A Publication of the Howard County Master Gardeners

April 2014

From Georgia’s Desk As I recently shared with our Youth Edu-cation committee, one of the problems I encoun-ter every year in data collection and reporting has to do with grade/ages of the youth we contact in all of our activities, but especially in relation to classes. This data is required by the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture, which as you know is one of the three UME funding sources: UME and Howard County are the other two. As a result of this problem, in consultation with the Youth Ed-ucation MGs, I have revised the Volunteer Activ-ity Log sheet. This is essentially the same log sheet used for all volunteer reporting but please note that in the column BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY, LOCATION OF PROGRAM- SCHOOL, GRADE LEVEL, IF KNOWN HAS BEEN ADDED. Please complete this information whenever possible so that we can accurately report our youth contacts. Also, please note at that bottom of the form, IF OTH-ER MGS ARE INVOLVED, PLEASE SELECT ONE MG TO RECORD THE DATA- otherwise

the information is inaccurate. Your help on this will be very much appreciated. I have included one of the new forms in this issue of Looseleaf- please change to this form when reporting your volunteer activity. I can send, or you can pick up additional forms if needed. April will be a busy month- assuming it stops snowing: GreenFest, April 5; plus other community events and public education pro-grams. Please check the calendar of programs. Happy spring! Georgia Eacker Master Gardener Coordinator 410-313-1913 geacker@umd.edu

University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, gender, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, or national origin.

Educating People to Help Themselves

HOWARD COUNTY · 3300 NORTH RIDGE ROAD, ·SUITE 240, ELLICOTT CITY, MD 21043

HOWARD COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS · (410) 313-2707 · FAX (410) 313-2712

www.mastergardener.umd.edu/local/howard/index.cfm

LOOSELEAF

April 2014 Looseleaf 2 Howard County Master Gardeners

April 2014 Looseleaf 1 From Georgia’s Desk 3 Composting 4 GIEI 6 Mt Pleasant 7 Conservation Stewardship 10 Bay-Wise 11 News from State Office

Suzette Holiday, MG, Editor webbrats@hotmail.com 410-903-6809

Ponds by Michelle Bryden Thursday, April 3, 7:00 pm Miller Library Please register at 410-313-1950 or online at hclibrary.org GIEI, Spring Vegetable Gardening by Jerry Kissel Saturday, April 5, 1:30 pm Greenfest at Howard Community College Sustainable Organic Vegetable Gardening by Kent Phillips Wednesday, April 9, 7:00 pm Oakland Mills Community Center Please confirm attendance with Brigitta Warren at 410-730-4610 Water Gardening by Michelle Bryden Tuesday, April 22, 12:00 noon Howard Community College Container Gardening by Kent Phillips Tuesday, April 22, at 7:00 pm Town Center Community Center Please confirm attendance with Pat Loeber at 410-730-4744 Birds in Your Backyard by Carolyn Cradler Wednesday, April 23, at 7:00 pm Long Reach Community Center Please confirm attendance with Trissie Manweller at 410-730-8113

SUBMITTED BY ANN VIETH

Public Education for April

MGs at APL Earth Day Event We will be participating in an Earth Day celebration at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. The date is April 22 from 8:00 am till about 10:30. SUBMITTED BY KAREN PALM

CALL FOR PLANTS

Donate your extra garden perennials & small shrubs Delivery drop-off Thursday, April 24 – Monday, May 5

Location: Whipps Garden Cemetery

3651 St. John’s Lane, Ellicott City

We invite your donations of your extra garden perennials and small shrubs to be delivered to Whipps Cemetery (3651 St. John’s Lane and place behind the Acuba near parking pad). Please bring -- potted up and labeled --what ever lovely plants you have just a few too many of in your gar-dens. Please label Sun or Shade, Native or Non-native. Your plants will be happily bought by other gar-deners at reasonable, even, we've been told, LOW prices. We just want to share with others -- and also make a little money to keep the Angel Garden growing and glowing.

April 2014 Looseleaf 3 Howard County Master Gardeners

Join us at one of the five demonstration sites this year for our annual series of Backyard Composting how-to demonstrations. Master Gardeners and Interns from the Class of 2014 will offer information about “browns and greens,” hot vs cold composting, vermicomposting and tips on trouble-shooting the compost pile. We will also distribute free compost bins to residents of Howard County compliments of the Bureau of Environmental Services. Help us reduce the amount of yard waste and kitchen scraps that is being sent to the Alpha Ridge Landfill. Volunteer to spend a couple of hours talking about easy techniques to create mulch and soil amendment. Coordinators will have a supply of brochures, pledge sheets and bins at each site. Select a date and time that fits your schedule! Visit our compost page on the MG Website for the entire schedule through No-vember plus a map with the locations highlighted. Here are the dates and loca-tions for April. Alpha Ridge: April 5 and 19 Contact Jerry Fitzpatrick Centennial: April 5 Contact Michelle Bryden Schooley Mill: April 9 and 26 Contact Susan Levi-Goerlich Robinson Nature: April 13 Contact Richard Freas Miller Branch starts May 3 Contact Janine Grossman BY JANINE GROSSMAN, MG

Compost Demonstrations Begin in April

Have you signed up for the Bioblitz? Please join us for this Earth Day Celebration

We need leaders who can identify organisms in the field, and participants to help with the identification. Leaders will lead small teams into the field and forest to identify and count plants, animals or other organisms, both na-tive and non-native. If you have expertise or want to learn, please join us. The more people helping, the more complete the survey will be. Pre-registration is required. The event is free. http://www.transitionhoco.org/committees/eco-landscaping/bioblitz The Bioblitz will be on April 26 at the Howard County Living Farm Heritage Park in West Friendship. The reg-istration site has the time options. Questions? Contact Ann at anncoren@hotmail.com

April 2014 Looseleaf 4 Howard County Master Gardeners

March was a productive month for the GIEI team. Many team members have turned on their fluorescent lights and are raising vegetable transplants for the upcoming spring gardening season. This picture shows broccoli, cauliflower and lettuce seedlings which will be ready to transplant in the garden as soon as the winter weather breaks. For information on starting seeds and growing transplants under lights, see the GIEI website, click on “The Basics” tab and then on “Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors”.

The team gave 6 presentations during the month which were enthusiastically received by the public. Special thanks to William Horsey, Cecilia Pao, Sally Johnson, Ann Cottle, Sharon Smith and Ronald Fiskum for assisting with these presentations. April starts off with a bang with two events in the first week. On Wednesday, April 2, Miller Library will host an all-day event geared toward developing new ideas for a sustainable partnership between the Maryland library system and Maryland Master Gardeners. Registration is required and can be accomplished online at https://sites.google.com/site/sowingseedsmdlib/. On Saturday, April 5, the GIEI team will be hosting a table at GreenFest held at the Howard County Community College. We will be talking to clients interested in starting a vegetable garden or solving problems they had in their vegetable gardens last year. Also, Jerry Kissel will be presenting a “Spring Vege-table Gardening” class at GreenFest at 1:30 pm. All GIEI classes for April can be found on the

Howard County Master Gardener calendar or on the class schedule for Howard County on the GIEI website. The GIEI web-site contains registration and contact information. Classes for April include the above mentioned “Spring Vegetable Garden-ing”, “Sustainable Organic Vegetable Gardening” and “Container Vegetable Gardening”. If you are a gardener at the Howard County Conservancy community garden, Kent Phillips will be at the garden on Saturday April 12, from 9 to 11 am to answer all questions regarding obtaining the maximum production from your garden plot. If you are interested in joining the GIEI team, contact either Kent or Jerry Kissel. SUBMITTED BY KENT PHILLIPS, MG

April Rain Song

Let the rain kiss you Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops

Let the rain sing you a lullaby The rain makes s ll pools on the sidewalk The rain makes running pools in the gu er

The rain plays a li le sleep song on our roof at night And I love the rain.

Langston Hughes

April 2014 Looseleaf 5 Howard County Master Gardeners

When Robin Hessey asks for input for the May Ho Co Master Gardener calendar, she will ask you to fill out a very short template to submit your items. This request marks the initial step towards a new type of calendar format and display that the Communications Advisory Group has been working on over the past several months. If all goes well, we will move from a MS Word file-based calendar to an interactive and online version published on our webpage, bringing us in conformity with other UME activities and organizations. We are still in the tinkering and beta phase of the project so we can’t give you a complete descrip-tion of the new tool yet, but it will be a calendar that looks forward (and backwards) for at least one year. Repeated events (e.g., Whipps workday) can be en-tered for all summer rather than just for one month. We have been working closely with Robin to under-stand the process and requirements of the members in terms of posting events. Starting in May, we will

build the online calendar in the background for a cou-ple months while Robin does the traditional one with a view to full transition to the new display sometime in mid-summer. That’s why we will start the tem-plate submission at that time, to accustom members to the required fields that the new format will need. No matter what format we chose (e.g., Google) members will not have to do anything special to view the calen-dar, like establishing new accounts. If you would like some idea how our new calendar might look, you can go to the UME 4-H page and click on the calendar there. As we get closer to full implementation, we will release more information to explain how it will work and appear. In the meantime, we will ask for your cooperation in changing ever so slightly the manner in which you submit items for consideration. Any questions or concerns please let us know at : therents2001@yahoo.com.

New Calendar Format in the Works

SUBMITTED BY ROY HEATH AND JANINE GROSSMAN CO-FACILITATORS, COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY GROUP

Plant Identification Activities with Botanist Charlie Davis

Master Gardener Judy Fulton and Charlie Davis, a well known Maryland botanist, are running plant identification labs at the Natural History Society of Maryland. The labs are scheduled for 7:00 - 9:00 PM every other Monday on Belair Road, and you can sign up on Meetup for as many of the ses-sions as you want. These labs are part of a plant survey that Judy is conducting at the Baltimore County Center for Maryland Agriculture and Farm Park. The specimens used in the labs are being collected throughout the year from various environments (e.g., fields, woods, stream banks and strips bordering paths) on the Ag Center property. Participants with all levels of experience are welcome to attend the labs, and the only prerequisite is knowing how to use a plant key. You can find the full description of the April 7 lab at http://www.meetup.com/marylandnature/events/169077762/ and other labs can be located by going to http://www.meetup.com/marylandnature/events/. Also, Charlie Davis is offering an “Introduction to Plant Identification” course starting on March 27. He will teach participants how to use a plant key and will focus on twelve common plant families in Maryland. The course will consist of six evening classes plus two Saturday field trips, and is basically the same course that he used to teach at Johns Hopkins. Plus, the material could be useful if you want to come to the plant identification labs that he and Master Gardener Judy Fulton are running. You can sign up for the course at http://www.meetup.com/marylandnature/events/160976122/. SUBMITTED BY JUDY FULTON, MG

April 2014 Looseleaf 6 Howard County Master Gardeners

Volunteer Opportunities at the Conservancy

Tuesday, April 8 - 8:30 - noon - Elkridge Landing Middle School Wednesday, April 9 -8:30 - noon - Elkridge Landing Middle School

MGs needed to lead small groups of students in environmental activities.

Contact Jo Ann for more information.

Doings at the Howard County Conservancy at Mt. Pleasant

March has come in and gone out with more weath-

er confusion than usual. Hopefully by now the weather

will have settled into a closer to normal spring pattern.

During the growing season we will have regular workdays

every Friday from 9-11 am. We do not work if it is raining

since this tends to spread disease among the plants. In my

absence work sessions will be ably led by Monica May and

Michelle Bryden. They would really appreciate your join-

ing them to get the garden off to a good start. I should be

back to work by the end of April if all goes well.

During the spring there are several opportunities

for Master Gardeners to volunteer with school programs at

the Conservancy. During April and May there will be 7th

grade service learning programs that also need small group

leaders as the students complete service projects around the

farm. Tuesday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 9 students

will be coming from Elkridge Landing Middle School from

8:30 am until noon. The first half hour Master Gardeners

and naturalists will be given instructions in the tasks for the

day. Students work in small groups for about two hours and

then have lunch and often a nature hike.

Spring is a beautiful time on the farm. Come out

and explore the grounds, see what is in bloom and join us

in working the gardens.

Other Events at the Conservancy during April:

Saturday, April 5 from 9:00 am—3:30 pm the Conservancy

will be hosting the Wonders of Wetlands Training for

teachers, naturalists, and community members. Register

online. $15 to participate.

Backyard Chickens: Coop to Coop Tour Saturday,

April 12 from 10:00 am—2:00 pm. If you have ever been

interested in keeping chickens or if you are curious about

the surge of interest in backyard chicken coops, this is the

event for you! Do a self-guided driving tour of a variety of

coop and run styles, including a fenced open free range

with shelter options, home-designed and built moveable

chicken-tractors and many more. This event will be hosted

by enthusiastic Howard County residents who work at liv-

ing sustainably. Maps and materials will be available when

registering, and registration is free.

Please join the Conservancy Saturday, April 26 for

our annual Earth Day Celebration. The day will begin with

an 8:00 am bird walk with the Howard County Bird Club.

From 9:00 am – 1:00 pm participates will be completing

service projects around the Conservancy grounds. Projects

will include planting 100 trees, removing invasive plant

species and stream clean up. Finish up the service work

early and watch a composting demonstration with the How-

ard County Master Gardeners and visit the picnic area for a

children’s craft. This event is free.

The Conservancy trails are open dawn to dusk 7

days a week. Come out to hike the trails and see what is

currently in bloom on the property. Check for additional

information on upcoming activities on the website

(www.hcconservancy.org).

BY JO ANN RUSSO, MG AND TABBY FIQUE, MG

April 2014 Looseleaf 7 Howard County Master Gardeners

You are invited to participate in the Annual Garlic Mustard Pull & Ephemeral Plant Hike on April 22. This usually is our best-attended event and with good reason – we get to see the “flowers that bloom in the Spring, tra-la!” Although we will spend a fair amount of time pulling up invasive garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), we will also encounter many species of

Spring ephemeral flowering plants during their brief blooming sea-son. So, in addition to the gorgeous, blooming Virginia bluebells along the river, we might see some of our other favorites, such as Rhexia Virginica. Meet the group at 9:00 am at the South Wind Circle trailhead (Route 29 to Route 108W towards Clarksville OR Route 32 to Route 108E. Turn onto Trotter Road to South Wind Circle (about 1 mile). Enter the circle and proceed to trailhead on left (opposite Misty Top Path). For more information contact Aylene Gard at 410-992-9889 or Jeff Claffy at jclaffy@howardcountymd.gov SUBMITTED BY AYLENE GARD

Middle Patuxent Environmental Area Conservation Stewardship Project

Spring Beauty Rhexia Virginica Photograph: Aylene Gard

We are pleased to feature Chad Van Erbe, Head of Production of the new startup company, UrbnEarth, on Tuesday, April 8 from 9:30 to 11:30 am at the Extension office. UrbnEarth, started by University of Maryland graduates, aims to empower peo-ple to become their own food producers. The company is focused on providing solutions for city dwellers to grow their own food regardless of space and soil conditions. Please participate in this opportunity to learn and discuss this innovative new product’s growing system that is designed to take the guesswork out of gardening! UrbMat, Chad Van Erbe, Head of Production, UrbnEarth, Tuesday, April 8 Ornaments in the Garden, Pat Ferensic, MG, Tuesday, May 13 Ellicott City Gardens Tour, sponsored by the Horticultural Society of Maryland, Sunday, June 1, 10 am – 4 pm Horticultural topic TBD, Dr. Roger Lawson, retired Agricultural Research Service, USDA, former National Pro-gram Leader for Horticultural Crops, and Branch Chief, Floral and Nursery Corp, Tuesday, July 8 Robinson Nature Center Tour, at Robinson Nature Center, Wednesday, September 10 Flower Transfer, Betsy Grater, MG, Tuesday, October 14 Global Warming, Dr. Sara Via, Dept. of Biology and Dept. of Entomology, University of Maryland College Park, and Climate Reality Leadership Corps. SUBMITTED BY KARIN DELAITSCH

2014 Continuing Education Speaker Series for April

April 2014 Looseleaf 8 Howard County Master Gardeners

The bay leaf plant is a herb from the Mediterra-

nean area where it grows to a height of forty feet. Here,

the potted plant grows an average of six to eight feet in

height. The plant has a woody stem with glossy,

midsize, dark green leaves, and looks like a small at-

tractive tree requiring little care. Our climate necessi-

tates bringing the plant indoors for the winter, but it

loves the spring and fall outdoors. This plant is hardy

in zones 8 – 10. My friends in Florida grow these at-

tractive and useful plants as bushes and trees outside all

year from which they pick leaves regularly for culinary

use. Growth requires well-drained soil (relatively

moist), but never allow the soil to completely dry. Wa-

ter regularly and keep in a sunny location away from

drafts and hot spots. Do not fertilize outdoor specimens

that you bring indoors in the winter.

We use bay leaf (pick and dry before use in

food for a great additional flavor) in our entrees, sauces,

and soups, but remove the leaf before serving. Ground

bay leaf is a major ingredient in Bay Seasoning. Pick

the leaves 48-72 hours before use and dry for a less

bitter taste than leaves picked and used immediately.

The older the leaf from the tree-- the stronger the flavor

- pick young leaves for a sweeter taste. Pick lots of leaves, dry and store for future use or for gifts. Grandmoth-

er used bay leaves to deter weevils in flour, cornmeal, rice and to deter other insects in the pantry and cupboards.

Occasionally, you need to prune the bay leaf tree in early spring or early fall if you want a bushier plant

or trim it from the top for more lateral growth. The bay leaf tree is a great plant to turn into a bonsai tree. The

plant is a slow grower and likes its roots crowded. Propagation from cuttings takes several months and seeds

take 9 months to germinate. Cut 6 – 8 stem sections, about 6 inches long, strip away the leaves all except the top

2, but cut these 2 leaves in half horizontally. Dip cuttings in liquid rooting hormone and plant 3 inches deep in a

professional soil (usually consisting of potting soil, sand and vermiculite). Do not let the cuttings touch each

other, firm up the soil around each cutting and water. Put the tray or pot in a clear plastic bag, seal the bag to

create humidity, then set the tray in a warm area (70F), but not in the sun. You must check the cuttings often

throwing out the dead or moldy plants. When you see top growth on the cuttings, pull at the cutting to verify it

has roots. If the roots are 1 inch long, transplant in the aforementioned medium.

The bay leaf can suffer from several problems: Armored Scales-tiny insects with a hard flat shell that

act like barnacles on the stems and leaves. Control with lacewings and parasitic wasps—avoid pesticides that

(Continued on page 9)

Bay Leaf Plant, Laurus nobilis

Laurus nobilis goes back to ancient times. It was called laurel and used to makes garlands for victors in the different conquests.

April 2014 Looseleaf 9 Howard County Master Gardeners

Advanced Training Opportunity: Join the Worm Squad

Over the past several years the Howard County Master Gardeners' Worm Squad has introduced thou-sands of Howard County Elementary school children to the fascinating topic of vermicomposting. Kids love worms and it’s a very popular presentation. I am offering a workshop on Taking Worms into the Classroom on Wednesday, May 7 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. It will be at my home in Columbia. We will discuss the basics of establishing and maintaining an indoor worm bin as well as suggestions for taking your worm bin into the schools. Then we will assemble worm bins. You can receive advanced training/continuing education hours for this. Plus, you can re-ceive worms; my very productive worm bins provide me with plenty to share. Please let me know by May 1 if you are inter-ested in attending this advanced training/worm bin-building workshop. There will be a supply list for par-ticipants. If you already have a worm bin and are inter-ested in becoming part of the Worm Squad, you are also welcome to join us (with or without attending the advanced training). Please contact me if you are interested at sulego@verizon.net.

BY SUSAN LEVI-GOERLICH, MG

kill the natural enemies. Canker Diseases-caused by fungus. Infected branches should be cut off (afterwards-sterilize

your shears). Botryosphaeria canker works below the trees bark causing dieback and wilting. There is NO CURE.

Borers-a type of beetle that bores into branches and twigs to lay eggs that cause severe tree damage often killing the

plant. Lead cable borers are similar but tunnel through the tree as they feed. Keep your plant healthy so it can with-

stand this onslaught, but do prune off infected parts of the plant. Wood Decay Diseases-caused by fungus. Appear as

rotted wood and fungal mushrooms. Keep plant injury free as the fungus usually begins in wounds. Keep the plant

well watered, mulched and fertilized to help fight these diseases. A healthy plant is the best defense against diseases.

By Jan Wms-Nguyen, MG

(Continued from page 8)

Bay Leaf Plant, Laurus nobilis

April 2014 Looseleaf 10 Howard County Master Gardeners

The Howard County Master Gardeners are once again hosting a Native Plant Sale in the courtyard as part of GreenFest. Vendor sign up is in progress and three of the returning vendors want you to know that you may place preorders with them: Keystone Wildflowers specializes in native wildflowers and grasses. Contact Bill at http://www.keystonewildflowers.com/ to place an order. Willow Oak Flowers and Herbs http://www.willowoakherbs.com/ will be our herb vendor. Besides their culinary use, many of the herbs are great pollinator plants, e.g. Allium, Bor-age, Oregano, Rosemary, Mints, Hyssop, Fennels, Dill. Terra is returning with more lovely native plants and herbs and you can contact her at ter-ra@groundsfornature.com. Please come to the 2014 GreenFest and take the opportunity to add to your native plant collection. We hope to see you there! The Howard County Bay-Wise Team

April 2014 Looseleaf 11 Howard County Master Gardeners

News from the State Office

MG Annual Training Day Save the date: MG Annual Training Day will be Thursday, 5/29/14 at the University of Maryland College Park. This is one day no MG wants to miss – it’s occurs only once a year. We have some of the top educators in the state (and elsewhere) coming to present topics of importance and interest. They are all coming together to help broaden your skills and knowledge to help you be the best, most informed MG you can be. Not to mention it’s so much fun! From the morning HGIC skit to browsing all of the fantastic items at the trade show, to sharing meals and camaraderie with hundreds of other MGs across the state, it can’t be beat. It’s also a fantastic bargain. – Keynote, 3 breakout sessions (choose from 40 workshops), continental breakfast, lunch, parking, tradeshow – all for $69. If you have an interest in native plants, propagation, bees, vegetable gardening, garden design, rain gardens, pruning, pollinators, chickens, seed saving, climate change, bird migration, geology, grant writing, garden apps or many other MG subjects, register as soon as you can – some classes will fill early. Schedule: • 3/14- Brochures are mailed to active MGs. You can use this to register and to order MG merchandise. • 3/17- Website completed. (You can pick out your classes at this point, but not actually register or order merchan-dise until 3/21). Website may be ready earlier. Go to http://extension.umd.edu/mg/advanced-training and click on Annu-al Training Day on the left. • 3/21- Tentative Online registration and merchandise ordering opens up • 5/1- Last day to order MG merchandise. Last day to register at early-bird $69 price • 5/2 – Registration fee goes up to $79 • 5/13- Confirmation letters with your list of classes are mailed out • 5/15 – Last day to cancel and get a refund • 5/29- Master Gardener Annual Training day!! MG UPCOMING ADVANCED TRAINING CLASSES Native Landscaping for Maryland Shade Gardens In 2014 we will offer "Native Landscaping for Maryland Shade Gardens" (for both wet and dry areas) in three different locations, one in the piedmont, one in the coastal plain (Eastern shore) and one in the coastal plain (southern Maryland). In 2015 we will offer "Native Landscaping for Maryland Sun Gardens" (both wet and dry) in three different locations. Course Description (Shade Gardens): In each of these workshops we will have 3 days to explore the beautiful and di-verse plants native of your region, and practice using them to design sustainable native shade gardens. In this course you will: 1. Learn how the ecology and history of Maryland’s flora can inform native landscape design decisions today.

(Continued on page 12)

Advanced Training Classes &

MG Annual Training Day

April 2014 Looseleaf 12 Howard County Master Gardeners

2. Learn the most useful shade garden plants for your area including identification, cultural requirements, wildlife use and more. You will also learn basic research skills that will enable to expand your plant palette in the future. 3. Enjoy field trip(s) to observe native gardens and 4. Practice shade garden design by selecting plants that are appropriate to site conditions (moisture, pH), provide year-round interest, and benefit wildlife and wild plant populations.

(Continued from page 11)

Piedmont (Howard Co.) UME Howard Co., Ellicott City

Tuesdays, Apr. 22, Apr. 29, May 6 9:30am-3:30pm

Registration Deadline: 4/14/14

Coastal Plain (Kent Co.) Adkins Arboretum

Thursdays, Jun 5, Jun 12, Jun 19 10am-4pm

Registration Deadline: 5/23/14

Coastal Plain (Southern MD) UME Calvert Co., Prince Frederick

Tuesdays, Sept. 20, Oct. 7, Oct 14 Registration Deadline 9/23/14

News from the State Office

Entomology: Ecological IPM UME Baltimore County, 1114 Shawan Road, Cockeysville, MD 21030 Mondays, June 2 and June 9; 9:30am-3:30pm Instructor: Michael J. Raupp, Ph.D., Professor and Extension Specialist, Entomology, University of Maryland Registration Fee: $49 Registration Deadline: May 23, 2014 Course Description: Bugs are fascinating. Learn how to recognize them, how they work, and how to safely deal with them as you begin to better understand how they fit into the ecology of the garden. Join the University of Maryland's pre-eminent bug man, Mike Raupp, as he teaches you the wonders of the bug world and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as only he can do. We are planning some hands-on experiences, outdoor explorations and new learning tools. In addition to some fascinating insect CSI, this year's expanded 2-day course will include the fundamental concepts of population biology, community ecology, ecosystem functions and services as they relate to urban ecosystems and IPM. Some topics to be highlighted: 1. Role of native plants. 2. Planting to conserve diversity and attract pollinators and other beneficial insects. 3. Managing water and soil resources for maximum benefit of insect populations and ecosystem function. 4. Changing public perception of what constitutes a healthy attractive landscape. This class will satisfy the Entomology requirement for all of you going for your Plant Diagnostics certificate and will be of great help to those of you working at Ask a MG events. Registration form Vegetable Intensive Techniques and Small Space Gardening UME Kent Co. - 709 Morgnec Road, Suite 202, Chestertown, MD 21620. Plus 3 field trips to nearby locations Saturday, June 21, 2014 Registration Fee: $49 Registration Deadline: June 13 Instructors: Jon Traunfeld, Director, Home and Garden Information Center and Specialist in Fruits and Vegetables, UME, Kent Phillips, UME Master Gardener, Howard Co., Sabine Harvey, UME Kent County and MG.

(Continued on page 13)

April 2014 Looseleaf 13 Howard County Master Gardeners

(Continued from page 12)

Course Description: Get more out of your vegetable gardens with less work and expense. Find out how to increase production per square foot using sustainable and cost-effective practices. Learning for this class will be mostly hands-on and will take place in different gardens. We’ll share, discuss and evaluate specific practices, such as interplanting, succession planting, vertical gardening, square foot gardening, drip irrigation, and season extension. You will be asked to complete some pre-class online assignments so we can maximize our hands-on time in class. Registration form OTHER MG CLASSES Check the MG website http://extension.umd.edu/mg/advanced-training for all of the details on these upcoming classes. Since they were announced in February’s state MG newsletter, MGs have already begun to register for them. • Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnosis – July in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties • Plant Diseases – September in Frederick Co. • Youth Vegetable Gardening- September in Montgomery and Anne Arundel Counties • Native Grasses – October in Harford Co. STATE MG NEWSLETTER If you missed the State MG newsletter, be sure to check it out. It has lots of current pertinent information about im-portant resources, what’s happening around the state, MG classes, MG license plates, new MG on-line tracking sys-tem for your volunteer hours, MG recognition, articles on attracting diverse MGs and honoring long term MGs, more details on MG Annual Training Day and requests for help and more. GIEI NEWS Year of the Cucurbit We have declared 2014 to be the year of the Cucurbit so MGs working in the GIEI program are busy educating the public about this important vegetable group (includes the squash, pumpkin, cucumber, gourd, watermelon, and can-taloupe). You can go to one of their presentations or Jon Traunfeld’s presentation at MG Annual Training Day. 100 Square Foot Garden Challenge We’d also like to challenge MGs and the gardening public to take the 100 square foot garden challenge. Enter the 2014 Grow It Eat It contest and show us “What Can YOU Grow in 100 Square Feet?” OPEN to all gardeners- city, suburban, country; experienced and first-time gardeners; backyard, community, or school garden. We have lots of examples and resources to help you. Use your imagination- the sky’s the limit. For rules, how to register and some great resources go to the Grow It Eat It website.

News from the State Office

SUBMITTED BY ROBIN HESSEY, MG