A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.
— Gertrude Jekyll
The patience we have learned as gardeners has certainly been a reservoir to draw on in the past year. Even with hope on the horizon, for when we can once again gather in-person with our Master Gardener community, we continue to cultivate patience and glean lessons from the garden. As we patiently wait to resume in-person volunteer service, we hope you will take part in the various Master Gardener online educational opportunities from the kick-off of the OSU Master Gardener ‘Culture of Gardening Series’ to three upcoming ‘BioBlitz’ dates.
An important message from State-wide Master Gardener Program Coordinator, Gail Langellotto
With the recent resignation of OSU President F. King Alexander, Gail Langellotto, our State-wide Master Gardener Coordinator addresses Master Gardener volunteers and staff, and offers reflection on the guiding principles of the Master Gardener program. Read Gail’s message HERE
Elevated Skills Training Remains Open
Thank you to all who participated in the state-wide ‘Elevated Skills’ Master Gardener training classes the past two months. We have received lots of positive feedback from MGs who appreciated the opportunity to focus on skills that can be used in their roles as a garden educator; whether it was learning more about ‘Community Science’, how to ‘Superpower Your Education Garden’, ‘Garden Woody Plant ID with the OSU Landscape Plant Database’ or the other ‘Elevated Skills’ class offerings.
Did you miss the training? Don’t despair ‘Elevated Skills’ training is still open for your learning adventure! Although in-person sessions of the training have passed, can still take part and dive deep into a subject to interest.
For Perennial Master Gardeners this training counts as ‘Continuing Education’ hours.
2020 Master Gardeners Trainees, the Elevate training can be counted towards your service hours to meet the requirements to complete the Master Gardener training.
See the entire Elevate course line-up, and register HERE.
Note: The metro area MG program is using a different online tool for our MG Helpline clinic and is not using the ECCO tool being highlighted in the “Learning How to Use the Extension Client Contact Online (ECCO) Tool in Plant Clinic” course.
Level Up
The state-wide Level Up series continues with a wealth of timely gardening topics. This month’s presentation, ‘Dazzling Dahlias’ with Julie Huynh, owner of Julie’s Dahlias, will be broadcast on Tuesday, April 13, 3pm
Take your gardening knowledge to a new level and check out the details for ‘Dazzling Dahlias’ and future presentations. Registration opens on a rolling basis for upcoming webinars throughout the year.
If you find that registration has filled for a class, please check out the presentation live streamed on the OSU Master Gardener Facebook page or look for a recording of the presentation to be posted on the Level Up Series website a few days following.
Preview and register for the Level Up Series classes, and view recordings of past presentations HERE.
Dirt Gone Bad: When your soil amendment has been contaminated
If you missed Weston presenting for the March ‘Level Up’ series, here is a link to view a recording of his informative presentation: ‘Dirt Gone Bad: When your soil amendment has been contaminated’
Referenced in Weston’s presentation are two valuable publications:
- Herbicide-Contaminated Compost and Soil Mix: What You Should Know — and What You Can Do About It, EM 9307. Here is the catalog link: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9307
- How to Use Compost in Gardens and Landscapes, EM 9308. Here is the catalog link: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9308
The Culture of Gardening Series
The OSU Master Gardener Program’s ‘Culture of Gardening’ Series kicks off with a special presentation with Abra Lee, “The Work is in Our Hands”, on Tuesday, May 18, 12noon.
Through determination, enthusiasm, and willpower Black women overcame ugliness in America to cultivate beauty in the landscape. This is a discussion of how their self-expression and activism through gardening led to a lasting legacy of community pride throughout generations.
Abra Lee is a national speaker, writer, and owner of Conquer the Soil,a platform that combines Black garden history and current events to raise awareness of horticulture. She has spent a whole lotta time in the dirt as a municipal arborist, extension agent, airport landscape manager, and more. Lee is a graduate of Auburn University and alumna of the Longwood Gardens Society of Fellows, a global network of public horticulture professionals.
This presentation is free and open to all OSU Master Gardeners and the public. Register in advance here: https://beav.es/JCF
Join-in the OSU Master Gardener Bio Blitz
Grab your camera and join the OSU Master Gardener Program on our iNaturalist project page to capture the insects, birds, wild plants, and other wild organisms in your garden or a nearby community or public garden space. Your efforts will help to document garden biodiversity in Oregon! Learn all the details and register here: https://beav.es/Jyg
In reflection of a ‘Year Like No Other’
Although we are well on our way in 2021, we pause one more time to look back at 2020, when Master Gardeners rose to the challenge, embraced patience, stepped up and reached out during a year like no other! We are grateful to our Master Gardener community and want to share the 2020 Impact Reports for the OSU Master Gardener Program and our metro area Master Gardener Program.
2020 Impact Report of the OSU Extension Master Gardener Program
2020 Metro area Master Gardener Impact Report and Volunteer Recognition
Pest Alert! Zebra Mussels and Moss Balls
Although not specifically related to gardening, we as Master Gardeners, have the opportunity to educate ourselves and share the information with others, regarding an important pest alert about Zebra Mussels. Recently this highly invasive pest was discovered in products sold at aquarium and pet supply stores. Specifically, the mussels were found in aquatic ‘moss balls’.
Currently, the Columbia River basin is the only area in the US that has not been infested with Zebra Mussels. If established, the mussels will have a devastating impact on the health of our waters, including water recreation and critical water infrastructure.
Each of us can help by educating ourselves and others and making sure to take all precautions for preventing the establishment of this highly invasive pest to Oregon.
For details about this pest and preventive actions check out these links:
- Plus, the science behind ‘Moss (Lake) Balls’ A geometrical approach explains Lake Ball (Marimo) formations in the green alga, Aegagropila linnaei | Scientific Reports
Upcoming Virtual Garden Education Opportunities
Oregon Master Gardener Mini College – Goes Virtual!
Registration is now open for 2021 Oregon Master Gardener Mini College. The conference will be held online, July 16 & 17. With an outstanding slate of horticulture experts presenting, Mini College is a great continuing education opportunity.
Robert Michael Pyle, author, educator and scientist will kick-off the event as the keynote speaker. In addition, there will be a great array of interactive classes and workshops from leading horticulture experts and educators. Cost for the two-day event is $49 and is open to Master Gardeners and the public. So grab a friend, and join-in an enriching garden education opportunity.
OMGA 2021 Mini College (mastergardenerminicollege.org)
More virtual opportunities with the International Master Gardener Conference!
Every two years Master Gardeners have the opportunity to participate in the International Master Gardeners Conference, that is hosted by a rotation of Extension Master Gardener Programs. This year the event is being sponsored by Virginia Cooperative Extension and you have the opportunity to participate from the comfort of your own home! The Conference is going virtual for 2021!
This educational confluence of horticultural experts and Master Gardeners from the US, Canada and South Korea is taking place September 12 – 17, 2021. Virginia Cooperative Extension is planning “a unique and creative virtual conference that will offer not only the chance to attend live webinars and workshops, but also opportunities to socialize with and learn from EMGs from around the nation, to learn about gardening in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and to participate in interactive activities such as virtual tours of Virginia and small group sessions.”
Learn more about this exciting educational opportunity and register NOW!
Our April Garden Checklist
Spring is in the air with lots to attend to in the garden. Our garden checklist highlights fertilizing your berries, planting early spring vegetables, and going on slug patrol!
