Soils Workshop for Community Gardeners

Kick off the season by learning how to prep your garden for success. Garden Coach Steve Riggio from the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden will educate folks on the importance of having healthy soil and share tips on how to keep your garden buzzing. Following the event meet us in the community garden to swap & share extra seeds you won't be using this year.

The Garden Coach Program at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden supports nonprofit organizations wanting to engage in plant-related activities with individuals they serve. Food pantries, organizations who use gardening for therapy or skill-building, and educators with gardening as part of their approach to teaching are all eligible to become participants in the Garden Coach Program. partners.

Volunteers and staff from the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden who have been certified or trained as Master Gardeners or have commensurate experience lead the program. They have strong communication skills, making them comfortable interacting with people of diverse backgrounds.

Garden coaches work with participating organizations in teams. They bring experience,  a virtual resource library, and a network of knowledgeable horticulturalists. While offering support for resource-planning, gardening maintenance, and problem-solving, their role is to educate, advise, answer questions, and assist participating organizations in addressing their gardening challenges.

Steve Riggio is the volunteer coordinator of the Garden Coach Program.