Master gardener to discuss permaculture at Monroeville library

Monroeville resident Craig Rowland will conduct a three-part series at the Monroeville Public Library on growing fruit and permaculture.

The term “permaculture” — a combination of permanent agriculture and permanent culture — was coined by Bill Mollison and is “the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems.” The philosophy is to work with nature, rather than against it.

Rowland’s initial presentation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on April 6. “Growing organic fruit trees, shrubs and vines” will focus on the basics of planting and maintaining fruitbearing trees. Rowland will review an array of fruit trees, shrubs and vines in our area and the basics on how to grow them.

The talk will discuss where to shop for fruit trees, how to select the best ones and tips for growing them in our area. Rowland is a Penn State master gardener and holds a horticulture degree from Temple University. With more than 20 years of experience, Craig has done nursery work, wine grape growing, wine making and consulting for other wineries.

“This program will provide education to the local homeowner on growing a variety of fruits and cover important topics, such as pollination and how to combat pests and disease,” said Pam Barroso, reference and instruction librarian. “Craig is big on permaculture and growing organically. It will also be exciting to learn how to grow more fruit, incorporating these varieties into our home landscapes.”

Rowland’s second talk, “Fruit tree guilds and permaculture,” will be held from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on May 4. This program will concentrate on small fruits, permaculture design and landscape design.

The third installment, “Harvesting fruit and making wine,” is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Aug. 3. Rowland’s final lecture will focus on growing organic fruits and grapes. It is an introduction to the basics of harvesting and preserving fruits for wine making and the process.

There is a limited amount of space for these presentations, and preregistration is encouraged. All three talks are stand-alone events and must be registered for separately.

For additional information or to register, call the library at 412-372-0500 or visit the library’s events calendar at: monroeville.librarycalendar.com. The Monroeville Public Library is located at 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd.