Save the Date Annual Awards Banquet April 9

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1 Vol. 25, No. 3 Editors: Jean Murray/Lisa Slattery/Julie Stark March 2015 MG EVENTS Steering Committee Mtg. Extension Office March 3 6:30 pm Library Talks Ladd Library March 4, 18 & 25 6:30-7:30 Hiawatha Library March 4 6:30-7:30 WMT Outdoor Living Show Signup Sheet Due March 6 WMT Outdoor Living Show Hawkeye Downs Convention March 14 9:00-5:00 March 15 9:00-4:00 Community Garden Webinars Extension Office March 9 & 16 4:30-7:00 Creative Gardening Series Cedar Rapids Public Library March 12, 19 & 26 6:30-8:30 An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life. Cora Lea Bell Save the Date Annual Awards Banquet April 9 Please mark your calendar for the Annual Master Gardener Awards Banquet. Cash bar, buffet dinner and awards including the Silver & Gold Star Awards, Hours Appreciations, the Silver Trowel, Lifetime MG, Outstanding New MG and MG of the Year. Formal invitations will arrive in your mailbox shortly. Social begins at 6 pm, dinner at 6:30 pm at the Flamingo, 1211 Ellis Blvd. What s Inside... Save the Date Annual Awards Banquet Page 1 WGF Highlights Pages 2-3 WMT Outdoor Living Show Page 4 International Master Gardener Conference Page 4 Coordinator Comments Page 5 March/April Library Talks Pages 6-7 Webinars Page 7 Things We Love Japanese Maples Page 8 Local Events of Interest Page 9 Creative Gardening Series Pages MG Volunteer Passes Away Page 11 Lowe Park Greenhouse Page 12 Steering Cmte Notes Pages WMT Outdoor Living Show Volunteer Signup (Attached) March

2 2015 Winter Gardening Fair It s a Wrap By Linda Hinzman and Karla McGrail, Co-Chairs The 2015 Winter Gardening Fair was held on Saturday, February 21 at Kirkwood Community College. Attendance was 573 just a few less than Additionally, many horticultural and environmental societies were set up in the atrium and along the classroom corridors. Nearly 100 volunteers participated in many different assignments. The weather is always a concern, but there were only a few random snowflakes lightly falling to remind us that it is still winter the perfect atmosphere for thinking about the upcoming gardening season. This year, there were three featured speakers on either side of the lunch breaks Kelly Norris presented The Garden in Four Seasons ; Mike Nowak presented Good Planets are Hard to Find ; and Beth Botts presented Vegetables Anywhere. These sessions were well received and the speakers were very knowledgeable and entertaining. This schedule allowed Master Gardeners a break for lunch and a chance to sit in on one of the featured speakers. Master Gardener presenters carefully planned their presentations and delivered them with skill. We thank all the presenters for their expertise and dedication to presenting year after year! The outside speakers (ISU staff and other regional experts) did not disappoint. The Tomato Tech class, presented by ISU s Patrick O Malley) was new this year Continued Page 3 Book signing session with Kelly Norris, featured speaker of The Garden in Four Seasons. Master Gardener, Jane Schildroth, chats with featured speaker, Mike Nowak, presenter of Good Planets are Hard to Find. 2 Germinator

3 Continued From Page 2 and was extremely popular. We would like to thank everyone who assisted in any way from being on the planning committee to copying handouts, assembling class materials, hauling materials to Kirkwood and back, and all the other jobs in between. The success of WGF depends on many volunteers and could not be done without all the help along the way. So, thank you ALL from the bottom of our hearts, and let the planning begin for 2016! WGF Co-chairs, Linda Hinzman and Karla McGrail, take a much deserved break from the day s activities. Josh Spina, co-owner of In the Country, presents a session on air plants. Master Gardener, Rose Milden, presents on houseplants Master Gardener, Nancy Sutherland, finishes her presentation on succulents. March 3

4 Annual WMT Outdoor Living Show March By Sue Usher, Tammy Lutz and Karen Woeste, Co-Chairs The Annual WMT Outdoor Living Show is a great opportunity to work along with other MGs sharing information with the public. Linn County Master Gardeners will again be participating in the Show sponsored by King s Concrete, Saturday March 14 and March 15, at Hawkeye Downs Convention Center, th St SW, Cedar Rapids, IA Master Gardeners will staff an information/education booth for the public, as well as present helpful gardening seminars throughout the weekend. YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! Included with the Germinator is a VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP SHEET with the shift times and shift duties for each day of the event. Please send an to Kathy Wimer (kwimer@iastate.edu) with the days and times you are available to work. You can cut and paste the information from the form into the . You can also print out and return the form in person to Kathy at the Extension Office no later than Friday, March 6. Please note that Master Gardeners, Master Composters and Master Gardener Interns who volunteer for a work shift will have free access to that day s show, and there is no parking fee for this event. Remember to wear your MG badge. The price at the door for general admittance is $3.00. Further questions about the WMT Show should be directed to Sue Usher ( ), Tammy Lutz ( ) or Karen Woeste ( , Cochairs of the event. International Master Gardener Conference Council Bluffs, September 22-25, 2015 Registration opens on March 1 for the International Master Gardener Conference in Council Bluffs, September 22-25, Registration will include renowned keynote speakers, delicious cuisine, local tours, goody bags and dynamic workshops. Watch for further updates on the conference website: 4 Germinator

5 Coordinator s Comments By Kathy Wimer During these cold wintry days, I would like to extend my warmest wishes and gratitude to you all for making the Master Gardener Program one of the finest volunteer organizations in Linn County. The volunteer hour numbers are in, and I am in awe by the amount of hours that Master Gardeners continue to provide for our community. The Linn County Master Gardener report sent in to the state office last week included 13,316 volunteer hours and 1,249 education hours in 2014! Kudos to you all! We are off to a great start this year as well, as we celebrate the success of the Winter Gardening Fair and prepare for a very busy spring season, including the upcoming Expert Education and Community Outreach Gardens webinars, the Creative Gardening Series at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, the WMT Lawn and Garden Show at Hawkeye Downs and our MG Library Talks scheduled at various local libraries. Also, please remember to save the date for the MG Annual Spring Awards Banquet, scheduled for Tuesday, April 9 at the Flamingo, when we will take a moment to celebrate the accomplishments of 2014 and to acknowledge the outstanding service of Master Gardeners. As a reminder, the 2015 MG volunteer and education hour forms are now available on the LCMG webpage at: Please remember to report both your volunteer and educational hours. These numbers help to demonstrate the reach of the Master Gardener Program in Linn County and will support sharing the story of the impact Master Gardeners make in Linn County. Lastly, I would love to especially thank our dedicated WGF Chairs, Karla McGrail and Linda Hinzman for organizing the 2015 Winter Gardening Fair. WGF is truly an amazing Master Gardener project, and Diane, Connie and I are proud to be a part of your special event. We are also grateful to our newest MG Chairs, for offering to lead the Heritage Project (Gene Nassif), Brucemore Garden and Art Show (Kay McWhinney), 2016 WGF Chair and Assistant Chair (Tammy Lutz and Sue Usher), MG Awards (Vicki Keegan) and Banquet (Beth Roof), Plant Sale Co-Chairs (Phil Pfister and Karen Woeste) and Garden Walk Co-Chairs (Sam Krumbholz and Diane Stevens) along with ALL of our MG volunteers that continue to lead the 24 wonderful MG projects and programs in our community. THANK YOU for your continued dedication and service we appreciate all of you! Warmest Regards, Kathy Wimer March 5

6 March and April 2015 Library Talks Note: The Zen Gardens presentation at Hiawatha Library was rescheduled, and is now on March 4 at 6:30 p.m. March Wednesday Ladd March 4: Ash Tree Alternatives (Mike Anderson): With the arrival of the Emerald Ash Borer and the resulting demise of the Ash tree in Iowa, this talk will present a list of other species of trees to consider in the home landscape as an alternative to the Ash. March 11: Container Vegetable Gardening (Phil Pfister): Nothing compares to vegetables fresh from the garden. Not everyone has a place to garden, but that doesn't mean you can't grow your own vegetables. Growing vegetables in containers is easy, and fun, and can be done almost anywhere. This presentation will discuss container options, growing media, growing conditions, tips and techniques, and insect and disease controls, which will help you have a bountiful crop of almost any vegetable. March 18: Daylilies: A Most Mis-Underestimated Perennial (Zora Ronan): This class is for those gardeners who think that all daylilies are yellow or orange, and who want to move beyond Stellas. LCMG and American Hemerocallis Garden Judge Zora Ronan will explore the many forms, patterns, and colors in the daylily world and how to incorporate them in your garden March 25: Wonderful Weigelas (Wil Carew): Join Wil Carew for something new. Weigelas come in a variety of sizes and a myriad of colors that are available locally. Wil will cover the care of this flowering shrub, including planting and pruning. Discover his favorites and you ll say Wonderful Weigela, I gotta get me a few! April Tuesday Ely 10 miles April 7: Flowers Hummingbirds Love (Jean Murray): Jean Murray will bust some myths about hummingbirds and she will share her experiences in attracting hummingbirds to a garden. Attracting hummingbirds is easier than you might think; you don t need a large garden, many plants, or expensive feeders. Learn how to set up a feeder and some flowers that hummingbirds love. April 14: Ring my bells for Coral Bells! (Wil Carew): If you thought coral bells were just green plants with tiny pink flowers that your grandmother grew, think again. This class will cover what they are, where and how to plant, and the rainbow of colors available. April 21: Pretty Poisons Lurking in Your Garden (Jean Wilson): Learn which plants in your garden are deadly and which are merely harmful. It's not always the obvious culprits- even some helpful plants can be harmful if misused or overused. Understanding what you are growing promotes safer gardening. Continued Page 7 6 Germinator

7 Continued From Page 6 April 28: Container Gardens (Deb Walser): Container gardens do not have to be three geranium, asparagus fern and vinca vines. You don t need to grow only one tomato in a container; you can grow a whole salsa garden in a container. Come see what can be done with your containers. Deb Walser s own containers will be featured along with planting instructions. You will never have a plain container garden again. April Marion Wednesday April 1: New Perennials for 2015 (Deb Walser): Every year the garden catalogs are full of NEW amazing perennials. How do we select the right perennials for our garden? Which perennials are the best for Iowa gardens? Even if you have been growing perennials for years, Deb Walser will show some of the newest and coolest perennials available in nurseries near you. Deb will also talk about her favorite plants that grow in her gardens Wednesday, April 15: The Lazy Gardener - Gardening in Comfort and Ease (Jean Murray): Face it - we're all getting older, and have limits on our bodies and our time. Jean shares tips for making gardening a little less stressful. She will discuss ergonomic gardening, low maintenance plants, and ways to make those garden chores easier, so that you have more time to relax and enjoy your garden. Thursday, April 23: Pretty Poisons Lurking in Your Garden (Jean Wilson): Learn which plants in your garden are deadly and which are merely harmful. It's not always the obvious culprits-even some helpful plants can be harmful if misused or overused. Understanding what you are growing promotes safer gardening. Wednesday, April 29: Verticals, Vines, and Variants: (Debbie Main): Great ideas on how to pack more plants into your home landscape! Debbie March Community Garden Webinars The Community Garden Committee invites Master Gardeners to join them in viewing two webinars in March. The webinars will be viewed at the Extension Office. In the Community will be viewed on Monday March 9, (4:30-7:00) and Local Food Volunteers on Monday, March 16 (4:30-7:00). These webinars address community gardens and highlight what is happening in other parts of the state. It is hoped these will be useful for some spring training for our community gardens projects and their volunteers. Any Master Gardener or Intern interested in learning more about community gardens is invited to attend these viewings. These and other training sessions are in the planning stage for our community gardens partners. The committee will also offer training for additional Master Gardeners who are interested in participating in this project, regarding roles and expectations of a community garden MG partner and/ or volunteer. March 7

8 Things We Love Japanese Maples By Jean Murray Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) seem to be in the gardening category of I d like to try that but isn t it difficult? I thought that too, until I found one in the front yard of the home we purchased in It had obviously been there a few years, and was thriving, so I considered it a surprise benefit of the purchase. I have seen Japanese maples in other Master Gardener gardens. But I really fell in love with these beautiful trees when I visited the Anderson Japanese Garden in Rockford, Illinois, a couple of years ago. As I began researching, I found these trees come in over 300 popular cultivars, many different and unusual. Here s what else I learned: * Japanese maples have a shallow fibrous root system (not a large tap root). They can thrive in difficult areas, but need regular even watering. Mulch heavily, particularly in the first few years, until the root system is well established. Reduce the amount of water a little in the fall to stimulate color changes. * Spring is the season when a Japanese maple Japanese maple at Carol is most prone to damage. It leafs out early Bruch s home the first hint of warm weather will cause it to break dormancy. Keep the tree covered when the forecast calls for frost. * They are not reliable in Zone 4 (or Zone 4 winters in Cedar Rapids!), again in the first few years. Mine has weathered several ugly winters, but it s in the northeast corner and sheltered by the house. Two good varieties for this area are Bloodgood and Emperor I. * They are sensitive to sun scald, if they are emerging from dormancy when hit with a frost. Planting them in a sheltered northeast corner is better than south or west. Japanese maples thrive in full sun but they like dappled or afternoon shade, especially when young. * The best time to plant a Japanese maple is in fall, at least a month before the ground freezes. Japanese maple at Anderson Japanese Garden * You may need to prune to keep the tree to a manageable shape. This should be done during the dormant season. * Japanese maples can be grown in large pots and brought inside to an unheated garage after they go dormant. Keep dormant, not frozen, and water every 2-3 weeks in winter. Then bring out after danger of frost is past. I ve moved Japanese maples to the not-so-difficult-if-you-know-how-tohandle-them category and I m going to look for one for the back yard this spring. Source: Timber Press Pocket Guide to Japanese Maples. J.D. Vertrees (At CR Downtown Library) 8 Germinator

9 Local Events of Interest What: School Garden 101 Workshop Series When: Tuesdays in March Where: Dubuque Contact: Laura Klavitter, What: Perennials with Richard Jauron - Sunday Garden Forum When: March 8, 2:00-4:00PM Who: Project GREEN Where: Iowa City Public Library, Iowa City What: Supporting Local Food Systems: Back to School Webinar When: March 12, 6:30-8:30PM Where: Contact your county coordinator for a location near you Who: Master Gardener, Iowa State University Extension & Outreach What: Adventures in Gardening When: March 14, 9:00AM - 2:30PM Where: Maquoketa Middle School Price: $20 by March 6, $25 at the door, call What: Art of Gardening in Muscatine County When: March 14 Where: Muscatine Community College, Muscatine Who: Muscatine County Master Gardeners, ckress@eicc.edu What: Spring Garden School and Seed Swap When: March 21 Where: Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah Price: $40 Delaware County MG sponsors A Celebration of Gardening in Northeast Iowa Join the Delaware County Master Gardeners in A Celebration of Gardening in Northeast Iowa being held at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 116 Guetzko Court, Manchester every Monday in March. There is a $2.00 donation. March 2: Superior Selections The Best Trees, Shrubs and Evergreens for your Home or Garden; Bruce Quint, Select Landscapes of Iowa March 9: Planting and Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs; Jim Childs, Retired Associate Editor, Garden Gate Magazine March 16: Using Perennials in the Landscape; Chad Avery, Culver s Garden Center and Greenhouse Nursery March 23: Hydroponic Plant Production; Matthew Kispert, Hydroponic Manager, FarmTek March 30: Monarch Butterflies Common Species Become Threatened; Sondra Cabell, Naturalist, Buchanan County Conservation March 9

10 2015 Creative Gardening Series By Carson Fixmer, Chair Volunteer Signup: An will be sent to MGs who signed up at the Fall Festival to volunteer for CGS. If you did not sign up and wish to help, contact Carson Fixmer at or or The 2015 Creative Gardening Series is scheduled for three consecutive Thursdays, beginning March 12. Each session is scheduled from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Cedar Rapids Public Library located at th Avenue S.E. in downtown Cedar Rapids. Parking is plentiful. There is a small lot on the 5 th Avenue side of the building, meters are free after 6 p.m., but the best option for parking is the ramp directly to the west of the library. Thursday, March 12: Horticultural Theatre: Creating, Staging and Directing Plant-Driven Performances Kelly Norris In the world of public horticulture, crafting beautiful exhibitions and award -winning gardens often involves a certain amount of theatre staging and presenting plants for memorable and inspiring displays. From forcing to pinching to black cloths and welders, garden craftsmen around the world employ artistry and science in the pursuit of horticultural excellence. In this lecture, Kelly Norris takes you into the head houses, greenhouses and nurseries behind the scenes that just might inspire you to think about your own garden as staged production whether scripted or improvisational. Kelly D. Norris (photo right) is an award-winning author and plantsman from Iowa and the first horticulture manager at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, a newly revitalized 14-acre public garden in Des Moines, Iowa. He s popularly known for his book A Guide to Bearded Irises: Cultivating the Rainbow for Beginners and Enthusiasts from Timber Press, which won the 2013 American Horticultural Society Book Award, and is at work on his next project tentatively titled Dig This: Stylish Gardening with Kickass Plants. Thursday, March 19: Edible Flowers from Garden to Palate Cathy Wilkinson Barash Flowers are commonly used as fancy garnishes for their looks rather than their flavor. Cathy Wilkinson Barash, best known as The Blooming Gourmet, will take you on a tour of the colorful and flavorful world of edible flowers. These dual-purpose blooms-pretty in the garden and fabulous in the kitchen- go beyond great garnishes. Their flavors range from floral to vegetal, sweet to spicy, herbal and beyond. Discover what you may be already growing that you can cook with, too! This presentation highlights some common and favorite blooms of the 90+ edible flowers. Cathy will also provide her audience with a tasting of her famous rose petal pound cake. YUM! Continued Page Germinator

11 Continued From Page 10 Cathy Wilkinson Barash (photo right) is a life-long organic gardener. From childhood she has held firm a belief in economy of space and time in the garden mainly by planting edibles among ornamental instead of relegating them to the back 40. Since 1986 Cathy has managed her own successful freelance business as a photographer, writer, author of 12 books, designer, and professional speaker - and cat lover. Thursday, March 26: Heirloom Gardening in Iowa Diane Ott Whealy Diane Ott Whealy, an expert gardener and co-founder of Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) the nation s premier nonprofit seed-saving organization will discuss the history of the organization located in Northeast Iowa. She will share her experience as a leader in the renaissance of heirloom gardening in North America, as well as tips for designing and planting the perfect combination of flowers, vegetables and herbs for Iowa gardens. Diane Ott Whealy (photo right) co-founded Seed Savers Exchange with Kent Whealy in She has been a national leader in the heirloom seed movement and a strong advocate for the protection of the earth's rare genetic food stocks for nearly 40 years. In 1986 she helped develop Heritage Farm, SSE's scenic 890-acre headquarters near Decorah, Iowa, to maintain and display endangered varieties. Today she is a featured speaker at garden shows and botanical gardens throughout the country. Remember attendance at any of the lectures provides 2 hours of education credits for MGs. Bring a friend, join in the fun and learn something new and interesting in the process. See you there! Master Gardeners Mourn Loss of Fellow Volunteer MG Volunteer, Karen Warner, passed away, Tuesday, February 17 after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Karen was an MG intern in the fall of 2013 and received her Master Gardener badge this past November at the Fall Festival. During her short time as a MG, Karen volunteered at the 2014 Winter Gardening Fair, the Plant Sale, the Garden Walk, and the Brucemore Garden and Art Show. Karen also helped with the Hortline. It is truly remarkable she accomplished so much this past year with the MG Program while battling cancer. She will really be missed. Full obituary from the Cedar Rapids Gazette may be found at: thegazette.com/obituaries/karen-warner March 11

12 Lowe Park Greenhouse Gearing up for Spring By Phil Pfister Are you ready to start gardening, but Mother Nature isn t? How about joining us at the Lowe Park Greenhouse? We are in full swing, with three work sessions each week, which include seeding, transplanting and propagation by cuttings. We provide training at each of the sessions, and they are open to everyone. The work sessions are every Tuesday from 10:00 AM to noon, and Thursday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon, and 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. If you interested in working at the Lowe Park Greenhouse and are not receiving notifications of work sessions, please contact Phil Pfister Shelby Foley or Kathy Wimer New opportunities at the Winter Gardening Fair: The Lowe Park greenhouse and demonstration gardens volunteers provided items for a sale table at the Winter Gardening Fair, on Saturday, February 21, On Saturday, February 14, the group held a workshop to prepare all the items for the sale, which included ivy topiaries, succulent gardens, small wreaths of dried flowers, kitchen wreaths of dried peppers, garlic and herbs on a cornhusk base, and pansy basket gardens. Head grower, Shelby Foley, led the workshop. Participants in the workshop were: Barb Brown, Judi Dolezal, Sandy Fiegan, Peggy Green, Doris Hardt, Coleen Kint, Karla McGrail, Kay McWhinney, Mary Mikkola, and Kathy Rhodes. The sale was an overwhelming success, with all items being sold and grossing over $ The proceeds will benefit the programs of both of these groups. 12 Germinator

13 February 2015 Steering Committee Draft (Abridged for Germinator; Committees not listed had no report) Attended: Jackie Baumhauer, Larry Dawson, Beula Dvorak, Cindy Fagan, Darrell Hennessy, Linda Hinzman, Beth Roof, Jane Schildroth, Pam Scott, Linda Shepard, Deb Walser. Absent: Steve Bartlett, Gene Nassif, Jean Wilson. Guest: Kathy Wimer. Quorum established. Minutes: January minutes were approved. Announcements: Appointments by the SC Chair to the Finance Committee were announced: Linda Hinzman (Treasurer), Beula Dvorak, Jean Murray, Phil Pfister, Diane Wiesenfeld, Kathy Wimer. Financial Report 12/31/14 report shared. Beula questioned the absence of $200 in the budget for the Community Gardens committee. She recalled that amount was allotted when the committee was formed. Kathy will investigate. Awards Banquet: Beth Roof has agreed to chair this event Brucemore: Kay McWhinney has agreed to assume the responsibilities of chair. Creative Gardening Series: The contracts for the speakers have been signed and received by the Extension Office. The committee will meet on February 4 to discuss publicity and final details for the events on March 12 Horticultural Theatre: Creating, Staging and Directing Plant Driven Performance with Kelly Norris; March 19 Edible Flowers from Garden to Palate with Cathy Wilkinson Barash; and March 26 Heirloom Gardening in Iowa with Diane Ott Whealy, Seed Savers Exchange. Community Gardening Series: The Committee met twice during January to begin plans for the new growing season and expanded Community Gardens Project partners. New members to the committee were welcomed: Victoria Fernandez, Cindy Fagan, and Pat Kadlec. Dave Mahlke has agreed to be project photographer. Others interested in the Community Gardens project are encouraged to contact Beula Dvorak (bdvorak4@aol.com) to get connected. The committee voted to have Catherine McAuley Center, Marion Blue Zones, Cedar Rapids Blue Zones, and Kenwood School as community gardens partners this coming year. Noelridge: New season at Noelridge Park & Greenhouse began with an allvolunteer all-employee potluck and meeting on January 7, We are again mentoring the Goodwill clients as they do potting, cuttings, washing pots or whatever else assigned. Kristi announced that Noelridge Park has been awarded as a Monarch Waystation. Becki has planned the AAS garden. Cheryl Hoech will lead summer weeding parties on Saturdays starting at 8 or 9 (depending on heat) on April 18; May 2, 16 and 30; June 13 and 27; July 11 and 25; August 8 and 22 and September 12. Jean, Kathy, and Diane will also plan and maintain (with other volunteers) the Herb of the Year Herb Garden at Noelridge again this year NewBo: The NewBo Learning Garden Committee met in January to kick off the 2015 growing season and welcome new committee members. Seeds March 13

14 were selected at the Jan. 29 meeting. Expert Education: Melinda Meyers s DVDs will be shown February 26 and March 5. (See article for details.) Financial Planning: Vicki Keegan, representing the Extension Council, will chair this committee, beginning work soon. From the Ground Up: FGU started up again after Christmas break in two schools. We will continue through April. Greenhouse: Last month it was reported that the Marion Parks Board had requested a more equitable cost share of the utilities at the Lowe Park Greenhouse. We are pleased to report that both the Steering Committee and Extension Council approved moving forward with a shared 50/50 split in utilities. Propagation and seeding workshops were held in January with many geranium cuttings taken and some of the long growing season seeds started. Twice weekly workshops will begin on February 10. The workshops will be every Tuesday, from 10:00 to noon, and Thursday, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, weather permitting. Heritage Center Project: Gene Nassif has agreed to serve as Chair. Hortline: Informal training sessions are being held for new Hortline volunteers, including a 13-point checklist. 15 of the 20 new MG have expressed interest in working the Hortline. Public Relations: The only report for the PR committee is prep for the WGF. Additional publications will not be ordered due to shipping costs from ISU Extension. Printing of free handouts will begin soon. School Projects: Hiawatha: New geo-thermal windows are being installed at the school, which may limit our use. Plans are underway for spring planting. Speakers Bureau: Programs began at Hiawatha and Central City in February, and Coggon, Marion, and North Liberty in March. A total of 24 different classes will be presented without repetition. Winter Gardening Fair: Registrations continue to come in for the Winter Gardening Fair being held on February 21. As of January 27, there were 417 registrations with 7 classes full. MG's should remember the volunteer training to be held on February 20 at 5:00 p.m. in Cedar Hall, Room 343. WMT: The WMT Outdoor Living Show has been scheduled for Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15. As in the past, LCMGs have been asked to provide speakers to educate the general public on home gardening practices. The committee is in the process of contacting MGs and determining the various topics to be covered. The committee will be meeting again in February to finalize plans and to request volunteers to staff the information booth. KCRG-TV: Larry Dawson reported that MG s will resume appearing on the mid-day KCRG news program on Fridays in March. 14 Germinator

15 Coordinator Report- Kathy Wimer * Extension Director, Diane Hagarty, would like to invite all interested MG volunteers to attend Extension Council meetings. MG Mike Anderson is running for Extension Council as one of two candidates to fill the vacancy from Judy Stevens resignation. * MG Chair positions now filled! MG volunteers, Vicki Keegan, Beth Roof, Karen Woeste, Kay McWhinney and Gene Nassif have agreed to chair the Awards Nominations, Awards Banquet, Plant Sale, Brucemore Garden & Art Show, and Heritage House, respectively. Pam Scott also agreed to serve as our MG Historian. We are still hoping to find an additional MG volunteer to Co-Chair the 2016 Winter Gardening Fair to work together with MG, Volunteer Tammy Lutz * Quarterly regional Master Gardener Coordinator meetings have been scheduled by Denny Schrock s assistant, Susan Deblieck, with our third conference call scheduled on February 5 and our annual Master Gardener statewide training scheduled in Ames on February 27. * Just a reminder that Linn County Extension will be celebrating our 100 th anniversary in We would like to ask Master Gardeners to consider serving on the Centennial Committee, chaired by Linda Bigley. Any interested volunteers can let us know if you would like to join this planning committee. * Kathy announced that her pesticide responsibilities have been transferred to another Extension staff person, allowing her time to be 100% Master Gardener Coordinator. Old Business: Revisited the budget increase request for the Demo Gardens at NewBo by Carol Elliott. One time increase of $320 for a total of $500 in funds for supplies and improved signage. Motion made by Larry D., second Linda S., approved unanimously. Revisited clarification of the outside vendors policy at MG events. - Individual committees are free to allow or disallow outside vendors; if the former, the committee is required to go through Extension office with Kathy s assistance. New Business: none Meeting adjourned 7:20pm. Next meeting March 3, Respectfully submitted, Beth Roof Linn County Extension Master Gardeners 383 Collins Road NE, Suite 201 Cedar Rapids, IA ph (319) Hortline (319) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, March 15

16 WMT Outdoor Living Show March 14 and March 15, 2015 Hawkeye Downs Exposition Hall th St SW, Cedar Rapids, IA Volunteer Signup Sheet Name Phone Volunteers are needed to staff the Master Gardener informational booth at this year s show for each work shift as follows: 2 INFORMATION DESK (ID), 2 PLANT DOCTORS (PD), and a MASTER COMPOSTER (MC) Circle the preferred duty for the work shift (s) you are available to work. You may volunteer for multiple shifts and days. PLEASE SUBMIT NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, March 6. Sat., March 14 9:00 11:00 (PD) (ID) (MC) 11:00-1:00 (PD) (ID) (MC) 1:00-3:00 (PD) (ID) (MC) 3:00 5:00 (PD) (ID) (MC) Sun., March 15 9:00 12:00 (PD) (ID) (MC) 2:00 4:00 (PD) (ID) (MC) 12:00 2:00 (PD) (ID) (MC) ( ) These are the only times I can work ( ) I can fill in where needed. Your timely return of this form is greatly appreciated. Please return BY to Kathy Wimer kwimer@kwimer@iastate.edu If you are ing the form, you can copy the information in the box and include in your to Kathy. Or you can print out the form and return it in PERSON to Kathy at the Extension Office NO LATER THAN Friday, March 6 Further questions about the WMT show should be directed to MG s Sue Usher, Karen Woeste, or Tammy Lutz. Sue can be reached at: Karen can be reached at: Tammy can be reached at: