Veteran Master Gardener Bob Cain will provide information about what a cover crop or green manure is and how it fits into vegetable crop rotation starting at noon on Thursday, Sept. 12, in the county commissioners’ meeting room at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.

The event is part of the “Green Thumbs Garden Tip” education series, sponsored by the WSU Clallam County Master Gardeners. The event is free and open to the public.

Port Angeles the second and fourth Thursday each month

Cain will discuss the uses of cover crops for soil conditioning, controlling erosion, alleviating soil compaction, attracting beneficial insects, enhancing pollination and suppressing diseases and weeds. He will cover planting strategies for three types of cover crops, discuss mixed seed mixtures to deliver soil nitrogen and organic matter, and provide an analysis of legume nitrogen delivery and a comparison with conventional fertilizers.

A Master Gardener since 2009, Cain has 40 years of gardening experience in Scotland, Ireland, Colorado and Washington state. He writes a monthly article on plant disease for the Clallam County Master Gardener newsletter and is a frequent contributor to local newspaper gardening columns.

Cain is the 2009 Master Gardener Intern of the Year and 2011 Master Gardener of the year. He served as the Garden Manager of the Woodcock Demonstration Garden for five years and is a past President of the Master Gardener Foundation of Clallam County.

The “Green Thumbs Garden Tips” series is held in Port Angeles the second and fourth Thursday each month (except November, December, and January when one presentation is offered). Presentations are from noon-1 p.m.

For more information, call 360-565-2679.