MARINETTE, Wis. — Northern Lights Master Gardeners and the Marinette Senior Center are offering, as part of its “Ask a Master Gardener” series, new and unique classes on Beginning Vegetable Gardening.

The four-part series will guide and help give participants the tools necessary to have successful vegetable gardens of their own come growing season.

The first three classes will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, March 4, 11 and 18, at the Marinette Senior Center, 1603 Ludington St. in Marinette. The fourth and final class will be sometime in August at a date/time/location yet to be determined.

Week one will have a general overview of starting a vegetable garden. Topics will include site location, site preparation, types of beds, seed catalog and seed packet information, and proper artificial lighting.

Week two will talk about soil and how to maintain it, cover crops and how to make and add compost to the soil.

Week three will be devoted to discussing pollinators and pollination, preparing to plant, care and protection of the plants. There will also be a review of what has been taught so far.

Week four will focus on what participants need to know to prepare the garden for winter.

Advanced registration is required, along with a recommended $20 donation to cover costs of materials. Those looking to participate should register early, as class size is limited.

Registration forms will be available at the Marinette Senior Center; the Marinette County Extension Office, on the second floor of the Resource Center Building behind the courthouse (old jail); or on the NLMGAI Facebook page.

Registration forms can also be received by calling or texting Master Gardener Rick Dittrich at 715-587-3733 or by sending an email to nlmgaibvg@gmail.com.