The Mason Jar WSU Mason County Master Gardener Newsletter

Transcription

1 The Mason Jar WSU Mason County Master Gardener Newsletter NOV-DEC 2010 Seeds For Thought R. Jeanne Rehwaldt This will be the last newsletter for the year, and possibly the last one period. Our newsletter editor, Carol Gardner is going to focus her efforts on Social Networking, or Social Media. This will mean that our information will come through one of those sites. Don t despair! We can continue to have a monthly newsletter if we have a volunteer who wants to dedicate some time to it. Carol has the template already set up in Publisher, so you could be in charge of inputting the information, posting things on the calendar and finding exciting articles. If you are interested, please contact me and I will get you set up! Margie Plebuch will be hosting a Cookie Exchange on December 11th at her home on Harstine Island. The date is December 11th, from 1 pm 4 pm. More details on page 6. The weather forecasters are predicting snow possibly for this weekend. Be sure you have mulched your plants well, so they can survive the cold temperatures predicted for this winter. If we receive heavy, wet snow this year, be sure to brush off the snow load from shrubs and small ornamentals to prevent branch breakage. I attended the Master Gardener Cluster meeting yesterday in Lewis County. I was excited that four of our volunteers also made the trip down for the meeting. We had some really good conversations about how the WSU hierarchy is set up and just how WSU views the Master Gardener program. It is clear that the deans of CAHNRS (the department that Extension is under) truly see the value in the program and want to help us succeed in our mission. It is our responsibility to report the impacts of what we do. Please let me know of any great stories you may have of people changing the way they garden because of what they have learned from us. How have we made a difference in people s lives? I will be working on year end reporting next month. Inside This Issue: Fall/Winter Gardening Tips 2 Nov-Dec in Garden 3 WSU MG Info 3 NOV-DEC Calendar 4 WSU/UW Food Conference 5 President s Message 6 Master Gardener News 7 Back Page 8 Extension Staff Robert Simmons Ext. 690 Director simmons@wsu.edu R. Jeanne Rehwaldt Ext. 688 Master Gardener Coordinator rehwaldt@wsu.edu Master Gardener Ext Office Phone Ext. 680 Fax Happy Holidays! Master Gardeners of Mason County 303 North 4th Avenue, Shelton, WA Cooperating agencies: Washington State University, US Department of Agriculture and Mason County. Extension Programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension Office.

2 2 The Mason Jar Fall into Winter Gardening Tips To dig or not to dig Dahlia s If you live in a mild climate such as we have here in the Pacific Northwest, most years you can get away with leaving your dahlias in the ground if your soil is well drained and you mulch deeply to protect from frost. However, there are three good reasons for not leaving your dahlia tubers in the ground. In a really hard winter some dahlias will be lost to a hard freeze. If your soil is not well drained, you may lose some to rot. If you leave your dahlia tubers in the ground the clumps continue to increase in size, sending out more shoots each spring thus weakening the stems and decreasing flower size. Digging and dividing allows you to protect your tubers from the elements, increase your stock, rejuvenate the plant and share tubers with friends and relatives. excerpt from Snohomish County Dahlia Society The roots will keep best if the storage area is cool but always above freezing. Most growers store roots in a medium such as slightly damp vermiculite in order to prevent shriveling. Line a box with plastic and put in alternate layers of vermiculite and dahlia roots. Be certain to check the dahlia roots ever six weeks. Dahlia roots left in the ground will survive cold winter days if kept from freezing. This is usually accomplished by heaping straw or mulch over the roots. Good drainage is essential for roots to be kept successfully in this manner. excerpt from Digging And Storing Around November 1, dahlias are cut down and roots are lifted carefully with a spade by digging around the entire plant about one foot from the stalk. Use care to prevent "broken necks". Stalks are trimmed at root level, roots are washed, and soaked in fungicide (Captan recommended). Roots should be labeled and then divided or stored as a clump (see illustration). Additional gardening tips from Washington State Universtiy Cooperative Extension publication "The Gardener." 1. Fertilize your lawn at the end of November to help retain a deep green color through the winter. Use a fertilizer with approximately a (N-P-K) ratio. For late fall use, choose a fertilizer that contains mainly a slow-release form of nitrogen. Highly soluble nitrogen can leach away rapidly, not only being lost to the grass, but possibly contributing to groundwater pollution. Continued on page 3

3 November in the Garden The Mason Jar 3 Garden essentials Finish garden cleanup and weeding; leave some seeds on flowers for birds. Mulch roses but don't prune severely now. Move container plants into winter shelter. Veggies year-round Plant out onion transplants sown in July; they'll be ready next June. Spread dolomite lime over beds that haven't received lime or wood ashes for the past two years. Pile fall leaves over unplanted areas and over any root crops saved for winter eating. Lawn care Late in the month, apply winter fertilization, which is vital to maintain turf in good health. Mow when ground condition permits. Grass grows slowly throughout the winter. December in the Garden Garden essentials Prune evergreens for holiday decorations. Don't leave pruning stubs! Finish planting bulbs. Force pots of paperwhite narcissus. Continue transplanting. Veggies year-round Mulch paths with wood chips to keep feet drier. Ask for a cold frame to extend your gardening season! Be grateful for the blessing of harvests. Lawn care Do winter fertilization if you didn't complete this task in late November. Rake leaves and litter off lawn. Additional Gardening Tips continued from page 2 2. If moss is a problem in your lawn, you may apply an iron compound to kill it. But unless you correct the excess shade, soil compaction, or poor fertilizer practices, it will return. Contrary to popular belief, lime will not control moss, though it may benefit your grass. 3. This is a good time to take cuttings from rhododendron, camellia, photinia, and laurel (see PNW 152, Propagating Deciduous and Evergreen Shrubs, Trees, and Vines with Cuttings). 4. Garlic, onion sets, and peas can still be planted. 5. Don't remove the foliage and stems from rhubarb, asparagus, and artichokes if they are still green and healthy. Wait until the really cold weather comes. 6. Rhubarb and artichoke roots can be planted if available in nurseries. 7. Blueberries, currants, gooseberries, grapes, kiwis, and caneberries can be planted now and through the winter so long as the soil is not frozen. 8. Cut raspberry canes to 5 feet and tie them to a trellis. 9. Cut off the top sections of everbearing raspberry canes that fruited this fall. The lower parts of the canes will fruit again next summer. 10. It is best to withhold fertilizer from houseplants from mid-november to mid-march unless they are actively growing. George Pinyuh, WSU Extension Agent--Retired

4 4 The Mason Jar NOVEMBER 2010 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat MG Meeting Veteran s Day Pat Carpenter Ben T C.J. & Mary Thanksgiving DECEMBER 2010 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 5 6 Volunteer needed MG Meeting :Edna Rodgers C. J Nichols No clinic Training at Salmon Center soils and hypertufa making Cookie Margie s Graduation at Memorial Hall-class presentations Christmas

5 The Mason Jar 5 WSU/UW to Host Joint Conference on the Regional Food System SEATTLE, Wash. The University of Washington Botanic Gardens and Washington State University Extension will host a two-day conference called Cultivating Regional Food Security: Recent Research in Urban-Rural Food Systems. The event will be held on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 4 and 5, at the UW Center for Urban Horticulture. The conference will present recent research findings related to food production in urban and rural settings and will explore the ways that greater collaboration among diverse partners can strengthen food security in our region. The goal of the conference is to increase collaboration among community leaders and regional residents to bring about a more sustainable regional food system in terms of production, land use, and equitable access to food. Current research findings will provide opportunities for informed and thoughtful discussions. The conference will bring together a diverse audience ranging from urban gardeners to gardening and agriculture organizations, as well as legislators who enact policy. To fully explore the complex rural-urban interdependence in the regional food system, speakers will present emerging research on topics ranging from public health, urban soils, food markets and urban-rural economic interdependence. There is an increasing demand for more information about urban food systems regionally, says UW Botanic Gardens professor and education director Sarah Reichard. Presenting this conference has been our priority since the idea emerged in Reichard teamed up with Brad Gaolach, county director for WSU Extension in Pierce and King counties, to advance the conference. According to Gaolach, the conference provides the opportunity to tap the resources of both universities to help community residents and leaders in strengthening the western Washington food system. For several years, WSU has been a leader in addressing the complex interdependencies of urban food systems by supporting local producers, hosting Harvest Celebration farm tours and through larger initiatives such as Seattle s Acting Food Policy Council and the Kellogg Food and Fitness Initiative, Gaolach said. The conference will bring that expertise together with the resources available at the UW. The King Conservation District (KCD) is the major sponsor of the conference. KCD provides a variety of programs and services to landowners and residents, and funding for district programs and services comes from a local special assessment and state grants. According to Sara Hemphill, KCD interim executive director, the conference supports the district s mission to promote the sustainable uses of natural resources through responsible stewardship. Without the shared value of protecting existing working lands our region has a diminished prospect for a healthy food system and food security, she said. The conference will feature three plenary sessions, 30 presenters, and work groups to outline post-conference initiatives. Plenary speakers include Aaron Reardon, Snohomish County Executive, and Richard Conlin, President of the Seattle City Council. Reardon will speak Saturday morning on the regional linkages between food production and land use, and the need to support farmers and farmland while building local food security. Conlin will offer a brief history of Seattle s Local Food Action Initiative, followed by a status update on the code changes adopted to support urban food production in August, and outline next steps. Seating is limited. Registration for the two-day conference includes two lunches and an evening reception, along with conference materials. Early bird registration fees are $150 per person through Nov. 7 and $175 after that date. Oneday registration is $100. Conference updates, online registration, scholarship and volunteer information are available at: For more information, contact conference coordinator Karen Luetjen at or luetjen@u.washington.edu. NATIONAL MG BLOG Blog posts can be found directly at

6 6 The Mason Jar Mason County Master Gardener Foundation News Executive Board President Mary Lohmiller President Elect C. J. Nichols Vice President Lou Schmidt Treasurer Margie Plebuch Secretary Lynn Lane Directors at Large Steve Edmondson Pat Edmondson Foundation Rep. Ben Trowbridge Have Something to Say? Want to get the Word out? Send in Articles or Suggestions to the Mason Jar Editor: Carol Gardner by the 20th of each month Join us for a Christmas Cookie Exchange at Margie Plebuch s home on Harstine Island. The date is set for December 11th from 1 pm 4 pm. Rules: 1. Cookies will be 6 each in either plastic seal bags or wrapped on 6 to a paper plate covered with plastic wrap. 2. If you bring 3 dozen cookies, you go home with 3 dozen cookies. If you don t bring any and you just want to come and socialize, you just won t be able to take cookies home with you. 3. Margie will provide potato leek soup (very delicious) and appetizers. Directions: You will either travel north or south on Hwy 3. When you reach Pickering Rd you will either turn left or right depending on direction of travel. You will stay on Pickering Rd. for approx. 6.2 miles where you will cross the bridge and come to a stop sign. You will turn right and travel approx, 3 1/2 mile following the double yellow line to another stop sign. You will turn right and stay on this road until you see the fire house on the right and Island Shores Rd on the left. Turn Left on this road and stay on it bearing to the right at the Y and go until you can go no further. This is Leaf Lane. Turn right, go to the end of road and I am the house that is on the hill, to your right. Several of you might want to car pool to make the drive easier. It is up to you. Margie 41 E Leaf Lane Message from the President Mary Lohmiller

7 Mason County Master Gardener News The Mason Jar 7 Plant & Insect : Mondays noon to three at the Extension Office, downtown Shelton. All Meetings until the end of the year will be at the Shelton Timberland Library. We had an excellent Catalyst Park harvest and meeting this week! (agenda attached to 11/5/10 for those of you who couldn't make it). We discussed our fundraising tactics, moving the shed, and our plans for the community garden this coming spring. We've decided to attend the Shelton and Olympia Alternative Giving Fairs this year; this is a place for individuals to give donations in place of tangible items. As the holiday season approaches, folks have giving on their minds. Now is the time to be asking! - If you would like to table at the Alternative Giving Fairs, please or call the office! We will offer folks the chance to sponsor a square foot of the garden. In turn, they will receive a firestarter (see info below) and a card. Help us fundraise and get some volunteer hours! -Shelton - December 4, 1-4pm at the Civic Center (before the Christmas parade) -Olympia - December 11, 10-3pm at the Olympia Center -Would you like to help us make pinecone firestarters? Sibyll Jones and Bonnie Day-Orr have graciously offered to facilitate a work party to make them! Please join us at the Jones' residence (331 E. Valley Rose Dr. in Shelton) on Wednesday, November 17 at 1pm. I can provide a ride for those who would like to join us! This is an excellent way to get volunteer hours and meet some of your fellow master gardeners! -In preparation for our community garden steering committee to get under way in December, I will be leading a tour of community gardens in Olympia on Sunday, November 14. Participants will be meeting at the WSU Extension Office at 12:45pm to carpool into Olympia. We will be meeting around 1:30 in Olympia at the bell outside the Farmer's Market. This will be a great chance for many of you to see the different possibilities for our community garden at Catalyst. I hope you'll join us! -Our November Master Gardener mass meeting will be held at 9am this Monday, November 8 at the Shelton Library. Please join us for a discussion of business and a workshop on dahlias! -Do you have leaves that you want to get rid of? We can use them at Catalyst for mulch! Leave them at the garden and we will use them! Thanks so much! Have a fantastic weekend! Katie WORKSHOPS Contact us at or nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com to register & for details Thursday, November 18, 6:30-9:30 p.m. "Naturescaping for Water & Wildlife" Workshop. LOTT WET Center. Sponsored by Thurston Co. Stream Team & LOTT. Advanced Registration Required. Sunday, January 23, 10 a.m. to 12:30 OR 1 to 3:30 p.m. "Winter Twig Identifiation" field course. Mark your calendars now for this popular event!

8 8 The Mason Jar The Mason Jar BackPage WSU Mason County Master Gardener Newsletter Nov-Dec 2010 Harvest Party at Catalyst Park Food Bank Garden. Thank you Master Gardeners and 4-H After School students and parents! NOV-DEC Mason County Master Gardener Newsletter 2010