Learn on Saturdays

Winter Learning Series—Learn on Saturdays & DIG Symposium

Winter is the best time to dream big about your home garden, and this winter, Learn on Saturdays partners with the DIG symposium for a fantastic lineup of gardening education!

This winter learning series will present eight experts over eight Saturday mornings leading up to a symposium style day with a Keynote speaker, multiple breakout sessions, and a panel Q&A.

Growing the Gardener in You will help you grow your gardening skills, learn sustainable gardening techniques, add more eco-friendly practices, and keep your garden adapting to changing Iowa conditions. Growing as a gardener during the winter will result in amazing home gardens in the summer. Come learn with us!

Flora Cafe will be open at 9 am for coffee and pastries for purchase

The 3rd annual Dig Into Gardening (DIG) Symposium is a half day event where participants will receive research-based information from a broad range of experts including Polk County Master Gardener volunteers, ISU specialists and educators, along with other local experts! You will walk away with new knowledge and inspiration to take back to your own home or business.

This year’s DIG Symposium will feature a keynote speaker, multiple breakout sessions, and a Q&A panel. DIG is open to the public and offers something to all levels of expertise, whether you are looking to start your garden journey or have been doing it for years!

DIG Details

Saturday, March 7,2026 from 8am-12:30 pm

Tickets

DIG Symposium Detailed Schedule

In-person

- $65 Member | $75 Nonmembers
- $55 for LOS season passholders
- All in-person tickets include admission to the Garden, assorted snacks and beverages, and recorded viewing.

Virtual

- $50 member | $60 nonmembers (Virtual live & recorded viewing)
- Includes Keynote speaker, 3 pre-determined breakout sessions, and Q&A panel

Purchase Tickets

*This event serves as a fundraiser for the Polk County Master Gardeners and helps to offset the cost of events and garden upkeep around Polk County.

Speaker Lineup

DIG Symposium Speakers

Keynote: Aaron Harpold, Director of Horticulture, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Breakout sessions:

Breakout 1:
- Gina Buelow – Backyard Mushroom Cultivation
- Cynde and Richard Schreiber – Making a Greenhouse Dream Come True
- Dave and Jenny Nelson – Flower Farm Garden
Breakout 2:
- Dan Boelman – Poison Ivy: Plant Identification, Effective Prevention & Treatment for the Iowa Gardener
- Megan Will – Seed Starting
- Cassie Druhl – Rainscaping
Breakout 3:
- Cynthia Haynes – Edible Container Gardening
- Aaron Steil – Orchids 101
- Patrick O’Malley – Fruit Tree Pruning and Training

Q&A Panel

DIG Symposium Additional Info

Aaron Harpold, Aaron Steil, Cynthia Haynes, Patrick O’Malley

Virtual Only Recorded Option:

The predetermined sessions will be provided to virtual only ticket holders.

Aaron Harpold (keynote)
Gina Buelow (breakout session 1)
Dan Boleman (breakout session 2)
Patrick O’Malley (breakout session 3)
Panel Q&A – Aaron Harpold, Aaron Steil, Cynthia Haynes, Patrick O’Malley

Learn More

DIG Presented by the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Zanfel, Polk County Master Gardeners, and Iowa State University (ISU) Extension & Outreach in Polk County.