JCMGF Enews 2014-May-4

Master Gardener Enews 2014 May

 Download JCMGF Enews 2014-May-4

May 2014 JC Master Gardener Enews

May 4, 2014

 

A Merry May to all MGs,

As always, we have a lot of going on this month! Please enjoy all the educational gardening activities and be sure to sign up to volunteer whenever you possibly can. A little help from everyone goes a long way.

 

SUPPORT OUR PROGRAM BY SHOPPING AT THE MASTER GARDENER PLANT SALE!   Saturday, May 10; 9:30am-12:30pm

If you’re not volunteering at the plant sale, please come by to purchase plants, including a large selection of native plants. The plants at this yearly event are always high quality and nurtured to the max by Master Gardeners.

Location: HJ Carroll Park, 9884 SR 19, Chimacum

MG hours: All volunteer hours for the plant sale are considered program support. Also, give yourself ½ hour of continuing education if you take the Kul Kah Han Native Plant Garden self-guided tour while you’re there. The garden coordinators have developed a wonderful handout for their open house that day, so if you’re buying plants, please set aside time to learn more about choosing the right natives for your property.

 

ASSISTANCE NEEDED AT KUL KAH HAN NATIVE PLANT DEMONSTRATION GARDEN    Wednesday, May 7; 1-3pm

Kul Kah Han Native Plant Demonstration Garden is excited to begin the first growing season of 2014 as a Self Serve Interpretive Site for the community and beyond. They are planning an Open House on May 10th on the same date and time as the annual Jefferson County Master Gardener Foundation Plant Sale (which will include many native plants).

 

In order to spiffy up the gardens for the Open House and the MG Plant Sale visitors, there’s a need for people to help weed, deadhead, etc. The gardens are located inside HJ Carroll Park, 9884 Rhody Dr., Port Hadlock. Ask for Linda when you get there.

 

MG Hours: Hours can count for MGs as long as you’re wearing your badge and you’re available to answer questions from park visitors.

 

JCMG FOUNDATION MAY MEETING    Thursday,May 8; 3-5pm

The Foundation meetings are open to the public, so please invite your friends to our next lecture. It’s a great way to introduce people to Master Gardeners and our program.

 

The May Foundation meeting presentation topic is “Women in Agriculture”. Women are choosing to farm more than at any other time in history. Master Gardener, Judi Stewart, recently attended the Women in Agriculture Conference, and will discuss some of the opportunities for women who are interested in farming.  Judi will show how the number of women who own and operate farms and ranches has been increasing while the number of farms as a whole has been decreasing. Questions and sharing experiences are encouraged throughout the lecture.

 

Please remember to bring raffle items to add to the table.

 

Location:  Tri-Area Community Center, Chimacum

MG Hours: 1/education and 1/program support

 

PLANT CLINIC     Every Monday, March 3 through September 29; 1-4pm

We need one more MG to volunteer for the May 12th clinic date.Please email me directly if you’re willing and available for this date or any Monday from now through the end of September.

 

Location: WSU Extension Office (380 Jefferson St., Port Townsend; Madrone Room)

MG Hours: 3/plant clinic (3 hours for each week you participate)

 

“APHIDS TO ZUCCHINI” BROWN BAG LUNCH LECTURES    Third Monday of each month, March 17 through November 17; 12-1pm (next one is May 19)

Our May WSU Master Gardener educational lecture series subject this month is “Home Composting”. This free brown bag garden lecture takes place May 19, 12-1, at the WSU Extension office in Point Hudson. This lecture will be presented by Dana Ecelberger, Jefferson County Conservation District Manager. Questions and sharing personal composting experiences are encouraged throughout the lecture. Bring your lunch and have fun learning.

 

Location – WSU Extension Office, 380 Jefferson St., Port Townsend

MG Hours – 1/education

 

PORT TOWNSEND FARMERS MARKET OUTREACH TABLE    Saturdays, May through September (all dates not confirmed yet)

Our tabling effort went really well this past Saturday (May 3rd).  Ken C. and Diane T. tallied a nice number of visitors to the table. An added bonus was that five people signed up as having an interest in becoming a MG and a few others expressed an interest in building a rain garden. This is great exposure for us, so if anyone is willing and able to man the MG table the second shift on May 10th or any time in June, July, August, or September, please let me know. It would be ideal to have two people for each week.

 

It isn’t required that you conduct a plant clinic at the PT Farmers Market. All plant clinic questions can be written down and answered the following week. The purpose of the event is  outreach…letting people know about the MG program (plant clinics, brown bag lectures, Foundation lectures, after school 4H/MG program, Quilcene veggie lectures, etc), and giving out literature (weed leaflets, rain garden brochures, MG general info, etc).

 

Location: Port Townsend Farmers Market; corner of Tyler and Lawrence

MG Hours: All hours count as program support

 

NATIVE PRAIRIE WALK ON WHIDBEY ISLAND    Friday, May 9th; 9:30-3:15

The JLT Natural History Society is sponsoring a native prairie walk on Whidbey Island on Friday, May 9, 2014. This walk is being led by our very own Beach Watcher Coordinator, Cheryl Lowe (she’s a great guide!), whose former life included prairie restoration work.  More details can be found at http://jltnatural.org/2014/04/23/whidbey-prairie-wildflowers/

 

MG Hours: Hours count as continuing education

 

HOME CANNING ADVICE    Third Monday of each month, March 17 through November 17; 1-4pm (during plant clinic)

Get answers to all your food preservation questions from Jefferson County Food Safety/Preservation specialist and Master Gardener, Dianna Wiklund. Whether you are just getting started or would like to update your knowledge of home food preservation, Dianna will be available for walk-in clients to get their questions answered. Pressure gauge testing will also be available for $5.

 

Location – WSU Extension Office, 380 Jefferson St., Port Townsend

 

QUILCENE VEGGIE GARDENING CLASSES   Every Monday at Noon

MGs, Juanita Thomas and Anita McCue invite everyone to join in on their vegetable gardening classes.  These classes take place every Monday at noon. Head on over to learn some new vegetable gardening tips!

 

Location: Corner of 101 and Old Church Road, Quilcene (meet at the church)

MG Hours: 1/education; demonstration garden hours can be accrued if you help them prepare the gardens and/or organize lectures

 

4H/MASTER GARDENER/BEACH WATCHER AFTER-SCHOOL EXTENSION PROGRAM    Every Tuesday through the end of July; 3:30-5:30pm

Sharon Garrels and Nita Wester are in their 5thth month of running the Master Gardener segment of this after-school Extension program. Please spread the word and invite other children to join in. 4H, Beach Watchers, and MGs will continue to present exciting, interactive programs, through July. Two pictures below show the kids having fun measuring for a vegetable garden and learning to use tools.

2104 May - 4H

 

Location:  WSU Extension Office, 380 Jefferson St., Port Townsend

MG Hours: all preparation and teaching hours/youth outreach

 

DICK SCHNEIDER-GROWING TOMATOES IN PT; THE AGONY AND THE ECSTACY    Monday, May 12; 7pm

This presentation will cover Dick’s Schneider’s experience growing tomatoes in our Northwest marine environment for the past 7 years. He will focus on the factors for success that home and commercial growers should concentrate on when attempting to grow this highly sought after fruit.  His experimental enterprise, called RainCoast Farms, has grown over 300 varieties of tomatoes and evaluated each for yield, quality and taste.  Tomatoes can be grown in a greenhouse, a hoophouse or outdoors against a south facing exterior wall.  A list of the 50 or so most successful varieties will be provided to those present.

 

Every year he adds new varieties and gains more experience.  The many factors which determine success will be discussed in some detail.  To the extent that home gardeners apply these factors in their own situation, success in achieving a satisfactory crop can be increased significantly.

 

A number of diseases and pests effect tomatoes.  Of particular interest is blossom end rot and late blight.  Both of these will be covered along with a variety of remedies appropriate for the home gardener.  Both soil amendments and fertilizers can and should be used to discourage disease and encourage success.

 

About Dick:

Dick retired to Port Townsend about 20 years ago after a career in business and science.  RainCoast Farms, a non-commercial experimental enterprise was founded 7 years ago with the specific purpose of evaluating known varieties of commercially relevant farm crops for their ability to thrive in our climate.  They have collected data on tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, berry fuits, apples, plums and pears.

 

Information is freely shared with both home gardeners and commercial farmers, through talks about the trials and tribulations of growing tomatoes and other warmer weather crops to garden clubs, the Grange, AAUW, the Land Trust and others.   Fruits and vegetables from the farm are distributed free to local food banks and other non-profit institutions.

 

Location: 1219 Corona (near end of Sheridan in Port Townsend)

MG Hours: Hours count as continuing education

 

GRAIN AND SEED PRODUCTION WALK AT NASH’S ORGANIC FARM     Monday, May 12; 12:30-4

This annual farm walk series is hosted by Tilth Producers and the WSU Small Farms Team to provide farmer-to-farmer education opportunities to growers across the state. Join them for an up close tour of this innovative grain and seed production operation, including growing techniques and variety trials, seed harvest, drying and cleaning infrastructure, and grain milling, bagging and packaging. The tour will be led by Farm Managers Sam McCullough and Chris Tipton, and owner Nash Huber. Nash’s Organic Farm, Sequim, WA, Clallam County. For more information, see http://tilthproducers.org/programs/farm-walk/upcoming-farm-walks/

 

Added note: Nash’s Organic Produce is now selling vegetable seed (3 kales, cauliflower, spinach, 5 cabbages), cover crop seed (2 fava beans, field peas, rye/vetch, common vetch), and oats. Certified organic and open-pollinated.

 

LATE SPRING/SUMMER ORCHARDING WORKSHOP      May 17; 9am-5pm

Cutting edge information in a dynamic 1-day workshop featuring a team of experienced professionals led by Dr. Andrea Bixby-Brosi and Alix Whitener of WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center/Wenatchee.  WSU NW Research Center/Mt. Vernon will provide experts in Entomology and Weed Control and be joined by local orchardist Gary Moulton. All will engage the attendees on the timely topics of:

Pest Control

Integrated Pest Management

Propagation

Weed Control

Summer Pruning & Training

Practical matters for the Orchard: Sprayers/Calibration/Working with the Nursery

For more information please visit www.agbizcenter.org

 

Location: Skagit Valley Gardens, 18923 Johnson Rd, Mt. Vernon, WA 98273

MG Hours: Hours count as continuing education

 

DISCOUNT TICKETS FOR MASTER GARDENERS TO THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR    May 31 and June 1

The Mother Earth News Fair offers more than 200 hands-on workshops covering organic gardening, preparing and preserving food, homesteading, renewable energy, natural health and related topics. Keynote speakers include Joel Salatin, Ed Begley Jr. and Toby Hemenway. The Fair will be at the Puyallup Fairgrounds on May 31 and June 1. Tickets normally range from $20-$25 for weekend passes. There are two ways to claim the $10 discounted weekend pass:

 

WSU MG ADVANCED EDUCATION CONFERENCE September 18-20

Registration is now open for the 2014 WSU MG Advanced Education Conference in Tacoma (September 18th – 20th). Please see http://www.pc-wa-mg-conf.org/ for more information

 

MG Hours: All hours count as continuing education

 

MG FOUNDATION BOARD MEETINGS    First Thursday of each month, 3-5pm

Here’s another reminder that the Jefferson County MG Foundation welcomes attendance at the monthly Foundation Board meetings. The minutes for the April 2014 Board meeting are attached.

 

Location: WSU Extension Office, 380 Jefferson St., Port Townsend

MG Hours: Program support hours for Board members, intern member, and state rep

 

PESTSIGHTINGS

“Zombee fly”:

Dave Pehling, WSU Pest Management Specialist, indicates that we received our first 2014 report of “zombie flies” in a honey bee specimen from the Shoreline area that had died from the parasitoid on March 10.

 

Many of you are probably aware of the 2008 findings that the parasitoid Phorid fly,Apocephlus borealis (A.K.A. “zombie fly”) has made a “jump” from its regular hosts, paper wasps and bumble bees, to our honey bees.  The fly lays eggs in living bees, which then tend to leave their hives at night and fly to lights where they soon crash, stagger around and die.  Full-grown larvae then emerge from the fly’s “neck” region and form pupae.  These eventually emerge as adults which then mate and continue the cycle.

 

It is unknown at this time how much this parasitoid will affect honey bee populations. We have only had a few reports of this pest in Washington since 2012 when it was first discovered on the west side of the state. In 2013, the first reported incidence in the Seattle area was July 10.

 

If you would like to learn more about the spread of the “Zombie Fly”, check out Dr. Hafernik’s “Zom-Bee Watch” web site at https://www.zombeewatch.org/

 

If you would like to check the bees in your own area, keep an eye out for bees appearing and dying at outside lights and simply put them in ziplock bags for observation.  If they are infested, the maggots will soon emerge and pupate in the bag.  You can report any positive findings to the “Zombeewatch” web site.

 

Carpenter Ants:

Several flying carpenter ant queens were seen in Snohomish county recently. We will probably begin receiving calls from concerned home owners very soon. Please read this interesting information from WSU Whatcom County MGs:  http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/homehort/pest/carpenter.htm

 

Stink Bug Info:

The March 25th edition of Entomology Today has an interesting article about research in Maryland on stink bug traps. In short, the research results suggest that the traps may actually increase stink bug damage to tomatoes in home gardens.

To read the article, go to http://entomologytoday.org/2014/03/25/stink-bug-traps-in-gardens-may-increase-damage-to-tomatoes/

 

REALLY INTERESTING ARTICLE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO TOOK THE RAIN GARDEN WORKSHOP!

The Port of Seattle is testing a contraption that combines a boxcar, soil, plants, and pipes to treat storm water runoff.

http://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/121542/the-port-of-seattle-starts-mgif-project/  World Maritime News

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/100962269269099670430/albums/6004894517991484849  Selected still photos

http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/Rolling-rain-gardens-at-Port-of-Seattle-256103741.html  King 5 story

 

BLOOMING FLOWERS VIDEO

An amazing two minute time lapse video of flowers blooming was emailed to me a few days ago. I’d like to share it with all of you. It comes from Vorobyoff Production.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/27920977?title=0&;byline=0&;portrait=0href=

 

AND FINALLY…KUDOS!

Nita Wester – for completing 100 volunteer hours and becoming a certified MG!

Beth Anne Cahape – for completing 100 volunteer hours and becoming a certified MG!

Juanita Thomas – for completing 100 volunteer hours and becoming a certified MG!

Lys Burden – for completing 100 volunteer hours and becoming a certified MG!

Paula Schmidt – for our great new MG Foundation Blog – https://jcmgf.org/mg2/blog/

Nita Wester – for assisting with the all-day 4H/MG/BW camp on April 1st. 18 children participated and also presented WSU with our new planted flower pots (on the front porch)!

Sharon Garrels and Nita Wester – for continued help organizing the after-school WSU Extension 4H/MG/BW program

Lys Burden and Judy Alexander for their inspiring presentation (“Growing Food Together: Community Gardening in Jefferson County” at our Foundation meeting

Lys Burden, Paula Schmidt, Sarah Fairbank, and Dianna Wiklund for conducting plant clinic

Henery’s – for giving us a 20% discount for the 4H/MG tools.

Tri-Area Garden Club – for a $300 grant to pay for the tools 4H/MG tools.

Nita Wester – for taking the time to purchase the 4H/MG items, donating buckets, and pitching in a little extra funding.

Roger McPherson, Susan Cronshaw, Candice Gohn, Erica Iseminger, Sherine Murphy, Lorna Ross, Nancesca Schroff, and everyone else – for their continued work on the 2014 Master Gardener Plant Sale

Roger McPherson -for his informative “Vegetable Gardening with Seeds and Starts” Brown Bag lecture

Ali Dyche – for her indoor plants and raised bed advice at Seaport Landing

Dianna Wiklund – for setting up her food preservation table at the Jefferson Healthcare Athlete’s Symposium and being available to the public the 3rd Monday of each month for food preservation questions and gauge testing at WSU

Honey Niemann, Mike McFadden, Betty Petrie, and Candice Gohn – for volunteering at the outreach table at the Hadlock Building Supply Gardening Expo

Bill Petro – for many hours helping to plant, prune, and tidy up the Kul Kah Han Native Garden

Sarah Fairbank – for her presentation at the Quilcene/Brinnon Garden Club

Anita McCue and Juanita Thomas – for their continued veggie garden classes at the Quilcene LID Demonstration Site (16 classes and counting!!)

Christina Lacie – for her latest entertaining and educational articles in the PT Leader

Diane Threlkeld and Ken Clatterbaugh – for tabling at the PT Farmers Market

 

Ps – As of yesterday, 1448 hours were recorded in our Master Gardener Volunteer Database for 2014.  If you haven’t recorded hours for 2014 (or any months in 2013), please do so in order to get the credit. The link to enter hours is http://ext.wsu.edu/volunteers/logon.aspx  If you need help, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

 

 

 

Jill Bacchieri

Master Gardener Co-Coordinator

WSU Jefferson County Extension

380 Jefferson St.

Port Townsend, WA 98368

360 379-5610 ext 210

mastergardenerjefferson@gmail.com

http://jefferson.wsu.edu/gardening