LOOSELEAF FEBRUARY 2018

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1 LOOSELEAF FEBRUARY 2018 A Publication of the University of Maryland Extension Howard County Master Gardeners 3300 North Ridge Road, Suite 240 Ellicott City, MD ) FAX (410) INSIDE 2 Calendar, Conservation Stewardship 3 Youth Education Committee, Conservancy 4 Bolt-free Onions 5 Ask a Master Gardener 6 MG Logo, Book Review 7 Latin For Gardeners 8 & 9 Volunteer Fair 10 Daffodil Day FROM GEORGIA'S DESK Welcome to the Master Gardener Class 2018: Leah Benson, Samantha Bitzelberger, Secethia Boardley- Davis, Barry Bogage, Trulea Craig, Frances Fico, Arthur Flach, Virginia Gambrell, Joyce Jadik, Hohn Jadik, Erica Jones, Mat Keel, Lori Koch, Debra Levay, Katherine McCarter, Lee Morgan, Joan Ryder, Sarah Schindehette, Nick Starace, Warren Wortman and Rachel Yang. It s another awesome group of trainees. They had a wonderful time at the recent Volunteer Opportunity Fair where they learned about our MG programs and activities, and more importantly, got to meet many of our MGs. The class has experienced some disagreeable weather, which has been more ice than snow. With all the cancellations and changes, please watch our listserv for messages about changes in the training schedule and committee meeting schedules. Coming soon: GreenFest. It s on Sat, April 21 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Howard Community College. We will have three tables for GIEI, Composting and Bay-wise exhibits, and staffing will be needed. This is an exciting, worthwhile community event so be sure to volunteer if you can. Once again the MGs will support a native plant sale by helping with consumer information and a plant-sitting service (they hold purchases while attendees visit other exhibits indoors!). I wrote last month about our new logo for the University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener program. I hope you ve had a chance to look at the crisp new design, and have already started to incorporate the logo in all your printed materials and presentations. It s important that the transition is completed quickly. With the onset of spring (yes, it will come!), we will be a busy group outdoors with projects as well as indoors with committee meetings. Check the MG electronic calendar for a summary of all that s going on in Howard County. Georgia Eacker, MG Coordinator, WSA Liaison, , geacker@umd.edu The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.

2 Calendar Highlights for March Remember, you can view the 2018 MG electronic calendar in your preferred format: Month, Week or Agenda. Click on the event you re interested in to find times, locations, and contact info. It s a simple way to look for volunteer opportunities and continuing education sessions. Click here for a direct link to the calendar March New Educational Series for Teens at Savage Library The Master Gardeners, in partnership with Girl Scout Jordan Kreh, are hosting a new series of presentations for teens at Savage Library. It s a 3-part series on Saturday afternoons: March 24 at 1 PM, Gerry Kissel will talk about vegetable gardening April 28 at 1 PM, Pat Greenwald will present container gardening May 19 at 1 PM, Carolyn Feil will teach rain barrels and rain gardens 1 Daffodil Miller 5 Bay-wise UME 13 Continuing UME 20 LooseLeaf deadline 24 Teens, Laurel Jordan is working towards her Gold Award, the highest award in the Girl Scouts and equivalent to the Boy Scout Eagle Scout Award, and will be contributing a hands-on portion to each session. If you have a teen or know of one who would be interested, please encourage them to attend. 26 Youth Education UME Beth Blum Spiker, MG 2010, bblumspiker@me.com 27 Conservation Stewardship 31 Daffodil Day, Whipps Conservation Stewardship Project Tuesday (March 27) 9-11:30 AM South Wind Circle Trailhead We begin the season anew on Tuesday, March 27, at South Wind Circle Trailhead with garlic mustard pulling. Our goal for this year is to maintain all previously cleared patches and to find and remove any new or remaining satellite mustard invasions. This yearly maintenance restricts the plants' further spread. No experience necessary One-time volunteers welcome Wear long pants and water resistant boots or shoes Gloves and tools provided We start at 9:00 AM at the South Wind Circle trailhead. Take Route 29 to Route 108 west toward Clarksville, or Route 32 to Route 108 east. Turn onto Trotter Road, go about one mile to South Wind Circle. Enter the circle and proceed to trailhead opposite Misty Top Path. The MPEA (Middle Patuxent Environmental Area) comprises a diversity of habitat types, including upland and bottomland hardwood forest, fields, wetlands, ponds and riparian habitats. MGs partner with Howard Co Recreation & Parks for the Conservation Stewardship Project from March to November (except July and August) on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Clare Openshaw, MG 2012, helloclare@comcast.net LooseLeaf March 2018 Page 2

3 Youth Education Committee When spring arrives it s time to start thinking about school field trips and getting students outdoors to experience our beautiful landscape. The Youth Education Committee is offering two opportunities to serve our students. The Our Environment in Our Hands (OEOH) program is a field trip for fourth grade students in Howard County Title I schools. It is full day field experience with plenty of hands-on learning activities for students. That s where Master Gardeners come in you are needed to help students learn about soil, land use practices, watershed impacts and so much more. The program is held at the Howard County Living Farm Heritage Museum. This is a beautiful piece of property near the Ho Co Fairgrounds. Program training will be held on Fri., May 18, at either 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM OR 12:30 PM 3:30 PM. This year the programs will be held on the following dates: Monday, May 21, 8:45 AM 3:20 PM Tuesday, May 22, 8:45 AM 3:20 PM Wednesday, May 24, 8:45 AM 3:20 PM Tuesday, May 29, 8:45 AM 3:20 PM Wednesday, May 30, 8:45 AM 3:20 PM Thursday, May 31, 8:45 AM 3:20 PM Sign up to join the fun using this link. The Bioblitz is another way to help our students learn about plants and animals in our area. Volunteers work with a Howard County Conservancy naturalist and a group of 10 students to make observations about plants and animals found at the Belmont Historical Park in Elkridge. Sign up here to come out and learn more about this citizen science field trip. If you have questions, please join us at the next Youth Education Committee meeting on Monday, March 26, at 1:00 PM at the UME offices or contact Janice Winter via janicewinter29@gmail.com. Howard County Conservancy at Mt. Pleasant Our active gardening group is in the process of planning for another busy growing season. Weather permitting, we will begin working at the historic vegetable garden Friday, March 30th. The large log has been removed from the bottom of the garden so we will be adding a narrow raised bed to that area for more growing space. We will work every Friday -- when it is not raining -- from March 30th until the end of October. Work hours are from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. You are welcome to come join us whenever you can or other days can be arranged if you can't come on Fridays. Thanks to all those who responded to my request for seedling starters. I am still looking for native plant seedlings or divisions for our plant sale on Earth Day, Saturday, April 21st. Jo Ann Russo, MG 1997, jrusso1104@comcast.net LooseLeaf March 2018 Page 3

4 Growing Bolt-Free Onions Onions are one of my favorite vegetables to grow and use in the kitchen. They can be pickled, fried, sautéed, added to stews, cut into small pieces and frozen in sandwich bags with no additives, used as flavor carriers and enhancers and when eaten raw they can bring a tear to your eye and let you know who your friends truly are!! The list of uses is seemingly without end. My onion crop last year was less than stellar. I planted the traditional red, white and yellow bulbs and plants. To my dismay, many of them bolted early in the growing season. Bolting is a natural process that happens when the plant is under stress. When this happens, the plant prematurely sends out a flower stalk to set seeds for the next generation. Onions are biennial plants requiring two years to finish their life cycle. They grow from a seed to a plant to a bulb by the end of the first year. Many commercial suppliers harvest at this stage in late fall to be sold the following spring as a bulb. If grown from seed, the plant is allowed to grow until the stalks turns yellow; if this first year bulb does not bolt, it can be harvested and enjoyed. As gardeners, we can control few environmental influences on our gardens. Some onions, when exposed to cooler than average temperatures, see this as a signal to begin flower stalk initiation. The hot, dry days we experience later in the summer can cause bolting. Onions have small shallow roots and should have water every three days if it has not rained. Keep onions mulched to preserve moisture, at the same time remove all WEEDS around your onions. Onions do not like competition. The firm centrally located stalk, which flowers, grows up from the center of the bulb. Over-fertilizing onions early causes rapid growth which can result in bolting. Do not let onions flower. Protect your plants from early spring cold snaps by covering them. Keep your plants well watered during heat waves. Both efforts lower stress on your plants and the onion does not feel a need to set seed. Loose soil around the onions root causes stress because it decreases nutrient uptake. The bottom half of the onion, especially the roots, should be firmly in the soil. Onions that have bolted stop sending nutrients to the bulb and should have the stalk cut as soon as observed then harvested and used. It is important to note that bolted onions do not store well. For our region s gardens, pick intermediate-day or short-day onions if possible (this refers to the day length and sun exposure). Some suppliers do not list this on their packages but selecting the right type of onion can control bolting in gardens. Presently, you can start from seeds grown indoors, use sets or bulbs, and plants. Each has pluses and minuses. Growing your own onion seedlings consistently yield larger bulbs with little risk of bolting. Starting the seeds indoors is suggested for our area. Seeds give you greater choice of what onions you can grow although they require more effort and time on the part of the gardener until the plants are transferred to the garden. Growing bulbs or sets is the easiest way to grow green onions or scallions and these are easy to place in the garden. One drawback is decreased variety selection if purchased locally. Onion plants bolt less than bulbs but must be planted in warmer soil and close to their delivery time if commercially purchased. Again, varieties are more limited than seeds. By the way, onions, garlic and shallots are in the same family but they are all different. This is another story. Enjoy your onions! Patrick Monahan, MG 2016, pfsmonahan@gmail.com LooseLeaf March 2018 Page 4

5 Ask A Master Gardener That s You! The Ask a Master Gardener (AAMG) program is one of my favorite volunteer opportunities. Meeting new people, sharing tips and helping fellow gardeners really makes my day. While AAMG is one of our staple volunteer opportunities, I didn t realize the extent of its community outreach until program director, Greg Jones, shared these recent stats. In 2017, AAMG locations saw 868 visitors (up 10% over 2016), conducted 72 sessions (up 20% over 2016) and accomplished it all with 10% fewer volunteers. And, the AAMG program is gearing up for an even bigger year in 2018 by adding two new locations: the East Columbia and Elkridge Libraries. That s in addition to the Central, Miller and Glenwood Libraries and Greenfest, the Robinson Nature Center Native Plant Sale and the CMREC Open House. With the 2018 volunteer season starting, it s a fantastic time to either try out or revisit the AAMG program. To get your motor running, I ve curated a list of tips and suggestions for creating your best experience: Sign Up: That s the first step. Get the dates and locations that work best for you or sign up with a friend to share the date. And, it s easy. Just connect with a coordinator listed below. Before You Leave Home: Grab your Master Gardener badge and reference materials, class notes and such that you find helpful. Tuck in a mobile phone or tablet to easily look up answers or images for visitors. I like to bring a prop for the table a vase with flowers, a bowl of summer produce that can be an ice breaker for conversations or a draw for those too shy to approach the table. Set Up: It s best to arrive at least 15 to 30 minutes early to park and retrieve the supply box. Sign in on the data sheet, attach the banner to the table and organize supplies. Most locations have the tables and chairs set up for AAMG but if in doubt, just ask someone at the front desk. Oh, and, make sure to put on your badge. Open For Business: Smile and greet those passing by. Many visitors are curious, others will seek you out. I like having handy the Home and Garden Information Center card so visitors can follow up with additional questions and photos. Have your mobile device open and ready to help answer questions but I think you ll find many folks just love stopping by to tell you about their gardens. Capturing Visitor Information: Be sure to record the visitor information on the data sheet found in the binder. It s helpful to write down visitor questions on the reverse side of the data sheet. Closed For Business: Wow time to wrap up already? Double check that you ve signed in and finalized the visitor information. Take down the banner, pack up the supply box and return it to the appropriate location. Also, be sure to enter your volunteer hours. We d love to have you be part of the AAMG Program and help us grow our community outreach. For volunteering opportunities, please contact Greg Jones, jone6063@verizon.net, the Program Coordinator, or the site coordinators: Barbara White, barbarawhite17@yahoo.com at Miller Library, Clare Openshaw, helloclare@comcast.net at Glenwood Library, Patrick Monahan, pfsmonahan@gmail.com at Central & East Columbia Libraries, and Kathy Plitt, plittk@yahoo.com at Elkridge Library. Barbara S. Shuster, Class of 2015, shuathome@verizon.net LooseLeaf March 2018 Page 5

6 Start using the new MG logo today. It s easy! Here s a link to the MG logo page on the Extension website. It s the one-stop shop for everything you need: logos in black and white or full color, logos for horizontal or vertical shape, and all six of the subset logos. The subset logos are the ones to use for Baywise, Composting, Grow It Eat It, Plant Clinics, Pollinators and Natives. Printed pieces: For most printed pieces you ll want to use the jpg files. You can choose the black and white logo from the jpg files for the majority of your needs. For colorful, printed pieces (tri-folds, fliers, posters, etc.) you should choose the color version (RGB) of a jpg file. Remember, when you are sizing the logo to make it smaller, always pull from a corner so you don t skew the logo. Slide presentations: Beginning and ending slides for PowerPoint are available online. Just use the link above to arrive at the MG logo page. It s imperative that all of us add these slides to our current presentations as soon as possible. It will reinforce MG branding efforts by the University of Maryland Extension. Note: the ending slide includes a space to fill in Howard. Please remove the underline! It s there just to indicate where to type in our county. There are a total of five slides to incorporate into your existing and new presentations. The first three (slides 1 to 3) should be inserted at the start of your presentation. The last two (slides 4 and 5) should end of your presentation. If you have questions about using the new logo in printed pieces, or how to incorporate the five slides into your presentations, please contact Roy or Janine. Roy Heath: therents2001@yahoo.com Janine Grossman: janinegrossman@gmail.com (horizontal logo) (stacked logo) The Living Forest. A Visual Journey into the Heart of the Woods. (2017). Joan Maloof, au and Robert Llewellyn, ph. Portland, OR, Timber Press. I have Georgia Eaker to thank for pointing me in the direction of this stunning book. She suggested in her December 2017, that there was enjoyment and learning to be discovered in these pages. And so there are. Spending time among these arresting photographs and lyrical essays is a pleasure not to be missed. The forest, in all of its guises,is a wonder in all that is seen and unseen. It is the intention of the authors to celebrate the part of the biosphere known as the temperate deciduous forest, and all the life it contains. It is our wish that increased understanding will provide motivation for allowing the forest to continue unimpeded on its wild trajectory. (p. 9) LooseLeaf March 2018 Page 6

7 (Continued from page 6) The forest is referred to as the lungs of the land, as it inhales carbon dioxide and exhales oxygen and water vapor. Through twelve descriptive chapters we are introduced to the mystery, the creatures, and the layers of the forest. The book begins with the trees themselves and their role in sustaining not just our planet but the habitat provided to all who dwell there. Time is presented in stunning visual depictions of the forest as it moves through the four seasons. Next, the underground life of the forest, the roots and fungi, are explored in vivid portraits and metaphors. And do not miss the final section on feelings, those evoked by this world in all of its seen and unseen magnificence. The photographs are gorgeous. We are given an exquisite view, albeit second hand, of this spectacular habitat. I challenge the readers to find just one photograph to call the best in this dazzling array, as all are evocative of the subtle beauty and magic of this world. What a visual delight for the senses. This book reads like an homage, a visual-narrative prose poem, an epic on the grand scale of the Odyssey and the humbler musings of Leaves of Grass. This book is a keeper. Pattee Fletcher, MG 2014, patteefletcher@yahoo.com Latin for Gardeners March s Native Maryland Plant Lonicera sempervirens L. (lon-iss-er-ah sem-per-veer-enz) Common Name: Trumpet or Coral Honeysuckle The migration has begun! The Ruby-throated Hummingbird has been spotted in Florida and will be arriving in our area in April. To attract them to your garden, plant this well-behaved, semi-evergreen vine. Lonicera sempervirens tolerates all soil conditions and takes heavy pruning, as needed. Hummingbirds are creatures of habit so once they visit your yard it s likely they ll return the following year. I planted Lonicera spp. in my garden over 5 years ago and have had the good fortune to have nesting hummingbirds every year since. LooseLeaf March 2018 Page 7

8 (Continued from page 7) Lonicera sempervirens also supports insect pollinators and will easily fill a vertical void in your garden. NOTE: One of the reasons we use the Latin name is to avoid purchasing or recommending the wrong plant. Lonicera sempervirens should never be confused with the exotic and invasive Lonicera japonica that has invaded many of the parks and trails in Maryland. Alison Milligan, MG 2013, aligmilligan@gmail.com 14 Exhibits Featured During Volunteer Opportunity Fair The Class of 2018 got an extended look at our signature programs and activities, as well as additional volunteer options, during the annual Fair at Miller library. The noise level was high as the trainees and many certified MGs discussed 2018 plans to fulfill the requirement of volunteer hours. Thanks goes to Paul DiCrispino and Betty Rice who arrived early to help set up tables and chairs. There was a table with an array of snacks thanks to many MGs. Food and beverage was coordinated by Kathy Hartley. After visiting the exhibits, some of the trainees teams got together to discuss their upcoming presentations. They were glad to have a chance to talk with committee members and other MGs who readily offered advice on topics and research sources. (Continued on page 9) LooseLeaf March 2018 Page 8

9 Special thanks goes to Lois Savar-Rock for coordinating the Fair, and to Chris Campbell for assisting. Lois and Chris were teammates during the Class of Other members of last year s class have quickly become active, too: Nancy Lemich and Bob Doyle are mentors, and Kathy Plitt (a teammate of Lois and Chris!) is coordinating AAMG sessions at Elkridge library. Please share comments and suggestions for next year s Fair with Georgia Eacker or send a note to mglooseleafeditor@gmail.com. We invite you to submit articles on any topic that supports the UME mission in Howard County. Send submissions to MGLooseLeafEditor@gmail.com by the 20th of each month for consideration to the following month's newsletter. Please limit your submissions to a 350 or fewer word count, and credit the source for any photographs not your own. Sign your submission with your name, address, and MG graduation date. LooseLeaf March 2018 Page 9

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