Hort Days Are Back!

When: August 7th - 8th 2025

 

Featuring family and childrens events for the first time! 

Connect with like-minded gardeners and pick up some new tips on how to keep your garden healthy and your yard beautiful. Hort Week offers the public engaging, accurate classes taught by enthusiastic garden professionals and they are suitable for new or experienced gardeners. Workshops may be taken for personal interest or for credit towards the Master Gardener Certificate Program. Come make new gardening friends!

Registration

Registration deadline - Monday, August 4th. 

Any classes that have not reached the minimum registrations will be removed from the roster. Registration for all other available events will still be available, with drop-in's accepted at the door (40$ per ticket, cash only.)

TO REGISTER -  CLICK HERE

PLEASE NOTE

  • Although walk-ins are accepted, we cannot guarantee walk-ins will get into the class since we cannot exceed the class room size limit.
  • Only cash will be accepted for Walk-ins (ATM on the 2nd floor of the Agriculture Building)
  • We will do our best but we cannot guarantee that any of the participants (who register online or walk-in) will get into their selected time slot.

Registrants will receive an email confirming their purchase, and a follow-up email with location information, directions, and parking information. This information is also available in the FAQ at the bottom of this page. 

Cancellation policy and contact information below. 

Events - Thursday, August 7th 

Family Horticulture Fun [Recommended for ages 6-12]
When:
10:00 am - 12:00pm
Location: Agriculture Building, 51 Campus Drive
Cost: 20$*
You and your child will enjoy a variety of educational activities. Featuring a short garden-themed story time, hands-on learning about seeds with your own plants to take home, creating pictures of insects using dried, pressed plant materials, and plenty of interactive materials to explore at your own pace.
*Parents and guardians attend free of charge; Maximum of 2 children per 1 parent/guardian

Pick It Perfect: When and how to harvest your garden bounty
Sessions:     
1:00 pm - 1:45pm
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Location: Agriculture Building, 51 Campus Drive
Cost: 30$ 
Have you ever grown a beautiful bushel of carrots only to have them rot in storage?  What about that corn... how do you know it's ripe for picking without opening up every cob on the plant?  Jackie Bantle will provide harvest and storage information for a variety of vegetables; from spinach to parsnips and everything in between.  Don't let your hard work in the garden be compromised at harvest time. 

Yes you can can! An introduction to canning and preserving
Sessions:     
1:00 pm - 1:45pm
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Location: Agriculture Building, 51 Campus Drive
Cost: 30$

Learn the basics of how to can and preserve your harvest. You will learn about the basic components of canning through discussion and demonstration. Tips for food safety and storage is included. This event will include a tasting of the canned goods shown in the demonstration.

Bob’s Berry Best: Sour cherries, haskap, and other fruit favourites
Sessions:     
1:00 pm - 1:45pm
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Location: Agriculture Building, 51 Campus Drive
Cost: 30$

Retired Professor Bob Bors will discuss his favorite and new generation of fruit cultivars.  He will also provide tips for better growth and fruiting.

There will be ample opportunity to ask questions.   

Designing with Plants: Creating incredible containers
Sessions:     
1:00 pm - 1:45pm
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Location: Agriculture Building, 51 Campus Drive
Cost: 30$

Some artists use paint—others use plants.
Working with living media presents unique challenges, but it also offers the exciting potential for ever-evolving works of art.

In this session, we’ll explore color, texture, form, and line in container design. Learn how to create striking arrangements that last all season, engage the senses, and deliver that unforgettable “wow” factor!

Soil Rehab: Boost your soil after the harvest
Sessions:     
1:00 pm - 1:45pm
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Location: Agriculture Building, 51 Campus Drive
Cost: 30$

Designed to help gardeners and small-scale growers better understand and improve their soil health, we will learn what soil health really means by exploring its physical, chemical, and biological components. We will go over and discuss the six key principles of building healthy soils. The session will also address common pitfalls such as over-fertility and explain how to use soil sampling to optimize nutrient management. We’ll explore how soil health influences garden yields and longevity and discuss practical tips to consideR. You can expect an interactive session with some hands-on components and lively discussion.

365 Days of Greens and More: Producing fresh food year-round on your windowsill
Sessions:     
1:00 pm - 1:45pm
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Location: Agriculture Building, 51 Campus Drive
Cost: 30$

With rising prices, access to high quality fresh fruits and vegetables is becoming challenging, especially in the winter months.  This session combines lecture with display and explanations.  Low light tolerant plants and how to grow fresh horticulture produce year round indoors on a windowsill at relatively little cost and without expensive equipment will be covered. 

Events - Friday, August 8th 

Budding and Grafting Workshop
Sessions:     
9:00 am - 12:00pm
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Location: Horticulture Research Field: 2909 14th Street, Saskatoon. 
Cost: 100$
USask Fruit Program will be holding a Budding and Grafting Workshop with woody species at the Horticulture Field Lab (2909 14th Street East) on Friday, August 8. Two time slots are available with the first one starting at 9:00 am - 12:00pm and the second one starting at 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Registration cost is 100$. Registration fees include all materials needed for the session including: root stalk, wood, grafting tape and knives.  These materials must be returned at the end of the workshop.
Grafting is difficult to learn from books but it is so easy to learn in person! The USask Fruit Program Team will organize a lecture on grafting and budding timelines, equipment and preparing budwood material. The lecture will be followed by a hands-on workshop during which we will be demonstrating budding and grafting techniques that are best for beginners and the participants will perform their own grafting and budding techniques under supervision. There will be some apple trees available for purchase ($65/tree) or rootstocks if you would like to try grafting a combination apple tree to take home with you. 
Instructors: Justin Schaeffer, Research Technician and Anze Svara, Assistant Professor.
If you are interested in purchasing your grafted tree at the end of the session there is an additional cost of $65.00.  This is payable by cash.

Patterson Arboretum Tour
Sessions:     
10:00 am - 12:00pm
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location: Horticulture Research Field: 2909 14th Street, Saskatoon. 
Cost: FREE

The Patterson Arboretum was established in 1966 as part of the Prairie Regional Trials for Woody Ornamentals experiment. Dozens of new specimens are added each year, often sourced from wild seed of Canadian species or obtained from botanical gardens of the northern hemisphere.

The arboretum has grown into one of the most compelling collections of trees, shrubs, and vines in the Canadian Prairie Provinces.

F.A.Q.

All events on Thursday, August 7th will be held in the Agriculture Building, located at 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon. Where do you park? There is metered parking around the building, underground parking beneath it, and occassionally the staff and student lots are free to park in as well. For specific parking advice, check out the parking website. 

The Budding & Grafting workshop will be held at the Horticulture Science Field Research Lab, located at 2909 14th Street, Saskatoon. Please park along 14th street and walk to the lab.

The Patterson Arboretum is located in the most north-west corner of the research fields and is accessible only by Preston Ave, northbound. Turn right onto Horticulture Way just before the right turn onto College Drive. Please park along the fenceline. (At this time, the interactive map does not show the arboretum, this is being corrected and should be available soon.)

Registration is priced per event. 

Drop-In cost includes an additional 5$ fee. Cash or Cheque at the door. (There is a bank machine located in the building across from the Agriculture Cafe on the 2nd floor.) 

Cancellation Policy:

Hort Days Refund Policy: registration can be cancelled up to July 31, 2025, with a cancellation fee of $25.00 & gst. After July 31, 2025, no refund will be issued.     

Contact for refund information.                              

Coming in from out of town to take classes? Stay on campus for an inexpensive and convenient option.