Gardening enthusiasts have an opportunity to learn tricks of the trade over lunch at weekly gardening programs at Iowa State’s new Reiman Gardens, said Patty Jischke, a member of CoHorts, a volunteer support group for the gardens.

Nick Howell, the superintendent of Reiman Gardens, will be the speaker at the meeting today. Howell said he will give a short presentation about deadheading perennials and then he will open the floor for questions.

“People interested in current gardening topics will have a chance to ask questions about their specific problems and to get advice,” Jischke said.

This has been the first year of CoHorts and of the gardening lunches. Jischke said the meetings have had a very good turnout. The lunches, which will be held weekly until October, are in the Mahlstede Horticulture Learning Center. Participants bring their own lunches, and drinks are provided.

The Horticulture Gardens near the power plant have been moved to the Reiman Gardens south of Cyclone Stadium.

“These gardens are newly designed by one of the premier garden designers in the country,” Jischke said.

Howell said the horticulture department is still moving plants.

“It looks like we’ve abandoned the plants, but actually we are just waiting until it cools to move them,” Howell said.

He said there were occasional problems with people taking plants from the old gardens. He said he caught one person digging up plants. He also said there was a rumor going around town that the plants were available for people to take.