Tipton County Master Gardener s Garden Gazette

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Tipton County Master Gardener s Garden Gazette May 2016 Editor: Carolyn McDaniel Inside

Speaker Highlights 3. Featured Garden Spot: Strawberry Plains Audubon Center 4.

Project Update: Drummonds Park Arboretum Drummonds Park Arboretum The Sassafras Tree The

GREAT things happen! Thank you to everyone who participated!

Mark your calendar One of the 34 names tree species is Sassafras albidum Common Sassafras

1 Tipton County Master Gardener s Garden Gazette May 2016 Editor: Carolyn McDaniel Inside This Issue Note from Joellen Dimond, TCEMG Coordinator 1. A note from Joellen Diamond 2. Speaker Highlights 3. Featured Garden Spot: Strawberry Plains Audubon Center 4. Monarchs and Milkweed 5. Project Update: Drummonds Park Arboretum Drummonds Park Arboretum The Sassafras Tree The Arboretum Dedication and Earth Fest Celebration this last weekend in Drummonds Park was truly an event! It shows that when a community of organizations, citizens and government work together GREAT things happen! Thank you to everyone who participated! The weather was perfect outside to enjoy the Arboretum trail through the woods! 9. Mark your calendar One of the 34 names tree species is Sassafras albidum Common Sassafras tree. There are many colonies of Sassafras trees in the park. This tree tends to sprout from the roots which form these colonies. The tree can reach heights of 60 feet! There is one such gorgeous tree labeled in the park. The brown furrowed bark is a stand-out in the forest. Page 1

Sassafras is known for having three shapes of leaves all found on the same plant, sometimes on the same branch! The mitten shaped leaf is probably the most popular and recognizable shape.

The tree has a range of native habitat from Eastern Canada and Maine to Florida and Texas. Sassafras has relatively few disease and pest problems. Iron chlorosis has occasionally been reported.

2 Sassafras is known for having three shapes of leaves all found on the same plant, sometimes on the same branch! The mitten shaped leaf is probably the most popular and recognizable shape. There are single, entire leaves as well as double lobed leaves. The fall foliage color has beautiful red, orange and yellow leaves. Some Swallowtail butterflies use Sassafras trees as a food source. The tree has a range of native habitat from Eastern Canada and Maine to Florida and Texas. Sassafras has relatively few disease and pest problems. Iron chlorosis has occasionally been reported. If there are predominant green veins in the leaves, this is the sign of iron chlorosis. The tree roots are used to make various teas, breads, candy and oils. The bark and leaves have no useful qualities except their beauty! Sassafras has a deep taproot which makes it difficult to transplant from the wild. Container grown trees can be very easy to grow. Remember that Sassafras is at the edge of the forest and likes some shade during the day. It likes to live in moist soil areas that are not wet or dry. This Month s Speaker: Linda Lanier Salad Table Gardening Page 2

3 Featured Garden Spot: Strawberry Plains Audubon Center Page 3

Also from Strawberry Plains Audubon Center Monarchs and Milkweeds The pollinator and plant community is an ancient and complex assemblage of chemicals, hormones and anatomical morphologies.

Butterfly and native plant enthusiasts Margaret Copeland and Dianne Patterson will lead a presentation on Saturday May 7th, exploring the wonderful world of our native pollinators.

4 Also from Strawberry Plains Audubon Center Monarchs and Milkweeds The pollinator and plant community is an ancient and complex assemblage of chemicals, hormones and anatomical morphologies. Many of our wildflowers and their native pollinators are solely dependent upon one another, including the Monarch butterfly and Milkweeds. Butterfly and native plant enthusiasts Margaret Copeland and Dianne Patterson will lead a presentation on Saturday May 7th, exploring the wonderful world of our native pollinators. We will begin at 10 am with an indoor presentation that will give quick overviews and ID characteristics of many local wildflowers and pollinators. Afterwards, we will head out to the Wildflower meadows to look for butterflies and skippers, as well as many of our native wildflowers. The cost is $5 per person/$15 per family. Bring binoculars and a notebook, sun protection and bug spray. Register with Mitch at mrrobinson@audubon.org Page 4

5 Project Update: Drummonds Park Arboretum Flag and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Tipton County Extension Master Gardeners Area Boy Scouts Keep Tipton County Beautiful Page 5

We had a really nice day on Saturday for the dedication of the Drummonds Park Arboretum. The weather was kind and it made for such a perfect dedication day.

6 We had a really nice day on Saturday for the dedication of the Drummonds Park Arboretum. The weather was kind and it made for such a perfect dedication day. Representatives included: Executive Jeff Huffman, Commissioners, James Adkins, Bob Wilson, Courtney Fee and Judge Walker. State Representative, Debra Moody, representing the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council, Wesley Hopper. Included in the Arboretum creation were: Joellen Dimond, UT/TSU Extension, Roxi Phillips, Chair and Melinda Tankersley, Co-Chair of the committee. (Bob Phillips MANY hours of clearing around the trees in the Park) Tipton County Extension Master Gardeners. Shawn Posey, State of Tennessee Regional Urban Forester, Division of Forestry. Eagle Scout Project, Landon Lemons (Procuring and installing materials for the tree signs and the engraved tree signs) and his Troop 260. Eagle Scout Project, Alexander Dimond (Procuring and creating GIS maps of the arboretum for the park and brochures) and his troop 285 and Tipton county 4-H GIS Club. Urban Forestry Advisor of the West TN Chapter of TUFC, Carl Robertson (creating and installing 2 permanent signs at the Arboretum). All the Scouts participated in a flag ceremony at the dedication. The Scouts built the flag pole used in the ceremony. Members of the Brighton Band played the National Anthem. Miss Tipton County and her Court were also at the dedication ceremony. Along with the dignitaries there were vendors, Senior Line Dancing group, Drummonds Band, children s activity area and our Ask a Master Gardener station. There were around 265 people in attendance. This was a combination of Arboretum Ribbon Cutting and Earth Fest. Located on 30 acres behind Drummonds Elementary School and Fire Station. What a wonderful learning experience as you walk among the tall trees and identify them with names. Also nestled around are the beautiful native plants found within along with the wild herbs. Plan some time and take a lunch or snack relax and enjoy a walk through the trails and learn more about tree identification along with the beauty of nature housed in this beautiful area. A special thank you to all who participated to make this happen. Page 6

7 Committee Roxi Phillips, Chair Melinda Tankersley, Co- Chair Master Gardeners Members Page 7

8 Drummonds Park Arboretum 261 Tate Rd. Drummonds, TN Page 8

Farmers Market Agricenter International s Farmers Market Monday Friday 7:30am to 5:30pm Saturday 7:00am to 5:30pm Sunday Closed Farmers Market at the

9 Farmers Market Agricenter International s Farmers Market Monday Friday 7:30am to 5:30pm Saturday 7:00am to 5:30pm Sunday Closed Farmers Market at the Garden Memphis Botanic Gardens Wednesdays, 1:00pm 5:00pm May 7 Jackson Master Gardeners Spring Plant Sale West TN Ag Research & Education Center 7am- noon. See madisoncountymg.org for details or call May 7 Tipton County Museum May Festival 10:00am to 3:00pm Veterans Memorial & Nature Center 751 Bert Johnston Avenue Covington, TN May 7 19 th Annual Mid-South Hosta Society Sale Memphis Botanic Garden North Gate A 9am-2pm Page 9

10 May 7 MCMG Plant Sale The Baker Building Maury County Master Gardeners annual plant sale 8am-noon. For additional information May 9 May 14 admission May 15 May 21 May 21 Memphis Botanic Gardens Brown Bay Lunch: My Garden Runneth Over Noon 1:00pm Herbal Celebration Co-hosted by Memphis Herb Society Memphis Botanic Garden free with Garden Website: Jennifer Burns at , jburns35@utk.edu Signs of Spring Walk Memphis Botanic Garden Meet in the Visitor s Center and walk MBG grounds with Master Gardener Judith Hammond. No reservations needed. Rain cancels walk. Free to member or with paid Garden admission 1 st Annual Cooper Young Garden Walk Tickets are available at cooperyoung.org Nashville Urban Gardening Festival Ellington Ag Center Master Gardeners of Davidson County 9am-4pm. See mgofdc.wildapricot.org for details May Memphis Orchids by the River Show and Sale Memphis Botanic Garden Memphis Orchid Society show and sale open to the public. For additional information visit memphisorchids.org Page 10

11 May 30 Memorial Day Observed Thank you to our service men and women! UPCOMING EVENT: JUNE 4 g Through Our Garden Gates Garden Tour Saturday, June 4, :00am 4pm Master Gardeners opening their gardens to the community-make plans to attend For more information: Please submit any news or articles for newsletter to Paula Sweatt one week before end of month. Paula will to the editor of the month! THANK YOU! Page 11

A Message From our President, Mike Morrison

A Message From our President, Mike Morrison Tipton County Master Gardener s Garden Gazette March 2016 February 27, 2016 Editor: Paula Sweatt Inside This Issue: 1 Message From the President 2 Projects Report & Speakers 3 Mark Your Calendar 4 Gardening