Charles County Master Gardeners
University of Maryland Extension
Charles County Office
9375 Chesapeake Street, Suite 119
La Plata Maryland 20646
“The University of Maryland is an
Equal Opportunity Employer and
Equal Access Programs”.
THE COMPOST
Published quarterly by the Charles County Master Gardeners
University of Maryland Extension, Charles County Office,
9375 Chesapeake Street, Suite 119, La Plata, MD 20646
Phone: 301-934-5403—301-753-8195
Cindi Barnhart
Jessica Milstead
Betsy Parbuoni
Brenda Elmore
Terry Thir
Carol Teets
Janet McGrane Calendar
Elaine Miller
Mail
Anna Haugh
Mail
Larry Martin
Mail
Gale Kladitis
Writer, Mail
Karol Dyson
Advisor
Editor
Copy Editor
PDF Editor
Writer
Writer
Writer, Mail
Cover: Reuben B. Collins, II Esq. Charles County Commissioners Vice
President was welcomed by Gale Kladitis to our holiday gathering in
December.
WINTER 2013
I Am Only Stepping Down and Not Away
Although I am not leaving the Master Gardener program I am leaving
the newsletter’s editor position and I want to thank everyone for their
support and contributions. I have been working on The Compost since
2005 and have been the Editor since Winter 2007. I am so proud of our
achievements and it was a pleasure to be able to showcase our accomplishments. I will continue to assist our transitioning new Editor Mary
Grant, and be a photographer for the Master Gardener program.
Thank you to my writers, without whom I would have had no articles.
Thank you to my photographers who inspired many stories by sending
that single photo. My mailing staff came together with a light heart
and quick hands to assemble, address and send our missive to the waiting readers. My copy editor worked tirelessly to be sure we were disseminating correct information and she made my efforts go smoother.
Please support our new Editor as you have supported me.
I will see you all in the new year and look forward to working on new
and interesting projects with everyone.
Cindi Barnhart
2
INSIDE THIS ISSUE OF THE COMPOST
WINTER 2013
I Am Only Stepping Down and Not Away
2
Master Gardeners Had A Very Good Year
3
Understanding A Soil Test Report—Part II
4
Projects
Bay-Wise Is Growing Greater Every Year
6
Blessed Mother’s Garden Designed & Planted
8
Detention Center Garden Grows Well In 2012
9
Monarch Festival Entertained and Informed
10
Green Parking Lots - A Creative Solution
10
Project Briefs
11
Winter / Spring Events
12
Bug Day – More Than Enough To Be Seen
14
2012 Holiday Meeting and Advanced Training
15
Wanted - Copy Editing For The Compost
16
The Drury Building Promises Opportunities
17
Why Didn’t I Think Of That
17
Well-Maintained In Part By Master Gardeners
18
Looking Back On Our Accomplishments
19
New MG Advanced Training Certificate Being Offered
for Vegetable Gardening
20
A Few 2012 Master Gardener Achievements
22
Submit articles, photos, reports, and other items to Mary Grant by March 1, 2013
for publication in the Spring 2013 newsletter. Submit calendar items to Janet
McGrane by March 1, 2013. Articles and pictures may also be submitted at any time
for future publication.
23
A Few 2012 Master Gardener Achievements
Master Gardeners Had A Very Good Year
Dear Master Gardeners and Interns,
Commissioner Debra Davis
awards certificate
Advanced Training
walk on ferns
Bay-Wise Certification at
JC Parks
Grow It Eat It at Charles County fair
Artsfest in La Plata
It has been quite a year, so where do I begin?
We graduated 12 fine interns; certified 16 new
Master Gardeners; awarded 9 three-year pins, 5
five-year pins, 3 ten-year pins; and awarded
Emeritus status to 3 Master Gardeners and
chose one Honorary Master Gardener (for life).
An additional 21 Master Gardeners were certified in October as evaluators for the Bay-Wise
program. We aptly handled all of our existing
programs and projects, such as Christmas in
April, Grow it Eat It, Camp Merrick, plant
Photo by Cindi Barnhart
walks, plant clinics, Dr. Mudd, Memorial Garden,
JC Parks Elementary, Thomas Stone Green School, annual plant sale,
Detention Center and County Fair. We also added several new projects, including Girl Scout Garden at Camp Winona in Hughesville, Butterfly Festival in Solomon’s Island, St. Mary’s School in Bryantown, Indian Head Clovers 4-H Club, Jude House, and a joint venture with St
Mary’s and Charles UME Nutrition Educators for the Farmers Market in
Waldorf. I’m sure I have forgotten some of the special things we have
done through the year, not because they were not important, but rather because there were so many. As we close the door on the year
2012 and begin our new adventure into 2013 please keep your excitement, enthusiasm and energy for the coming projects and our new
class of Interns. Charles County Master Gardeners are the best and
thank you for making me look so good.
Gale Kladitis
Chair, Charles County Master Gardeners Steering Committee
Celebrate La Plata
Plant Clinic at Waldorf plant sale
22
3
Understanding A Soil Test Report Part II
For Part I of this article and background on the types of soil tests described, see the Summer 2012 issue
of The Compost, pp. 4-6. Part II was
first published in the September
2012 Annapolis Horticultural Society
Newsletter and is reprinted here
with permission from the author Dr.
Frank Gouin, Professor Emeritus,
University of Maryland, College
Park, MD
S1 test to see if the concentrations are in the very high range
and/or off the scale. The combination of very high soluble salts
and extremely high levels of P
and/or K is a good indication that
foliar burn is due to excess fertilizer.
A & L Eastern Agricultural Soil
Laboratories offers S2 and S3 soil
testing. I always recommend the
S2 soil test for soils that are located near the Bay or ocean and
for soil samples being taken near
roads where road salt is applied
during the winter months. I also
recommend the S2 test where I
suspect over-fertilization.
But if the results indicate that
the soil has high soluble salt levels and high levels of sodium, the
conclusion is generally salty bay
or ocean water or road salt accumulation. The only solution to
solving such a soil problem is dilution. If the soil is sandy and the
drainage is good, heavy, repeated
applications of water (leaching) is
the best and simplest solution.
Adding a surfactant such as dish
detergent to the water will hasten the leaching process. However, if the soil is a silt or clay loam
and the drainage is marginal, diluting the soil with peat moss or
pine fines is the only solution.
When sodium levels in the soil
exceed potassium levels, sodium
toxicity becomes evident in the
foliage. The symptoms are crisp
brown scorched tissues along the
margins of the leaves during the
early stages of symptom development, followed by the entire leaf
turning brown except for a green
midrib. These are the very same
symptoms as seen with high soluble salts. Thus, by having the S2
test you can distinguish between
the two and determine the cause.
If the test results show soluble
salt levels greater than 3 mhos/
cm and low levels of sodium, you
look at the P and K levels in the
I always recommend the S3 test
in sandy soil areas and where I
suspect the plants are suffering
from iron deficiency due to repeated applications of hardwood
bark mulch. This test also identifies other possible problems. Although boron is only required in
soils at levels of 1 to 2 lbs per
CERTIFICATE
(Continued from page 20)
Intensive Techniques and Small Space Gardening (counts for 2
days)
Dates: June 18 and June 25, 2013, 9:00am-3:30pm
UME Frederick County and field trip locations
Get more out of your vegetable gardens with less work and expense.
Find out how to increase production per square foot using sustainable
and cost-effective practices. Learning for this class will be mostly
hands-on and will take place out different gardens. We’ll share, discuss and evaluate specific approaches, such as biointensive (John
Jeavons) and square foot (Mel Bartholomew), and specific practices,
such as interplanting, succession planting, vertical gardening, drip
irrigation, and season extension. You will be asked to complete some
pre-class online assignments so we can maximize our hands-on time
in class.
Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnosis (counts for 1 day)
Details to be announced soon. (This one-day class will be repeated in
2 locations.)
Howard Co. Conservancy: Tuesday July 16, 9:00am-3:30pm
Charles Co. location TBD: Thursday, July 18, 9:00am-3:30pm
Sharpen your plant diagnostic, pest identification and control strategy
skills in the vegetable garden. We'll take a close look at non-chemical
controls and the effectiveness of available organic pesticides. We plan
a collaborative, hands-on learning experience with troubleshooting in
a vegetable garden, examination and diagnosis of samples, and discussion and effective prevention, monitoring, and control strategies.
There will be some pre-class online assignments so we can maximize
our hands-on learning time in class.
For full details of classes (and breakout sessions) currently open for
registration see MG Advanced Training website at http://
MasterGardener.umd.edu/AdvancedTraining/index.cfm
Registration information is on the state MG website too.
(Continued on page 5)
4
21
New MG Advanced Training Certificate
Being Offered for Vegetable Gardening
By Robin Hessey
State Master Gardener Advanced Training Coordinator
Better Yields through Better Soils (counts for 1 day)
Saturday, February 2, 2013; 9:00am-4:00pm
Snow date: Saturday, February 23, 2013
Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore City.
Fee: $30 plus optional lunch (Bring your own lunch or order an optional lunch from Whole Foods for $15 - see registration form.)
Registration Deadline: January 25, 2013
One great intensive day with seven great presenters and all focused on
soils. You’ll learn about:
● Soil properties and tests
● Soil problems and what to do about them
● Soil microorganisms, what they do and how to encourage them
● Safety issues
● Soil fertility and amendments
● History of land use and how it affects current soil conditions
● Cover crops
● How to make high quality compost
**Plus check out soilless growing during an optional tour of the Center
for Livable Future’s new aquaponics facility at Cylburn from 4-5 pm!**
Organic Vegetable Gardening (counts for 1 day)
Saturday, March 2, 2013 9:00am3:30pm
UME, Cockeysville, Baltimore County
Fee: $35
Registration deadline: February 22, 2013
Yes, you too can have a successful organic vegetable garden! In this
program we will define the terms “organic” and “sustainable” and
teach you about the products and techniques that will help you succeed. We’ll also discuss contaminants, safety, climate change, reading
labels, soils and fertilizers. Get this important overview and the specific information you’ll need both for your own garden and to teach to
others.
(Continued on page 21)
20
SOIL TEST
(Continued from page 4)
some soils and that can be diagnosed from the S3 test. Because
sulfur is no longer a contaminant
in fertilizers, our air is becoming
cleaner and sulfur deficiency
symptoms are becoming more
common.
acre, it is important for the
transportation of metabolites
throughout the plants. Boron deficiency symptoms often begin to
occur when levels drop below ½
lb per acre. One of the best
sources for boron is biosolids
compost, lobster compost, crab
waste (Chesapeake Blue) compost
or animal manure compost.
In the good old days, sulfur dioxide was a major air pollutant
which helped in maintaining adequate levels of sulfur in our soils.
Our fertilizers have become more
concentrated and less contaminated with sulfate compounds
such as super-phosphate, ammonium sulfate and potassium sulfate. These sources have been
replaced with ammonium phosphate, potassium nitrate, and
others. With increased emphasis
on cleaner air, we have less sulfur-polluted rains and atmospheric sulfur-laden dust falling on our
land. It will eventually become
necessary to blend sulfur in the
fertilizer bag or we will have to
apply it separately.
Repeated applications of hardwood bark mulch over many
years will result in the accumulation of manganese (Mn). High
levels of manganese in the soil
will inhibit iron uptake by the
roots of plants.
I recommend the S3 test where I
see symptoms of measles on the
bark of crab apple, apple or pear
trees or numerous black dots on
American and English holly leaves
or frog-eye symptoms on cherry
laurel leaves. If you are familiar
with measles on children, the
very same symptoms appear on
the smooth bark of apple, crab
apple and pear trees. All of the
above symptoms are due to zinc
(Zn) deficiency. Soils deficient in
zinc are best corrected by
amending them with chicken manure compost. Zinc is added to
chicken feed to help prevent respiratory diseases.
If the S3 soil test indicates extremely high levels of sulfur,
there is a good possibility your
soil may be contaminated with
pyrites. Pyrites are iron sulfite
(fool’s gold) crystals. There are
several areas in Prince George’s
County where pyritic soil is a
problem. Some of the most se-
Sulfur has become deficient in
(Continued on page 16)
5
Looking Back On Our Accomplishments
By Sally Hopp, Class of 2011
Bay-Wise
Ongoing
Contact: Ronda Goldman
Bay-Wise Is Growing Greater Every Year
By Ronda R. Goldman, Class of 2006
Charles County Bay-Wise Coordinator
Winter is a time for rest and
hibernation. As the season is
underway the Bay-Wise program
is growing and preparing to
burst with activity in the spring.
The fall training was a complete
success that resulted in the addition of 21 new Bay-Wise Master Gardeners.
Our Holiday party that had
food that came from gardens;
whether it is ours or someone
else’s…
It looks dreary outside but we all
know what that means. Our gardens and plants are resting so as
to brighten our spring with beauty. As we look back over the year
we’re amazed at how busy it has
been for us all and how much we
have accomplished for others:
In this season of joy we need to
be thankful for all the people
that helped us through the year
to get where we are now and will
be instrumental in the future.
Thanks to the wise people who
gave us the opportunity to
learn...pass it on!!
The garden in the Charles
County Detention Center that provided fresh food to people in need
Yard work for Christmas in
April, refreshing and renovating
the homes of people who no longer can do it all themselves
The fall training was facilitated
by Wanda MacLachlan and began
on October 10, 2012. The program consisted of two full days
of classroom instruction, pre
and post testing, and a field
experience. The trainees
learned about the state of the
Bay, living walls, soil compaction, and other environmental
concerns. Each lesson helped to
build knowledge, understanding,
and appreciation for the world
in which we live and how we
can empower our communities
to help. The Bay-Wise training
also encouraged the Master Gardeners to use their new
knowledge to impact the county
by building lasting connections
that span generations, which was
expounded upon during the certification of JC Parks Elementary
School’s outdoor classroom. Connecting with our schools is a
strong priority as the program
seeks to grow among the school
age population as well as among
adults.
In order to facilitate healthy and
meaningful connections among
our youth, Bay-Wise launched a
program entitled, “Celebrity
Chefs in the Garden.” This is a
pilot project that encourages
Charles County students to grow
their own certifiable Bay-Wise
And think about the various projects that are waiting for a new
MG crew to awaken them after
their winter nap.
Of course the Charles County
Fair, the ultimate show of what
we do and how we can help better
the community
And strengthening our own
knowledge and ability to contribute:
The basic training classes
And the advanced training
classes on plants that gave us
knowledge to understand nature
and all its glory — knowledge that
we will take with us forever and
use in everything we do from gardening to cooking
Gale Kladitis and Sally Hopp at the
Waldorf Farmers Market September
29, 2012.
Photo by Rosemary Ewing
(Continued on page 7)
6
19
Well-Maintained In Part By Master Gardeners
By Mary Grant, Class of 2011
The crew of workers, which included many Master Gardeners,
helped deadhead, transplant,
prune, trim, remove dead shrubs
and prepare the garden for winter. Many man – well, actually
woman- hours went into this
year’s cleanup efforts. The club
appreciates the help it receives
from the Master Gardener Program and thanks all who supported the Star Garden during 2012.
Already five years old, the La
Plata Garden Club’s Star Garden
has become a beautiful and serene showpiece for the Town of
La Plata. Throughout those five
years, with constant nurturing
and oversight, the garden has
matured into a lovely array of
trees, shrubs, perennials, herbs,
seasonal annuals and hardscape.
If you haven’t yet visited the garden, you are truly missing one of
the Town’s tucked-away treasures!
tion superb as smiles and laughter emerged from the students
who saw their hard work in the
garden transformed into a fanciful feast of caramelized butternut squash, turkey and vegetable
frittatas, and sautéed mixed
greens. It was!
(Continued from page 6)
Kitchen Gardens. Our very own
Martha Eldredge was the first
celebrity chef and she did a fabulous job. She and Denise Bauman
were a culinary dynamic duo that
coached ten students and five
faculty members to a Thanksgiving success. The kitchen bustled
with the sounds of knife-wielding
teenagers preparing butternut
squash for roasting pans. The aroma was divine and the satisfac-
Editor’s Note:
Five Master Gardeners from other
counties took the training as well
as sixteen from Charles County.
If you haven’t been to the garden, just find the new La Plata
town star and you will see the
garden located right next to it,
just off of Firehouse Alley at its
intersection with St. Mary’s Avenue.
As it goes with gardens, much
work goes into making them the
special places they become. This
garden is no different. During the
growing season, members of the
garden club, as well as Master
Gardeners who can earn hours for
their labors, maintain the garden
and keeps it looking nice. Special
work days for things such as
mulching, spring renewal and fall
cleanup are also held. A garden
chairperson(s) maintains constant
watch over the garden, to ensure
that all is growing – or not - as it
should be.
Current garden co-chairs and
Master Gardeners Dianne Shisler
and Sherie Zimmer called out the
troops for one of our biggest ever
cleanup days on October 24.
BAY-WISE
Ronda Goldman A team of Bay-Wise trainees examexplains how to ine erosion causing a collapsed area
use the Bay-Wise beside a drain for runoff.
Yardstick for
Photos by Cindi Barnhart
evaluation.
Teacher Deanna
Wheeler of JC Parks
speaks about being
Bay-Wise certified for
their wetlands.
Bay-Wise Certified Class of 2012
Charles County
Photo by Mary Grant
Garden co-chair and MG Dianne Shisler
instructs Carol Raucheisen and Mary
Vance on some needed work.
18
Cindi Barnhart
Denise Bauman
Sue Brewer
Marty Eldredge
Mary Gaskins
Sally Hopp
Neal Johnson
Gale Kladitis
Sheila Kristiansen
David Lewis
Celine McLaughlin
Donovan Padgett
Pauline Spurlock
Terry Thir
7
Pam Van Tassel
Barbie Walter
The Drury Building Promises Opportunities
By Neal Johnson, Class of 2010
St. Mary’s Bryantown School
Complete
Contact: Joyce and Mike Rose
Blessed Mother’s Garden Designed & Planted
By Joyce Rose, Class of 2007 and
Mike Rose, Class of 2008
of the garden, we planted pink
and red Knock Out Roses on each
side, and created a path from the
point of entry up to the statue,
and curving around to each side.
A semicircle of low-growing
plants softens the base of the
statue. Along the entry path are
variegated Liriope to provide
some color throughout the year.
The front of the garden was
closed in with low-growing grasses.
The Blessed Mother Garden we
were asked to develop was a
30’x30’ niche cut out of a dense
woodline. This alcove really got
my landscape juices going. At the
top of the U-shaped space is a
hundred year old oak tree. Fortunately, we were able to access
heavy equipment to break up the
surface roots that would impede
the development of the garden.
Volunteers worked with us to
clean out broken roots, amend
the soil, and clean out straggly
vines.
Inside the garden area we filled
in each side of the path with deer
resistant, butterfly attracting,
drought tolerant, colorful perennial plantings. We chose Russian
Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia),
the herb Anise Hyssop
(Agastache), Artemesia, Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Penstemon, Goldenrod (Solidago), Coneflower (Echinacea), Gayfeather
(Liatris), Catmint (Nepeta), Verbascum, Stokes’ Aster (Stokesia
laevis), and Dianthus.
We gave wide berth to the stately
oak and brought the Blessed
Mother statue forward to the center of the garden. On each side of
the U, toward the back, we planted two white Crape Myrtles
(Natchez), like candles in the
background. In back of the statue, we planted three Clethra.
With a mature size of 10’x10’,
they will create a nice dark green
backdrop for the statue in time.
To stay within our budget, we
To create the rest of the “bones”
(Continued on page 16)
8
Of course, doing a display one
year leads to ideas for the future.
My thoughts included
For the past two years we have
had a presence in the Drury Building at the Charles County Fair, in
addition to our annual exhibit in
the Flower Building. Being among
the canning and food displays in
the Drury Building has given us an
opportunity to reach out to the
community in another way, especially in regards to the Grow It
Eat It program. People’s interest
in these exhibits often lead to
gardening questions as well.
●Blowing up the planting information on our usual handout to
make it more of an attentiongrabber
●Holding a plant clinic
●Entering some of the Detention
Center produce
So next year think about spending
a few hours and some of your creativity to help with our presence
at the Fair. It’s a great opportunity to reach people who otherwise
might never hear of us.
The junior section for canning is
an opportunity to reach children.
In addition we really got their
attention when we showed them
some herbs that they were permitted to rub and smell.
Why Didn’t I Think of That?
By Jessica Milstead, Class of 2002
How many times have you been asked for advice on how often to water a container with no drainage holes -- or wondered how to avoid
drowning the plants yourself? I've always told people to stick a finger
well down into the container, while knowing perfectly well that unless
the container is very shallow and not filled with roots this just isn't
good enough. Here is a hint that I found in an old issue of Southern
Living. Use a bamboo skewer! It will be easy to push all the way into
the container, and if it comes out wet you know to wait before watering. This is one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" inspirations. I suspect it would even be useful for a large container that has drainage
holes because those can be dry on the surface and wet underneath.
17
BLESSED
We left space along the path for
two benches to invite someone to
sit, visit, tarry a while, pray and
reflect. For me, as I looked at the
statue, there seemed to be a
faint smile on the Blessed Mother’s face which told me she is
pleased with her garden.
(Continued from page 8)
purchased mostly one gallon size
plants. As a result, users of the
garden will be able to watch it
mature over a number of years,
teaching a lesson in delayed gratification.
SOIL TEST (Continued from page 5)
vere cases are in the Silver Hill
Metro Station area, along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, in
some areas on the D.C. Beltway
and in the Bowie area. Many people mistake pyritic soils as top
soils because they tend to be
dark in color. When first exposed
to light, the pH of these soils will
be measured as neutral (pH 7).
However, as they begin to weather from alternate wetting and
drying, the iron sulfite gradually
converts to iron sulfate and the
pH drops to pH 3 and below. The
most severe sulfite problem that I
have seen was the Fresh Kills
Landfill in New York. The only
solution to this problem was repeated applications of limestone
until the sulfates were neutralized.
In my 40+ years of reading soil
test results, I have never seen soil
deficient in iron or copper. However, knowing their concentrations in the soil is important to
predict potential problems.
ENOUGH SAID
WANTED — COPY EDITING FOR THE COMPOST—
Charles County Detention Center
Horticultural Education
Contact: Gale Kladitis
Detention Center Garden Grows Well In 2012
By Gale Kladitis, Class of 2008
and students alike were all
watching the blossoms make long
roots and enter the ground to
make the peanuts.
We had some amazing things
growing in the garden this summer. The students were most impressed with their even dozen of
watermelons. Each week they
would declare the watermelons
ripe and each week I declared it
too soon to pick. Determining
ripeness of watermelons is not as
simple as with other melons. I’m
not good at waiting until just the
right time to pick either, although this time we timed the
picking just right and enjoyed the
watermelons with the students at
the picnic table area.
Sally Hopp brought two sunflower
plants from home and the students planted them at the end of
the pepper rows. Sally said her
home plants grew to about 5
feet, but the ones in the DC garden reached about 10 feet and
had heads larger than dinner
plates.
It was an interesting and joyful
season in the garden this year.
The new classes will begin May 1,
2013, so watch your email for
additional information.
The most fascinating plants were
the peanuts. Master Gardeners
Photo by Gale Kladitis
By Jessica Milstead
I have been helping Cindi with copy editing of our newsletter ever
since Cindi became Editor. Since she is stepping down, this is an opportune time for me to step down as well, so that the new Editor can
structure the tasks of preparing the newsletter as she wishes. Besides,
it’s been long enough! My work has consisted primarily of checking
names and catching grammatical bobbles and the like. If this is your
forte, why don’t you volunteer your services to the new Editor-Mary
Grant? While I’ll be available to consult as needed, I believe it is time
for someone else to have a chance to put her or his impression on The
Compost.
16
Peanuts and sunflower heads from the Charles County Detention Center garden.
9
2012 Holiday Buffet and Advanced Training
By Mary Gaskins, Class of 2005
Monarch Mania Festival
October 13, 2012
Complete
Monarch Festival Entertained and Informed
Monarch's life cycle and its migration route, as well as a tag
and release ceremony.
By Rosemary Ewing, Class of 2010
Mary Sims, Janet McGrane, Anne
Gillespie and I participated in the
first annual Cobb Island Monarch
Mania Butterfly Festival on Saturday, October 13.
The festival celebrated the annual migration of the Monarch from
the United States to the mountains of Mexico. Residents of all
ages enjoyed presentations on the
We were pleased to be able to
share information on creating
backyard butterfly habitats.
We also responded to general
gardening questions and distributed information on the Charles
County Master Gardener Program.
***********************************************
Greening Parking Lots - A Creative Solution
By Jessica Milstead, Class of 2002
If you haven’t seen the parking
lot for the new office buildings
at 3581 Old Washington Road in
Waldorf, it’s worth a look. The
developers appear to have used
old-fashioned impermeable paving (water runs off instead of
through it as with permeable
paving), but very creatively.
Spotted throughout the parking
lot are areas you might call small
“rain gardens”. The curbs all
have openings into these areas
which are lower than the level of
the parking lot and contain native plantings. Each area has an
above-ground drain opening that
is above the level of the plantings
to give excess water a place to
go.
The buildings and parking are surrounded on three sides by existing
wooded areas, and eventually all
these spaces drain into the
woods, which of course are great
for grabbing the water and slowing it down.
This is a really creative solution
to the problem of parking lot runoff, the first one of its type that
I’ve seen. It’s well worth a look.
10
We held our annual MG Holiday
Buffet and Advanced Training at
the Hampshire Neighborhood
Center in St. Charles on December 4, 2012. Jan Lakey-Waters
once again provided beautiful
centerpieces for the tables. Culinary delights were in abundance
at the potluck dinner.
We again invited guests from the
community with whom we had
partnered or sought support from
during the year. Reuben Collins
spoke to us on behalf of his fellow Charles County Commissioners. Other guests were Emily Ferren and Janet Salazar from the
Charles County Public Library;
Chris Rooney and Bonnetta Adeeb
from Thomas Stone High School;
Mike Callahan, leader of the
Cobb Island Butterfly Festival this
past autumn; and our very
own, much-missed, Marcia
Wakefield.
of some of the fantastic plants
and stunning decorations used in
their gardens both this year and in
the past. Especially interesting
was her analysis of successes and
failures.
She showed examples of how the
design elements of line, form,
shape, color, texture, tone, and
space affect the impact of a display on its audience. Effective use
of the design principles of unity/
harmony, balance, contrast, emphasis, proportion, scale, movement, and rhythm determine the
visitor’s experience of the display.
The gigantic garden gate on Independence Avenue was an effective
demonstration of the importance
of scale to the success of decorations.
Shelley provided us with an extensive handout covering her presentation so we could listen,
enjoy the slide show, and
ask questions rather than
taking notes.
Shelley Gaskins, Horticulturist, of the Smithsonian
The meeting concluded
Gardens in Washington,
with a drawing and lucky
DC, provided advanced
participants went home
training for the evening
with either a door prize or
with her presentation en- Centerpiece photo one of the beautiful table
titled Plants, Design, and by Cindi Barnhart centerpieces. Our thanks
Decoration: Winter Intergo to Master Gardener
est in the Smithsonian Gardens.
Jessi Thibault for arranging the
She shared a delightful slide show use of this facility again this year.
15
Bug Day – More Than Enough To Be Seen
By David Lewis, Class of 2011
well ready to take a nap, but Jessica Milstead rallied the troops for
one of her famous nature walks in
the surrounding 14 acres. While
the emphasis was on bugs, the
group still got to pick Jessica’s
brain regarding some of the local
flora and fauna. I never knew I
had so many different plants on
my property. Especially noteworthy was the diverse collection of
ferns. Jessica showed us over 5
different types. Halfway through
the property tour, time ran out
and we had to call it a day. The
bad news is we did not get to finish the nature/bug watch tour.
The good news is there’s always
next year. Maybe we will get a
few more experts and break up
into smaller groups for a more detailed exploration of the property.
Bug Day was held on September
25 at my house in Charleston Estates. Mother Nature was extremely cooperative and the
weather was perfect. The turnout was exceptional, with about
35 Master Gardeners in attendance. The interns got to meet
many new faces and mingle with
many of the Master Gardeners
they had not met. Gale held a
brief membership meeting to kick
off the day. After the meeting I
took the group on a tour of the
gardens which surround the
house. Since it was around noon
the general consensus was it was
time for lunch. Everyone found a
shady, quiet spot and sat down to
their sack lunch. It was a great
time to mingle, socialize and
meet other members who have
worked on different projects.
After lunch everyone was pretty
Nature Walks with Jessica
Ongoing
Contact: Jessica Milstead
When someone calls or visits the
Extension office with a question
about problems with their
plantings, or for advice on
landscaping, the call is referred to
me, and I put together a team to go
out to look and give advice.
These are ongoing walks as the
seasons allow. The walks do count
as Advanced Training for Master
Gardeners and are also open to
Interns.
On hiatus for the winter.
Speakers Bureau
Ongoing
Contact: Marian Bruemmer
The Compost Newsletter
Ongoing
Contact: Mary Grant
Use your knowledge to inform the
public and/or your fellow Master
Gardeners.
Photographers and writers are
needed to keep our outstanding
publication informative. Help to
cover our activities and contribute
to the newsletter.
Christmas In April
Ongoing
Contact: Carol Teets
Charles County Detention Center
Horticultural Education
Ongoing
Contact: Gale Kladitis / Dave Lewis
This valuable community effort
provides a wonderful opportunity
for earning volunteer hours.
Assess assigned Christmas In April
properties before April 27 or join
us for the actual day of service, on
Saturday April 27, 2013.
Spring and fall sessions at the
Detention Center offer valuable
horticultural instruction and handson experience to the in-house population. Teachers as well as other
volunteers are welcome.
Photo by Gale Kladitis
Can you identify this plant found
along the pathway to Dave’s shoreline?
Site Visits
Ongoing
Contact: Jessica Milstead
Dr. Samuel Mudd House
Ongoing
Contact: Beth Bonifant
Master Gardener Training 2013:
February 19 to March 28
Contact: Barbie Walter
Jessica Milstead speaks about host
plants for butterflies such as fennel
for the Black Swallowtail.
14
You may want to join the team of
MGs who maintain the herb garden
and surrounding landscape at the
Dr. Samuel Mudd House in Waldorf,
April through October/November.
Tuesdays and Thursdays for six
weeks with Project Day built in.
Contact the project leader by referring to your Membership Directory.
11
CALENDAR
Winter / Spring Events
May
January
11
Friday, 10 a.m.; Plant Sale meeting, Extension Office
22
Tuesday, 10 a.m.; Membership Meeting, Extension Office,
Open to all MGs
Annual Plant Sale, locations and times TBA
Tentative date May 4
1
Wednesday, 9 a.m.; Preliminary Detention Center vegetable
garden preparation, La Plata, contact Gale Kladitis or Dave
Lewis for all dates concerning the Charles County Detention
Center Program See page 11 for details
8
Wednesday, 9 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.; Detention Center Program
15
Wednesday, 9 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.; Detention Center Program
22
Wednesday, 9 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.; Detention Center Program
28
Tuesday, 10 a.m.; Membership Meeting, location TBA,
Open to all MGs
29
Wednesday, 9 a.m.- 12:00 p.m., Detention Center Program
February
2
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Better Yields through Better Soils,
GIEI class, Baltimore City, MD See page 20 for details
19-28
Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Master Gardener
2013 Training Class, Extension Office
26
Tuesday, 10 a.m.; Membership Meeting, location TBA,
Open to all MGs
March
2
(Continued from page 12)
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Organic Vegetable Gardening,
GIEI class, Cockeysville, MD
See page 20 for details
5-28
Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Master Gardener
Training Class, Extension Office, contact Barbie Walter
26
Tuesday, 10 a.m.; Membership Meeting and Project Day,
Location TBA.
28
Thursday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.; MG Training Class Graduation
and Potluck, Location TBA.
1 p.m.; Advanced Training
June
5
Wednesday, 9 a.m.- 12:00 p.m., Detention Center Program
12
Wednesday, 9 a.m.- 12:00 p.m., Detention Center Program
19
Tuesday, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; Intensive Techniques and Small
Space Gardening, Frederick, MD See page 21 for details
18
Wednesday, 9 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.; Detention Center Program
25
Tuesday, 10 a.m.; Membership Meeting, Extension Office,
Open to all MGs
25
Tuesday, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; Intensive Techniques and Small
Space Gardening, Frederick, MD See page 21 for details
April
23
Tuesday, 10 a.m.; Membership Meeting, Extension Office,
Open to all MGs
27
Saturday, Christmas in April, contact Carol Teets
If you would like more information on a project, please contact
the project leader by referring to your Membership Directory.
July
16
Tuesday, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnosis, Howard County, See page 21 for details
18
Tuesday, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnosis, Charles County, See page 21 for details
(Continued on page 13)
12
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