Iowa Western Community College

Friday, January 9, 2026 6:00pm – 8:00pm at the Council Bluffs Campus – Looft Hall 
Garden Bed Planning with Tom O’Brien, owner of Gardens on Glen, is an engaging and informative class designed to help gardeners of all levels maximize their growing space and harvest potential. Participants will learn how to design efficient garden layouts through proper plant spacing, explore the benefits of companion planting for natural pest control and soil health, and understand the principles of crop rotation to maintain long-term fertility. Using visual aids and real-world examples, Tom will guide attendees through practical strategies for creating productive, sustainable garden beds. This session encourages questions and discussion, offering participants personalized insights for planning their own thriving backyard gardens.

Friday, January 23, 2026 6:00pm – 9:00pm  Council Bluffs Campus – Looft Hall 
Indoor Culinary Mushroom Cultivation with Tom O’Brien, owner of Gardens on Glen, is a hands-on workshop that introduces participants to the fascinating world of home mushroom growing. Students will learn the essential environmental factors—moisture, temperature, airflow, and substrate composition—that influence healthy mycelium growth and successful fruiting. Using an All-in-One Mushroom Grow Kit, attendees will practice inoculating their substrate with mycelium spores, ensuring proper sterilization and contamination prevention. Tom will guide participants through each stage of the cultivation process, from setup to harvest, offering practical tips for maintaining ideal indoor growing conditions. By the end, students will have the skills and confidence to produce gourmet mushrooms right at home.

Friday, February 20, 2026  6:00pm – 9:00pm  Council Bluffs Campus – Looft Hall 
Join Tom O’Brien, owner of Gardens on Glen, for a practical, hands-on class that teaches the fundamentals of starting seeds indoors to jumpstart your spring garden. Participants will learn how to successfully germinate popular crops like peppers and tomatoes, mastering key elements such as soil composition, moisture control, lighting, and temperature. Tom will demonstrate techniques for sowing, labeling, and caring for seedlings to ensure strong, healthy transplants ready for outdoor planting. Using individual seed-starting kits, attendees will gain experience setting up trays, managing humidity with dome lids, and troubleshooting common issues. Each participant will plant a selection of seeds to take home and continue nurturing toward a productive garden season.

Friday, March 6, 2026  6:00pm – 8:00pm  Council Bluffs Campus – Looft Hall 
Join Tom O’Brien, owner of Gardens on Glen, for this hands-on workshop designed for gardeners who want to take the guesswork out of pruning fruit trees & managing berry canes. Under his guidance, participants will spend the evening learning exactly what to cut, what to keep, and why—so their fruit trees and berry patches become healthier, more productive, & easier to manage. Through live demonstrations & step-by-step instruction, attendees will explore essential principles behind winter pruning, including how to identify diseased or unproductive limbs, recognize structural elements like leaders & scaffold branches, & understand how proper pruning improves airflow, light penetration, & overall plant vigor. The class also dives into cane cutting for berry crops, showing how removing old canes rejuvenates the root system & increases future yields.

Friday, March 20, 2026  6:00pm – 9:00pm  Council Bluffs Campus – Looft Hall 
Join Tom O’Brien, owner of Gardens on Glen, for an in-depth, hands-on workshop exploring the traditional and practical art of fruit tree grafting. Participants will learn how grafting enables gardeners to combine different tree varieties for improved pollination, greater fruit diversity, and extended harvest seasons—all while saving valuable space in the garden. Tom will demonstrate key grafting methods, including proper cutting, alignment, and binding techniques using grafting knives and tape. Attendees will practice making clean graft unions and securing them with clothespins to encourage successful growth. The class will also cover selecting compatible rootstocks and scions, aftercare tips, and troubleshooting common issues. Optional young trees and scion wood will be available for purchase.

Friday, April 3, 2026  6:00pm – 8:00pm  Council Bluffs Campus – Looft Hall 
Join Tom O’Brien, owner of Gardens on Glen, for a creative and practical class on maximizing your garden’s productivity through container and vertical gardening techniques. Participants will learn how to grow a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs in limited spaces using stackable planters and compact, container-friendly plant varieties. Tom will demonstrate how to layer soil properly, arrange plants for optimal sunlight and airflow, and maintain consistent watering and nutrition. The class will also explore ways to extend the growing season indoors or on patios long after the first frost. Each participant will plant young starts in their own tiered container to take home and continue cultivating.

Friday, May 29, 2026  6:00pm – 9:00pm  Council Bluffs Campus – Looft Hall 
Join Tom O’Brien, owner of Gardens on Glen, for a hands-on workshop exploring the rewarding practice of cultivating mushrooms outdoors. Participants will learn how to prepare growing beds using wood chips and sawdust spawn, manage moisture and shade conditions, and integrate mushroom patches into existing garden spaces. Tom will explain how outdoor mushroom cultivation not only yields delicious, nutrient-rich, sometimes perennial-like harvests but also enhances soil health, boosts microbial activity, and supports companion plants. Attendees will gain step-by-step experience inoculating their own substrate and understanding the life cycle of fungi. Each participant will prepare a take-home mushroom starter setup, ready to establish a thriving outdoor mushroom bed.