By Margaret Bayne, OSU Extension Service Staff-retired, OSU Master Gardener
This month’s Horticulture Updates is a valuable list of Master Gardener Margaret Bayne’s (author of Horticulture Update) favorite horticulture related resources.
Monthly Archives: November 2020
November/December 2020
Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.
Henry David Thoreau
Grateful for your Commitment and Passion
In a year filled with tremendous challenges, we extend our deep gratitude to the metro area OSU Master Gardener volunteers for your generous dedication and passion to serve the community as a garden educator.
With our in-person community outreach put on hold, you stepped up to expand your horticulture knowledge. You learned the art of Zoom attending our metro Master Gardener Garden Webinar Series en masse, Chapter Lecture/Speaker Series, and other OSU MG continuing education opportunities. You have shown your strong commitment to garden education rooted in science!
The pandemic did not hold back Master Gardeners from serving their community. You reached out to your neighbors and fellow Master Gardeners to check on their well-being. You grew vegetables at home to donate to food banks. Even with the challenge of a severely shortened season, Chapters grew a remarkable amount of produce at their community demonstration gardens, for those experiencing food insecurity.
Master Gardeners juggled work from home, managed home schooling, cared and watched out for family, neighbors, and friends; and served as dedicated front-line essential workers. Your efforts and care confirm your commitment to serving your community! We are grateful to you all!
2020 Survey Response
Thank you to all those perennial Master Gardeners who took the time to answer the brief survey that Marcia McIntyre sent out in October. Even though we have suspended annual volunteer requirements, we appreciate you reporting your volunteer and continuing education hours. Plus, the remarkable amount of produce you grew and donated to area food banks. This will enable us to report all your valuable contributions to OSU. Thank you also for submitting your signed Conditions of Volunteer Service. Now you are ready for our 2021 Elevated Master Gardener Training (see details in article below)!
Utmost appreciation to our class of 2020 for your patience, excitement and passion for learning and community service! We don’t need you to submit a report this year – but please be sure to answer the survey Marcia McIntyre sent out in October, which offers three easy methods for signing the Conditions of Volunteer Service. A signed and submitted form has you ready to participate in our 2021 activities.
To those Perennial Master Gardeners and those in the Class of 2020 who have not responded to the survey, please take the time to respond by Friday, November 13th, so we know you are committed to continuing in the Master Gardener program in 2021.
Our Garden Webinar Series Continues
Our metro area Garden Webinar Series continues in November and December, with two special presentations from Jessica Rendon, PhD., from the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Jessica will highlight invasive insect species that are important for Oregonians to know about, including the Asian giant hornet, Japanese beetle, and Southern pink moth, to name just a few.
Friday, November 20th, 1PM
Part 1 – Invasive Species Threatening Oregon! What to Look For and How to Help. The first session will cover Gypsy Moth, the Again Giant Hornet, Jumping Worms, and the Southern Pink Moth. To register for Part I, go to… https://beav.es/oBh
Friday, December 4th, 1PM
Part II – Invasive Species Threatening Oregon! What to Look For and How to Help. This session will cover the Japanese Beetle, the Spotted Lanternfly, the Houdini Fly, Lily and Viburnum Leaf Beetles, and finally the Allium Leafminer! To register for Part II, go to… https://beav.es/oHU
Celebrate Master Gardener Week in Review
It was wonderful that so many Master Gardeners were able to participate in the state-wide Celebrate Master Gardener Week last month. We hope you enjoyed the Film Festival, film discussions, and Insect Trivia night. We are grateful to you all for the tremendous dedication you bring to the OSU Master Gardener Program. You are amazing!
In case you missed either…below is a our state-wide thank you video from OSU Extension faculty and staff, along with State-wide Master Gardener Coordinator, Dr. Gail Langellotto’s annual Master Gardener Program Update.
Master Gardener Program Update – with Gail Langellotto, Ph.D
Master Gardeners Sowing and Growing in 2021
State-wide OSU Master Gardener faculty and staff are busy developing engaging, interactive curriculum for our 2021 Elevated Master Gardener training. This exciting new programing will be offered to both Perennial Master Gardeners and our Class of 2020 trainees, around the state. This is an opportunity for Master Gardeners to enhance your gardening know-how “via a combination of self-paced learning and live webinars and online conversations with OSU experts.” Learn more about this innovative new curriculum, that will be offered starting in January of 2021 HERE. Be sure to submit your 2020-2021 Conditions of Volunteer Service form now, so you are ready to go in January.
Webinar Recordings Work with Your Schedule
Do you have a schedule conflict with an upcoming webinar? Don’t despair! We are posting recordings of many of our webinars in the days following the presentation. Recently fellow Master Gardener, Dennis Brown, kindly inspired us with tips for what to do in our vegetable gardens in the fall.
To see Dennis’ Fall Vegetable Gardening Tips Webinar, along with other past webinars visit: https://beav.es/4FR
Fine-tune Your Garden Know-how
The metro area Master Gardener Program has two great opportunities for you to fine-tune your garden know-how; the Tri-county MG Study Group and the Washington Co. Master Gardener Chapter’s Learning Group. Consider joining-in to expand your garden knowledge in the company of fellow Master Gardeners. Both groups are currently meeting via Zoom and are open to current Master Gardeners and 2020 Master Gardener trainees.
Tri-county MG Study Group
The Tri-county MG Study Group is dedicated to taking a deep dive into a range of horticulture subjects and gardener practices. The group meets twice a month on the first and third Mondays, from 1pm to 3pm. The first Monday session is a fun and interactive ‘Show and Tell’ where attendees can bring one insect or plant for identification, or a garden triumph or problem to share with the group. Group members assist with identification or problem solving. The second Monday session takes a fine focus on a specific horticulture subject. Participants receive a study guide prior to the session in preparation. Tentative upcoming 3rd Monday topics will cover ‘Group Diagnostics’, ‘What does reliable, research-based, peer review mean’, ‘Household Insects’, ‘Pine ID’, ‘Verticillium Wilt’, ‘Plant Viruses’, ‘Plant Rust’, ‘Soils’, ‘Rain Gardens’, and ‘metro area stinging wasps.’
Interested participants can email: tricountymgstudygroup@gmail.com
Washington Co. Master Gardener’s Learning Group
The Learning Group is organized by the Washington County Master Gardener Association to assist Master Gardeners in building their knowledge-base to answer client gardening questions with confidence, in a fun, relaxed setting. Topics covered are based on common and seasonal questions that Master Gardeners are often asked at office helplines and Master Gardener tabling events.
Sessions are offered once a month via Zoom, the third Thursday of the month, 1:30pm to 3:30pm. Participants receive a learning guide prior to the interactive learning session. Upcoming session topics include: raised-bed, container gardens, soil and soil testing, and research techniques for Master Gardeners.
Interested participants should contact: Sandy Japely, sjapely@gmail.com
Our November and December Garden Checklist
Fall provides lots of opportunities to accomplish garden tasks. Plant spring bulbs, renew mulch, clean and sharpen tools, and embrace leaving the leaves! Find it all in our November and December garden checklist…