunteering at the Seaway yard, cutting the dead branches, I explain
in the horticultural program at Guelph presentations. You had to answer the Senior Citizens Club. to people that they have to start weeding
University. They completed the courses questions from the public and give as well. The next step is to open-up the
over a 3-year period. At the end of this, advice. If someone asked you a question With regards to the upcoming soil, feed it, replenish it, and amend it.
they graduated and became certified and you didn’t know the answer, you workshop, Deschamps says, “I am The soil has given you so much last year
horticulturists. had to write it down, take the name going to cover a bit of everything, but that you have to put back the nutrients
and phone number of the person, find basically spring is a planning period,
But Fred and Frieda wanted to learn the answer, and call back the person. where people have to decide what they by giving it good manure. And then, get
more and becoming Master Gardeners ready for Victoria Weekend.”
Don’t bluff! You had to give the right will do, buy the seeds, start them and/
was their next goal. The Master answer. Once I was with Larry Hodgson or buy plants. I ask them: What type There is a registry on the internet
Gardeners Program is widely recognized
for three days, and all this was done for of garden do you want? Do you have and people can have access to a
around the world and well established free. They monitor your attendance, a big country garden? Do you want to specialist by typing up their questions
in each province in Canada. It is an how many times, the number of hours, do a vegetable garden, plant annuals, or and someone will communicate with
independent, non-profit charitable
all this is recorded. In our case, after perennials? Do you want to build raised them. He encourages people to do some
organization, dedicated to helping doing this for seven years, the Province beds, or enhance your balcony with research on the internet to expand their
home gardeners by providing free
of Ontario awarded us the title of Master containers and flower boxes? These are knowledge.
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