Greene Garden News Greene County Master Gardeners Newsletter

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1 September 17, 2017 Volume 18, Issue 9 Greene County Master Gardeners Newsletter 2017 Greene County Fair Marks 130 Years Special Interest: Plant It Forward Player: Joy Gatlin Sept. Birthdays: Sept. 6: Ken Fletcher Sept. 13: Kathy Graber Sept. 14: Wanda Howerton Sept. 21: Jean Crossno Sept. 24: Holly Fletcher Refreshments: Ann Bowers & Brenda Barr Speaker: Terry Rogers, Rogers Tree Service Fair time came with lots of hustle bustle! Work went on for months to get all the beds ready and with help from some very dedicated members and agent Dave Freeze, we got it all done! Marilyn, Kathy and Connie dug deep to get the circle bed made. Linda, Brenda, Tabitha, Patti, Libby, and Connie painted eight butterfly stepping stones for the bed so visitors could identify those butterflies in the garden. A tutuer was placed in the center and planted with Madison jasmine and orange honeysuckle vine, accented with lime green sweet potato vine. Yellow lantana was placed between each stepping stone for added color and nectar for our pollinators. The bed is bordered in white rock. Individual Highlights: Pres. Notes/TR 2 Minutes 3 Projects/Com. 4 RRR Seminar 5 Member Pics 6 Pruning Roses 7 We weeded and planted; pruned, papered and mulched; planted eight pots and added something new to the Butterfly Garden to create interest and make it more educational. Dave tilled the spot and Cora, Brenda, Brenda painted the largest stepping stone, a 15 x 15 so it was placed front and center! Greene County CES 201 W. Court Str. Rm. 205 Federal Building Paragould, AR Phone (870) Fax (870) Officers: President: Connie Whitman Vice President: Bonnie Hamilton Secretary: Libby Christie Treasurer: Holly Fletcher Bonnie, Wanda, Joy Martha, Donna, Sue, Susan, & Holly assisted with GC Fair Flower & Plant Entries As our largest project, much time and work goes into the fairgrounds every year. With continued support from members and the fair board, the beds and grounds will continue to evolve into something really special.

2 Page 2 of 5 Planted Pot for the Fair Events Calendar Sept. 25: Mon. GCMG Meeting, GC Library Legacy Room, 6 pm. Sept : PNG Leadership, Ferndale, 4-H Center Oct. 5: St. Francis County MG Seminar Fall into Gardening, Forrest City Oct 9: MG Appreciation Day; South AR Arboretum, 9am-3pm El Dorado. FREE Oct. 10: BBL GC Library Legacy Room, Branon Theisse, Craighead Staff Chair: Pesticide Use Oct 14: Christmas in October Monroe County MGs, Brinkley, Cost: Early Registration: $15.00, 9:30-2:00 Nov. 18: Special Fall Event with Chris Olsen Nov. 28: Holiday Potluck Tabitha McFadden Presidents Notes Wow, another great year for the fairgrounds! So much work by so many members and what a difference it made! We started early getting the grounds ready and every bed had all the mulch it needed! I think that s a first! We added a couple of pots by the office door for more color, but the highlight for the year is the circle bed by the Butterfly Garden. It really added something special to the area, and if you haven t seen it yet, you really should make a trip to do so. The stepping stones are outstanding! Monarchs are beginning to show up and the other butterflies are happy to be there too! A great big thanks to all the members and Dave for coming out and working so hard to make things look nice at the fairgrounds. It just gets better and better! Connie (L-R) Mentor Nancy Rogers & Mentee Debbie Walters, PNG Batesville Treasurers Report FNB Beginning Balance 8/01/17-8/31/ Debits: None Credits: None Ending Balance Outstanding Credit Silent Auction Shirt Total Funds Available Respectfully submitted 9/12/17 Holly Fletcher, Treasurer 2018 MG Calendar Orders are due by Thursday September 21 st. or text Connie to place your order. Pay upon pickup at the Oct. 24th meeting. Fair Pot Planted for Office Annuals to Perennials This is the second year for the Annuals to Perennials event and mentors, mentees and county agents were invited to attend. Mentor Nancy Rogers and Mentee Debbie Walters attended the Batesville event Saturday August 19 th. Both said they really enjoyed it and the presenters were excellent. Sessions were also available for August 18-Fayetteville, August 20-Little Rock, and August 21- Hope. Programs for all four sessions featured Janet Carson, University of Arkansas Extension Horticulture Specialist, Consumer Horticulture Specialist, and Master Gardener State Coordinator. Her sessions were: "In the Garden -What You Should Be Doing Now to Make Your Garden Shine" and "Turning an Annual to a Perennial Volunteer" Bob Byers, Director of the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens Chief On-site Administrator for the Fort Worth Parks and Recreation Department presented "Color Combinations in the Garden"

3 Page 3 of 8 Minutes of August 22, 2017 Greene County Master Gardener Meeting August 22, 2017 Greene County Library Legacy Room Refreshments were provided by Joy Gatlin and Cora Flanery, and there was a wide variety of snacks and desserts. Thank you Joy and Cora! Additionally, they provided a special celebration for Hannah Riggs for her wedding coming in September. Joy and Cora brought cake and punch and Hannah was presented a gift card by our group and several gifts from members, too. Kathy Graber introduced the night s speaker, George Selden. He is the U of A Extension Aquaculture Specialist at Pine Bluff. He presented a power point on Water Gardens which attract a variety of wildlife. Safety is most important and said, make it with steps and not too deep! With any water garden, planning and designing up front will save money later. George brought up many details that one should consider when planning a water garden. It was an excellent presentation and everyone appreciated the information. Martha Chiles and Joy Gatlin received their Lifetime Membership pins and certificates. Once again, thank you Martha and Joy for your commitment to GCMG! When asked if there were any questions on the minutes and treasurer s report printed in the newsletter, none were reported. Wanda Howerton motioned to approve. The minutes and treasurer s report stood as printed in the newsletter. Officer nominations are needed by September, and a complete slate of officers should be presented for a vote in October. Of the four positions available, one presidential nomination has been submitted to the Nomination Committee by Pauletta Tobey. Nominations and opportunities for a new board remain open. Because all members of the Executive Board will be at the PNG conference in September, the September monthly meeting will move to Monday, September 25 th. Linda updated everyone on the second Rain Barrel Workshop. The workshop went well with 14 participants from GCMG, Craighead County MG, and a previous GCMG member. Debbie Walters and Nancy Rogers attended the Annuals to Perennials conference in Batesville. Nancy said they really enjoyed the conference and the presenters were excellent. Linda Glickert said she and Sue Gilmartin were planning to attend PNG in Little Rock, but she was unable to go. Greene County Fair Flower and Plant entries will be handled by several volunteers from the GCMG, led by Holly Fletcher. For those volunteering, please arrive at 7:30 in the morning on Tuesday September 5 th. Dave Freeze said he would take volunteers for the fruit and vegetables too. The MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) was finally received for the Chris H. Olsen event and has been sent to the state office for approval and a signature. The cost will be $660 and include his fee and mileage. This will be paid from registration fees per a requisition provided from the extension office. Wanda Howerton asked about refreshments and Connie explained there would not be a meal, just finger foods and drinks. Members will pay $10, attendees $15, and the event limited to 75 people. The event is on November 18 th from 10 to 1. After hearing the Chris H. Olsen event will be limited to 75 attendees, and the reasons why, Linda Glickert updated the Spring Gardening Seminar and stated she will also set a limit of 75. Linda has been keeping in touch with her committee by . She ordered 100 red oak tree seedlings for $30 from the Arkansas Forestry Commission for the conference and plans to pick them up in Jonesboro a week before the seminar. Connie handed out a checklist on how to host a seminar for anyone interested in presenting one in the future. The list was created from experiences and lessons learned from the 2016 Advanced Training Class and Spring Seminar in The list provides a great foundation and a coaching tool for anyone that might be interested in hosting such an event. Libby asked members to submit suggestions of best sellers from past plant sales and to submit what they might bring to next year s sale. Having an idea now will help the committee anticipate what will need to be grown or acquired. Libby also updated the membership on the last committee meeting and coordinators for each part of the plant sale, with a brief update on publicity, plant information, speakers and inventories. Linda Glickert said the next BBL, September 12 th will host Dave Freeze speaking on Composting. She hopes to see everyone there. The membership will need to decide on two $50.00 donations to the Awards Nominations and the Janet B. Carson Scholarship by the October meeting. Donations are due January 15, A Project Proposal was presented on behalf of the Executive Board for a one time only project for an AHTD Operation Wildflower Project. (Continued Page 5)

4 L8inda Linda Glickert Connie Whitman Brown Bag Lunch September 12 th GC Agent Dave Freeze presented a program on Composting which we all enjoyed very much. October 10 th Craighead County Staff Chair Branon Thiesse will present Pesticide Use. November 14th Sherrie Sanders White County Agri Agent will talk on Fruits. No BBL in December. Linda Glickert Page 4 of 5 Project Updates GC Courthouse: Nancy Rogers & Patti Roberts Chairs: Rainbow Garden: Joy Gatlin & Richard Yeazel Chairs: Homecoming is September 30 th at the Children s Home and our Rainbow Garden will be all ready for the many visitors that will come that day. The lantana is beautiful and full. The upper level plants are trimmed and mulched. It will be a wonderful day to celebrate the many, many years that the Home has helped children. GC Fairgrounds: Connie Whitman & Nancy Rogers Chairs: It s a wrap! All beds cleaned, mulched and pruned to look great for the fair. The BG circle bed was completed with stepping stones and tuteur; and the 30 plants in pots have been added to FG beds. Centennial Park: Bonnie Hamilton & Marilyn White Chairs: One urn was damaged and will be repaired and returned soon. Main Street Caboose: Tacie Huffman & Jean Crossno Chairs: The Caboose Garden plants are still looking good after the summer heat. The Hyacinth beans and Mexican Petunias are in full bloom. The spent flowers have been trimmed and weeded getting ready for the fall. Drive by and enjoy! Spring Gardening Seminar: Linda Glickert, Lead: The committee is enjoying a quiet spell before the rush. GC Museum: Linda Glickert & Wanda Howerton Chairs: Looking good. Historical Herb Garden: Libby Christie & Nancy Rogers Chairs: No report. The Knockout Rose Bushes did not look good, and may have a type of fungus. I consulted with Patty R. Her suggestion was to cut them down and that is what I did. With the Rose bushes cut down, the beds look much cleaner. All other plants are looking good. The Lantana in the urns have filled out and are blooming. Spring Plant Sale: Libby Christie Lead: No committee meeting this month. Bland Baseball Park: Kathy Graber & Sue Gilmartin Chairs: Finished for the season. GC Library: Sue Gilmartin & Linda Glickert Chairs: No report. Airport: Kathy Graber & Tabitha McFadden Chairs: Is looking good. East Sign: Pauletta Tobey & Dr. Laird Chairs: Redesign will start soon. GC Flower Entries Booth: Holly Fletcher, Lead: Thank to Bonnie, Wanda, Joy Martha, Donna, Sue, and Susan for their help in the flower entry booth. It went well and we were finished by 10. Thanks to Dave. He assisted with whatever we needed. He did a great job with the veggie booth and it was well organized and looked to have a nice variety of produce this year. South Sign: Brenda Barr & Pauletta Tobey Chairs: No report. Trellis Garden: Pauletta Tobey & Dr. Laird Chairs: Nothing new to report. * Reminder: Project Evaluations are due in October but would like them by the September meeting if possible. Committee Comments Sunshine: Joy Gatlin, Lead, & Cora Flanery: We have 5 September birthdays for our Master Gardeners and will send get well and others the rest of the year to friends of the Master Gardeners. Scrapbook: Carolyn Palmer, Lead: Need articles and pictures. Plant Markers: Martha Chiles, Lead: Continuing to make plant lists as needed. Membership: Connie Whitman, Lead: Looking for names of people interested in attending MG training in January. Publicity: Sue Gilmartin Lead: The next big event to advertise is Chris H. Olsen. Hours Management: Patti Roberts, Lead: Post hours monthly to keep them current. Patti Roberts

5 Page 5 of 8 (L-R) Nancy Rogers. Linda Glickert, Pauletta Tobey, Patti Roberts, Tacie Huffman, Cora Flanery, Libby Christie, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Marion Sept, 9th Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Seminar Seven Greene County Master Gardeners, Nancy Rogers, Pauletta Tobey, Tacie Huffman, Libby Christie, Linda Glickert, Patti Roberts and Cory Flanery traveled to Marion, Arkansas Sat. Sept. 9 th to enjoy a full day hosted by the Crittenden County Master Gardeners. We enjoyed snacks, drinks, food and six presentations from highly qualified, entertaining speakers, along with parting gifts of crafts and potted flowers. We started the day with Linda Phillips a master gardener, who did a presentation, Recycle Right, which not only covered recycling but re-using recycled material to make something useful. Jim Volgas, also a master gardener and arborist presented Composting Made Easy on composing and plant nutrition. Melisa Nowag, a master gardener and educator covered Rain Gardens; Ginny Fletcher, president of the Memphis Master Gardeners, Vertical Gardening; and Chris O Bryan, an arborist from Memphis Botanic Garden, presented Landscaping with Native Plants. After filling our plates with bodacious food catered by a local restaurant, we heard from the "Best for Last" speaker, Chris Cosby, director and cofounder, Plants + People in Memphis, TN. He spoke on Sustainable Vegetable Gardening/Farming. Each and every speaker presented knowledge, information, and ways of thinking in a different direction or with a totally new concept. Chris Cosby blew us away thinking not just about today, or how much money we will make or save, but what will it be like in the future for our kids and grandkids. He encouraged everyone to do things now that will still be here in the future. Chris Cosby was "totally awesome" per Libby Christie, but I think we all were impressed not only with Chris but with all the speakers. We learned something new from each and every one of them in an entertaining and light hearted manner. The seminar was a good "Bang for your Bucks." We all had a good time, enjoyed the trip and had wonderful camaraderie between new acquaintances and fellow members. Pauletta Tobey (Continued Minutes Page 3) Information on the project was provided by Kayti Ewing at the last BBL. The project could use Dusty Kennemore s donation from last year in the amount of $ to purchase seeds. If we could raise the total amount to $500, we would receive two sponsored by signs in lieu of signs stating that the area was simply a wildflower project. Pauletta Tobey proposed that instead of waiting to the next meeting that we move forward to commit Dusty s donation to the one-time only project. Connie advised we could vote to do this as a project, commit his donation now, and if other sponsors were found and/or more money funded later, enlarge the project area. We will receive a list of seeds from AHTD based on the size of the project. Linda Glickert, Wanda Howerton, and Pauletta Tobey volunteered as committee members to select a proposed site. Cora Flanery suggested if everyone would contribute $10 to the project, it would take the group closer to the $500 amount needed. Members can also contribute their own wildflower plugs and AHTD will plant them. By participating in the project, we ll also have a better seed selection. AHTD is working on the buffers/easements between the crops and the proposed wildflower projects in eastern Arkansas. Wanda said that she has a lot of larkspur, and Holly noted at BBL she has seeds from milkweed she harvested. State Award Nominations will be presented in October and announced in November. Pauletta requested that Linda Glickert be considered for Master Gardener of the Year and Libby stated she has already been nominated for the award and will be on the ballot. Project Evaluation forms were given to Project Coordinators and will need to be completed and returned by the last meeting in October. GC Fair books were available for members to pick up. Names were drawn for house plants donated by Rose Dearin: Kathy Graber-schefflera; Nancy Rogers- peace lily; and Hannah Riggs-split leaf philodendron. Wanda Howerton won the bid for the Silent Auction item for a Master Gardener denim shirt donated by Dr. and Mrs. Laird. The Plant it Forward plant brought by Connie was won by Joy Gatlin. It was a mixed shade garden with a lime green hosta, strawberry geranium, and variegated ajuga. There was no further business so the meeting adjourned at 8:10. Members in attendance were: Joy Gatlin, Cora Flanery, Connie Whitman, Wanda Howerton, Jean Crossno, Nancy Rogers, Linda Glickert, Libby Christie, Kathy Graber, Tacie Huffman, Pauletta Tobey, Dr. James Laird, Debbie Walters, Holly Fletcher, Hannah Riggs, Tabitha McFadden, Martha Chiles, Ann Bowers, Patti Roberts; agent Dave Freeze; and guests Jo Laird, and Hannah s mom, Dana Bradford. Respectfully submitted by Secretary Libby Christie Connie Whitman

6 Page 6 of 8 (L-R) Nancy Rogers & Debbie Walters, PNG Batesville GCFG Butterfly Garden with new Stepping Stones Circle (L-R) Brenda Barr, Pauletta Tobey, Jim Barr GCFG, Members & Judge Leisa Pittman Sept. 5 th Flower & Plant Entries August 30th GCFG Weeping Mulberry South Bed Before Debbie Walters, GCFG, August 30th Sue Gilmartin, GCFG August 30 th Debbie Walter s truck after the work was done! After

7 Page 7 of 8 Proper Pruning Keeps Roses Blooming and Healthy Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Saturday August 12, 2017 Pruning is vital to keeping container or patio-grown teas roses looking good all summer. Story and photos by Maureen Gilmer Tribune News Service All over America, yards have older hybrid tea roses languishing for lack of care. These are often specimens planted anytime from a decade to a century ago. They re discovered when you buy or rent a house, often miraculously still alive but not very productive. If you re handy with clippers, theres an easy way to make these plants more productive with just a little regular pruning. It will rejuvenate them into blooming continuously all the way to frost. Here are the basics: SIZE Tea roses are fast-growing plants that produce basal canes just above the graft and new flowering wood on the growth tips. Each time flowering wood branches, the new shoot will be smaller in diameter than its predecessor. The smaller diameter stems produce only small roses that dangle due to the weight. The rule of thumb for pruning your flowering wood is to keep the stems to the diameter of a pencil and no smaller for strong stem, upright cut flowers. SHAPE Pruning flowering wood also is a process of shaping your rose. The ideal is an open top vase shape that allows light and air to reach inside the plant to discourage disease. For this reason every cut you make should support this by facing outward whenever possible. Over time, this results in a larger, healthier plant overall. FLOWERS Each tea rose flower may be followed by s fruit or hip if it s pollinated. Flower growers do not let these develop by cutting their flowers often to bring indoors. When they cut, energy is sent into new buds to help them develop more quickly. That s why rose people are always out there cutting each spent flower promptly, and when they cut it they use a special method. Trace the spent flower down its stem to the parent branch. Count three nodes (small dots or bumps, not thorns) up from the joint and make the cut there. Ideally the bud should face outward or in a desirable direction. If it s bound for conflict, go to the second or fourth bud to get a properly oriented new stem. This threenode method is universal, so you can t make a mistake during the growing season. Most of these tea roses were grafted, which means the scion variety such as Peace is grafted onto another rose called the rootstock. This rootstock was often an old vigorous red rambler. When you see red roses or small white ones that resemble apple blossoms amid more spectacular flowers on the same plant, know its a rootstock sucker. They literally suck up all the nutrition and water, denying your varietal scion wood. Trim them off. A healthy rose produces new canes just above this graft union. Allow these to flourish into replacements for old dying ones. Make a point of removing any and all dead wood, twigs or canes throughout the whole plant. Remove them by cutting back to living wood so the wound can heal and produce new replacement growth. If in doubt about living or dead, nick the bark before you cut. It it s green underneath, it s alive. Always keep your rose pruners razor sharp. The cleaner your cut, the faster it heals and the less dieback results. It you must cut a big green cane during the heat if summer, dab some craft paint on the open wound for a bandage to prevent dieback. Use long handled loppers to cut out the big old canes and a short pruning saw is perfect for rotting stumps of dead sections. Even though roses slowdown in the late summer heat, they can be coaxed to produce some blooms with these techniques. To get great performance out of existing roses in your yard, let coffee or cocktail remind you to go out and snip each day. The roses will flourish under this care, turning old neglected plants in the great color spot of your garden without spending a penny. (Maureen Gilmer is an author, horticulturist and landscape designer. Learn more at McPlants.com) (Article provided by Martha Chiles) Often certain hybrid teas are not pruned properly when plated with other types of roses with different needs.

8 Page 8 of 8 Arkansas Monarch and Pollinator Summit 2017 Thursday October 12 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Registration is Free RSVP by September 27th Greene Garden News Greene County Master Gardeners Newsletter Contributors Holly Fletcher Libby Christie Pauletta Tobey Martha Chiles Debbie Walters Maureen Gilmer Editor Connie Whitman The Arkansas Monarch and Pollinator Summit 2017 follows the Arkansas Monarch Summit that was held in November On October 12, 2017 the Arkansas Monarch Conservation Partnership will present the draft version of the Arkansas Monarch and Pollinator Conservation Plan for public comment and review. Submit articles by the 15 th of each month to cwhitman@grnco.net This plan will also be made available online for those who cannot attend in person More details on a specific location and agenda will be distributed in the coming months. A venue has not yet been identified; however, the location of this summit will be held in North Little Rock. Lunch will be provided. Information provided using the RSVP form on the site will be used to contact you with additional information regarding this event. Just go to: Arkansasmonarchs.org/event The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. September by John Updike "The breezes taste of apple peel. The air is full of smells to feel- Ripe fruit, old footballs, burning brush, New books, erasers, chalk, and such. The bee, his hive, well-honeyed hum, And Mother cuts chrysanthemums. Like plates washed clean with suds, The days are polished with a morning haze."