Queen Anne’s County Master Gardener Newsletter The Watering Can V O L U M E I S S U E 5 M A Y 2 0 1 2 MG Meeting: Wednesday, May 16th 9:30am INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Coordinators 1 4 , 2 Stink Bugs with Jim Persels, MG Corner QAC MG News 3 Bay-Wise 4 Demo Gardens 4 Grow It Eat It 5 Boxwood Blight 5 Tidbits 5 Garden Affair, Plant Sale, and Bake Sale 6 MG Monthly Meetings 7 Educational Opportunities 8 Volunteer 9 Calendar 10-11 The May 16th Master Gardener meeting will feature a story of alien invasion to rival “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and the “XFiles.” Jim Persels, QA County Master Gardener, will share his recently gained knowledge of the life and times of the annoying, destructive, and voracious, (not to mention ugly and smelly) Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. Wednesday, May 16 9:30 to 11:30 am at Tilghman Terrace (Directions on page 9) MG Joe Jelich is dressed and ready for Jim’s talk! MG of the Month: We all will be volunteering hard this month at the Garden Affair, plant clinics, GIEI classes, Bay-Wise consultations and more. Please let Sabine Harvey or Carol Jelich know of a fellow MG who especially deserves recognition. Coordinator’s Corner PAGE 2 Dear Master Gardeners, Master Gardener Coordinator - who will wear the hat next? We bid a fond farewell to Rachel Melvin as of April 19th, thank her for her exemplary service as our leader for the past 3 ½ years, and wish her well in her new position at Maryland Department of Agriculture. Now the Master Gardener Steering Committee will step in and shepherd our programs through the next several months while the search for a new Coordinator is underway. If you have any questions about any of our programs or activities, please contact the Steering Committee member who is taking the lead in that area. See Page 3 for the Steering Committee Contact List and a description of each member’s area of responsibility. Submitted by Julie Tompkins, with additions by Neenah UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFO! Please send any changes to Pat Bowell at Aly Valentine, the Regional Extension Coordinator, will be driving the hiring process and she has assured us she will make hiring the new Coordinator a top priority. She has set a target date of July 1st to have the new person in place. While there are no guarantees, Aly is confident she can meet her goal. bowell74@verizon.net, 505 Railroad Ave, Suite 4, Centreville, MD 21617 or fax: (410) 758-3687 Jack Doub and Jim Persels will be sitting on the search committee and will keep us informed of progress. Thanks to Rachel’s outstanding organizational skills, and the dedication and commitment of you, the volunteers, we are confident we can carry on without missing a beat. Debbie Pusey, Jim Persels, Kathy Persels, Judy Geggis, Judy Conley, Susan Seth, Pat Gannon, and Jackie Kelly for helping with the Rain Garden. All the MGs who brought delicious dishes to the April meeting for Rachel’s going away luncheon. Gayle Jayne, Jack Doub, Linda Doub, and Jim Thanks To: Persels for helping with Grow It Eat It. Karen Wimsatt for starting a Plant Clinic at Kent Island Farmers Market. As always, thanks is due to all of you, but if we missed a deserved thank you or if you wish to express your appreciation to someone, please let Sabine Harvey or Carol Jelich know and it shall be acknowledged in the next newsletter. THE WATERING CAN VOLUME 14, ISSUE 5 PAGE 3 QAC MG News: The following Master Gardeners have accepted responsibilities to keep the program going until a new coordinator is hired. Please contact them if you have questions/info about these areas and keep dialog flowing! MG Meetings: At present, no one has agreed to lead. Meeting times are set in Centreville at Tilghman Terrace (no August due to fair) July 18, Sept 19, Oct 17, Nov 14 from 9:30-11:30. The Extension office has audiovisual equipment available if requested ahead of time. Since no one has come forward the Steering Committee decided that hostesses for the monthly meetings would be responsible for picking up audiovisual equipment and the hostess box. Holiday Luncheon: Linda Doub and Karen Wimsatt. Wednesday, December 12th. Place TBD. To help with planning contact Linda at lindadoub@gmail.com Newsletter compilation: Sabine Harvey greenbien@hotmail.com and Carol Jelich carol.jelich@gmail.com Newsletter distribution: the Extension office—Sheila Shorter Dorsey sshorter@umd.edu or Sue Wolff swolff@umd.edu. 410 758-0166. Publicity: The steering committee decided that each program chair would be responsible for their own publicity. • Bay-Wise: Kate Greer, Jane Chambers, and Vida Morley. • Grow It Eat It: Linda Doub • MG Interns: Karen Wimsatt and Linda Doub • A Garden Affair: Judy Geggis and Genie Fitzgerald Volunteer Hours Entry: Pat Bowell. Volunteer hour forms can be sent to the Extension Office or directly to Pat at bowell74@verizon.net Liaison to State Office: Sabine Harvey has volunteered to attend MG State Coordinators meeting and state strategic meetings if possible. Anyone may contact State Coordinator Jon Traunfeld, jont@umd.edu or Assistant SC, Robin Hessey, rmhessey@umd.edu at 410-531-5556. Steering Committee Members: John Ittu johnittu@gmail.com • Linda & Jack Doub lindadoub@gmail.com or jkdoub@gmail.com • Sabine Harvey greenbien@hotmail.com • Carol Jelich carol.jelich@gmail.com • Debbie Pusey debbiepusey@verizon.net • Jane Chambers Earljane@atlanticbb.net • Kate Greer Kway2bay@aol.com • Vida Morley vidamorley@verizon.net • Jim Persels jpersels@yahoo.com • Karen Wimsatt Jimandkaren.wimsatt@gmail.com • Pat Bowell Bowell74@verizon.net • Susan Seth Seths46@verizon.ent • Extension Advisory Council (lets Extension office know what MG program needs are) Linda Doub, Jim Persels, and Jack Doub 2012 Training Coordination: will be at WREC on Fridays from September 7th-November 2nd from 9-3. Linda Doub is the contact: lindadoub@gmail.com, 410 827-8613 3rd Thursday Centreville Demonstration Garden Cleanups will continue. Debbie Pusey will advise as to time and location. debbiepusey@verizon.net, 410 758-8623 Plant Clinics Alternate Saturdays At Chestertown Farmers Market: Sabine Harvey, greenbien@hotmail.com, 410- 810-3890. See volunteer page for details. Kent Island Farmers Market: Karen Wimsatt, jimandkaren.wimsatt@gmail.com , Thursdays from 3 to 6:30 pm on May 10th, June 14th, July 12th, August 16th and September 13th. ANYONE MAY SEND MESSAGES TO THE WHOLE GROUP BY SENDING TO QACMG@googlegroups.com . Please direct questions or email address changes to Marty Appel, list serve manager. kitraveler@yahoo.com, 410643-4351. PAGE 4 Bay-Wise On April 20th, members of the Bay-Wise Committee and recent graduates of the Advanced BayWise Training conducted a demonstration Bay-Wise consultation/certification at the residence of Pat Gannon in Queenstown. Pat is an intern who has joined the Bay-Wise Committee. Her lovely property was certified as BayWise. A key purpose of the consultation was to “test drive” the new Bay-Wise Team Leader Procedures Checklist. Any Master Gardener who wishes to have their property certified as Bay-Wise, or who knows someone who would be interested in a consultation, can contact a member of the Com- Stay tuned to this space for information on the next scheduled Bay-Wise meeting. To join the committee, contact Jane Chambers, Kate Greer, or Vida Morley, Bay-Wise committee co-chairs. mittee to initiate the process. The current Bay-Wise Committee members are listed below: Marty Appel; Paula Bounds; Pat Bowell; Margaret Carter; Jane Chambers; Sue D’Camera; Lawrie Dudley; Kit Foster; Pat Gannon; Margaret Gardiner; Kate Greer; Annie Ittu; John Ittu; Carol Jelich; Maureen O’Conner; Jim Persels; Debbie Pusey; Carol Romano; Lori Sharer; Stephanie Simpson; Jane Smith; Nick Storer; Ann Wake. Demonstration Garden Clean-up Helping clean up the Centreville Library Rain Garden is a great way to spend time with fellow Master Gardeners while getting rid of some nasty weeds. This is a great way to knock out some of the pesky volunteer hours! Always, remember to bring with you, your own gardening gloves, tools, and water (for those hot summer days). For more information, contact Debbie Pusey. Demo Garden Schedule: • Thursday, May 10th: Centreville Li- • brary Rain garden at 9 am • Thursday, June 21st: Centreville Li- • brary Rain garden at 9 am • Thursday, July 19th: Centreville Li- • brary Rain garden at 9 am THE WATERING CAN MGs certify Pat Gannon’s Bay-Wise garden. From left: Debbie Pusey, John Ittu, Pat Gannon, Jane Chambers, Stephanie Simpson, Sue D’Camera. Not shown: Jim Persels. Congratulations Pat! Thursday, August 16th: Centreville Library Rain garden at 9 am Thursday, September 13th: Centreville Library Rain garden at 9 am Thursday, October 13th: Centreville Library Rain garden at 9 am VOLUME 14, ISSUE 5 PAGE 5 Box Blight or Boxwood Blight has been causing Grow It Eat It defoliation of boxwoods throughout Europe since the late 1990’s. In October 2011, the disease was found in North Carolina and Connecticut in both nursery, and landscape plantings. The disease was also found in a Virginia nursery. Since this first US report the disease has been identified in a number of Northeastern states and also in Oregon, and British Columbia. The first Maryland case of Boxwood Blight was confirmed on plants from a landscaper’s nursery in December 2011. Centreville Free Library ♦ Monday, May 7th , Time: 7 to 8pm Topic: Veggie Garden IPM: knowing your friends & foes in the garden ♦ Monday, June 11th , Time: 7 to 8pm Topic-Composting made simple Stevensville Free Library Tuesday, May 15th , Time: 6:30 to 7:30pm Topic: Veggie Garden IPM: knowing your friends & foes in the garden ♦ Wednesday, June 13th , Time: 6:30 to 7:30pm Topic- Composting made simple ♦ Sudlersville Memorial Library ♦ Tuesday, May 8th , Time: 6:30 to 7:30pm Topic- Composting made simple & knowing your friends & foes in the garden For more Grow www.growit.umd.edu It Eat It news visit Learn more about it at http://hgic.umd.edu/content/ otherinvasive.cfm#Blight Tidbits….. ⇒ MG Annual Summer Picnic on Wednesday, June 20th at 11:30am at the Queen Anne’s County 4-H park. MG Vida Morley has agreed to be in charge of this program. Look for more information in the June Newsletter. ⇒ QAC 4-H Fair August 6th-August 11th. This year we are looking for someone to be responsible for the organization of the MG booth at the fair. Responsibilities will include setting up and taking down of the booth and arranging for volunteer coverage. We will also have a garden bed clean up at the Fair, to help us get a better spot for our booth. ⇒ Drill Baby Drill! Is anyone interested in starting Remember 2012 is University of Maryland Extension’s YEAR OF LEAFY GREENS. Plant some today! an MG Drill Team to march (with appropriate garden tools and GIEI seed packets to hand out) in the Memorial or 4th of July parade in Centreville? Contact Carol Jelich if you want to explore this idea or can offer advice on how to perform drills. VOLUME 14, ISSUE 5 PAGE 6 Plant Sale 5th Annual ‘A Garden Affair’ Update submitted by MG Jane Smith, Plant Sale Chairperson Submitted by: MG Susan Seth, Garden Affair Chairperson Please bring your well-labeled plants to the plant sale area between 8:00 am and 9:00 am on Saturday, May 12. Plant sale volunteers will price them as they arrive. We welcome all non-invasive plants for the sale and look forward to those "special finds" from your gardens. Garden Affair is just days away on Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM at the Centreville Library and Wright’s Chance. There is much to do. The Planning committee with Rachel’s guidance has tried to attend to all of the many details required to have a successful Garden Affair. We have depended on Rachel to take care of these many small (and large) details that have to be done prior to the day of Garden Affair and on the day of the event. If you have needs or items that are required for your table or exhibit that you have not previously requested please let me know ASAP. We will need extra set-up volunteers from 8:00 am until 9:30 am and extra clean-up volunteers at 2:00 pm. The Garden Affair plant sale gets bigger every year and we can certainly use those extra hands during the hectic setup and clean-up. Thank you to everyone who contributes to make this such a successful fundraiser for the Master Gardener program and its initiatives. One big job that needs to be done prior to the Garden Affair is to get our demonstration rain garden at the Centreville Library in top condition. The clean-up date is Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 9:30 AM. If you are available please come out and help with the trimming and clean-up. On the morning of the Garden Affair please plan on being at the Library/Wright’s Chance between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. Getting the tables set up, decorating the area, arranging the plant sale, etc. all take time and require lots of help. If everyone can help in getting these initial things done then there is plenty of time to set up individual exhibits. If you haven’t signed up to help in a specific area there are still many places where you can help out even if only a couple of hours. Please check the map so you can leave items for the plant sale, green elephant sale and bake sale in those specified areas on Saturday morning. ---Items for the plant sale should be dropped off as soon as possible since the plants have to be sorted and priced. Plant labels should include as much information as possible including plant name and needs for water and light. ---Suggested items for the green elephant sale might include gently used yard and garden tools, ornaments, pots, baskets, vases, garden books, etc. No clothing other than gently worn garden gloves, hats or tool aprons will be accepted. Please price items for the green elephant sale prior to dropping them off. ---Bake sale goodies should be packaged for individual sale in plastic bags including two medium cookies or brownies or three small cookies. The baked items will be sitting out all day so please don’t bring things that should be refrigerated including items that are custard based. Clean up at the end of the day goes quickly with everyone helping so please plan to stay until everything gets packed up and put away. All we need now is good weather! In addition to getting all of our plants ready for the plant sale, we also need to be thinking about the bake sale. Last year the bake sale was a great success (we made $140)! Suggestions for baked goods include: oatmeal cookies, sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, lemon bars, butterscotch and orange brownies, cupcakes, etc. Limitations: avoid using custard, meringue, pies, and raw egg. Baked goods must be packaged before arriving at the Garden Affair, each bag should contain four “normal size cookies” or 2 large cookies to sell for $1 per bag. Happy Baking! Bake Sale ♦ ♦ ♦ Upcoming Garden Affair Meetings: Monday, May 7th cancelled Saturday, May 12th 10am to 2pm- 5th Annual ‘A Garden Affair’ at the Centreville Library & Historic Wright’s Chance Monday, May 14th, 9:30 am at the Extension office for wrap-up and evaluation — all comments welcome! VOLUME 14, ISSUE 5 PAGE Date Topic Time Place Wednesday, May 16, 2012 Stink Bugs Speaker: MG Jim Persels 9:30am to 11:30 am Tilghman Terrace Wednesday, June 20, 2012 Picnic 11:30 am to 2 pm QAC 4-H Park Wednesday, July 18, 2012 Tools in the Garden Speaker: MG Joe Jelich 9:30am to 11:30 am Tilghman Terrace Wednesday, September 19, 2012 Beekeeping Speaker: MG Dick Crane 9:30am to 11:30 am Tilghman Terrace Wednesday, October 17, 2012 Topic: ? Speaker: ? 9:30am to 11:30 am Tilghman Terrace Wednesday, November 14, 2012 * Week early due to Holiday* Planning for 2013 9:30am to 11:30 am Tilghman Terrace Wednesday, December 12, 2012 * Week early due to Holiday* Holiday Luncheon Place??? 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. Street parking is available as well as in the back. From North of Centreville Follow 213 S. into town. Turn Left on E. Water St. **Follow directions above. Parking on street and in rear of building Directions to the monthly meeting! 7 PAGE 8 Educational Opportunities Plant Disease Date: Tuesday, June 12, 2012; 9:30am-3:30pm Registration Deadline: June 5 Registration Fee: $35 Course Description: Plant diseases often seem like exotic mysteries left up to the experts to solve. Well, guess what- we MG’s can now begin to unravel some of these mysteries ourselves. In this course you’ll learn all about the bacteria, fungi and viruses that cause plant problems. You’ll also learn about their symptoms, cycles and controls. In addition to the lecture and handouts you will get hands-on training with samples. We hope that you’ll feel comfortable enough with the basics of plant diseases to be able to recognize problems in your own gardens and to use the information competently to help clients at plant clinics. To Register: Use registration form or send your name, address, email, phone, MG county you work with, name of class (and its location) you want to take, and a check for $35 (payable to the University of MD). Mail to: MG classes, HGIC, 12005 Homewood Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042. Certificate Info.: This class will fulfill the Plant Disease requirement for your MG State Advanced Training Certificate Course in Plant Diagnostics. To get the certificate you will need to take Plant Diseases, Entomology, a “Ask a MG” practicum and a Plant ID course. Each of these classes is offered at various locations at least once a year. Landscape Design & Water Management Wednesday, May 30 9:30am-3:30pm Broadneck Branch Library Registration Fee: $49 Registration Deadline: 5/29/12 (& field trip locations) Course Description: Does water flow off your property quickly? Does it pool in the wrong spots? What can and should be done? Excess water flow is creating critical environmental problems like erosion, pollution, and run off that can degrade water quality and native habitat. Master Gardeners are in the perfect position to help. In this course, you 'll gain 2 very specific skills: 1. Specific information about plants used for conservation landscaping so that you can advise clients on plant selection and placement. 2. How to install rain barrels. You'll also obtain useful information and design techniques that will help you manage water in the best possible way. Good design decisions include resource protections, microclimates, amount and type of hardscapes, material selections, maintenance requirements and best management practices (best design principles) for water management. • Learn about and take field trips to both rain-gardens and riparian buffers. Understand the scale of the problem and the important role of MGs can play in the solutions. • THE WATERING CAN VOLUME 14, ISSUE 5 A Garden Affair: Just around the corner is our 5th Annual ‘A Garden Affair,’ which means we’ll need many hands to make it another successful event. Here are some ways you can help: • Balloons: We’ll need 1 person to help Marty. This is a really easy, early morning activity, that is perfect for someone who can’t stay all day. This position requires someone willing to help Marty transport the balloons from Edwards Pharmacy to the Garden Affair and to distribute them around the event. • Set-up/Clean-up: This is the perfect way to help if you can’t spend the entire day with us. Setup begins at 8am sharp and only takes about 2 hours. • Bake Sale: This is a great way to lend a hand, especially if you can’t be there for the event. Bake a batch of your favorite cookies or brownies! • Children’s Activities: Do you love doing crafts? Always, wanted to help but have never been available? Then this is the activity for you! • Greeters: We’ll need 2 to 3 more people to help with the greeters table. Greeters are the face to the Garden Affair. They are responsible for making everyone feel welcome, they hand out important information describing our event, they direct participants to the happenings of the day and Volunteer Opportunities • • keep track of how many community members visit our event. Additionally, they make sure that everyone signs up to win a door prize! Tables/Chairs/Tents: If you are helping with a particular booth or activity don’t forget to help out by bringing your own, table, chairs or tent. The supply that we get from the county is limited so every little bit helps! Demo garden Schedule: Thursday, May 10th: Centreville Library Rain garden at 9:30am Is anyone reading this newsletter??? The first person who calls or emails me gets a baby Culvers root, a great native plant. Also the 5th person. Don’t tell — I’d love to know who reads! Carol J, this months editor — 410-827 -7759 or carol.jelich@gmail.com Bay-Wise: Kent Island Federation of Arts will be sponsoring a “Garden by the Sea” tour June 9th & 10th. This tour will include 2 Bay-Wise Gardens. We will need 2-3 people to set up a Bay-Wise information booth at MG Nick Stoer’s home one of the days. If interested please plan to attend the Bay-Wise Monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 18th at 12pm at the Wye Research and Education Center. Plant Clinics: This year in addition to our Plant Clinic at the Chestertown Farmers market, we will be News from the State MG Office PAGE 9 hosting a Plant Clinic at the Kent Island Farmers Market. This is a great way to earn volunteer hours Chestertown Plant Clinic Dates: • Sat., May 5th • Sat., May 19th • Sat., May 26th (Chestertown Tea Party Booth) • Sat., June 2nd • Sat., June 16th • Sat., June 30th • Sat., July 14th • Sat., July 28th • Sat., August 11th • Sat., August 25th • Sat., Sept 8th • Sat., Sept 22nd • Kent Island Farmers Market: MG Karen Wimsatt is chairing this program. The plant clinic will run MaySeptember from 3:30-6:30pm at Christ Church, 830 Romancoke Road (Rt8), 1/2 mile S of US Route 50. • May 10 • June 14th • July 12th • August 16th • Sept 13th Hostesses for Monthly Meetings: We are still looking for a few hostess/hostesses for our upcoming MG Monthly meetings. These are the dates when we need someone.: • Wed., July 18th • Wed., Sept 19th • Wed., Oct 17th Master Gardener Annual Training Day Wed. 5/23/12 LET’S Go Together—CarpOOLing INformation If you are attending this great annual day of learning and networking with over 800 Maryland Master Gardeners, you should be registered now! Website and Registration forms available at: http:// www.mastergardener.umd.edu/MGAnTrDay2012/index.cfm As of April 30, 17 Queen Anne’s County MG’s were registered. Jack and Linda Doub will coordinate carpooling, please contact them if you want to carpool. Robin Hessey will send all registrants a list of others attending. The plan made at the monthly meeting is that we will meet at the Park and Ride near Western Auto on Kent Island, leaving there promptly at 8:15 am. PAGE 10 May 2012 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 MG Trip to Seaberry Farm 2 3 4 Office Closed 5 Chestertown Plant Clinic 10 Demo Garden clean up library rain garden 9 am Kent Island Plant Clinic 3:30-6:30 11 12 18 19 Chestertown Plant Clinic 25 Extension Office Closed 26 Chestertown Tea Party 6 7 Grow It Eat It (GIEI) Centreville Library 7 to 8 pm 8 GIEI Sud9 lersville 6:307:30pm 13 14 15 Grow It Eat It (GIEI) Stevensville Library 6:307:30pm 20 21 22 GIEI Stev- 23 MG Annual 24 ensville Training Day Library 6:30- College Park 7:30pm 27 28 Ext Closed 29 16 MG 17 Monthly Meeting at 9:30am Tilghman Terrace 30 31 ⇒ 5th Annual A Garden Affair: Saturday, May 12, 2012 at the Centreville Library & Historic Wright’s Chance ⇒ Annual Training Day Wednesday, May 23, 2012 in College Park ⇒ MG Picnic Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 4H Park THE WATERING CAN 5th Annual Garden Affair! PAGE 11 VOLUME 14, ISSUE 5 6 15 8 1 Fri 23 16 Chestertown Plant Clinic 9 2 Chestertown Plant Clinic Sat June 2012 13 MG Monthly 14 Kent Island Meeting at 9:30am Plant Clinic at Tilghman Terrace GIEI-Stevensville Library 6:30-7 22 Thu 5 21 Demo Garden 29 Wed 4 12 :30pm 20 MG Picnic 11:30 to 2 28 Tue 3 11GIEI at Centreville 7-8pm 19 27 Mon 10 18 26 Sun 17 25 7 24 30 Chestertown Plant Clinic June Newsletter Deadline: Monday, May 21 . University of Maryland Extension 505 Railroad Avenue, Suite 4 Centreville MD, 21617 Phone: (410) 758-0166 Fax: (410) 758-3687 http://queenannes.umd.edu/ QACMG Website: http://queenannes.umd.edu/QACMG/ index.cfm Area Extension Director University of Maryland Extension Cecil, Kent and Queen Anne's Counties It is the policy of the University of Maryland and University of Maryland Extension, that no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status, or disability. 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