Blaine CORE Home Page

Blaine Community Orchards for Resources and Education

Don't miss a Workshop!

Be added to our contact list and be advised of upcoming workshops

GOALS: click to

Download a copy of

CORE goals

Drayton Harbor Oyster Co.

Support our local aquaculture

EAT OYSTERS

Whatcom Master Gardeners

Link

RESERVE Plot/Raised Bed in the 7th St. Community Garden! LINK

Helping to Create Edible Yards in Blaine, Washington

Mission: To provide city wide enhancement and beautification on a multitude of levels by

planting food bearing trees, bushes and vines that offer food to residents of Blaine;

local wildlife food and shelter; soil enhancement and water retention.

Not near Blaine? other class opportunities on our Resources or Classes pages (see links to left)

REALLY passionate about gardening? consider becoming a Master Gardener (link)

Unless noted, all workshops are FREE! NOW with TWO Locations

Blaine Library in Blaine. Link Blaine Community/Senior Center Link

BookWorm Bins for Sale to benefit the Friends of the Blaine Library - link for more info - You can now buy a Gift Certficate for a BookWorm Bin, which simplifies the giving (and wrapping) process!!

Garden Spot Nursery (text is link, right click to get drop down menu) is now carrying the WCLS/Blaine Library Bookworm Bins. You can also buy a gift certificate! Check their calendar for presentations on composting/vermiculture and specifically managing the Bookworm Bin. Their address is 900 Alabama St. (behind Trader Joe's) in Bellingham. Ph. 360-676-5480 - Right click the logo above to open a link to their website.

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NOTE: ALL underlined text should be a link - you will need to right-click on the text to get a drop down menu to access the link and open in a new window. Above logo for Garden Spot and Worm Bins are also links. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Jan. 24, Sat. Pruning 101 Blaine Library 10am – 12noon Jan. 31, Sat Blaine Sr/CommunityCenter 9:30-11:30am

This is the time to start WINTER pruning. You can easily see damage and disease as well as make decisions regarding form. Trees are breaking hibernation earlier (or not even going into deep hibernation), so take advantage of some of our sunny winter days and brush up on those pruning skills. We will discuss tools, why prune, decisions necessary (learning to understand growth habits of trees/bushes). We will also present on overgrown trees and how to get them back in shape. Bring your questions!
There will be two more pruning classes: March 21st - Pruning 101 and Severe Pruning on April 25, both at the Library

Feb. 4, Wed. Orchids & Houseplants Blaine Library 5:30-7:30pm
Just in time for Valentine's Day!! Tips and tricks for getting your orchids blooming again (though not quite in time for The Day but we will get them started). We will also have an orchid dividing and re-potting demonstation. Slide presentation and houseplant sale. If you want to bring a houseplant to trade for something new - bring that along with you. We will be chatting about general information for indoor plant care, especially during the winter months.

Garden Design 101 - 4 Class Series THURSDAYS from 5-7pm
(if we have to cancel a class due to weather, we will reschedule) Blaine Community/Senior Center

We will discuss how to look at your yard as if you were a landscape designer. Especially important for placement of fruit bearing trees, bushes and vines. Considerations for placement of vegetable gardens. In this presentation, we will talk about your overall yard including hardscape assessments, materials use, integration with your home and/or views, sunlight observations, air flow and other major landscaping decisions. Some overlap for each class will naturally occur. Guest instructor, Cheryl Niles from WSU Ext.Services will join us

2/12 Thurs. Class 1 of 4 Looking at your Yard, All the Details - We will discuss creating a wish list of improvements desired and how to start looking at your lot in an organized manner. How to identify the components of your property. Including lot lines, easements, utilities, slope, airflow, sunlight hardscapes and structures. Measurements and notating them to include in written plans. Resources for finding information about your property and creating a preliminary layout.

2/19 Thurs. Blaine Community/Sr Center Class 2 of 4 Design Considerations, Integration with your House In this second class of the series we will explore the most powerful tool in the Landscape Designers toolkit the integration of the exterior of your house with the interior and its importance to live-ability. We will delve into organizing the improvements that you will be making, organizing those as well as budgeting.

2/26 Thurs Blaine Community/Sr Center Class 3 of 4 The Process & Decisions of Hardscapes/Structures In this 3rd workshop, we will begin to address the execution of your plan and the choices for plants - size, structure, growing requirements, addition of food bearing plants, etc. We will also discuss the issues of stormwater management on your property. Cheryl Niles, WSU Ext. Services may join us for this workshop.

March 5, Thurs. Blaine Community/Sr Center Class 4 of 4 Right Plant, Right Place We like to refer to this class as "painting with plants". Just as an artist understands the "balance" of a painting and uses texture, color, repetition, unity, etc. to bring their composition to life - you can use these exact same principles to "execute" the decisions for what plants to use in your landscape design. HOWEVER, the considerations for using native plants and always, the concept of “right plant, right place”. Learn how to determine your plants needs. Cheryl Niles, WSU Ex. Services may join us in this exploration.

Feb. 28, Sat WINTER SOIL & Jumpstarting your Garden Blaine Library 10am - 12pm What are the affects of winter on your garden? Moving on to simple hoop house construction and what can you grow with passive protection and get a jump on the growing season. What plants that can be “wintered over” in your garden/hoop house. Introduction to practices that will improve your soil for a healthier year round garden.

Feb. 28, Sat - Gardening Green with Cheryl Niles, WSU Ext. Services in Birch Bay AND Sudden Valley (right click for more information) on-line course begins on Thurs, April 2
Would you like to grow naturally beautiful landscape? Would you like to know how to nourish healthy soils, how to save water, support pollinators, and reduce your maintenance chores? WSU Whatcom County Extension’s Gardening Green courses will teach you the essential principles for successful landscape gardening that is easier on the environment – using more know-how and less fertilizer and pesticides. Cost is $42 for soil testing - Five Part series held in Birch Bay Village Clubhouse 2-4pm,

March 21, Sat – PRUNING 101 Blaine Library 10am-12noon See above description.

March 25, Wed. SEED STARTING & Sprouting Blaine Community/Sr Center 5:30-7:30pm We will start with “how to get that craving for greens satisfied” by growing sprouts in your kitchen!! Now is also a good time to start thinking about getting those vegetables started . . .How many seeds? What type? When to start? When to transplant? So many questions?? We can help get you started on the answers! Talk will focus on plants that can be grown in our climate. Tips and tricks from experienced growers.

March 28, Sat DAHLIAS 101 Blaine Library. 10am-12noon
April 8, Wed Blaine Community/Sr Center 5:30-7:30pm Dahlias are considered to be the premier cut flower. Easy to grow, there are some definite tricks! With thousands of colors and flower forms and their long bloom time they are VERY rewarding!! Presentation includes expert dahlia growers, live demos and answering questions. Free tubers! To get your dahlia addiction started (LOL!)

March 21, Sat. Point Roberts Library library meeting room - 1pm
Home Waste: The Art & Science of Composting and Vermiculture

Beginning in April of 2027, it will be” illegal” in Washington state, to deposit compostable materials into the landfill. To help everyone understand why this is an important change, Washington State Ext Services, the Whatcom County Library and Blaine CORE have collaborated to create a series of workshops to be held at Whatcom county branch libraries (in addition to our local presentations).

Join us for a fun and educational workshop focusing on home composting and share ideas, build new skills to generate high quality compost/materials for your garden/houseplants. We'll also learn more about new guidelines regarding the disposal of compostable materials that will impact many Whatcom County residents in the coming years. This workshop includes a presentation on Composting and Vermiculture and we'll get to see a Bookworm Bin in action!

--- - - - Right Click underscored text to download the Scheduled List of Classes Jan-May 2026 - - - - -

Great Plant Picks website from the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden all specifically chosen to thrive in our Pacific Northwest environment. A great source of general information, plant lists, identification and resources.

Managing Noxious Weeds - website location for Fact sheet from Whatcom County. Latest NEWS - Washington state has made it illegal to sell ivy in retail locations!!

Explore Plant Shopping Opportunities you may not have heard about . . .

Pacific Growers - 9131 Markworth Rd, Blaine, WA 98230 website

Cascade Cuts, 632 Montgomery Rd, Bellingham (360) 671-6310 website

Northwoods Nursery, 9191 Northwood Rd, Lynden, WA 360 559-1536 website

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FREE Arborist Chips (truckload sized delivery, 10 yards -maybe find a neighborhood "central spot" and get a shared delivery) - link

Native Plant Descriptions (pdf) - nicely done from King County

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REMEMBER - LOCAL publications are a great source of up-to-date information on classes all over our NW region as well as businesses that support our passion! Pick up a copy today or check their websites -

Cascadia Daily Northern Light

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Spring PLANT SALES !! (click on links provided to get dates from 2025 )

March 8 - Salish Seed Swap - Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship

March - Whatcom Conservation Dist. Plant Sale - Pioneer Park, Ferndale

March (Last Saturday) - Annual Fairhaven Plant & Tree Sale - Old Fairhaven Pkwy & 14th

April (first Saturday) - Whatcom Dahlia Society Tuber Sale - Bloedel Donovan Park

April - Birchwood Garden Club Sale, lower level of Bellingham Library

May - Washington Native Plant Society-Salal Chapter’s Annual Plant Sale

Mt. Vernon, WSU, NW Research Station, 16650 State Highway 536

May - Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale at Hovander Park (always Saturday before Mother's Day)

May - DUPI Garden Club Plant Sale in Ferndale,

SEEDS, SEEDS and More SEEDS - Check out Resilient Seeds - locally researched and produced - definitely suited for our climate. This may be your last year to order seeds! so shop for your faves and order some TODAY. Limited quantities available.

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If you would like us to come and speak at a community activity or event to help inform your participants about the CORE project, please contact us.

We have had several community meetings to introduce the CORE project. If you have any questions, or would like to volunteer to help with our mission and goals, please do not hesitate to contact us - fruit@blaine-core.com or call 360-332-7435 (please, leave message)

Blaine Community/Sr Center