How To Prune by Plant Amnesty, Seattle

If you have shrubs and trees that outgrow their selected spot, begging to dominate your entire yard, this is the video for you.  It is the first in a series by Plant Amnesty, an organization created with the sole purpose of ridding the world of bad pruning forever.        

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Leaf Cutter Bees

submitted by Plantnut nerdus written by Lloyd Eighme, retired entomologist Washington State University You may have wondered what insect cuts such neat circles from the edges of leaves on your rose bush. It makes the leaves look a bit ragged, but I hope you will forgive the little leafcutter bees that do that because they are […]

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The Great Nutritional Collapse

https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/09/13/food-nutrients-carbon-dioxide-000511 The nutrition in fruits, grains, and vegetables is decreasing worldwide.  This article, which appeared in Politico, October 2017, written by Helena Bottemiller Evich, helps to explain why: Irakli Loladze is a mathematician by training, but he was in a biology lab when he encountered the puzzle that would change his life. It was in […]

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How To Grow Tomatoes in the Pacific Northwest

It is nearly tomato growing season again and Dick Schneider’s advice on growing tomatoes in the Pacific Northwest is as invaluable as ever. *Save the Date:  The Jefferson County Master Gardeners are sponsoring a trip to RainCoast Farm on September 15th.  Our trip starts at Far Reaches Farm, 11:00 am, then travels on to RainCoast […]

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Jefferson County 2017 Home and Garden Magazine

This year’s Home and Garden Show was a great success.  Below is the link to the magazine, with lots of good information.  Forward to page 14 to find a write-up on our very own Master Gardener’s:   http://www.ptleader.com/special_sections/home-garden-magazine/html_99ef7de4-f545-11e6-8130-3f8af08ff678.html

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Bear Family Found Dead from Ingesting English Yew

In Wyoming County, Pennsylvania:  A family of bears were found dead after ingesting parts of an English Yew (Taxus Baccata) ornamental in a church garden.  The article below explains why this isn’t a good plant for your landscape: https://www.buzzfeed.com/jasonwells/family-of-bears-falls-victim-to-2016?utm_term=.dqPogmYDw#.nmKzOR7pA

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The Secret LIfe of Trees

Click on the link below to read this wonderful article about the interconnectedness of trees and the community they create for all of us:   The Secret Life of Trees: The Astonishing Science of What Trees Feel and How They Communicate  

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Shirley’s Apple Cake

Many compliments to Shirley for her delicious apple cake.  Here it the recipe for all those who asked for it: Shirley’s Apple Cake Ingredients: 2 eggs 1 ¾ C sugar 2 heaping teaspoons of Cinnamon ½ cup of oil 6 medium apples, peeled and sliced 2 cups of flour 2 teaspoons of baking soda   […]

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Dunn Garden Tour

The jefferson County Master Gardeners toured Dunn Garden in April.  According to Kathi, the weather was splendid and the garden was spectacular. We have plenty more trips planned for this year!        

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German Forest Ranger Finds That Trees Have a Social Network, Too.

“When I say, ‘Trees suckle their children,’ everyone knows immediately what I mean.” PETER WOHLLEBEN GORDON WELTERS FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES   HÜMMEL, Germany — IN the deep stillness of a forest in winter, the sound of footsteps on a carpet of leaves died away. Peter Wohlleben had found what he was looking for: […]

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