Ask-A-Master-Gardener (Plant Clinic)

Transcription

1 1 Ask-A-Master-Gardener (Plant Clinic) Chairperson: Greg Jones Introduction Ask a Master Gardener is a program where Master Gardener volunteers in conjunction with the University of Maryland Extension provide information to home gardeners at county libraries and at a few other selected other sites. At the Ask a Master Gardener plant clinics, Master Gardeners give gardening recommendations and advice, answer questions, and provide printed information and web resources on a variety of gardening subjects. The program operates April through September. Locations Columbia Central Branch Library Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia Coordinator: Patrick Monahan, pfsmonahan@gmail.com 2 nd and 4 th Sat of the month from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Miller Branch Library 9421 Frederick Road, Ellicott City Coordinator: Barb White, barbrw99@verizon.net Saturdays: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays: 7: 00 to 8:30 p.m. Glenwood Branch Library 2350 Route 97, Cooksville Coordinator: Clare Openshaw, helloclare@comcast.net Thursdays: 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Saturdays: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Green Fest April Robinson Nature Center Native Plant Sale May CMREC Open House October Coordinator: Greg Jones, How it works 2 people usually volunteer at a site for each scheduled date. Interns are always paired with an experienced Master Gardener The set-up is a table usually near the entrance of the library. There will be a sign or banner designation Ask a Master Gardener plus a box of resource materials. Volunteers fill out sign-in sheets. Volunteers meet nice people, answer questions, handout brochures and have fun.

2 2 Bay Wise Chair: Linda Decker The goal of the Bay-Wise Committee is to educate residents that simple choices people make in their landscapes and homes can directly affect the health of Chesapeake Bay. Meetings are held at UME on the first Monday of each month. Volunteer opportunities on this committee are quite varied. All one needs is a passion for the environment. Activities of the committee include the following: Act as consultants for community leaders seeking help with implementing Bay-Wise principles and designing Bay-Wise landscapes. Provide gardening advice to local residents through site visits. Certify local properties as Bay-Wise, through site visits. Organize an annual garden tour to raise awareness of Bay-Wise principles. Create displays at Howard County Libraries on topics pertaining to Bay-Wise principles. At fairs and other venues, provide a Bay-Wise display and talk to people about Bay-Wise principles. Give presentations explaining Bay-Wise principles. Organize and sponsor a native plant sale at Howard County Greenfest. Maintain demonstration garden at Alpha Ridge Assist in distributing rain barrels to Howard County residents

3 3 Backyard Composting Co-Chair: Kathryn Foat Co-Chair: Caroline Feil Master Gardeners (MGs) provide how-to tips and advice about backyard composting from April to October at several demonstration sites in the County: Alpha Ridge Landfill, Miller Branch library garden and Robinson Nature Center. We coordinate compost presentations/bin distribution during special events at the Howard County Conservancy, MG Plant Sale to benefit Whipps, MG Demo Day at Miller Library garden, Bay-wise Garden Tour and GreenFest. We distribute free compost bins to Howard County residents in partnership with the Bureau of Environmental Services Department of Public Works. During 2016, MGs distributed more than 200 bins. MG volunteers help elementary students learn about composting and vermicomposting at Our Environment in Our Hands. MGs answer questions other soil/gardening issues. Compost Demonstration Sites Alpha Ridge Landfill Saturdays from April - October Contact: Jim Wilk jwilk1919@comcast.net or Contact: Jerry Fitzpatrick jerryfitzp@verizon.net Robinson Nature Center Saturdays and Sundays from April - October Contact: Kathryn Foat kaboating@verizon.net or Contact: Richard Freas rafreas@gmail.com Miller Branch Library garden Saturdays and Mondays from May - October Contact Darcy Bellido deluna darcybell@me.com

4 4 Grow It Eat It Chairperson: Kent Phillips (stepping down at the end of 2017) Our mission is to help people improve human and ecological health by growing their own food using sustainable gardening practices. Activities include: 1. Ask a Master Vegetable Gardener We visit the four community gardens in Howard County (Long Reach, Lake Elkhorn, West Side (run by Columbia Gardeners) and Howard County Conservancy community garden) and consult with the community gardens answering questions regarding plant health, pests, diseases, fertilization, soil tests and organic pesticides. Most commonly asked questions are: a. How do I do a soil test? b. What do I need to add to my soil to get better production? c. What pest is chewing on my vegetable and what pesticide can I use? d. How much nitrogen do I need to add to my garden to apply the Univ. of MD.? Recommended rate of.2 pounds per 100 square feet? e. What are the ph requirements for tomatoes, and f. How can I get production from my garden from April till December? 2. Giving presentations at libraries, community centers, garden clubs and community gardens on vegetable gardening. These presentations can be found on the University of Maryland s GIEI website and on the Howard County Master Gardener Website. 3. Assisting the Bay-Wise team on site visits when the client requests information on vegetable gardening. 4. Assisting with the Miller Library demonstration vegetable garden. 5. Assisting with the Howard County Conservancy s demonstration garden. 6. Helping Howard County schools to develop school vegetable gardens. Part of the green school initiative. 7. Outreach at various functions by providing information on vegetable gardens and container vegetable gardening. For example Howard County Green Fest, Howard County Fair, farmer s markets, etc. Public Education Chair: Ann Vieth avieth@comcast.net The Master Gardeners engage in educational outreach in the community at libraries and community centers. There are a lot of opportunities to assist and/or learn from other MGs by attending their presentations.

5 5 Howard County Fair Chair: Michele Wright Every year the Master Gardener program has a display table at the Howard County Fair. This year topics for the display are: Pollinators Planting a Pollinator Patch, and Composting Volunteers are needed to man the table Sunday, August 6th through Saturday, August 12th in 2 hour shifts from 11am to 9pm. MGI's will be paired with experienced MG's if desired. In addition, someone will be needed on Sunday, the 13th to return materials to the MG office. Signup will be via an link to a sign-up site. Conservation Stewardship Chair: Aylene Gard kgmerger@verizon.net The Conservation Stewardship Project is a partnership between the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks and the Howard County Master Gardeners that raises awareness of invasive plant species and the need to control them before they crowd out the native species that wildlife depends on. Our focus is on: a. restoring wildlife habitat in the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area by removing invasive plant species and planting native shrubs and trees, b. educating the public about the major, local invasive species and their control, via a power point presentation presented before the first event in March, c. advising individuals about invasive plants on their property, and d. providing an opportunity to visit the beautiful 1012-acre stream valley and to enjoy its natural diversity We meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month between 9:00 11:30 am from March to June and again from September to November. Tools and training are provided. Volunteers should dress for the weather and bring water. All hands are welcome, especially members of the public who want to know about invasive species in the county. We do cancel if it is raining more than a sprinkle. Guest speakers often provide an educational component that has included deer and tick control, wildflower ID and butterfly tagging. Flyers announcing upcoming programs will appear in the Looseleaf and the calendar.

6 6 Howard County Conservancy at Mt. Pleasant Co-Chair: Jo Ann Russo Co-Chair: Monica The Conservancy is an environmental education center which has a wide variety of opportunities that impact approximately 7000 children and several thousand adults each year. The largest number of Master Gardener volunteers are needed to support the spring school programs from mid-april through mid-may, but activities continue throughout the year. For formal programs MGs are asked to come one half hour early for specific instruction and task assignment. Activities which Master Gardeners participate: Historical Demonstration Vegetable Garden: Workdays every Friday throughout the growing season, generally from 9-11 am. This garden is available to school and camp groups and for viewing by the public with explanatory signage. Compost demonstrations and demonstrations of drip irrigation system are also conducted during the summer and fall. Partnering with Howard County Schools: Elementary Program: One of a series of stations teaching students about the interactions between people, plants and animals Our station will show small groups of students the importance of native plants to pollinators and their role in the environment. Middle School Service Learning: Master gardeners will supervise groups of 8-10 students teaching them about the invasive plants they are removing and why this is important for the environment. There will be an adult from the school with each group. Tools are provided by the Conservancy schedule: April 5 th & 6th - Elkridge Landing Middle: 9am - 12pm April 27 th & 28 rd - Burleigh Manor Middle: 8:45-11:30 and 10:15-1:30pm May 22 th & 30th - Clarksville Middle School: 1 hour in the morning TBD April 23 Earth Day from 8am until 1pm: Activities may include compost demonstration, invasive removal, tree planting, work in the vegetable, children's, native plant or rain gardens. We will have a sale of spring vegetable and native plants. In addition to manning the plant sale, tasks include supervising children and adults in activities or manning a Bay-Wise, Native plant or other instructional display. Generally about 200 members of the community attend this event including boy and girl scouts, community college and adult or family groups. Tools are available at the Conservancy, but you may wish to bring your own hand tools. If you bring your own tools, please have them clearly marked with your name. MGs may volunteer for any portion or all of this time. Fall Festival Saturday, Oct. 1st 11:00-3:00. Come enjoy Blue grass music, watch blacksmiths at work, animals at play and enjoy nature walks and tours of the property. We will have a plant sale of fall vegetables and native plants another volunteer opportunity for Master Gardeners. Bring your family and a picnic lunch and enjoy the day.

7 7 Whipps Garden Cemetery Chairperson: Aleta Gravelle Whipps Cemetery was established in Restoration of the over-grown and vandalized cemetery began in It is a one acre garden/park at 3651 St. John's Lane, just south of the Frederick Road and St. John's Lane intersection. Howard County Master Gardeners maintain the property. The site offers these work opportunities: a butterfly garden, a rose garden, and herb garden, a compost site and many native plants throughout to nurture and prune. This spring the gardens will be mulched and the pathways need a fresh layer of chips. It has become an educational venue for Master Gardeners to offer the community horticultural presentations and demonstrations. Whipps organizes two annual fund-raising events: The Whipps Plant Sale (May 19 and 20) and Daffodil Days (April 8). Daffodil Day will include the sale of daffodils and other Spring-blooming bulbs, entertainment, raffle and MG presentations. A demonstration daffodil garden will be highlighted this year. The Plant Sale will include a variety of native perennials and many hard to find plants. Many plants have been grown and donated by the Master Gardeners as well as purchases from local garden nurseries. Proceeds from the sales will benefit the Whipps Garden Cemetery, a non-profit organization. Master Gardeners will be on hand to help answer your plant and gardening questions. Volunteer Opportunities: Coordinator for organizing periodic presentations at Whipps Theater. Help with planting and maintaining the grounds every Thursday from 9-12 in good weather, March through November, Help at Greenfest on Saturday, April 22. Help at the Daffodil Day Celebration on Saturday, April 8 Help at Whipps annual Plant Sale Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20 by assisting the Master Gardener presenters, greet visitors and telling them about Whipps and its mission, selling plants, answering questions about plants and talking about the Master Gardener Program. Donate plants you may be dividing to be included in the annual plant sale. More details to come. Chair or co-chair the maintenance of a specific garden area, such as rose garden, herb garden and butterfly garden.

8 8 Patuxent Research Refuge, School Yard Habitat Chairperson: Ann Coren The Patuxent Research Refuge s School Yard Habitat (PRR SYH) is located outside the National Wildlife Visitor Center in Laurel Maryland. It is a Conservation Landscape site which, in miniature, attempts to recreate each of Maryland s major habitats; meadow, prairie, forest, wetland. It s goal is to educate the public about Conservation Landscaping and to encourage people to transition lawns to wildlife habitat. The garden is free and open to the public. It attracts families out for nature walks, and photographers. School groups use it for environmental education activities, and church groups and scout troops for their volunteer service hours. Due to funding restrictions the garden had fallen into disrepair. So far we have restored part of the pollinator meadow. Since it is Federal, part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, we are very selective in assuring that all plantings are species native to the site, as close to the native ecotype as possible. We are still in the design phase as we attempt to model for homeowners how native plants can be used in both informal and formal landscaping. Master Gardener volunteers are especially needed! Please come and share our passion for native plants and teach the public about the benefits of gardening for biodiversity. Workdays are Wednesday and/or Sunday mornings, with a monthly planning meeting on the first Wednesday. Much of the planning happens via and additional garden maintenance according to each volunteer s availability. We celebrate successes with garden parties. Last year we received a Maryland 2016 Day to Serve mini-grant from the Maryland Governor s Commission on Service and Volunteerism, to entice and welcome new volunteers to the Refuge and to native plant gardening. Our Master Gardener volunteers are critical to the success of the new gardens. All new volunteers will need to complete the one-day PRR volunteer orientation at the Refuge.. Volunteer Opportunities: Garden maintenance tasks: such as weeding, clearing paths, planting, Garden planning tasks: such as researching appropriate native plants to restore each unique habitat within the site, working with growers to source the plants, and planning the landscape design. Identify plants in the garden as native or invasive. Hike the larger Refuge identifying sources of seeds and plants for the SYH gardens. Participate in educational activities such as: tabling during the Wildlife Festival; leading activities in the garden for school groups, church groups and/or scouts; teaching workshops on gardening with native plants, attracting pollinators, Raise funds to buy plants and supplies: including writing and managing grants. Create educational literature: for instance a brochure for the public explaining pollinator plant interactions in the SYH; pictorial literature for new gardener volunteers to distinguish between native plants and weeds. Supervise and/or train non-gardener volunteers. Photograph the changes in the garden, seasonal, plant, pollinator Collect data on plant survival, plant/pollinator interactions, etc. Create and maintain a composting area.

9 9 Enchanted Garden at Miller Library Chairperson: Ann Hackeling The Enchanted Garden is an innovative outdoor education environment at Howard County Library System's Miller Branch. Our garden is dedicated to growing healthy habits and providing unique educational experiences for all ages. The Enchanted Garden includes: a demonstration gardening area where fruits and vegetables are tended by community groups, students, and volunteers. Harvested food is donated to the Howard County Food Bank. over 65 native plants and trees active compost bins, a rain garden, rain barrels, and bioswale features to inspire homeowners to include similar environmentally sustainable elements in their own yards Volunteer opportunities: best times are Tuesday or Wednesday mornings 9-11am, alternating Friday or Saturdays mornings assist with garden tasks such as weeding, watering, tending plants respond to customer garden questions help with planting and transplanting turn and screen compost rake trails and wood chip gathering areas YOUTH EDUCATION: assist with our two garden clubs on select Monday and Thursday afternoons.

10 10 Ellicott City / Oella Entrance Garden Chairperson: Paul Farragut pjfarragut@aol.com Maintain and enhance the primarily native plant garden overlooking the Patapsco River and historic Ellicott City at the entrance to Oella. Along the river bank, adjacent to the Frederick Road bridge entering Ellicott City from Baltimore County, is a community garden staffed by Master Gardeners, Patapsco Heritage Greenway members, and community members. Planted in 2010, the attractive waterfront garden was funded with proceeds from the 2008 Maryland Home and Garden Pilgrimage tour of Oella, and designed by landscape architect John Slater. The rock cairn sculpture at the center was dedicated to Teddy Betts, an artist, educator and tireless volunteer who dedicated his life to improving the riverine environment of the Patapsco River. Volunteers were able to revive the garden after significant washout and damage caused by the Ellicott City flood. This garden will be on the Oella Maryland Home and Garden Pilgrimage on May 13, 2017, along with several others. Volunteers are needed in shifts to staff both this garden and other Oella gardens on the tour that day. Contact Paul to volunteer for this garden or Lisa Wingate at WingateLJ@aol.com to volunteer to advance prep or to act as docent in other Oella gardens May 13 th. Volunteer opportunities are: April 22 - EARTH DAY - volunteer event 10 am - Noon will be held at the Oella Ellicott City Entry Garden, featuring a brief discussion by John Slater on the design of the garden and the use of native plants. Gardeners will then prune, weed, and mulch the garden, and additional work may be undertaken to prep the garden for its participation in the Oella Maryland Home and Garden Pilgrimage. Those interested in Dutch-treat social gathering lunch will walk across the street afterwards to the Trolley Stop restaurant. Oella MD House & Garden Tour on Saturday, May 13 th. Need garden volunteers. Growing Season - Gardening team members sign up with garden coordinator Paul Farragut to be responsible for weeding the garden for either one or two weeks over the course of the growing season. Please send an expressing interest with "Oella Garden" in the Subject line. Fund Raising Chairperson: Loren Savino Muhr floodgal@aol.com Sells items of interest to Master Gardeners and the gardening community. Rake and Take Chairperson: Pat Hooker phooker9440@gmail.com Coordinate those who rake and bag leaves with those who want bags; open to public participation. The rake and take program fliers can be gotten at

11 11 School and Youth Programs Youth Education Chair: Janice Winter The Youth Education committee provides outreach to the youth in our county on various topics related to gardening, the environment, native plants and more. This outreach is done by presentations to the youth, assisting with school gardening projects, assisting the school with its green school initiative and other various projects. The committee is in need of volunteers to assist with presenting, supporting existing presenters, and assisting the school with various gardening related projects. The committee meets once per month at the UME offices.

12 12 Green Schools Chair: Janice Winter The Green School Committee's goal is to assist Howard County schools in becoming Maryland Green School certified. Volunteering is done throughout the school year. This is a great opportunity to have a tremendous impact of environmental awareness on the community. Volunteer Description Your role would be to act as a Green School coach. In this role you would assist a school that is trying to become Green School certified or recertified by the state of Maryland. You would be working with adults, teachers, other school system employees, other Master Gardeners, and possibly representatives from the Howard County Conservancy and Recreation and Parks. Meetings are held in conjunction with the Youth Education Committee. Volunteer Responsibilities Your primary job is to be a resource for the school, not to do the work for them. You can do a walk through with the teachers and/or Green School committee members from that school and give them horticultural suggestions they can consider to become certified. Examples include discussing the creation of a rain garden, a habitat garden, a no-mow zone, or a composting program. Throughout the year, you will continue to coach the school on an as-needed basis. As you desire, you could do hands-on work at the school and work with children. You will give schools contact information about Master Gardener Youth Education presentations that are available to the students which may count toward their Maryland Green School certification. The hours when you will be most active will be during school hours. Most schools only request one meeting or help with one project. In addition, there is a Green Schools Workshop held for teachers three times per school year in the early evening at the Howard County Conservancy. You will not be required to attend, but attendance is helpful to further understand the needs of the schools. Skills and Materials Needed You need to have a friendly and helpful disposition and be able to follow through on requests. You will need to communicate clearly through or by telephone. You will be provided with a MAEOE (The Maryland Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education) Green School application so you can familiarize yourself with the application process facing schools. Committee chairpersons will meet with you to help you understand the Green Schools certification process and do some preliminary training.

13 13 Our Environment In Our Hands Contacts: Amy Reese, Coordinator Elem Science, HCPSS Jen Brown-Whale, Resource Teacher, HCPSS Since the spring of 2009, several Howard County agencies and organizations have partnered with the Howard County Public School System Elementary Science Office to establish a program entitled, Our Environment in Our Hands, for fourth grade students in Howard County Title I Schools. The program will be enjoying its second year at the Howard County Living Farm Heritage Museum. As a full day field experience for students, OEOH includes stream and pond studies, herpetology, and land use studies, to help students gather evidence to answer the following overarching question: What evidence of human impact and/or environmental change can be obtained in order to identify the effect on plant and animal life in the local environment? During this trans-disciplinary field experience, held at the Living Farm Heritage Museum, students explore land use impacts and farming conservation practices, monitor water quality, discuss native species, non-native, and invasive species, as well as how composting can preserve and protect the local environment. They also learn, through up-close encounters, about the external features of animals, such as macroinvertebrates, snakes, and turtles, in order to discover how these features make survival easier or more difficult, due to human impact on the environment. Students will be split into two large groups and spend their day between two areas of the property, the HYDROSPHERE side and the GEOSPHERE side. While on each side, students will engage in several hands-on investigations - making observations, gathering data, and discussing new vocabulary - all geared toward helping them to answer that overarching question: What evidence of human impact and/or environmental change can be obtained in order to identify the effect on plant and animal life in the local environment? 2017 dates for Our Environment In Our Hands (at the Living Farm Heritage Museum): Volunteer training dates: Mon. May 8 (9-12pm OR 12:30 3:30pm). All volunteers must attend one of these times, or be prepared to arrive early on first volunteer day to receive training. School Field Dates (volunteers should plan to attend from approximately 9:00 3:20; daily schedule will vary depending upon school involved): Tuesday, May 9 Bryant Woods Elementary Wednesday, May 10 Longfellow Elementary Thursday, May 11 Laurel Woods Elementary Monday, May 22 Phelps Luck Elementary Tuesday, May 23 Stevens Forest Elementary Wednesday, May 24 Running Brook Elementary Days of Taste is a national discovery-based program that introduces elementary school children to the basic elements of taste and teaches them about the role of farms in producing the foods we eat. The program brings together chefs, farmers and volunteers to encourage kids to appreciate and enjoy the taste and benefits of fresh food. Days of Taste was first introduced

14 14 in the Baltimore area in the fall of 1998, and has grown to over 3100 students in 2016, including about 1500 fourth graders in Howard County. Days of Taste is run in Howard County by a Maryland-based nonprofit organization, TasteWise Kids, that educates kids K-12 about food, from source to plate. Days of Taste is distinguished from many other food programs in that (i) kids learn from food professionals chefs, farmers, farm marketers in addition to teachers and community volunteers, (ii) every session includes hands-on (and tongues-on ) activities to give kids the opportunity to explore and come to their own realizations, and (iii) the focus is on food production and taste, not weight control, nutrition, disease prevention, etc. As stated by Julia Child, Days of Taste original spokesperson, In this age of fast and frozen foods we want to teach school children about real food where it is grown and how it is produced so that they can develop an understanding and appreciation of how good fresh food is supposed to taste. The Days of Taste program at each school consists of three morning sessions, usually scheduled one morning per week for three consecutive weeks, in Spring (May/June) or Fall (September/October). Day 1: Taste and Nutrition Basics In the classroom, students do hands-on (and tastebuds-on ) activities to evaluate diverse foods and experience the four traditional elements of taste salty, sour, bitter and sweet. The concept of balance in foods, for good nutrition and good taste, is introduced. Day 2: Trip to the farm Students visit a nearby working farm. Guided by the farmer, students see first-hand how vegetables are grown and how animals are raised, and how food is prepared for delivery to the market. Day 3: Preparing Salad and Dressing with the Chef Back in the classroom, students make their own farm-fresh salad and vinaigrette dressing, using seasonal vegetables and fruit, and begin to recognize the balance of ingredients. Volunteers are needed each morning (approximately 8:30am-12:30pm) to assist students, and to coordinate with the chef on days 1 and 3 and the farmer on day 2. Master Gardeners knowledge is especially useful in guiding the children at the farm and in the classroom regarding the origin of healthy, local foods. Days of Taste chefs participating this semester will include Dan Wecker (Elkridge Furnace), Tom Zippelli (The Turn House), Chris Vocci (Alexandra s), Dustin Heflin (Baldwin s Station) and others. Farms will include Buppert s Farm, TLV Tree Farm, Myrtle Woods Farm and Mary s Land Farm. Nine Howard County schools will participate in Days of Taste this spring - Bellows Springs, Clemens Crossing, Ducketts Lane, Guilford, Swansfield, Talbott Springs, Triadelphia Ridge, West Friendship and Worthington. Each school will take part in the program on different mornings, between Mon, April 24 Wed, June 7. Four to eight volunteers will be needed at each school. Although it is preferable for a volunteer to participate all 3 mornings at one school, it is not imperative. Scheduling is flexible. A volunteer breakfast meeting will be held the week April 3, 8:30-10:00 am, at Eggspectations in Columbia to explain volunteer responsibilities in detail and answer questions. All chefs, farms and school schedules will be discussed. For further information about Days of Taste, to receive the schedule when completed and to receive an invitation to the Days of Taste volunteer breakfast, please contact Riva Eichner Kahn, Days of Taste Director, at reichner01@earthlink.net,