Cover photo by Emily Schiller, MG 2008
for more fantastic flora photos, see Emily's blog:
From The Coordinator's Desk
Beth Chisholm
It has been a busy few weeks here at the office. Amber and I are gearing up for the new 2016 training and fielding community requests for composting renovations, worm bins with kids, school garden support, rain garden tours and much more. I’m excited for the 2016 training to get underway. We have 25 students registered for the class and we will begin on February 4th.Many of you know I lost my Auntie last week, she died at the Whatcom Hospice House. She will be missed and I will plant a huge sunflower garden in her honor this summer.
I am late in this request but
hopeful to find a couple takers:
Volunteer classroom assistant for the 2016 training. This job is a great way to audit the
class. The job involves helping with
classroom set up, making refreshments, supporting guest speakers and
students. It’s a fun way to get a
refresher on all the topics. Please call
or email me if you are interested. beth.chisholm@wsu.edu
or (360) 778—5811.
Week 1
Feb 4
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Class
Orientation & Potluck Lunch at YWCA Ballroom
|
Beth
Chisholm & MG Foundation Visits
|
Week 2
Feb 11
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Botany &
Plant Identification
(Ch. 1 & 2)
|
Sue Koenig--
am Lecture
pm Lab
|
Week 3
Feb 18
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Composting
(Ch. 22) |
Andy Bary-
WSU 10-noon
Amber Kelley 1-2pm |
Week 4
Feb 25
|
9:30AM-
3PM
|
Pathology & Diagnostic
|
Jeff Dodson
& Lab
|
Week 5
Mar 3
|
9:30AM-
3PM
|
Entomology
Integrated Pest Management
(Ch. 14,19,20)
|
Dr. Merrill
Peterson (WWU) 10-noon
IPM-- Beth
afternoon trip to Home Depot
|
Week 6
Mar 10
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Best
Practices Pesticide Use
(Ch. 9,23, 24)
|
Dr.
Catherine Daniels (WSU) 10-noon
Compost Field trip – Green Earth Tech, Lynden |
Week 7
Mar 17
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Soils & Plant Nutrition
(Ch. 3,4,5)
|
Chris
Benedict—am lecture
pm Hovander Field Trip (soils mapping) |
Week 8
Mar 24
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Watershed
Stewardship & sustainable practices
Fruits & Vegetables
(Ch. 6,7,8,25)
|
Sue Blake-
am lecture
Afternoon Field trip Cloud Mt Farm Center |
Week 9
Mar 31
|
9:30 AM-3PM
|
Native,
Herbaceous & Woody Plants, Sustainable Practices
(Ch. 10-12, 21) |
Rae Edwards
&
Afternoon
fieldtrip – Plantas Nativa
|
Week 10
April 7
|
9:30AM-
3PM
|
WEEDS (Ch. 17)
&
Tree Fruits
|
Laurel
Baldwin, Janis Walsworth
Community
partners visit
|
Week 11
April 14 |
9:30AM-
3:30
|
Mock Clinic
AM
Hovander Visit |
FEBURARY 4TH YWCA
Lunch served noon-1 pm
The 2016 Master Gardener Basic training first class
luncheon.
The tradition is the previous year’s graduates host the
first day lunch at the YWCA ballroom. I need 20 volunteers to make this
event a success.
I will be busy with the 25 new trainees so I am turning to
you for help. Please RSVP that you can come and bring a dish to share.
There are no mentors this year so I need 20 willing people
to have lunch and visit with the new class !
We need the following:
·
Room set
up 11am- noon; already signed up-- Karen Saupe and Judy Kasper
·
Food &
beverage coordination—2 people to organized asap (MGs provide potluck food for
students) 15 people bring a dish
·
Clean up—3-4
people—Marilyn Glenn
Mark Your Calendars
EVENTS
8th Annual
Heirloom Seed Swap. Sunday, Jan. 31 at The Majestic, 1027 N. Forest
Street in
Bellingham. Doors open at 3 p.m. and the event runs until 6 p.m. Amateur
and
professional seed savers welcome to bring open-source seeds to share, as well
as seed potatoes and edible tubers. Seeds and monetary donations supports this
event, sponsored by Sustainable Bellingham, Chuckanut Center (Center for Local
Self-Reliance), Salish Seed Guild, Transition Whatcom and others. Volunteers
and
seed savers should contact Naomi at NLSiegel@hotmail.com. For more details,
see
the Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/1721867661378725/
Annual Plant
Sale, May 7th, at Hovander Homestead Park
Children’s
Story Garden Program is open for registration
Lynden Library Garden Workshops
WSU Extension Master Gardeners Volunteer educators are
excited to partner with
the Lynden Library to bring free public garden
workshops. Our spring topics
include:
March 5th
Soils: Dos & Don’ts for the
home gardener: Learn about soils tests,
the importance of tilth, texture, and temperature.
April 9th
Composting: Discover the art of
home composting! This class covers
the scientific principles of decomposition, outlines
backyard and indoor composting
techniques (e.g., composting with worms), and
sets you on your own unique path
toward composting and resource recovery.
May 21
Tomatoes: Learn the best tips of
growing tomatoes in the Pacific Northwest.
June 11
Berries and more: food crops that you can savor
MG Foundation President's Message
Linda Burshia Battle
The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful place to live and garden. January is an amazing month in this area. Moving from sub zero Montana in early January a few years ago, I was surprised by green lawns, shrubs and trees. The blooming flowers and the emerging bulbs and tree buds were nothing short of astonishing. I continue to be amazed at the early spring in this climate. I am most thankful to be a transplant here. Thanks to the Master Gardener program, I continue to learn and grow.
The new class of Master Gardeners is on board and ready to start classes in February. The program is such a valuable asset not only to the individuals taking the class but to our community. All the knowledge gained translates into volunteer hours and opportunities. It's a great cycle.
In this New Year, I would encourage the Whatcom County Master Gardeners to take on a new project or responsibility. You will not only grow but so will our programs. Beth has a pretty full plate, and at times it seems to be overflowing. A committee is needed to help with scheduling speakers to fill local requests. Another committee is needed to work on our membership directory. The signage at Hovander needs to be uniform and include all the gardens. If you are interested in helping with any of these important tasks please contact a board member or Beth.
Best wishes for a great new year.
"And what is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Linda Burshia Battle
From The Clinic Desk
Jeff Dodson, MG 2014
Hello Everyone from the Clinic Desk,
JANUARY!
ALREADY?!?! Good Grief, how can
that be?! Wasn’t it just the Fall of
2015 and now we are deep into Winter? Sigh.
Well, nothing to do about it but what needs to be done.
We at the clinic desk would like to wish all of you the
Happiest of New Years! For gardeners
January is often seen as a time of respite from the gardening concerns of more
actively growing seasons. As a plant
pathologist, however, I can tell you it is not a time to turn your back or even
look askance at your plant charges.
Mother Nature never rests…well, not really….not the way I would define
“rests”, anyhow. However, she does slow
down, especially in Winter and that is to our benefit because it becomes a time
that we can keep a vigilant eye on pests that are lethargic with the Winter
cold. In many cases we have less or no
foliage to obscure our view of our plants.
We can use this time to walk our garden and more closely examine what is
usually covered up. Namely, branches and
other plant structures for easily removable egg cases of potentially harmful
insects; bases of plants for mushroom-type structures; cankerous growths on
plant parts; deadwood that would be better removed that stay and provide a food
source for fungi; sap oozing from cracks in the plants’ epidermis/bark;
abnormal appearing leaves and needles;
branches that are rubbing across other branches; in short, anything that
appears out of the ordinary to you as the keeper of your garden. I know, I know that’s quite a list and I am
pretty sure I didn’t include everything but you don’t have to be able to
recognize, name or even know what to do about possible problems you might
find. You have the clinic to help with
that. Your options include but are not
limited to...
1. Taking
pictures (the more the merrier…especially if in focus). Most helpful to clinicians are three basic
shots. One of the general aspect of the
plant (which includes the surrounding garden), one of the general area of concern
on the individual plant, and one of a close-up of the area of concern (here’s
where the focus becomes tricky but is the most important). To avoid out-of-focus shots do not use any
type of zoom feature on the camera being used (this includes smart phones).
Bring the lens all the way back into the camera and move the camera closer or
further away from the subject until it is focus. Then, snap away.
2. Bringing samples into the clinic during regular business hours. Although
clinicians may not be present a quick check on the clinic calendar or a phone
call (360) 778-5808 will tell you when the next clinician is available. We will get back to you with questions,
answers and suggestions on what next to do.
3. Calling in [(360) 778-5808] to the clinic to talk to a
clinician or leave a message for a call back.
4. Emailing in concerns (and photos, if available) to mg.whatcom@wsu.edu.
Together we can help ensure the Spring will come with a
minimum number of concerns that might escalate into downright problems as the
seasons progress. We in the clinic are
ready and willing to be your resource.
Best regards to all,
Jeff
Calendar of Events
Free and Open to the Public
Plant ID Study Group
Thursday, January 28, 9 am - 11 am • Community Food Co-op, 315 Westerly Rd, Bellingham
The Plant ID Study Group meets the 4th Thursday each month. Our next study session is at the Community Food Co-op, 315 Westerly Rd, Bellingham. The meeting room is upstairs. Refreshments are available for purchase in the store deli. Wi-Fi / Internet is free. These sessions are accepted as educational hours for Master Gardeners.
New MG graduates, public, friends, and relatives are all welcome! You may bring samples of flowers and trees (branch with leaves) or just come and participate to keep your native and non-native plant identification skills strong. If possible, bring a plant identification book, like Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast by Pojar & MacKinnon, or another NW or general ID book (like Sunset). For further info or questions, contact Karen Gilliam at 384-4562 or jkgilliam@gmail.com or Louise Granger 739-2468 cell or rutroad@gmail.com.
8th Annual Heirloom Seed Swap
Sunday, January 31, 3-6 pm • The Majestic, 1027 N Forest St, Bellingham
Amateur and professional seed savers welcome to bring open-source seeds
to share, as well as seed potatoes and edible tubers. Seeds and monetary donations
supports this event, sponsored by Sustainable Bellingham, Chuckanut Center
( Center for Local Self-Reliance), Salish Seed Guild, Transition Whatcom and
others. Volunteers and seed savers should contact Naomi at:
NLSiegel@hotmail.com.
For more details, see the Facebook event at
Point Roberts Compost Workshop
Saturday, February 6 ● Point Roberts Community Center
Come to learn or to lend a hand! The Master Composter Recyclers are hosting a composting workshop for the community of Point Roberts. Sign up if interested and we can carpool.
Foundation Event: The Latest at Cloud Mountain
Thursday, February 11 ● General Meeting at 7 pm, Presentation at 7:30 pm ● WSU Extension
Presenter: Tom Thornton
Save the Date: NorthWest Flower and Garden Show
February 17th is the day that the Foundation has booked the bus to the NorthWest Flower and Garden Show. More info will follow.
Master Composter Recycler Training
Thursdays 5-7 pm & Saturdays 10 am-2 pm, February 18 - April 2 ● WSU Extension
Don't miss this the 2016 training, field trips & fun! Email Amberose Kelley (a.kelley@wsu.edu) for details. Apply here.
Foundation 2016 Events
Kathleen Bander and Barbara Schickler
It's a new year and it's filled with resolves and the possibility of new experiences. We've been working to re-infuse Master Gardening with the fun of plants and all they bring to us, and have almost completed the new 2016 schedule for both workshops and excursions for all Whatcom Master Gardeners.
Our two guiding words are education and fun, so we hope to see many of you for the activities. To help you plan, here's the run-down for 2016. Unlikely, but possible changes are unavoidable, so watch the Weeder's newsletter and messages on Lyris to keep up to date.
And a last thought: if you have any ideas about future presenters, subjects for presentations, or possible field trips, contact either of us.
January 14, 2016
The Magic of Bonsai
Presenter: Jeff Dodson
February 11, 2016
The Latest at Cloud Mountain
Presenter: Tom Thornton
February 17, 2016
Flower and Garden Show
Seattle
March 10, 2016
The Amazing Mason Bees
Presenter: Missy Anderson
April 8, 2016
Field Trip: Cascadia Mushroom, local commercial grower
April 14, 2016
What's Up In Research
Presenter: Carol Miles
May 7, 2016
PLANT SALE
May 13, 2016
Tour of Local Gardens
June 9, 2016
FIELD TRIP
Extension Research Station
June 17, 2016
Tour of Local Gardens
July 14, 2016
Field Trip: Canada - to be announced
August 11, 2016
Hovander Picnic
September, 2016
Putting Your Garden To Bed
Presenter: Marcie, Garden Spot Nursery
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