By Margaret Bayne, OSU Extension Staff-retired, OSU Master Gardener


A home gardener’s guide to soils and fertilizers. (Craig Cogger, WSU) https://bit.ly/32DUNCs

Honey bee collection, Gail Langellotto, OSU
Honey bee collection, Gail Langellotto, OSU

Unpopular opinion: Saving Honeybees does very little to save the bees. (Gail Langellotto-Rhodaback, Garden Ecology Lab Blog, OSU) https://bit.ly/2QcuGzL

Video:Leafhoppers and friends. Fun to watch! Andreas Kay; via Zfrank1, Youtube) https://bit.ly/2Xb00Ah

More fun videos of insects and other critters by Andreas Kay. (Andreas Kay, Youtube)
https://bit.ly/32CU1FP

Why plants panic when it rains. (Harvey Millar, U of Western Australia, via phys.org) https://bit.ly/350bvNX

VIDEO: What do earwigs do with those pincers anyway? (Deep Look, via Youtube) https://bit.ly/2QdH1ny

Nearly a million cannibalistic ants trapped in Polish weapon bunker make long-anticipated escape. (Iflscience.com) https://bit.ly/2CzO1TE


The myth of Winter watering “Decrease fall irrigation to force landscape plants into winter dormancy.” (Linda Chalker-Scott, WSU) https://bit.ly/34UDrmg

The process of leaf color change. (Harvard Forest, Harvard University) https://bit.ly/2Xb0mqB

VIDEO: Zombie roaches and other tales of parasites. (Ed Young, Ted Talk; Ted.com) https://bit.ly/2O9MXv5

Woodboring beetle, NCIP, OSU
Woodboring beetle, NCIP, OSU

Learn about wood boring beetles. (NPIC, OSU) https://bit.ly/32BPoM4

Treated wood fact sheet. (NPIC, OSU) https://bit.ly/34UDDC0

VIDEO: Water movement in soils- Impermeable layers and water movement.  “Celebrating Dr. Walter Gardner’s life and workwith newly restored clips from his classic film, Water Movement in Soils.” (Decagon Devices, YouTube) https://bit.ly/33RSblX

Soil and plant nutrients, an online course. (NCSU) https://bit.ly/32F4Bfl

The remarkable world of insect galls. (Joe Boggs, Ohio State U) https://bit.ly/2CzRrpv

VIDEO: Meet the dust mites, tiny roommates that feast on your skin.  You may think that you’ve got the house to yourself, but chances are you have about 100 different types of animals living with you. Many of them are harmless, but a few can be dangerous in ways you wouldn’t expect.” (Deep Look, via pbs.org) https://to.pbs.org/2qM8LF7

A new pesticide is all the buzz.  “The EPA has approved the first-ever bee-distributed pesticide for the US market.” (Rachel Fritts, Arestechnica.com) https://bit.ly/2rBLjKZ

Nutrient value of compost. (PPT, UC Davis) https://bit.ly/33GsiVP

Excess phosphorus from compost applications in urban gardens creates potential pollution hotspots. (Gaston Small, et al; IOP Science, Iop.org) https://bit.ly/371R3hd

Shiny geranium, Ben Legler, King County, WA

Shiny geranium identification and control. (King County.gov) https://bit.ly/2X914Vk

Many plants are naturally GMO, research finds. (Joan Conrow, Alliance for Science, Cornell U) https://bit.ly/2Oa2Di1

Rose hips covered with a light frost

He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter.

~John Burroughs

Congrats 2019 Master Gardeners!

Carrie Allen smiles and holds her Master gardener Certificate of Completion and is wearing her OSU Master Gardener badge.
Carrie Allen dons her new OSU Master Gardener badge

We offer our sincere congratulations and a warm welcome to the newly inducted Master Gardener Class of 2019!   We hope you have been enriched by your training and service as a community garden-educator. We know your energy and passion have enhanced the Master Gardener program.  Thank you for your volunteer service and welcome to the Master Gardener family!   We look forward to having you as part of our team!

Note: MG badges will be mailed to individuals who were not able to pick up their badge at the Fall Recertification.  Look for badges to arrive in December.


2019 Master Gardener Program Report

Thank you, Master Gardeners for giving your time and energy toward OSU’s outreach mission in 2019.

New for this year, we have created a detailed report of your accomplishments.

Please take a look.


Display Your 2020 Sticker

For those who have fulfilled the requirements to maintain their status as an active and “current” Master Gardener you will receive a 2020 Recertification sticker to proudly display on your MG badge.  The sticker is a designation that you are current and up-to-date, having completed all required volunteer service hours, continuing education opportunities, and completed forms.

Stickers will be mailed (by year’s end) to those who have met the annual requirements, who did not receive a sticker at Fall Recertification.

For MGs still needing information about how to remain current, please refer to the Volunteer Portal’s How to Maintain Active OSU Master Gardener Status page.

If you have yet to send in the annual required forms, please send them in as soon as possible, so you too can receive your 2020 Recertification sticker and remain on our ‘active’ Master Gardener roll.

  1. 2018_2019 Volunteer log sheet
  2. 2019_2020 Conditions of Volunteer Service form
  3. Youth Safety and Compliance training. To take the training read the Basic Training (2 pages) and sign the Certification Form. Return the form to the MG program office by December 31,2019.

A New Adventure for Janet!

Janet Hohman peeks around wooden bear sculpture.
Janet Hohman gets her dream job!

We extend our immense thanks and best wishes to our metro MG team member, Janet Hohman.  Janet has accepted a new position (actually, her dream job)!   We are extremely happy that she has this new opportunity, yet she will be sorely missed!

Although Janet started her new job in October, she has generously been working additional hours assisting the Master Gardener program and the Clackamas Extension administrative team. 

We are truly grateful to Janet for her many contributions to the metro MG program; with her ever-cheerful presence, sharp eye for detail, focus streamlining processes – all to ensure a great experience for volunteers.  As she moves on, we thank her for her incredible generosity and wish her the very best in her new career adventure!


Spread the Word! 
2020 MG Training Registration Open!

You can help to spread the word about 2020 Master Gardener training!  Let others know about the rewarding opportunities available serving as a Master Gardener volunteer.  Registration is now open for the 2020 Master Gardener Training!  Share the word with your gardening friends, wanna-be gardeners, and fellow community members.  Direct those interested to our Metro-area Master Gardener website for easy online registration. Note: our Portland training site has filled, but there are still available class slots at the Hillsboro and Oregon City training sites.


Be Our Brand Advocate!

If social media is a favorite communication avenue for you, please consider sharing about the Master Gardener training registration on the social media sites on which you participate.  Share posts from our Facebook and Twitter accounts or direct those interested to our website.  We would love to cover all Nextdoor neighborhoods in the metro-area.  Need more information or want a promotional photo to post?  Please contact, Marcia McIntyre: marcia.mcintyre@oregonstate.edu


2020 Master Gardener Training

Join us in 2020 for Master Gardener training.  We will be holding 8 weeks of training classes starting the last week of January, running through March.  So mark your calendars.  Each AM or PM session attended counts as 3 hours MG continuing education credit for 2020.

The training sites and days are:

Tuesdays, January 28 – March 17, 9AM to 4PM
Hillsboro United Methodist Church,
168 NE 8th Avenue Hillsboro

Thursdays, January 30 – March 19, 9AM to 4PM
Museum of the Oregon Territory, 3rd floor
, 211 Tumwater Drive, Oregon City

Fridays, January 31 – March 20,9AM to 4PM
Multnomah County Headquarters, Board Room,
501 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland


Fall Recertification Recap

Saucer and cup of tea, sitting on a book, with fall leaves floating in the cup and on the book.

Over 370 engaged Master Gardeners attended Fall Recertification on Saturday, November 9. The City of Portland’s Offices of Equity and Human Rights, Glenn Arhens, OSU Extension Forester, and Gail Langellotto, Professor of Horticulture, OSU Extension Master Gardener Program coordinator all presented valuable information to support metro Master Gardeners in their role as garden educators.   Our sincere thanks to all the presenters!

Hearty thanks to the three area Chapters for funding refreshments for the day and providing a wonderful array of door prizes.

Presenter Glenn Arhens shares his presentation and resource list for Master Gardeners to continue to explore the subject:
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/metro/resources/glenn-ahrens-forestry-presentation-how-trees-grow-why-they-die


Appreciation Shout-out!

Our Fall Recertification training on November 9, was an opportunity to extend a special certificate of appreciation, to eight Master Gardeners for their significant contributions to the Metro Master Gardener Program.  We are grateful for their generous and dedicated service!  Our hearty thanks to them all!

Heidi, Marilyn, Rich, Claudia, and Dennis
  • Dennis Brown for service in the Speaker’s Guild, Solve Pest Problems advisory, the June Key Delta and Voz community project
  • Louise Gomez-Burgess for coordinating the Master Gardener training in Hillsboro
  • Claudia Groth for her dedicated instruction for the Master Gardener training and the public
  • Sally Campbell for stepping up to instruct at the MG training and years of coordinating Mult. helpline
  • Rich Becker for assisting with the Master Gardener training in Portland, serving as a liaison, and assistance with the soil workshop
  • Marilyn Frankel for volunteering at each class date for BOTH the Portland and Hillsboro training and hauling PNWs to each training
  • Judy Froemke for her many years of dedicated coordination of the Speaker’s Guild in Wash. Co.
  • Jennesa Datema for coordinating Speaker’s Guild in Mult. Co. and educating the public through Speaker’s Guild presentations
  • Heidi Maybach for her dedication coordinating the Milwaukie Farmers Market

Join-in the Master Gardener Speakers Guild!

Take your role as a garden educator to the next level, by volunteering to be a presenter for the Master Gardener Speakers Guild!

The metro MG program receives dozens of requests every year for garden presentations to community groups.  We have a small, but mighty, group of MGs who answer the call and present throughout the three counties – but requests greatly exceed what these dedicated MGs can handle.  Therefore, we are looking for additional MGs to share their research-based gardening know-how.  We will supply support materials, and those interested can shadow experienced presenters.  Volunteers can select how many presentations a year they would like to make and the topics they feel most comfortable presenting. Please consider joining in this fun, valuable volunteer activity!

Presentations are needed on a variety of subjects: beginning gardening, vegetable gardening, fruit trees, pruning, composting, container gardening, IPM for the home gardener, small fruits, perennials, soil, beneficial insects, pollinator gardens, tomatoes, small space gardening, native plants, seed starting, propagation, or your garden passion that you are willing to share!

Would you like to be part of this vital community outreach?  If so, contact Marcia McIntyre, marcia.mcintyre@oregonstate.edu

2019 Master Gardeners Sporting Their OSU Master Gardener Badges