Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring?
Neltje Blanchan
Favorite Master Gardener Activities Resume
We are excited to be resuming favorite Master Gardener volunteer opportunities in the next few months. Please look for announcements in the coming weeks and months as we resume our in-person helplines, Farmers Markets and Master Gardener tabling at community events. We will send out notification when these events are open for registration.
Master Gardener Helplines to Open
We are happy to announce we are opening the metro area Master Gardener office helplines in the coming months. The resumption will be staggered across the 3 counties, as we train volunteers to use our new online helpline system.
The online helpline system is the same system we have been using to serve the public remotely the past two years.
An orientation on the new helpline system is a prerequisite to volunteering in the office. Look for upcoming announcements to register for an orientation.
Update Your CERVIS Profile
Sign-up for upcoming volunteer shifts at Farmers Markets, Helplines, and special volunteer opportunities will be on CERVIS. In order to be ready to sign-up, when the time comes, please visit CERVIS and update your profile, including your mailing address and phone numbers.
Welcome 2022 Cohort
We would like to extend a warm welcome to our 140 trainees from Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties.
We are excited to have you join our program of committed garden educators. Your online training is winding down, and soon you will be out in the community actively practicing and sharing your newfound knowledge
Possibilities will abound with a wide range of volunteer opportunities. We hope you will dig in, have fun, and share your passion for gardening with fellow MGs and the gardening public. This is an opportunity to further your garden education and gain confidence in teaching others how to sustainably and successfully garden.
A big shout out of thanks to all the Master Gardener associations and volunteers who have developed and are leading the instruction of hands-on workshops to the trainees. You have created a stellar line-up of educational offerings to support trainees in their journey to serve the community as garden educators!
Perennial Master Gardeners, as you start volunteering in-person this spring and summer, be sure to extend a warm welcome to both our 2020 and 2022 Cohort members as you meet them at events.
Education/Demonstration Gardens
Currently our supporting Master Gardener associations are a great place if you are aching to get your hands in the soil and spend time with your fellow Master Gardeners.
Be sure to visit all of our supporting Master Gardener association webpages for details about their education/demonstration gardens.
Clackamas Co. Master Gardener Assocation
Multnomah Co. Master Gardener Association
Washington Co. Master Gardener Association
Get Ready! It’s Plant Sale Season!
Spring is in the air, along with an excited buzz as our supporting associations in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties resume fundraising activities this spring.
Two favorite plant sales are back!
The iconic Clackamas County Master Gardener Association’s Spring Garden Fair kicks off at the Clackamas County Fair Grounds and Event Center, April 30 and May 1.
The Multnomah County Master Gardener Association’s Incredible Edibles Plant Sale, a celebration of growing your own food, resumes on Saturday, May 7th, in NE Portland, (NE 16th and Hancock Street).
You will also find a wide array of great gardening tools and books at the Washington County Master Gardener Association’s ‘Gifts for Gardeners’ booth at both the Spring Garden Fair and the Incredible Edibles Plant Sale.
Be sure to mark your calendars to join in the fun volunteering and/or shopping to your heart’s content!
Weston Shares Gardening Guidance
Your OSU Community Horticulturist and Master Gardener instructor, Weston Miller, has had several appearances on local and national radio programs, sharing a wealth of guidance and insight for gardeners. Take a listen…
National Public Radio, Science Friday: Weston was the guest expert to field questions from across the nation.
Oregon Public Broadcasting, Think Out Loud: discussion about climate change affecting home gardens.
Jefferson Public Radio, The Jefferson Exchange, Weston discusses changes in where plants are grown and how well.
Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up Series
The Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up Series offers Master Gardener continuing education opportunities (1 hour), focusing on an array of subjects. Whether you want to learn better irrigation techniques, understand if clearing leaves in the fall is really good for garden insects or not, or if you get excited for all things roses, there’s a webinar for you!
Can’t make a date or missed a webinar. Don’t despair! Recordings are made available for all webinars following the live broadcast.
- February 8 The Science and Practice of Seed Starting: Secrets to Success When Growing by Seed Recording available
- March 8: Local Beauties: Native Plants for Ecologically Enhanced Gardens and Landscapes with Nikkie West, Kathryn Prive and Rick Martinson Recording available.
- April 12: Plant Grow Harvest Repeat: Succession Planting with Meg McAndrews Cowden
- May 10: Growing Great Roses! with Mark Windham
- June 14: Irrigation Choices and Design with Alec Kowalewski
- July 12: Best Ecological Ways to Control Pests with Silvia Rondon, Chris Hedstrom and Isaac Sandlin of the Oregon IPM Center
- August 9: Should You Leave Your Leaves? How autumn yard maintenance affects overwintering insects with Max Ferlauto
- September 13: Compost Can-do: develop a system that meets your needs with Linda Brewer
- October 11: Soil Fertility and Nutrient Cycling in Garden Beds & Home Landscapes with Gordon Jones
- November 8: Growing the Good Stuff: from Sweet Potatoes to Bitter Melons with Todd Anderson, OSU
Presenters for this year’s schedule include OSU faculty, as well as national research experts, authors and industry leaders. View the website for full descriptions of the 2022 workshops and presenters.
The closed-captioned webinars are broadcast via Zoom and streamed via our Facebook page the second Tuesday of the month, at noon, February through November 2022. This series is open to the public and OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteers receive 1 Continuing Education Credit for each class. All webinars are recorded and will be available to view on our website within two weeks of airdate.
Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up Series is produced by a team of horticultural faculty and staff of the OSU Extension Master Gardener program. The series launched in 2021, engaging thousands of gardeners live, online and through recordings on the OSU Extension website. The program received the 2021 Oregon State University Extension Association (OSUEA) Search for Excellence award.
