We have read her columns on growing vegetables in the Gardeners Connect newsletter. In February, take the opportunity to hear Jen Stefanchik in person. She plans to present a Free Speaker Series program titled “Techniques to Boost Your Harvest in Any Size Garden.”  

The program is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 13, at the Merriam Community Center, 6040 Slater St., Merriam, KS 66202. It is across the street from Ikea, which is east of I-35 between Johnson Drive and Shawnee-Mission Parkway.

If you are interested in growing more of your own produce, or want a better harvest from your vegetable garden, Stefanchik has some guidance.

Stefanchik is a member of Gardeners Connect and a Johnson County K-State Extension Master Gardener. From balconies in Chicago to large backyard gardens in Kansas, she has been growing vegetables for over 20 years. She writes a popular bimonthly vegetable gardening column in the Kansas City Gardeners Connect newsletter.

Whether new to food gardening or experienced, she plans to introduce new techniques that will have your harvest baskets overflowing with delicious, healthy, home-grown produce. She will cover these topics: 

• Boost your harvest in three easy steps.

• Master key garden maintenance practices.

• Increase garden yield by selecting the right plants for your region.

• Cultivate a prolific garden no matter the size of the plot or pot. 

• Extend your harvest window.

• Use vertical gardening, succession planting, and intensive planting to improve harvest bounty.