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Gardening Association of North Carolina

We inspire, connect, and empower North Carolinians to create healthy, sustainable, home and community environments through gardening.

Upcoming GAONC Education Events


 Video Library Community Calendar

GAONC Events

    • 09 Sep 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Zoom
    Register

    Goldenseal

    Growing Your Own Woodland

    Medicinal Garden 

    With Jeanine Davis

    Associate Professor, Extension Specialist

    Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University


    Date:  Tuesday, September 9, 2025

    Time: 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Eastern via Zoom 

    (Registration is required to receive the Zoom link for the live presentation.  The presentation will be recorded.)

    Cost:

    GAONC Members- Free 

    Non-Members - $10 (non-refundable) - once the recording is ready to view, we'll send you a link that will be valid for 30 days.  OR you can join GAONC ($20 annual membership fee), attend ALL of our presentations for free, AND have access to all of the recordings in our Video Library to view on demand.

    About this Presentation:

    Forest farming of native medicinal herbs is a hot topic right now, but what if you are gardener and you don't have a forest? If you have a shady area in your yard, natural or created, you can also grow some of these beautiful and useful native medicinal herbs. We will cover what herbs are appropriate for different parts of the state, the basics of how to incorporate them into your garden, and where to find your starter plants.

    The presentation will be recorded for 

    members to view later in our Video Library.


    About Our Speaker: 


       Dr. Jeanine Davis is an associate professor and extension

        specialist in the Department of Horticultural Science at NC

        State University. She is located at a research and

        extension center in western NC near Asheville. For over

        35 years, she has researched medicinal herbs, forest

        farming, new crops, vegetables, and organic agriculture

    and shared her knowledge on these topics with farmers and gardeners across the country. Her current efforts are focused on native woodland botanicals, hops, truffles, Chinese medicinal herbs, and organic tomatoes. She is the lead author of the book “Growing and Marketing Ginseng, Goldenseal and Other Woodland Medicinals”. Jeanine and her family operate Our Tiny Farm where they raise and board mini-donkeys.


    *Approval of this presentation for continuing education credit is at the discretion of

    your program.

    • 25 Sep 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Zoom


    A Beginner's Guide to Biological IPM in the Landscape

    With Russ Schmeiss

    Nursery Manager, Carolina Native Nursery



    Date:  Thursday, September 25, 2025

    Time: 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Eastern via Zoom 

    (Registration is required to receive the Zoom link for the live presentation.  The presentation will be recorded.)

    Cost:

    GAONC Members- Free 

    Non-Members - $10 (non-refundable) - once the recording is ready to view, we'll send you a link that will be valid for 30 days.  OR you can join GAONC ($20 annual membership fee), attend ALL of our presentations for free, AND have access to all of the recordings in our Video Library to view on demand.

    About this Presentation:

    If you are hoping to "go more natural" in your landscape, this program is for you!  We'll cover:

    • Why we use biological controls and how this approach began
    • The positives and negatives of IPM and best practices to follow to implement some of these controls within the landscape
    • Some of the native predators that can be found in our own landscapes, how to attract them and keep them alive, working and happy so they'll continue from one year to the next
    • BCA's (bio-control agents) that are used at Carolina Native Nursery and are also commercially available for the homeowner.

    The presentation will be recorded for 

    members to view later in our Video Library.


    About Our Speaker: 

    Russ Schmeiss began his horticulture career in New Jersey at the age of 16 and has since held nearly every role in the industry, from propagation and crop production to shipping logistics and management. He also owned and operated a successful retail garden center and design build landscape operation for over a decade in central NJ. 

    Russ spent four years as the Crop Health Specialist at Blooming Nursery in Cornelius, Oregon. There, he built upon his bio-friendly approach to IPM, further refining a system that prioritizes plant health, minimizes chemical inputs, and supports long-term sustainability.

    After Hurricane Helene, Russ’ first reaction was to come back east to help out with relief efforts, as his parents live in nearby Fairview When the opportunity to join CNN as Nursery Manager arose, it felt like a natural next step; a way to continue serving both the horticulture industry and the local WNC community. His greatest professional satisfaction comes from delivering high-quality plants with minimal loss and doing so in the most sustainable way possible.

    Russ lives in the Burnsville area with his wife, Dawn, and their beloved menagerie of pets: two Weimaraners and four cats.


    *Approval of this presentation for continuing education credit is at the discretion of

    your program.

Past events

08 Jul 2025 Culinary Herbs for the Home Gardener
26 Jun 2025 Leave Your Lawn: Alternative to Turfgrass
10 Jun 2025 Making Those Pesky Scientific Plant Names Work for You
22 May 2025 NC Coastal Landscaping: A Guide for Your Yard
13 May 2025 Stop! Don’t Squish Me — I’m a Beneficial Bug!
27 Mar 2025 Moth Nights: Discoveries in the Darkness
27 Feb 2025 Just Act Natural: Welcoming Native Plants to Your Garden
11 Feb 2025 Check Your Dirt NC: Soil Contamination as an Environmental Health and Justice Issue
23 Jan 2025 The Healing Power of Gardening: Exploring Therapeutic Horticulture
10 Dec 2024 Prescribed Burning: The Benefits of Prescribed Fire in the Environment
21 Nov 2024 Growing Color: Using Plants for Natural Dyes
12 Nov 2024 Our Garden is Our Happy Place: Why We Keep Coming Back For More
24 Oct 2024 Growing Blueberries in North Carolina
08 Oct 2024 Photography Tips for Gardeners and Nature Lovers
26 Sep 2024 Propagating Native Plants
10 Sep 2024 Planning, Planting, and Maintaining Beautiful Pollinator Gardens in the South
22 Aug 2024 Small Scale Stormwater Solutions for Landscapes
13 Aug 2024 Hobby Greenhouses: An Undercover Activity
25 Jul 2024 Bountiful Benefits of "Bugs"
09 Jul 2024 Invasive Plants: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
27 Jun 2024 Threats and Solutions - Saving our Birds
11 Jun 2024 The Trouble with Tomatoes
23 May 2024 Native Perennials for the Home Garden
25 Apr 2024 Sustainability at Home: Permaculture Practices for Small Spaces
09 Apr 2024 Exploring Diversity and Inclusion
28 Mar 2024 Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Yard
14 Mar 2024 Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers by Providing an Organization that is Volunteer Friendly
22 Feb 2024 Blackberry Production for Homeowners and Small Scale Farms
13 Feb 2024 The Orange County Community Seed Library
25 Jan 2024 Garden Tool Maintenance
09 Jan 2024 Farming in the City – The What and Why of DeepRoots CPS Farm
16 Nov 2023 Permaculture, Climate Resilient Agroecology, and Biocultural Ways of Life
14 Nov 2023 Herba Inutillis, the Evolution of Weed Control Through History
26 Oct 2023 Collecting, Preparing, and Sowing Native Seeds
12 Oct 2023 Learn to Design Plant Tags with Canva
28 Sep 2023 Building an Herb Spiral
24 Aug 2023 Residential Rain Gardens
14 Aug 2023 Image Acquisition and Editing - An Interactive Workshop
27 Jul 2023 Growing Sustainable School Gardening Programs
11 Jul 2023 Success is in the Planning
22 Jun 2023 Spotted Lanternfly (SLF): An Impending Nuisance
13 Jun 2023 Setting up Plant Clinics and Diagnostic Workshops
25 May 2023 The Plight of Pollinators: Recognizing Pollinators and Assisting Them in Your Landscape
09 May 2023 Creative Canvas: Mastering the Art of Web, Print, and Press Design with Canva & Beyond
27 Apr 2023 Backyard Composting
11 Apr 2023 Helpful Hints on Running Plant Sales from Experienced Master Gardener Volunteers and Agents
23 Mar 2023 Container Gardening 101 with The Patio Farmer
14 Mar 2023 PowerPoint - Best Practices
23 Feb 2023 Hurley Park - Welcoming Spring and Warding off Weeds
14 Feb 2023 How to Start a Community Garden
26 Jan 2023 The Colorful History of America's Plant Hardiness Zones
17 Nov 2022 Winter Sowing and Other Secrets of a Winter Garden
27 Oct 2022 Scouting for Pests and Disease on Houseplants
22 Sep 2022 Kids Gardening: Inspiring the Next Generation of Gardeners
25 Aug 2022 Placemaking Through Gardens - Opportunities to Connect with Others Using Plants and Nature
28 Jul 2022 Doing Less and Getting More: Creating a Sustainable Landscape
30 Jun 2022 Handling Press Relations
23 Jun 2022 Accessible Gardening for Yourself and Others
26 May 2022 Aquaponics and a New Way of Thinking
28 Apr 2022 Introduction to Organic Gardening
24 Mar 2022 Growing Vegetables in Central North Carolina





GAONC

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We are a 501(c)3 Nonprofit Corporation



Contact Us

8295 Scarlet Oak Court

Harrisburg, NC 28075

Email us:  gardeningassocnc@gmail.com