Master Gardener Enews 2014 JULY
Download Master Gardener Enews 2014-July-5
July 2014 Jefferson County Master Gardener E-news
July 5, 2014
Happy July 4th Weekend Everyone!
While the rest of the country seems to be sweltering in 90 degree weather, we are so lucky to be on the Olympic Peninsula, enjoying 60-70 degree weather. Ahh… so nice to live and garden here!
There are many volunteer opportunities and activities coming up, so please check your calendar to see what fits in your schedule.
JCMGF MEETING
As usual, there are NO JCMG Foundation meetings in July and August. We will resume September 11, at 3:00, at the Tri-Area Community Center. I’ll send out another reminder closer to the date. We are looking for two to three people to volunteer to bring snacks for September, October, and November. Please email if you can do so.
OUR SECOND MG FIELD TRIP OF THE YEAR
Our second MG field trip took place last week. A group of about 12 MGs visited Dragonfly Nursery. A blog review about the event was just posted – https://jcmgf.org/mg2/dragonfly-farms-nursery-tour/
ANOTHER BLOG POST
Speaking of blog posts, Plantus Nerdus submitted an interesting post a few weeks ago about Leaf Cutter Bees. Please see – https://jcmgf.org/mg2/leaf-cutter-bees/
TWO MORE COORDINATORS NEEDED FOR YARD AND GARDEN SERIES 2015 Six Saturdays in January through February, 2015
Please help the MG Foundation head up this popular yearly event series. Coordination includes booking speakers, securing the venue, organizing volunteers and treats, publicity, etc. If we have three people coordinating, the event series is much easier to manage. Email me directly if you are willing to be part of this team. Preparation for the event needs to start within the next month or so.
MG Hours: ALL hours are counted as program support
FUN NEWS ABOUT KPTZ PROGRAM “NATURE NOW”
KPTZ (91.9) will be using some of Christina’s PT Leader articles for reference and ideas on their show! Please see www.kptz.org for “Nature Now” time schedule.
PLANT CLINIC AT WSU Every Monday, March 3 through September 29; 1-4pm
Plant clinic has been busy! We need one more MG to volunteer for the July 14th clinic date.We’re all set for the other three weeks in July.Please email me directly if you’re willing and available for this date or any Monday from now through the end of September. If you need to get hours in or want to attend just to learn, you’re welcome to drop by any of the dates that are already filled and take credit for it. The more, the merrier.
Location: WSU Extension Office (380 Jefferson St., Port Townsend; Madrone Room)
MG Hours: 3/plant clinic (3 hours for each week you participate)
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT PLANT CLINIC
The mission of WSU Extension MGs is to serve the public’s home horticulture needs with science-based information.
During plant clinics, the objective is to work with your cohort to answer the questions. This will take time. Ask each other to verify the diagnosis. When in doubt, you can phrase your answer with “it might be, it looks like, or it appears to be” and you can also add, “I don’t know, but I can find out for you.” It’s always better to give no information rather than the wrong information. We have each other for support and WSU has many available resources. And, don’t forget, that we CAN send pictures and physical samples to WSU/Puyallup for any unsolved issues.
Be sure to sign in so you are covered by WSU liability, wear your badge, work together, use the correct and approved resources, and remember to document the answers and the sources to help with future research.
PLANT CLINIC AT CHIMACUM FARMERS MARKET 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, through the season, 10-2
Mike M. started up a plant clinic table at the Chimacum Farmers Market in June and will be continuing the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, from 10-2. Ali D., Lys B., and Karen S. will be joining him at some of the clinics, but if anyone else wants to join in a few Sundays, let me know and I’ll plug you in the schedule. Note: July’s schedule has changed. The clinic dates for July are July 20th and 27th)
Location: Chimacum Farmers Market, Chimacum
MG Hours: 4/plant clinic (4 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 July 21)
Our June WSU Master Gardener educational lecture series subject this month is pending (our scheduled presenter is ill). Another notice will go out within the next week updating the status and topic.
Location – WSU Extension Office, 380 Jefferson St., Port Townsend
MG Hours: 1/education
MG SUMMER PICNIC Saturday, August 16, 12:30
Save August 16th on your calendar for the annual MG Foundation summer picnic. Bring a main dish, side dish, and/or dessert to share. The picnic is at Mike McFadden’s house in Quilcene on the shore of Lake Leland. Mike has lots of water toys, so it’s guaranteed to be fun. Please rsvp to me so I can tally up the expected guests. Directions and more details will be sent later this month.
MG Hours: none; just fun, good company, and good food
JEFFERSON COUNTY FAIR / WSU EXTENSION BOOTH Friday through Sunday, Aug 8-10
Greet visitors with information about WSU Extension and our Master Gardener program. Spend a day at the fair and receive program support hours. We need two to three volunteers a day on August 8th and 9th from 6-9pm. On the 10th, we need help breaking down the booth and returning items to the extension office.
Location: Jefferson County Fairgrounds
MG Hours: all hours count as program support
WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL Friday through Sunday, September 5-7
Since our WSU Extension office is now located within the festival grounds, the Wooden Boat Festival http://www.nwmaritime.org/wooden-boat-foundation/wooden-boat-festival offers a great opportunity to greet visitors and provide information about WSU Extension and the MG program. We need two to three MG volunteers each day (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). The shifts are 12-3 and 3-6.
Location: Hudson Point, PT
MG Hours: all hours count as program support
JEFFERSON COUNTY FARM TOUR Sunday, September 14th
No volunteers needed, but please put this on your calendar as a fun event to attend. Every year Farm Tour draws thousands of visitors eager to experience a working farm and connect with local farmers. See http://jefferson.wsu.edu/agriculture/farm-tour/ for locations and more details.
QUILCENE VEGGIE GARDENING CLASSES Every Monday at noon, year round
MGs, Juanita Thomas and Anita McCue invite everyone to join in on their vegetable gardening classes. These classes take place every Monday at noon and cover timely vegetable gardening tips. They’d love to see some new faces. Great espresso stand right next door!
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
PICTURES OF 4H/MASTER GARDENER/BEACH WATCHER AFTER-SCHOOL EXTENSION PROGRAM
Pictures of the 4H students and their square foot gardening project below, as promised in last month’s e-news.
MARY ROBSON MASTER GARDENER PARK VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
The MG Park is looking great, but it only stays that way with group help. Please contact Judy Johnson or Shirley Williams if you can help maintain this beautiful garden on W. Sims Way.
MG Hours: yes, but please remember to wear your MG badge in case people stop to ask questions
COME TO LEARN, STAY AND PLAY AT THE SOUND GARDENING CONFERENCE (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).
The Master Gardeners of Pierce County have planned a very full three days of activities for you this year. Attend all sessions, including the Friday lunch and dinner, and you will get twelve hours of Continuing Education credits. Take a tour, and pick up 2-4 more CE hours on Thursday morning and Saturday afternoon. See the complete listing at www.pc-wa-mg-conf.org
MG Hours: All hours count as continuing education
SAVE THE DATE FOR THE MG ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS WORKSHOP October 10, 8:30-4:30
David Deardorff is coming to Skagit County for a Master Gardener Advanced Diagnostics workshop, Friday, October 10, 2014, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, at WSU-NWREC, Sakuma Auditorium, 16650 Washington 536, Mt Vernon WA 98273. For more information, a place to ask questions about the event, and to order tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets.com, and look for “What’s Wrong with My Plant”.
MG Hours: all hours count as continuing education
MG FOUNDATION BOARD MEETINGS First Thursday of each month, 3-5pm
The Jefferson County MG Foundation welcomes attendance at the monthly Foundation Board meetings. The minutes for the June 2014 Board meeting have not been approved yet. I’ll email them once approved.
Location: WSU Extension Office, 380 Jefferson St., Port Townsend (The date and location have changed for July. The date is July 10th at 6pm, and the location is Fiesta Jalisco in Port Hadlock)
MG Hours: Program support hours for Board members, intern member, and state rep
GOOD CHEER GARDEN AND FOOD BANK TOUR
Lys Burden and I went on a small group tour to Whidbey Island’s Good Cheer Garden and Food Bank and the Whidbey Island School Farm. Lys will be heading up a new “Growing Groceries” program for Jefferson County (more info coming soon), so this visit helped her to gather some helpful new project ideas. See http://goodcheergarden.wordpress.com/ and http://whidbeyschoolgardens.wordpress.com/about-2/ to see the wonderful work that’s going on a short ferry ride away.
2015 MASTER GARDENER TRAINING
Stay tuned for more information on our 2015 MG Training. Candice and Bob will be heading up the training. Heads up that we’ll be looking for many of you to participate as guest lecturers!
PLEASE READ ALL DOCUMENTS ON THIS WEB SITE
Linda Chalker-Scott, WSU Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Urban Horticulture, graciously answers questions regarding the scientific basis (or lack thereof) of gardening methods often found on the internet that become popular. Please see her web site “Horticultural Myths” should you have a question regarding the scientific validity of certain gardening methods.
http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/Horticultural%20Myths_files/index.html
CALLING ALL BUG NERDS IN WASHINGTON STATE!
Dr. Chris Looney at the Washington State Department of Agriculture is looking to describe the known area of occurrence for the Cane Fruit-Rose Stem Girdler, Agrilus aurichalceus, in Washington State. This is a Buprestid beetle that is out right now as an adult. The best place to find them is on blackberry or any Rubus (raspberry type),Rosa (roses) or Ribes (currant) plant. A good way to find them is by observing mating pairs on foliage, much like this picture (https://dnr.state.il.us/stewardship/cd/images/768×512/0002064.jpg) or by beating the foliage and catching them in a beating sheet or tray.
Adults are 6mm long, slender, flattened and metallic black with a coppery red/bronze thorax. As the adults mature, they turn a dark copper or green-copper color. This is how you will likely see them now. BugGuide has some great pictures http://bugguide.net/node/view/407560 .
Go out and check your Rubus/Rosa/Ribes plants for adult beetles. Capture them and place them in the freezer. Contact Dr. Chris Looney at CLooney@agr.wa.gov with your collection locations.
WHY SO FEW MOSQUITOS IN SEATTLE?
http://kuow.org/post/why-are-there-so-few-mosquitos-seattle
KUDOS THIS MONTH GO TO:
A mid-year thanks to the 2014 MG Foundation Board. Board members include Mike M – Chair, Ali D – Co-Chair, Ann K – Treasurer, Susan C – Secretary, Sharon G, Diane T, Jill B, Lorna R, and Linda P. And thanks to Frances L for her continued support as the Board intern.
Vicky C. for her continued work on our Jefferson County Master Gardener Foundation web site: https://jcmgf.org/mg2/
Lorna R for organizing our 2nd MG field trip
Frances L for writing the blog review for our second field trip
Nancy V for her continued landscaping support for Habitat for Humanity
Ali D for using her expertise to present “Native Pollinators” at our June Foundation meeting
Ann K, Erica I, Kathy G, Susan C, Candice G, and everyone else for bringing fun prizes to the JCMG Foundation meeting
Susan C for organizing the monthly Foundation raffle
Sarah Fairbank for her informative Brown Bag lecture on using mulch and water wisely
Sharon G and Nita W for continued help organizing the after-school WSU Extension 4H/MG/BW program.
Lys B for volunteering to head up the new “Growing Groceries” Program (starts in 2015)
Christina L. for her latest entertaining and educational articles in the PT Leader
Paula S – for posting all of our new MG Foundation Blog pieces – https://jcmgf.org/mg2/blog/
Honey N, Lys B, Sarah F, Mary Anne D, Sherine M, Erica E, and Mike M. for their expertise at plant clinic this past month (especially Erica for jumping in at the last minute to help at plant clinic when another clinician was sick)
Anita M. and Juanita T. for their continued veggie garden classes at the Quilcene LID Demonstration Site (25 classes and still counting!!)
Thanks to everyone for your continued volunteer service for the community. We could not accomplish everything we do without each other and WSU.
Ps – As of today, 2,062 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 Here’s a helpful tool to use if you forgot how to use the database – Volunteer Reporting(1).pdf
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Jill Bacchieri Master Gardener 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
WSU Extension employment and programs are available to all without discrimination.