Berries are a popular and rewarding addition to home gardens, but selecting the right berry type and variety for both family needs and garden conditions is critical for success. Local gardeners will have an opportunity to learn how to make those choices during “Berry-licious: Selecting Berries for Your Home Garden,” a Green Thumb Education Series presentation with Clallam County Master Gardener Jeanette Stehr-Green.

The presentation will be held on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, from 1 to 2:15 p.m. at the Vern Burton Community Center meeting rooms, located at 308 E. Fourth St. in Port Angeles. During the program, Stehr-Green will discuss how to select blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries that are well-suited for home gardens on the North Olympic Peninsula.

Stehr-Green will highlight the advantages of growing berries at home and explain the growth habits and fruit production of the different berry types. She will also discuss major issues commonly associated with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, and identify reliable reference materials for successfully growing berries in the Pacific Northwest.

“Berry-licious: Selecting Berries for Your Home Garden” serves as an introduction to the upcoming 2026 Homegrown Berries Series. The eight-part series will run from Feb. 28 through Oct. 24, 2026, and will provide homeowners with detailed, hands-on information needed to grow berries successfully in their own gardens.

Stehr-Green is a longtime berry enthusiast who has grown strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries on the North Olympic Peninsula for more than 25 years. She has been a Clallam County Master Gardener since 2003 and enjoys both eating berries and teaching others how to grow them. She regularly writes gardening articles for local newspapers and participates in gardening programs on local radio stations.

Her contributions to gardening education have been widely recognized. Stehr-Green was named Clallam County Veteran Master Gardener of the Year in 2012, has attained Lifetime Achievement status with Clallam County Master Gardeners, and received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.

The Green Thumb Education Series is sponsored by Washington State University Clallam County Master Gardeners and is typically held in person on Thursdays from January through May and from September through November. Scheduled presentations are subject to change. For the most current information on upcoming programs, visit the WSU Extension Clallam County Master Gardener calendar at extension.wsu.edu/clallam/master-gardener-calendar/.