My Purple Hyacinth Bean Vine by Midge Willis Everybody likes to be rewarded for their hard work, but there is one plant that rewards the one who plants it time after time, all in the same year but in lots of different ways, all summer long. It's the Hyacinth Bean vine. With a little fertilizer, good soil, water, and lots of sun you will be blown away by this plant in the legume family, but PLEASE, do not eat the beans it produces. They are not edible unless they are cooked in one certain way and, in fact, may make you sick. Hyacinth Bean Vines are an annual plant and come in different colors, but my favorite is the purple flowered one. They love to climb on anything that stays still long enough. March 2015 After you get past the ugly dried seed pods, the seeds are just beautiful and look very much like an Oreo cookie. Someone even commented they would make a pretty necklace! Plant that beautiful seed just as you would plant peas or beans, and almost before you can say Jack Sprat, the vine will come scooting out of the ground looking for something to climb on. It grows fast, so don't wait too long to give it something for support. A fence is perfect. Very soon you will have a beautiful vine with lots of leaves that looks like most other legumes, with three leaflets on each stem. That alone makes a beautiful shade from the hot evening sun if it was planted in the right location. But this plant isn't finished yet. Bean Vine continues on page 5 Inside the Gardener s Scoop Bean Vine...1,5 Meeting Minutes... 2-3 Advanced MG Program... 4 Good Time at La. Tech... 5 Schedule... 6 Gardener s Scoop - March 2015 Page!1
NELA Master Gardener Association Meeting Minutes for February 9, 2014 Call to Order Steve Hotard, the Vice President, called the meeting to order. He expressed his appreciation for the retirement reception. Minutes were approved as recorded in the newsletter. Steve Thomas reported on the financial activities and balance of funds as of January 31, 2015. sent to Baton Rouge for grading. A letter is sent informing you of your grade, and informing you that your license will be issued by return mail upon receipt of your $25 license fee. After you get your pesticide license, you may apply for acceptance into the Advanced Master Gardener Program. There are five required classes (one every 2 months) beginning in June, 2015 which will be held in the Ouachita Extension Office, then 2 additional classes in specific interest areas. Presentation / Education Update on Greenhouse Dr. Warren Daniels reported on the current status of the new greenhouse that is being erected behind the main office at Kiroli Pari. Thirty-two yards of fill dirt have been spread, and the site is being leveled and support wall erected on the downhill side. Rocks should be delivered soon. There will be a work day to begin erecting the structure. New Master Gardener Class The next class of Master Gardeners will begin on March 26, and will be held on Thursdays from 6-9. The classes will be limited to 30. Current Master Gardeners are welcome to attend sessions they are interested in. Elaine Boudreaux provided an estimate to purchase the supplies and set up the food tables for the meetings. Her offer was approved by vote. Butterfly Garden Elaine reported that the sprinkler system head locations are marked. Springfest Judy reported that we need volunteers. Planting at Kiroli Park is currently happening on Tuesdays, and it is planned that this will be expanded to Tuesdays and Thursdays after Christy gets back. There is a plan to section off the tables for plants, and to have knowledgeable volunteers in charge of each section. Sign up sheets are available. Meeting Minutes continue on page 3 Advanced Master Gardener Class Further specifics about the requirements and procedures for the new Advanced Master Gardener certification were provided. The first phase is to obtain a private pesticide applicator license. The $15 textbook, National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual, can be obtained from parish extension offices, where you can also take the test. The test is Gardener s Scoop - March 2015 Page!2
Meeting Minutes continued from page 2 4-H Scholarship Dawn will talk to Kerry about sending out reminders to agents. Ruston Master Gardeners are interested in learning about our procedure. Tech Garden Seminar Tech staff is providing a free workshop open to the public on Saturday, February 21 from 8-12. Calendars Debbie announced that there are still calendars left, available to Master Gardeners for $10. Daffodil Invitation Mary McFarland invited the Master Gardeners to her home on Saturday, March 21 from 2-4 to view daffodils and enjoy snacks. St. Matthews Catholic Church Laura Hardin requested assistance with the landscaping at St. Matthews, an historic church. The rectory is an 1850s building. They have pulled up the landscape and need help with a landscape theme, and choosing appropriate plants that will look good all the time. The beds are ready, and the church will pay for plants and do the work. Christy suggested we help and put out a sign that it is a MG project. The church may do tours. Other Business Midge brought hyacinth bean seed to be shared. Steve Hotard is looking for loofa seeds. There were free blue bottles. Also crinum bulbs may be available to dig from a pasture. The meeting was adjourned at 6:55. NELA MG Board Members Board Officers President Christy Francis Vice President Steve Hotard Secretary Virginia Lee Treasurer Steve Thomas Recorder Helen Hotard Historian Lilly Mathews Board Members-at-Large Elaine Johnson Laura Hardin Warren Daniel Dancing Queen narcissis bulb purchased at the fall bulb sale. Submitted by Virginia Lee. Gardener s Scoop - March 2015 Page!3
Advanced Master Gardener Program Adapted from Kerry Heffner s Feb. 6 e-mail Registration has opened for the Advanced Master Gardener Program, a horticultural service and educational program of the LSU AgCenter. The Advanced Master Gardener Program is essentially an extension of the Master Gardener Program, and is open to any Louisiana Master Gardener who: 1) is in good standing with program, 2) has completed all initial coursework, and 3) has at least a year of volunteer service. The fee for the Advanced Master Gardener Program is $100.00, plus any costs associated with obtaining Private Pesticide Applicator s License (keep reading). Those signing up will be expected to 1) complete all thee program phases, 2) demonstrate mastery of concepts by passing exams with a score of 70% or higher, 3) present information to public (through LMG groups, civic organizations, newspaper articles etc.), and 4) maintain required volunteer and continuing education hours. The Advanced Louisiana Master Gardener Program will consist of three phases: Phase I: Obtain private pesticide applicator license. Then, submit application to participate in the Advanced Louisiana Master Gardener Program. Applications can be obtained through your local Master Gardener coordinator or from the LSU AgCenter web site. Phase II: Complete five core classes. These classes will each be offered in two-month blocks running into early 2016. Note the dates that these lectures will be given at the Ouachita Extension Office auditorium, 704 Cypress Street, West Monroe, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. to accommodate those who work or have other obligations during the day. The classes are: Nutrient Management: June 1, 2015, 6:00-9:00 p.m. (Speaker: J. Stevens) First detector/plant diagnostics: August 24, 2015, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. (Speaker: Dr. Raj Singh) Integrated pest management: October 5th, 2015, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. (Speaker: Dennis Ring) Water quality/irrigation: December 7th, 2015, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. (Speaker: Stacie Davis. This will be a pre-recorded presentation.) Communication skills: February 1st, 2016, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. (Speaker: Frankie Gould) If there is a conflict with the above dates, you can attend a different region s class or view the material online. Phase III: Complete two additional classes in specific areas of interest. These areas include: Plant propagation, landscape design, greenhouse management, turf management, lawn care, fruit crops, vegetable production, ornamental horticulture, tree selection and care, plant materials, composting and mulching, native plants, school and community gardens, pruning, and organics. Various topics from this list will be offered each year. Any qualified Louisiana Master Gardener wishing to enroll in the Advanced Master Gardener Program can fill out and submit an application with registration fee to: Miles Brashier, State Master Gardener Coordinator, at the mailing address listed on the registration form. The registration fee must be paid for through the AgCenter Online Store. Registration will remain open through the end of March 2015. Should you have any questions regarding the Advanced Master Gardener Program, contact either Miles Brashier, State Master Gardener Coordinator, Point Coupee Parish Extension Office: (225) 638-5533 or Dr. Sara Rogers Shields, Assistant Extension Agent, Point Coupee Parish, at the same number. Gardener s Scoop - March 2015 Page!4
Bean Vine continued from page 1 Give it a little TLC and it will produce groups of gorgeous purple flowers that will make you drool. The bees will thank you for this vine all season. Keep looking because you will be surprised again very soon. Before long, the vine will have the beautiful purple flowers all over it. Then, when you think it can't get any better than this, the seed pods appear. At first the seed pods are not all that impressive, but in keeping with how fast this plant does everything, the pods soon turn the most beautiful shade of purple I have ever seen. The seed pods hang in clusters like grapes. Now I know why they call it the Hyacinth BEAN vine. For this plant, everything else was just the introduction, the seed pod is the star of the show that goes on all summer. Towards the end of summer, if all of the right elements are in place, carefully, ever so gently, dig down to the roots using your hands so as to not harm the plant and you will find your last surprise from this plant. The plant just had to prove it really is in the legume family by producing little nitrogen nodules on most of the roots, and that is where I planted my collard plants this past Fall. I planted one collard plant right between each Hyacinth Bean vine, along the fence surrounding my garden. The collards did wonderful this year, better than ever, by using the nitrogen left there by the Hyacinth Bean vine and shaded by the vine from the late summer s hot evening sun. That was my reward for planting the right plant in the right place, twice. A Good Time Was Had by All by Virginia Lee On Saturday, February 21, six of our Master Gardener group were among the seventy-five or so people who attended a garden seminar put on by Louisiana Tech for the public. Elaine, Dawn, John, Steve, Warren, and I (and my husband) spent an informative morning at the second Home Garden Workshop held at Lomax Hall. The emcee, Dr. Paul Jackson, was delighted with the turnout since last year s attendance was about thirty. The workshop subjects were based on requests listed in the comments from last year s evaluations sheets. This year s first topic was organic vegetable gardening techniques, covered by Dr. Jackson. Waggoner Russell, who is in charge of the greenhouses and gardens at Tech, demonstrated the benefits and practical application of home drip irrigation systems. My husband is now a convert and wants to invest in a system for his big garden in the country. After the break, Dr. Maureen Hillard talked about techniques for developing and maintaining backyard compost. The last topic was identification and control of common tomato pests, presented by Waggoner Russell and Dr. Jackson. Different topics will be covered next year. During the break, we met and exchanged information with some Master Gardeners from Ruston. They have heard about our scholarship program and were interested in finding out how to set up one of their own. And they were very complimentary about our newsletter. They also provided flyers for their garden tour, which is described in another article. We topped off our trip by having a lunch at The Dawg House, a delicious and over-filling experience. Gardener s Scoop - March 2015 Page!5
March 2015 Activities Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 Registration deadline for MG class 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 MG meeting 6:30pm 15 16 17 18 19 20 Newsletter Article Submission Deadline 21 McFarland daffodil tour 2:00-4:00 22 23 24 25 26 26 28 MG Class begins 29 30 31 Upcoming Garden Events March 7 March 19-22 March 21, 2:00-4:00 March 20-22 April 11 (preview April 10) April 18, 9:00-3:00 April 25, 9:30-2:30 May 2-3 Jonquil Jubilee Festival in Gibsland www.jonquiljubilee.com/ Full day of festivities including breakfast, tours, sightseeing, speakers. Tour: $10, Breakfast: $5 Louisiana Nursery Festival Forest Hill MGs invited to the McFarland home to see daffodils and have snacks Jackson Garden Show Jackson, Mississippi msnla.org/events/garden-patio-shows NELAMG Spring Plant Show West Monroe Farmer s Market Piney Hills Master Gardener Spring Plant Show Webster Parish Extension Office Jolis Jardins Garden Tour - $10 ticket provides entry to 3 area gardens, the garden market, and complimentary lunch. Tickets may be purchased at Townsend House Gifts, Ruston Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau, or Twin Oaks Nursery NWLAMG LA Tour des Jardins 2015 www.nwlamg.weebly.com, click on projects and choose Le Tour des Jardins. Shreveport event includes tours, Garden Bazaar, lots of events. Tickets $10 in advance, $12 day of event. Gardener s Scoop - March 2015 Page!6
Volunteer Service Hours As of November 15, 2014 757 As of Volunteer February Service 15, 2014 Hours 120 107.5 Continuing Volunteer Education Service Hours 15.5 Continuing Education Hours This time last year: 1309 Volunteer Service Hours 197 Continuing Education Hours Do not forget to record your Do hours! not forget to record your hours! The next MG meeting is Tuesday, The next December MG meeting 9, 2014 is at the Tuesday, LSU AgCenter. March 10, 2015 at the LSU AgCenter. The Louisiana Master Gardener Program is a service and educational activity offered by the LSU AgCenter. The program is designed to recruit and train volunteers to help meet educational needs of home gardeners while providing an enjoyable and worthwhile service experience for volunteers. Contact: LSU AgCenter 704 Cypress Street West Monroe, LA 71291 (318) 323-2251 Gardener s Scoop - March 2015 Page!7