THE GARDENER S DIRT The Latest Scoop from the Scott County Master Gardeners June 2011 Garden Walks Master Gardeners are invited to visit the following gardens. The hosts have put effort into preparing their gardens for your visit so please put these dates on your calendars and stop by: Thursday, June 9th - 5:30 7:30 p.m. Kim Scully's house, 1309 Coffelt Avenue, Bettendorf - Kim has a 150 year burr oak in the front yard and has done what she describes as a yard make over and now has 9+ gardens around her property including peonies, perennials to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, and rejuvenated azaleas. About 85% of the backyard lawn was lost so Kim used her Master Gardener training to reconstruct it. Carolyn Beck, 2929 E 18th St., Davenport - Carolyn recently removed all the shrubs across the front of the house and replanted that area. Her yard also features raised beds, raspberries, and a water feature. She says everything else is a work in progress. Wednesday, June 15th - 5:30 7:30 p.m. Friendly House, 1221 N Myrtle St., Davenport - Come see the vegetable and flower gardens planted and maintained by the children who participate in Friendly House programs and the Master Gardeners on the Children s Education Committee. You will also have the opportunity to see other committee projects on display. Watch your emails for additional garden walk(s) for this date. Thursday, June 23rd - 5:30 7:30 p.m. Pat Christy, 14121 110th Ave., Davenport - Pat has nine different theme gardens on her large lot. Garden highlights and directions will be sent out via closer to the date. Also watch your emails for additional garden walk(s) for this night. Sunday, July 10th - 1:00 2:30 p.m. Garden walks at Nancy Nelson, Tana Odean, and Carol Wagners homes with an ice cream social to finish the afternoon. Sand Cast Leaf Interested in creating a leaf mold sculpture? Cindy Stolley will help other Master Gardeners to create a concrete sculpture using a large leaf as the mold. Maybe you were able to see Cindy's demonstration at the Plant Sale or have heard of this garden art? Here is your chance to make one. If enough people are interested, we will get a group together and each person can create a sculpture. Contact Vicki Liebbe at vjpickle@netins.net or 340-5937 or Sally Freeman at 355-8534 by June 10th with questions or to get your name on the list. After the list is compiled, we will decide on a exact date, time and place. Our Mission To provide home horticulture information and education to the citizens of Scott County consistent with Iowa State University recommendations. We also strive to increase members knowledge of horticulture through educational programs.
Upcoming Classes & Events: CEU s Course # Topic When Where Cost Instructor Registration Information ID & Management of Invasive Woody Plants in Iowa June 28, 2011 $5.00 Jan Thompson Matt O Neal 359-7577 MG Summer session July 18, 2011 All day Iowa State University Ames, IA $150.00 Combined two day with field day Various On state MG website All Hort Field Day July 19, 2011 All day ISU Hort field station Gilbert, IA Various On state MG website Tallgrass Prairies of Iowa July 26, 2011 $5.00 Daryl Smith 359-7577 3 - Invasive Plant Field Day August 6, 2011 9:00 a.m. to noon Black Hawk Historic Sit Singing Bird Lodge $5.00 (included in the March 10 workshop fee) Various 359-7577 Native Friends and Invading Forces August 23, 2011 $5.00 Rich Pope 359-7577 * - 2011 International Master Gardener Conference October 11-14, 2011 Charleston Convention Center Charleston, West Virginia TBA Various Info at http://imgc.ext.wvu.edu/ * To be determined by sessions attended. Submit proof of sessions attended to the Horticulturist. ************************************************************************ Dear Iowa Master Gardeners- Registration is open for a revival of the MG Summer Session 2011, a two day MG update training opportunity hosted by the MG program in Ames, IA. Price is $150 for two full days of training including meals. Please print the registration form and send it in by July 10 th (on the State MG Website). Monday, July 18th will be an all-day session on ISU Campus where you can choose the track you are the most interested in: Plant Diagnostics, Sustainable Landscaping or Youth Gardening. Please see the schedule for details on speakers and locations. Space in the Plant Diagnostics and Youth Gardening tracks is limited so early registration is encouraged. Lunch will be catered by Hickory Park. That evening will be spent at the lovely Reiman Gardens where the ISU Conservation Station will be on display and tours of the grounds and the butterfly wing will be hosted by Reiman Garden Horticulturists. Dinner will be catered by Valentino's. After dinner, you will enjoy door prizes and an activity called 'Stump the Expert'. Tuesday, July 19th will be the 3rd annual All-Horticulture Field Day, which will feature the latest horticulture research out at the Horticulture Farm just north of Ames in Gilbert, IA. Thank you. Sincerely- Jennifer Bousselot Lecturer and Master Gardener Coordinator Iowa State University Extension, Department of Horticulture News articles are needed for the Gardener s Dirt Please have articles to the Extension Office by June 15th
Extension Update Submitted by Becky Bray There was some interest and discussion during the plant sale about what s behind those doors so as our Extension Update this month, we are sharing some information about our 4-H Youth Development programs. When we say 4-H many of you might think about 4-H Clubs. This is one part of 4-H. However, we have many other kinds of 4-H programs as well, including those that take place during the school day and afterschool. We currently have ten staff working in our youth programs, most of whom are paid through a combination of grants and contracts received from local schools and other groups who value the programs we develop and facilitate. We offer over 75 different programs in science, social science, art, math and personal development, and add to this menu each year. Some of our most popular topics are Fizz, Bubble and Goo, Reptiles and Amphibians, The Magic School Bus, and Growing in the Garden. Because the philosophy of 4-H Youth Development is learning by doing, the equipment and materials that we use to facilitate learning experiences are the key to ensuring a valuable, memorable learning experience for youth. The kits and materials that are in the storage areas are used by staff and community partners, including volunteers, to share educational opportunities with youth in a variety of settings. So, what is behind those doors is what makes 4-H Youth Development what it is! For more information about these programs, contact Jennifer Best in our office or at jbest@iastate.edu. Thank you to Nancy Gruber for the donation of 21 books for the MG Library. Those books that are duplicates will be available for sale here at the office.
The Gardener s Dirt Scott County Extension 875 Tanglefoot Lane Bettendorf, IA 52722-1690 (563) 359-7577 Fax (563) 355-6569 www.extension.iastate.edu/scott Reward and Recognition Submitted by Michele Dane They say no job is complete until the paperwork is done. One of the key tasks associated with being Chair of one of our committees is completing, submitting and filing the forms that describe the activity offered, and the number of people served. These forms are important to documenting the importance of the work done by Master Gardeners in Scott County. It has been difficult to get this task accomplished because after all most people don't become Master Gardeners to fill out forms. So the Advisory Board is now going to offer reward and recognition (and fabulous prizes) to those of you who complete and submit your forms. We have a veritable treasure trove of great prizes. We will announce the winners each month and will have a grand prize winner at our annual meeting in January. So get those forms in. Our first prize winner is Ingelore Nabb! Congratulations on being our first prize winner. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964.