Queen Anne’s County Master Gardener Newsletter
The Watering Can
V O L U M E
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M A R C H
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Coordinator’s
Corner
QAC MG News
& Opportunities
Kent Co. Hort.
Lecture Series
MG Annual
Training Day Update
2
3-4
5
Luck of the Master Gardeners
6
State Advanced
Training Classes
7
Plant Sale Update
8
Plant Sale
Herb Recipes
9
Monthly Meeting
Schedule
March & April
Calendars
10
11
The rare genuine four-leaf clover is part of the three leaved White Clover family,
Trifolium repens. There are many other cultivars that also produce four leaves, but one
way of identifying a true four-leaf clover is noticing how one leaf is typically smaller
than the other three. Over time this troublesome weed for some has persisted to
carry significant meaning throughout history. Contrary to how many associate the
“luck of the Irish” and St. Patrick’s Day together with the four leaf clover, it was
actually the three leafed Shamrock which Saint Patrick used to teach pagans about
Christianity. Early Druids were the ones who believed that the four leafed clover
served as protection from evil spirits and so began the modern belief of good luck.
During the middle ages, children believed by carrying a four-leaf clover they could see
fairies. In ancient Egypt, the four leaf clover was given as a blessing for the union of a
couple at marriage. Since the early 20th century, the national youth organization 4H
Club has recognized each leaf of the clover to stand for Head, Heart, Hands, and
Health, the four areas of personal development. Another common popular
interpretation for each leaf says the first represents faith, the second hope, the third
love, and the fourth of course luck! Since there is only one four leaf clover in every
10,000 shamrocks, you should most certainly feel lucky each time you do find one!
MG Monthly Meeting
March 19th
9:30 to 11:30 am
@Tilghman Terrace
Plant Propagation Techniques
By Laura Sanford
Native Daughter Nursery
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Coordinator’s Corner
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Old man winter just had to stick around a bit longer giving us another blanket of snow to start off the
month! No worries, Thursday, March 20th marks the first day of Spring, so yes we are almost there! Do
not forget to sign up for the many educational and volunteer opportunities that will begin over the next
few weeks, they will fill up just as we all get anxious for the growing season!
Volunteer hours may now be entered online in the comfort of your own home! If you are interested in
being able to login and track your own hours please contact myself of Pat Bowell so that we can give you a
username as well as an introductory user guide. I will still be accepting hour sheets as usual, but over the
next few months I highly encourage you all to give the new system a try.
Do not forget to send me a picture of yourself for the new directory. You may also bring one to the March
meeting. If can be a simple head shot or a fun shot of you active in the garden. I will be taking headshots
during the March meeting for those still missing.
As always, please do not hesitate to send me anything you find interesting for including in future
newsletters. I would love to see more photos, more suggested reads or book reviews, product or plant
reviews as well.
Many Thanks,
Molly
A drop of water to feed the mind...
People to know
Places to see
Words to read
Get to know
Michael King
Author, designer, and expert in perennial plants in naturalistic meadow landscapes.
http://www.perennialmeadows.com/
Go see
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond Virginia
More than a dozen themed gardens on display year round and features a classical domed
Conservatory being the only one of its kind in the mid-Atlantic.
Suggested read
Gaining Ground: A Story of Farmers' Markets, Local Food, and Saving the Family Farm
UPDATE YOUR
by Forrest Pritchard
CONTACT INFO!
Daffodil: The remarkable story of the world's most popular spring flower
by Noel Kingsbury
Please send any
changes to Pat Bowell
Again this Spring we will be placing an order
with Blessings Blends for bags of potting soil and
compost to be delivered in preparation for the
Plant Sale Potting Day on Friday, April 25th.
bowell74@verizon.net,
505 Railroad Ave Suite 4,
Centreville, MD 21617
For more information and to reserve your # bags
Contact: mgarret1@umd.edu
Fax: (410) 758-3687
Products Available to QAMGs:
OMRI Premium Compost 30lb bag
OMRI Premium Potting Mix 30lb bag
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QAC MG News & Opportunities
KIFA Garden Tour June 7 and 8
Volunteers needed for two hour shifts on Saturday or Sunday 10-1 or 1-4. This is a great
opportunity to promote our Bay-Wise program. All of the gardens are on Kent Island
this year. Volunteers will receive a free ticket to the tour and an invitation to the Thank
You Party on June 14. Contact Karen Wimsatt 410 643 -7404
jimandkaren.wimsatt@gmail.com or if you live on Kent Island and would like to have
your special garden as part of the tour contact Diana Coslick 443 249-3338.
Herbs for Sale!
For the past several years the MGs have run a very successful booth at the Chestertown
Tea party Festival. This year we would like to run a trial by selling some herb seedlings as
well. Herbs are always a hot topic plus they fit really well with the Colonial theme.
A number of MGs have already offered to grow some herbs. If you would like to start
some seedlings as well, please contact Sabine Harvey, greenbien@hotmail.com , 410-8103890
Demonstration Gardens in Kent County
This growing season, part of the Victory Garden at Kent County Middle School will be
used as a MG Demonstration Site. At least one of the raised beds will serve as an
example for the GIEI “100 Square Feet Gardening Challenge”. We will also install drip
irrigation throughout the entire garden.
We have already scheduled two events for the garden. On June 21st, the garden will be
part of the GIEI class “Intensive Gardening Techniques.” Towards the end of August, we are
planning to hold a “Tomato Tasting Event” at the garden. Anyone who is interested in
developing the KCMS Victory Garden into a demo site, please contact Sabine Harvey,
greenbien@hotmail.com , 410-810-3890
Centreville Library Rain Garden
“Ready for Spring? Can’t wait to get outside and work in the garden? Weather
permitting, we will begin this year’s work on the Centreville Library Rain Garden on
Thursday, March 20th at 9:00am. This is one of the gardens on the Adkins Native Garden
Tour in Queen Anne’s County this year so we need to get as early a start as possible on
it to make sure it looks its best for the tour. There may not be much growing yet, but we
can get a feel for what we are going to need to do in the coming weeks. We will need to
identify plants, find out which ones need labels and possibly do a new diagram of the
garden. The plantings have changed over the years since it was first planted and the
original drawing is no longer accurate. We will probably need to work on this garden
twice in April and possibly in May as well. More hands make the work go quickly so
come and join us for an hour.”
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QAC MG News & Opportunities
L e t I t Ra in : Simple Landscape Solutions for Rainwater Issues
Presented by UME Master Gardeners/landscape designers
Debbie Pusey & Cathy Tengwall



Learn to manage puddles and erosion by capturing and directing rainwater with proper use of
downspouts, rain barrels and rain gardens.
Improve and beautify the landscape with water absorbing native trees and plants.
Use paving alternatives; mulched areas and pervious surfaces to regenerate local groundwater.
Hosted by Adkins Arboretum
April 3, 1:00 to 3:00pm
Free for members
$5 admission for non-members
Registration required, Limit 35
Call 410-634-2846 ext. 0
Email: info@adkinsarboretum.org
Sowing Seeds: New Ideas for Sustainable Partnerships between Libraries and MGs
Wednesday, April 2nd at Miller Library, Ellicott City
FREE- Registration Required
https://sites.google.com/site/sowingseedsmdlib/
Chesapeake Forest Gardens: A Permaculture Design Certificate Course
Edible Landscapes, Forests & Watersheds by CHEARS and Forested
Begins April 5th at College Park, Greenbelt, and Bowie Scholarships Available– Deadline
Save the Date
March 14th
http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e8p6dt1m0f215e17&llr=9wkmgtbab
NEW Course: Native Landscaping for Maryland Shade Gardens
Thursdays, June 5, 12, 19 at Adkins Arboretum
By Sara Tangren, Ph.D., MG Trainer and Associate Agent in Native Plants & Sustainable Horticulture
https://www.extension.umd.edu/mg/advanced-training
Intensive Techniques and Small Space Vegetable Gardening Class
by UME Kent County June 21st
https://www.extension.umd.edu/mg/advanced-training
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Horticulture Lecture Series 2014
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Kent County Public Library
408 High Street, Chestertown, MD 21620
Friday March 7th 10-11:30am
“Edible and Medicinal Plants: In the Wild & Your Back Yard”
Dr. Susan Yost, Educator, Claude E. Phillips Herbarium, Dept. of Ag & Natural
Resources, Delaware State University, Dover, DE
Friday March 14th 10-11:30am
“Biodiversity, Pollination, Conservation & Connectivity”
Sam Droege, Biologist, Bee Inventory & Monitoring Lab, Patuxent Wildlife Research
Center, U.S., Geological Survey, Beltsville, MD
Friday March 21st 10-11:30am
“What Weed Is This?”
Sabine Harvey, University of Maryland Extension, Kent County, Extension Program
Assistant, Horticulture, Master Gardener
Friday March 28th 10-11:30am
“Soils for the Well-Informed Gardener”
Dr. Patricia Steinhilber, University of Maryland Extension Associate & Program
Coordinator, Ag Nutrient Management Program
Links to Know
SPACE IS LIMITED
Pre-register by calling 410-778-1661
University of Maryland Extension
Home & Garden Information Center
1-800-342-2507
http://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic
They answer gardening and pest questions!
Specialists available Monday through Friday, 8am to 1pm
University of Maryland Extension
Sea Grant Extension Watershed Educators
http://www.extension.umd.edu/watershed
Headwater, Issue 1 Highlights:
o A new rain garden app for your smart phone
o Tree plantings in Chestertown
o The new UME Watershed Protection and Restoration Program website
o Feeling "Dib" in 2014
o Climate corner: Climate adaptation
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News from the State MG Office
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MG A NNUAL T RAINING D AY
will be Thursday, 5/29/14 at the University of Maryland College Park
What’s killing the bees and what to do about it is one of the most important topics of concern for MGs
and people everywhere. Because there is so much controversy on this complicated topic, and it’s an area
of such large concern, we have chosen a U. of MD Research Scientist who’s in the thick of the
controversy to help us understand what exactly is going on –to separate the facts from hype.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Dennis VanEnglesdorp Research Scientist from the University of MD
Why we Need Bees: Leading apiarist and U. of MD Research Scientist Dennis VanEnglesdorp will look
at these gentle, misunderstood creature's importance in agricultural and natural ecosystems and the
alarming evidence of their "mysterious" decline. He will cover the latest theories behind honey bee
losses, the evidence supporting these theories, and present ways in which all of us can help ensure a
robust and health pollinator supply in our own communities. This talk will have important ramifications
for all aspects of what MGs do.
Featured speaker: David Haskell, Professor of Biology, U. of the South
The Forest Unseen: Learn how the speaker’s research and study on one square meter of forest for
one year contains amazing revelations for our past, present and future. “Invite a great rush of wonder
into your life” as you learn from Haskells’ personal and scientific insights. His research and teaching
examine the evolution and conservation of animals, especially forest-dwelling birds and invertebrates.
Workshops: This year you’ll have more workshops that ever before as we present 39 different
sessions in 3 different time periods. No matter what your interest, we have classes you’ll enjoy and learn
from.
GIEI: Classes on Greens, Community Gardens, Herbs, Unusual Vegetables, Seed Saving, Cucurbits,
Backyard chickens
Native Plants: Turf to natives, Native Meadows, Native Ground Covers, Showy Ferns, Plant Picks for
Pollinators, Propagating Native Shrubs
Entomology: Pollinator Yards, Climate Change on Insects, Pesticides on Insects, Scale Insects
Plants and Design: New Plants from the Nat’l Arboretum, Pruning, Accenting your Landscape with
Color, Foundation Plants, American Gardens, Small Space Gardening, Rain gardens, Climate Change and
the Gardener
Naturalist: Bird Migration, Geology, Nature’s Puzzle, Snakes, Ecology of Oak forests, as well as some of
the topics listed above.
Nuts and Bolts: Grant Writing; Top Gardening Apps
We also have diagnostic disease labs and plant walk as well as a great talk on both Youth Gardening/
Nutrition and on Garden Soils.
Full schedule, list of workshops, list of speakers with their biographical information, and information and
order form for MG Identity Merchandise will be available this month. Registration will also open up at
this time and close at the very beginning of May.
Registration Fee will remain at $69 – the same price it has been for the past 4 years. So watch your
mail for your printed schedule and registration form. Decide what merchandise you’d like to get and
which classes you’d like to take and then register using the hard copy or register on line.
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News from the State MG Office
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ADVANCED TRAINING CLASSES
Native Plant Essentials
This course will serve as the basic introductory course to all of the MG Advanced Training native plant classes
and as a survey course for folks who want to know what it’s all about. Our presenter, Sara Tangren, Ph.D.,
will consider what’s native and why, soils, ecology, climate and the concept of native plant communities. Why
are native plants important and what does their preservation and success mean for all of us. We will also have
a hands-on component at the end of the day with either identification exercises or a field walk to observe
geology, soil and natural plant communities.
Presenter: Sara Tangren, Ph.D. Registration Fee: $35
Cylburn Arboretum
(Baltimore)
UME Washington Co.
(Boonsboro)
Anne Arundel Co. Dairy Farm
(Gambrills)
Saturday, March 15
9:30-3:30
Tuesday, March 18
9:30-3:30
Thursday, March 20
9:30-3:30
Reg. Deadline: 3/7
Reg. Deadline: 3/11
Reg. Deadline: 3/13
Re gis tr ati on For m
Native Landscaping for Maryland Shade Gardens (NEW)
In 2014 we will offer "Native Landscaping for Maryland Shade Gardens" (for both wet and dry areas) in three
different locations, one in the piedmont, one in the coastal plain (Eastern shore) and one in the coastal plain
(southern Maryland). In 2015 we will offer "Native Landscaping for Maryland Sun Gardens" (both wet and dry)
in three different locations.
Course Description (Shade Gardens): In each of these workshops we will have 3 days to explore the
beautiful and diverse plants native of your region, and practice using them to design sustainable native shade
gardens. In this course you will:
1- Learn how the ecology and history of Maryland’s flora can inform native landscape design decisions today.
2- Learn the most useful shade garden plants for your area including identification, cultural requirements,
wildlife use and more. You will also learn basic research skills that will enable to expand your plant palette in
the future.
3- Enjoy field trip(s) to observe native gardens and natural a Practice shade garden design by selecting plants
that are appropriate to site conditions (moisture, pH), provide year-round interest, and benefit wildlife and
wild plant populations.
Piedmont (Howard Co.)
UME Howard Co., Ellicott City
Coastal Plain (Kent Co.)
Adkins Arboretum
Coastal Plain (Southern MD)
UME Calvert Co., Prince Frederick
Tuesdays, Apr. 22, Apr. 29, May 6
9:30am-3:30pm
Thursdays, Jun 5, Jun 12, Jun 19
10am-4pm
Tuesdays, Sept. 20, Oct. 7, Oct 14
Reg. Deadline: 4/14/14
Reg. Deadline: 5/23/14
Reg. Deadline: 9/23/14
Re gis tr ati on For m
More classes will be announced soon including:
 Entomology/Ecological IPM with Mike Raupp – Baltimore Co., June
 Intensive Techniques and Small Space Vegetable Gardening- Kent Co., June
 Vegetable Plant and Pest Diagnosis – July in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties
 Plant Diseases – September in Frederick Co.
 Youth Vegetable Gardening- September in Montgomery and Anne Arundel Counties,
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Outside the Garden Gate...
Longwood Gardens’ Orchid Extravaganza, January 25th – March 30th
For more information, call (610) 388-1000 or www.longwoodgardens.org
Ladew Topiary Gardens Spring Lecture Series, Wednesdays March 4th – April 23rd 10:30am
$25 members, $30 Nonmembers
Advanced registration required, call (410) 557-9570
http://www.ladewgardens.com/EVENTCALENDAR/LectureSeries.aspx
Exciting New Plants & Under-Used Plants by Valery Cordrey March 22nd 11:00am – 1:00pm
Southern Delaware Botanic Gardens
$15.00 fee, free to SDBG members
http://delawaregardens.org/event/exciting-new-plants-and-under-used-plants-valery-cordrey/
University of Delaware Botanic Garden’s 2014 Spring Plant Sale
Preview Lecture: Wednesday, March 26th 7-8:30 pm
UDBG Friends Members: $5; Nonmembers: $10
Please join Longwood Graduate Program Director Dr. Robert Lyons and UDBG Director Dr. John Frett in a lively
repartee between two dynamic plant gurus as they describe and illustrate many of the perennial and woody
plants offered in the UDBG plant sale catalog and at the sale.
Contact: botanicgardens@udel.edu
68th Annual Colonial Williamsburg Garden Symposium April 5-7th, 2014
Guest speakers and Colonial Williamsburg staff will share their expertise on the concept, design, maintenance,
and pleasures of organic gardening and living lightly — from the ground up. Topics include brewing beer, fragrance, garden-to-table meals, herbs, heritage breeds, natural dyes, and more! Co-sponsored by the American
Horticultural Society and Organic Gardening.
http://www.cvent.com/events/2014-garden-symposium/event-summary-18ebdad649d6401da8ec16249ead8b78.aspx
Delaware Nature Society -- Beautify Your Garden with Native Plants, April 16, 7–9 pm
DuPont Environmental Education Center by Peggy Anne Montgomery, American Beauties Native Plants
To register call 302.656.1490
http://iz4.me/InformzDataService/OnlineVersion/Public?mailingInstanceId=3828658&brandid=4027
University of Delaware Botanic Garden Plant Sale:- Friday, April 25, 3-7pm & Saturday, April 26, 9:30am-4pm
Plants include perennials, tender perennials, shrubs, small flowering trees, evergreens and shade trees.
Plant sizes range from quarts to 15 gallons.
UDBG website: http://ag.udel.edu/udbg/
The 2014 Plant Sale Catalog: http://ag.udel.edu/udbg/events/documents/UDBGCat14_WEB.pdf
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Spring Plant Sale Recipes
Lou Russell’s Rosemary Cookies
When the Tompkins’ had their lovely garden on the tour Julie made Lou Russell’s rosemary cookies. Lou was the founder of the Eastern Shore Herb Society. Her recipe appears on our The Season’s Best 10th anniversary book, if you do not have the book the recipe follows:
INGREDIENTS
1 C butter
1 C oil
1 C sugar
1 C confectioner’s sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
1 T cream of tartar
4 C flour
2 T chopped fresh rosemary or 2 t dried
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients, except rosemary, in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly, add rosemary, form
into small balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Bake
at 3750 , check after 6 minutes, turn pan and bake another 2-4 minutes until cookies are pale golden
grown and firm to the touch. WONDERFUL!
Old Fashioned Coriander Cookies
A nice soft cookie from THE SPICE COOKBOOK by David White
INGREDIENTS
½ c shortening
¼ t baking soda
½ t salt
5 t ground coriander
1 c sugar
1 egg
2 C sifted flour
½ c buttermilk or sour milk
DIRECTIONS
Cream first four ingredients, gradually blend in sugar. Beat in egg. Add flour alternately with milk,
blending well. Drop by teaspoonful's on to lightly greased cookie sheets about 2” apart. Bake 375 0
for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on racks, store in an airtight container.
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VOLUME
15,
ISSUE
3
2014 Monthly Meetings
Date
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Topic
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
G a r d en in g f or M on ar c h
B u t t e rf l ie s —J im W i ls on
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
10
P l a n t Pr op a g at io n
& P l an t S al e P re p
TBD
PAGE
Time
11:30 am to 2 pm
Place
Tilghman
Terrace
9:30am to 11:30 am
Tilghman
Terrace
9:30am to 11:30 am
Tilghman
Terrace
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Picnic
TBD
TBD
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
TBD
TBD
TBD
Tilghman Terrace
104 Tilghman Ave
Centreville, Md. 21617
From South of Centreville
Follow 213 N. into town. Turn right at first light onto Water street and ** pass the PNC bank on your
right. Tilghman Ave will be the next street on your right. Turn right onto Tilghman Ave.**
From North of Centreville
Follow 213 S. into town. Turn Left on E. Water St. Follow ** directions above.
Parking on street and in the rear of building.
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April 2014
March 2014
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Kent Hort
Series
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Kent Hort
Series
15
16
17
18
19 MG Monthly
Meeting,
9:30-11:30pm
@Tilghman
Plant Sale Meeting
Following
20 First Day of Spring
Talisman Meeting
@QAO 9:30am
21
Kent Hort
Series
22
25
26
27
28
Kent Hort
Series
29
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
Let It Rain
@Adkins 1pm
4
5
23
24
30
31
Sun
Mon
Library Garden
Clean Up 9am
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16 MG Monthly
Meeting,
9:30-11:30
@Tilghman
17
Talisman Meeting
@QAO 9:30am
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Plant Sale
Potting Day
10am @QAO
26
27
28
29
30
12
April Newsletter Deadline:
March 28, 2014
University of Maryland Extension
505 Railroad Avenue, Suite 4
Centreville MD, 21617
Phone: (410) 758-0166
Fax: (410) 758-3687
http://extension.umd.edu/queenannes-county/about
QACMG Website:
http://extension.umd.edu/queenannes-county/home-gardening
Master Gardener Coordinator,
Queen Anne’s County
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 and expression. Equal opportunity employers and equal access programs.
University of Maryland Extension
Queen Anne’s County
505 Railroad Ave.
Suite 4
Centreville, MD 21617
Vision Statement: A healthier world through environmental stewardship