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December 2019

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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.

Master Gardener-Season-Report-12-2-2019Download

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

Glenn-Ahrens_How Trees Grow and Why They Die References Download

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

Remembering Norrene Thompson

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Noreen Thompson

With sadness, we report the passing of Norrene Thompson, an important figure in the history of the Oregon Master Gardener Program and the Clackamas County Master Gardener Association.

Gray and Norreen Thompson, 2005
Gray and Norreen Thompson, 2005

In 1975, Norrene’s husband Gray Thompson established the Master Gardener program in Clackamas County. From that time forward, the Thompson’s served as the “First Couple” of the Master Gardener program in Oregon.

Upon retiring in 1985, Norrene took the Master Gardener volunteer training and was an active Master Gardener volunteer for over 30 years. With a background as a home economics teacher, Norrene chaired the food committee for the Spring Garden Fair, a big job. She served as a liaison between the Clackamas Master Gardener Association and the Milwaukie Center, the long-time home for the chapter. Norrene served as chapter secretary and treasurer and also helped to establish a chapter mentoring program.

In 1995, Norrene and Gray were acknowledged as “An Honored Pair” and in 2005 the pair were recognized as State Master Gardeners of the year.

Gray Thompson passed away in 2012. The Thompson’s are survived by their daughter Noel Sullivan (herself a Master Gardener), son Linn; son-in-law Tom; daughter-in-law, Terrie; grandchildren, Jonn and Marco; and great-grandchildren, Jackson, Mylo and Connor.

A fitting tribute to Gray and Norrene Thompson

The Clackamas County Chapter of the Oregon Master Gardeners Association made an initial gift to the Extension Education Center fundraising program ($50,000).

The chapter has requested the naming rights for the Master Gardener Clinic in the new building—to be called the Gray and Norrene Thompson Master Gardener Clinic.

The Clackamas Extension Education Center will be located in Oregon City near our current office. Construction begins in 2020.

Memorial service for Norrene

Norrene’s memorial service will be held Saturday, November 9 at 2:00pm at the Moreland Presbyterian Church (1814 SE Bybee, Portland).

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Clackamas County Master Gardeners or Moreland Church.

See Norrene’s Obituary.

Noreen Thompson
Noreen Thompson, 1995

Horticulture Updates November 2019

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

Lady beetles sometimes overwinter in structures, OSU

Five insect pests that overwinter in structures. (Nicole Sanchez, OSU Extension) https://bit.ly/2oAm5uS

Professional credentials and gardening expertise: Arborists. (Colby Moorburg, gardenprofessors.com) https://bit.ly/2VAVESc

Organic Fungicides for the Home Gardener. (FS128E; Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, WSU; FS128E) https://bit.ly/2B3jX1T

Why do some oak trees produce more acorns than others do? (Todd Oder, mnn.com) https://bit.ly/2q6yJ5P

Spiders fly using electricity, not wind. “A surprising finding potentially solves the enduring mystery of how and when baby spiders become airborne.” (Andrew Patterson, cosmosmagazine.com) https://bit.ly/2mM19QH

Strawbale vegetable garden
Straw bale vegetable garden, Ohio State University

Using cereal straw bales in home gardens. (Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, WSU) https://bit.ly/324KdEW

Did you know that earwigs have wings?  “An ode to earwig wings, which break standard laws of origami.”  Watch the video and see their beautiful wings! (Douglas Main, nationalgeographic.com) https://on.natgeo.com/2VBNqt3

Fertilizers — a cautionary tale.  “Gardeners are assaulted with marketing campaigns nowhere better than in the fertilizer aisle of a garden center. There are so many choices and the labels suggest that fertilizing garden plants is a complicated process that requires specialized products.” (Jim Downer, gardenprofessors.com) https://bit.ly/2lKLDVi

The Amazon’s tallest tree just got 50 percent taller – and scientists don’t know how. (Iflscience.com) https://bit.ly/328aClr

Late summer pruning: what happens, what won’t work, and why. (Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, WSU; gardenprofessors.com) https://bit.ly/35tr3e8

Get the PDF fileDownload

Cold Weather: A Few Reminders

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By Jean R. Natter

Group and water containers

In an emergency, as in you were caught off guard, realize that container-grown plants are more sensitive to cold than the same kind of plants in the ground. It’s because roots are more sensitive to cold than top growth. Root are essentially exposed when in pots but are protected by the large soil mass in the ground.

The first things that need attention are container-grown plants. Set them pot-to-pot tight, in a sheltered place, then throw frost-blanket or an old blanket over the group. You can protect hanging baskets similarly, by setting each one on an up-turned pot or bucket. Then, too, a large cardboard box will shelter an individual specimen nicely. Such emergency covers can protect against several degrees of cold.

But don’t use plastic sheeting unless you prop it above the plants. The reason? When the freeze arrives, any plant tissue touching the plastic will die.

If you have sufficient time to think ahead, make certain all the containers are well-watered, even those you’re unable to move because of their size or weight. Even though it may be hard to believe, moist growing media is less likely to freeze than if it’s dry. (That’s true for all plants, whether in a container or the ground.)

And if you forget to set the plants in a sheltered site, you may still be able to protect them if you act just before dawn, the time when the lowest temperature occurs

The effects of a freeze

Frozen plant tissue turns dark and becomes soft to mushy. The reason, in most cases, is that ice crystals form inside the plant cells during a freeze and, then, perforated the cell walls. If you see minor freeze damage on a treasured plant early in the day, you may be able to limit potentially serious damage by shading the damaged area from direct sunlight. With shade, the intracellular ice crystals thaw slowly and will be less likely to rupture cell walls than if they thawed rapidly.

Camellia flower with frost damage

Camellia sasanqua, a winter-flowering shrub with flower damage from freezing temperatures several days prior. The damaged tissue is somewhat brown and appears moist; the petals flop. (J.R. Natter; Dec 6, 2009)

Some generalizations

  • Get ahead of the game by adding several inches of mulch on the soil around cold-sensitive plants.
  • In general, recently installed plants, even if a kind that’s normally hardy, are more likely to be frost-damaged than those planted a year or more previously.
  • If a shrub or tree is seriously damaged during a freeze event, wait to remove damaged wood until after new growth begins in the spring. Then, cut at least an inch below the dead section. In the meantime, the damaged parts will provide a small amount of frost protection to the plant.
  • If a hard frost, extended or not, is predicted, move sensitive plants into a shed or garage for the duration. Water, if needed, during their stay. (One year, several of my plants were still in good condition after 10 days in an attached garage with only one small window.)
  • If a hard frost, extended or not, is predicted, move sensitive plants into a shed or garage for the duration. Water, if needed, during their stay. (One year, several of my plants were still in good condition after 10 days in an attached garage with only one small window.)

Resources

Winter Injury of Landscape Plants in the Pacific Northwest: (PNW Plant Disease Handbook; https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/pathogen-articles/nonpathogenic-phenomena/winter-injury-landscape-plants-pacific)

Abiotic Disorders of Landscape Plants (A copy of this book is in each metro MG office; pages 133-138 and 175-176.)

The following two Natter’s Notes have many images of cold damage but, unfortunately, are old enough that some of the listed references no longer exist:

Natter’s Notes: “Cold Damage – Lessons from the Garden” (In metro Mg Newsletter, January 2011. pages 4-5) http://www.metromastergardeners.org/files/news/January2011.pdf

Natter’s Notes: “December’s Cold Damage to Plants” (In metro Mg Newsletter, February 2010, pages 8-9) http://www.metromastergardeners.org/files/news/February2010.pdf

Freezing winter weather takes toll on home landscape plants: OSU eNews, (Reprinted in metro Mg Newsletter, February 2010, page 10) http://www.metromastergardeners.org/files/news/February2010.pdf

2019-11-Natters-Notes_Cold-A-Review-6Download

2017 Master Gardener program report

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Dear Master Gardener volunteers,

Welcome to 2018!

The Master Gardener program team (Weston, Jordis, Marcia) and our supervisors at OSU appreciate your participation in our outreach and engagement efforts in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties.

Your volunteerism makes a difference, helping to spread sustainable gardening information in the community.

Thank you for your contribution of time and expertise!

Volunteer statistics- Wow! and thank you!

In 2017, we conducted the Master Gardener training for 144 students (with volunteer requirement) plus an additional 15 students enroled in our certificate option (no volunteer requirement). Of this group, 105 students submitted volunteer hours.

We coordinated an additional 412 volunteers (517 total volunteers for 2017), who provided 38,422 hours of service.

Based on the Independent Sector (https://www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time) value of volunteer time in Oregon of $24.15 for 2017, the in-kind value of this contribution is $434,700 toward this public service of OSU Extension Service.

About 18,000 of these hours were applied toward OSU sponsored outreach activities including helplines, plant clinics, and gardening presentations. This volunteer effort produced 34,093 unique educational contacts with adults and 394 pesticide free zone pledges.

Master Gardeners make gardening presentations to the community via our Speakers Guild and 10-Minute University.  In 2017, MGs conducted 69 seminar events with 2,820 educational contacts.

As a learning community, Master Gardeners reported 7,753 hours of continuing education credit through recertification classes, webinars, and pest curation groups.

In addition to the activities described above, Master Gardener chapters in the metro area manage multiple demonstration gardens, conduct plant sales, and orchestrate chapter activities.

These program statistics paint a picture of an incredible learning community focused on community service.  We are in awe!

Thank you to MG program/chapter liaisons!

The MG program team would like to extend a special thank you to a group of MG volunteers that provided us with timely and sage advice through the course of the year through our on-going MG liaison group.  With the goal of improving communications between and MG program and chapters (and individual volunteers) and among the chapters, the Liaison group met eight times in 2017.

Thank you to you:

  • Kimberly Culbertson
  • Janet Evans
  • Jack Lazerek
  • Rich Becker

We had a great meeting in December with this group and Liaison representatives for 2018.  We are looking forward to continued and improved collaboration.

Strategic plan 2014-2019- Update

To guide the MG program into the future, we are working toward the following goals:

  1. Improving the effectiveness of the MG training and volunteer program.
  2. Streamlining branding and communications.
  3. Optimizing resources (financial, human, and organizational).
  4. Expanding our reach to under-served audiences to promote diversity and equity.
  5. Growing the next generation of gardeners (youth and adults).

Here is an update on these efforts:

1. Improving the effectiveness of the MG training and volunteer program

In 2015, we modified the format of the MG program from 11 weeks of in-person classes to a hybrid learning format including seven weeks of in-person training, online content, online final exam in addition to seminars, and hands-on workshops.  This format has provided more flexibility and multiple pathways of learning sustainable gardening content for our students.  This format has also provided more flexibility for the MG program team to provide the MG curriculum.

New for 2018, we have asked our instructors to include active-learning opportunities for in-person classes, which have been mostly lecture-based.  Inclusion of new, hands/minds-on activities is part of a state-wide effort to provide a richer learning experience for our students.

We encourage you to come on out the the 2018 classes to experience this new focus, aimed to support adult learning.

2. Streamlining branding and communications

In 2015, the MG program and our area chapters adapted new logos and made efforts to improve MG program and chapter websites and to give them a more standard look and feel.  Additionally, we initiated the MG program/chapter liaison group as an important means of getting advice from you, our volunteer network.

We also know that there is much room for improvement to improve our communications with our volunteers and community partners.  Here are steps that we are taking in 2018:

  • More efficient communications with our Liaison group to make it easier for them to share information from the MG program with chapters and vice versa.
  • New and improved online newsletter format including email, blogs, and PDF documents.
  • This annual report that your are reading now.
  • An annual open meeting for all MGs (coming June 2018).

3. Optimizing resources (financial, human, and organizational).

We continue to benefit from the generous financial support of Clackamas County Extension and Metro.  Both organizations provide critical base funding to make our regional effort possible.  Thank your to Mike Bondi and Carl Grimm for the support.

Unfortunately, we still need to charge program fees to cover our costs of production.  In 2017, program fees provided $64,000 of income needed to conduct the program including materials, transport, and staff time.

We also greatly appreciate nearly $15,000 in donations (over three years) from MG chapters and individuals to support reduced-fee slots for the MG training.  These resources have made it possible for us to offer 61 reduced fee slots to community members (over three years).  Thank you for your generous support!

4. Expanding our reach to under-served audiences to promote diversity and equity.

In addition to offering reduced-fee opportunities to train Master Gardeners, we are making efforts to engage with diverse audiences.  Here are some recent successes in this realm:

  • Master Gardeners instruct basic food gardening classes to the community through our partnership with Oregon Food Bank’s Seed to Supper programs.
  • Collaboration with WIC (Women, Infants, Children) to conduct Spanish-language outreach at the Washington County Fair with xxxx+ visitors
  • Conduct focus groups and questionnaires in Spanish-language and with immigrants/newcomers to get feedback about pests and pest control as part of SolvePestProblems.edu, a planned website project to provide comprehensive IPM resources for non-agricultural audiences in Oregon and beyond.  We have over 100 points of contact with diverse stakeholders including: Latino, Tongan, Russian, Vietnamese, and immigrant/newcomer communities.
  • SolvePestProblems.edu is planned to be a state-wide resource with at least 750 content pages available in both English and Spanish.  Check out the project website for this planned resource.

For 2018, we are planning a pilot outreach program to reach diverse audiences:

Garden Bridges: Growing Cross Cultural Connection In the Garden

Would you like to garden with immigrants and refugees? Oregon State University is partnering with People-Places-Things LLC.  to build relationships between English language learners and Master Gardeners.  Master Gardeners will develop their intercultural communication skills, helping immigrants and refugees learn English and gardening skills.

The general commitment is two hours a week in a classroom setting developing relationships with language learners. Then when the weather gets a little better, we’ll welcome Newcomer gardeners and show them around, practicing English and tending your plots together. All experiences will be very practical and hands-on. You’ll make some new friends, learn about the amazing people in your neighborhood, and share your expertise.

Interested in becoming a cross cultural educator as part of this pilot partnership with People-Places-Things?

We will have an info session on Thursday, January 11 from 6:30pm to 7:pm30 at Kelly School Center 9015 SE Rural St in Portland.

Please RSVP to weston.miller@oregonstate if you intend to come or have interest in this opportunity but cannot make this event.

5. Growing the next generation of gardeners (youth and adults)

We want to train the next generation of gardeners by providing research-based information.

At the Oregon Zoo backyard habitat exhibit, MGs interacted with nearly 5,000 kids in 2017!

A handful of individual Master Gardeners connect with kids in school gardens through regular programming and consulting services.  Thank you to Frank Willie, Kris Lamar, and Jeanine Rychlic for reporting these important efforts in 2017!

Also, in addition to training the next generation of Master Gardeners, the OSU Master Gardener team is working hard to provide gardening information to the general public through public media contacts including our new partnership with The Oregonian.

Monthly “What to do in the garden” video series

We’ve had an outstanding opportunity to collaborate with the Oregonian to produce practical, how-to video series with monthly gardening tips.  Thank you to Monica Maggio and Ruban Lawrence for your contribution to these videos.  And thank you to 2017 trainee Michelle Nicolosi for fostering this partnership.

Check them out!

 

 

Horticulture Updates September 2017

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Horticultural Updates

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

September 2017

Scientists uncover how bees choose to pollinate. A team of researchers at the University of Arizona have figured out how bees decide what method of pollination they use. They also captured some great high speed footage of the bees. http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/watch-bees-pollinate-flowers-in-super-slowmo/

Do you want to learn about the zoo beneath your feet? Learn about the “…subterranean community that includes worms, insects, mites, other arthropods you’ve never heard of, amoebas, and fellow protozoa. The dominant organisms are bacteria and fungi. All these players work together, sometimes by eating one another…”(Adrian Higgins, Washington Post).  https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/the-zoo-beneath-our-feet-were-only-beginning-to-understand-soils-hidden-world/2017/08/08/f73e3950-7799-11e7-9eac-d56bd5568db8_story.html?utm_term=.bc2bfdd2997f 

Honey bee on flower
Honey bee. Photo: Michigan State University Extension

Bees Are the First Insects Found to Understand the Concept Of Zero.  When the insects were encouraged to fly towards a platform carrying fewer shapes than another one, they apparently recognised “no shapes” as a smaller value than “some shapes”, (Sam Wong, New Scientist). http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/bees-are-the-first-insects-found-to-understand-the-concept-of-zero/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good news!  The US bee population has increased in 2017- the number of bees disappearing due to colony collapse disorder is significantly smaller than it was in 2016.” (IFLScience). http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/american-honeybees-are-doing-better-in-2017/

 

 

 

 

Elm Seed Bugs
Life stages of Elm Seed Bugs.  Photo: Ryan Davis, Utah State University

 

Managing Elm Seed Bugs around Your Home– Recent publication from University of Idaho: http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edcomm/pdf/CIS/CIS1223.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

Oh my! This plant murders bugs and decorates itself with dead bodies.
(Helen Thompson, Smithsonian.com) http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/plant-murders-bugs-and-decorates-itself-dead-bodies-180956087/

A forgotten treasure at the intersection of Science and Poetry. Long before she wrote her poems, she gathered, grew, classified, and pressed flowers. Harvard has digitized Emily Dickinson’s herbarium in its totality. (Maria Popova, Brainpickings.org) https://www.brainpickings.org/2017/05/23/emily-dickinson-herbarium/

Mow before you spray- and other tips for protecting pollinators in grassy landscapes.  A new guide in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management shows how lawn care and pollinator protection can coexist. (Entomology Today)) https://entomologytoday.org/2017/07/17/mow-before-you-spray-and-other-tips-for-protecting-pollinators-in-grassy-landscapes/

Do you use a rain barrel?  Learn from an expert about potential contaminants.  (Linda Chalker-Scott, WSU Fact Sheet, FS280E; photo by William McCaleb) http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/FS280E/FS280E.pdf

Beetle art: ‘Sweet and curious’ drawing beetle wins hearts online.  A talented beetle named Spike is drawing attention with his mini masterpieces. (BBC news-Asia) http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40552623

Foliar Diseases of Tomato!  Check out this informative publication.  Note: Only use OSU publications for treatment recommendations. (Steve Bost, U of Tennessee) https://ag.tennessee.edu/EPP/Extension%20Publications/Plant%20Diseases%20Foliar%20Diseases%20of%20Tomato.pdf

Need a soil test?  This publication has finally been updated! https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/em8677_0.pdf

An interesting read on the Neonic controversy: “Do Neonics Hurt Bees? Researchers and the Media Say Yes. The Data Do Not.”  (John Entine, Slate.com) https://www.google.com/amp/amp.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2017/06/the_data_do_not_support_the_idea_that_neonics_hurt_bees.html

Aphid galls
Aphid galls. Photo: Duke Elsner, Michigan State University Extension

Galls, galls and more galls! Learn about the many types of aphid galls.  (WordPress.com) https://simonleather.wordpress.com/2017/06/26/not-all-aphid-galls-are-the-same/?utm_content=buffer6f3bd&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is an App or online tool for almost everything nowadays!  Check out the ITP (Identification Technology Program) pest identification page. ITP is part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) division. They have an ant key, Lepidoptera larva key, aphid ID, bark beetle ID and more.  (Photo by David Cappaert, MSU) http://www.idtools.org/identify.php?keyword=website&category=2

Just for fun! Watch a lovely, short animated film on the Story of Flowers” (AMKK)
http://azumamakoto.com/1669/

September 2017

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Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Pumpkin, tomatoes, zucchini, tomatillo, and pepper harvestSeptember greetings!

It’s harvest time in the garden and time for OSU MGs to “harvest”, compile and submit their volunteer hours! As Volunteer log sheets start rolling in, the Metro MG Team would like to express a hearty thanks for the generous, wide-ranging efforts to Metro-area MGs. Thank YOU for sharing your passion and knowledge, while guiding and educating home gardeners!  You are making a difference and sowing so many seeds!  Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

MG News in a Brand New Format!

 

Welcome to the inaugural issue of our new Metro Master Gardeners newsletter.  This new format offers:

  • Easy streamlined view
  • Print option for those who prefer a printed newsletter
  • Ability to save in PDF form for those who prefer to save issues on their computer
  • Capacity to track and report on newsletter use by our volunteers

With this “blog” format styled, past issues are easily accessed.  We have assembled the blog with these main sections:

  • MG Program Monthly Newsletter
  • Natter’s Notes with MG Jean R. Natter
  • Horticulture Updates from MG Margaret Bayne
  • Study Group Diagnostics and Show-and-Tell from MG Elizabeth Price
  • Clackamas Chapter News
  • Multnomah Chapter News
  • Washington Chapter News

As before, you will receive email notification when the latest newsletter is posted. The email will contain a snippet of news features and easy “Read more” button links to the newsletter sections.

How to Print, email or save a PDF of your MG News
For those of you who prefer to save the newsletters in a PDF on your computer or to print the newsletter, the steps to do both are easy.  You can even easily share the newsletter via email.
Once you click on the newsletter issue of your choice.  Find and click the green “Print Friendly” button above the newsletter.  A pop-up will then appear with the issue of the newsletter you selected.  On the top left of the pop-up box you will see buttons for a “Print”, “PDF”, or “Email”.  Click on your desired option.  It is that easy!

Big Shout Out of Thanks!
As we move to this new format, we want to extend a big shout-out of thanks to OSU Extension staff member, Jean Bremer, who has skillfully assembled and polished our Metro MG Newsletter over the past several years.  We are truly grateful to Jean for her time, energy, skills, patience and kindness.  Thank you Jean!

Master Gardener Volunteer takes a break from volunteering
Robin Greenwood, 2017 Master Gardener Trainee, takes a well-deserved break from volunteering and filling our her Metro MG Volunteer Log Sheet. Photo courtesy of Robin Greenwood.

Harvest of Volunteer Hours Begins!

‘Tis the season to gather your volunteer hours and submit your volunteer log sheet, prior to the October 1st deadline.

 

Metro-area Master Gardeners, you are stellar in your contributions education and supporting the gardening public, and we want to share that fantastic fact!

The October 1st deadline allows the metro MG program office enough time to compile and share the great news of your tremendous contributions with the state Master Gardener program and OSU Extension Service.

Help us get those statistics to the state level by recording and submitting your hours this month!  We will share the grand totals at our Fall Recertification.

 

How to Report Your Volunteer Hours?

You can report volunteer hours on one of two volunteer hour log sheets provided in the Volunteer Portal, choose from a PDF or Excel spreadsheet. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/metro/forms

Please email or snail mail your completed log sheet to marcia.mcintyre@oregonstate.edu or MG Hours, 200 Warner-Milne Road, Oregon City, OR 97045

Note:  Please do not submit your hours via the OSU MG online volunteer submission option, CERVIS or CANVAS.  We only process hours sent on the provided OSU Metro Master Gardener log sheets.

A special thank you to those who have already submitted your hours!  Great going early birds!

For those of you who are still seeking Recertification/continuing education or volunteer opportunities look for some great opportunities below

MG Nuts and Bolts
Need a refresher on how to maintain your Master Gardener certification?  All the nuts and bolts can be found here!  Whether you are a 2017 trainee or a Veteran MG, to continue to serve as a “current” OSU Master Gardener you must submit an annual, signed Conditions of Volunteer Service form.  A 2018 certification sticker will be given to all MGs who meet the criteria and submit their signed forms.

New Advanced Training Webinar Series for Master Gardeners

Pollinator on flower
Creative Commons

Check out the new webinar series which was specifically developed for OSU Extension Master Gardeners seeking recertification.  This year, the series provides advanced training in Integrated Pest Management (IPM).  Each session is approved for one hour of continuing education/recertification credit.

  • September 5, 1PM: Never doubt how a small, thoughtful and committed pollinator habitat (in your garden) can change the world.  Presented by: Andony Melathopoulos, OSU Department of Horticulture
  • September 19, 1PM: Japanese Beetles in Oregon.   Presented by Rachel Suits and Heather Stoven, OSU Extension
  • October 3, 1PM: Status of Boxwood Blight in Oregon. Presented by Cassie Bouska, OSU Extension and Jay Pscheidt, OSU Department of Botany & Plant Pathology

 

 

You must pre-register to participate in the webinar.  For details and a registration link go to: http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/ediblegardens/2017/07/05/2017-osu-extension-master-gardener-advanced-training-webinars/

Do not despair!  If you missed the first two webinars, they are now available for online viewing!  See individual links below:

Fun fall volunteer opportunities, sign-up on CERVIS!       

Apple hangin on tree branch
Creative Commons

  • Fall Home and Garden Show – one of the most popular garden shows and MG volunteer opportunities!  October 12 – 15th, various shifts.
  • Portland Nursery Apple Tasting – festive fun celebrating the apple!  October 14, 15, 21, 22, various shifts.
  • Farmers Markets – opportunities to volunteer at a Farmers Market remain for Beaverton, Gresham, Hillsdale, Lake Oswego, Lents, Oregon City, Sherwood and Tigard.  Grab an open slot on CERVIS

 

 

 

 

Guide home gardeners through the fall and winter season!   As the days shorten and the temperatures cool, a new host of gardening conundrums perplex the home gardener. You can assist and expand your own knowledge, collaborating with other MGs as you research and advise gardeners.  Sign-up on CERVIS or contact a phone coordinator.

Sam Chan
Photo courtesy of Sam Chan

GREAT FALL RECERTIFICATION LINE UP! Saturday, October 28th
Our annual Master Gardener Fall Recertification Training is scheduled for Saturday, October 28th, 8:00am to 3:30pm, at Clackamas Community College.  This annual event is a daylong continuing education opportunity.  Earn 6 hours of continuing education/recertification credit by attending.

We have a great line-up.  This year’s presenters all bring their wealth of experience from their work with OSU Extension Service.

  • Water to Sustain our Oregon Lifestyle with Sam Chan
  • Plant Diagnostics for MGs with Brooke Edwards
  • A Vital Partnership: OSU MG Program and OMGA Chapters with Joy Jones
  • Vegetable IPM with Weston Miller

The Fall Recertification day also gives us the opportunity to congratulate the new class of trainees as they step up to Veteran status after completing their volunteer requirements.  We will present trainees who have successfully completed MG training with their OSU Extension Service Master Gardener badges and a big cheer for successfully completing the program and joining the ranks!

Seeking Master Gardener Speakers

Are you interested in making presentation on gardening to community groups?  The Metro MG program receives dozens of requests every year for garden presentations.  We have a small but mighty group of MGs who answer the call and present throughout the 3 counties – but requests greatly exceed what these dedicated MGs can handle.  Thus, we are looking for even more MGs to share their research-based gardening know-how.  We will supply support materials and those interested can shadow experienced presenters.  Have fun making a few presentations a year!

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
  • Planting
  • Soil
  • Beneficial insects
  • Pollinator gardens
  • Tomatoes
  • Small space gardening
  • Native plants
  • Seed starting
  • Propagation
  • What’s 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

2017 Trainees at Vegetable Clinic with Weston Miller
2017 Trainees at Vegetable Clinic with Weston Miller. Photo: Eddie Rosen

 

Weston, with MGs Corinne, and Eddie at Vegetable Clinic, Photo: Eddie Rosen