Richland County

Master Gardener Newsletter

May, 2008

Note from the President

Vicki Bright

Things are getting very busy now that the weather has finally started to be warmer, the plants are growing, and the trees are showing green leaves. There are not enough hours in the day during April & May for gardeners.

It was great to see so many of you at the April meeting. We had a very good speaker on growing dahlias.  I learned several new things, and I hope you did as well.

Included with the agenda for the meeting was a budget worksheet, and I had hoped to take a vote for approval. It was essentially the same numbers as we have used in the past with the addition of the $250 State Fee: we are required to pay $10 per member. At the Executive meeting right before the regular meeting, I received information on speaker fees for this year that were higher than I had anticipated. I felt it might be better to hold off on the vote for budget approval and look at the budget numbers more closely. We do not have a fund raiser of any kind scheduled for this year. When I became president, nothing had been planned for this year’s seminar.  At this point, I do not think a seminar can be planned to match years past.

It will be important for everyone to try their best to stay within the usual budgeted figures for the year on all projects.  Please try to keep costs down as much as possible. The nice balance does not last forever when expenses increase and income does not.

At our October meeting, which is our planning meeting, we will have to decide what we want do for next year as far as projects and any fund raisers. Please call me or email me if you have any questions, comments, or ideas.

Ohio Master Gardener Volunteer Week will be May 18-24. We had voted at the February meeting to use the Mansfield Bicentennial as our contribution.  I sent off the information describing what Richland County will do for the volunteer week to Dave Dyke of Hamilton County who is heading the OMGVW celebration. Eight of our group will be advisors to various community groups that will plant red, white and blue flowers in city parks and key areas in Mansfield and Malabar Farm. The planting date has been changed from May 17 to May 31. Remember to plant red, white & blue in your home landscapes as well.

Amy Stone of Lucas County has made the same week, May 18-24, as Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week. She suggests we put up a display at our local library, Extension Office, or other location with EAB information as well as some other ideas to promote public awareness. Since we have an EAB Specialist, Bob Phillips, I have sent him Amy’s email and have asked him for any suggestions of what Richland County Master Gardeners could do. I plan to have some EAB information at our table at Kingwood Center for the Spring Flower Festival and at Malabar for Mohican Wildlife Weekend.

Please feel free to call or email me at any time if you have questions, ideas, concerns, or suggestions.

Thank you all very much. Vicki

Minutes of the April 14, 2008 Master Gardener Meeting

Secretary - Mary Ann Free

Our evening began with a welcome by president Vicki Bright.

Our speaker for the evening, Mark Meinzer, was introduced by his friend Judy Vanatta.  His presentation, “Hooked On Dahlias”,  was informative, interesting, and encouraging.  He showed slides of many of his own Dahlias, and is a prize winning grower.

After a short break to stretch and obtain refreshments, Vicki Bright called the meeting to order. Agendas were distributed before the meeting. Attached to the agenda were a proposed budget, hour recording sheet, roster page, 2008 MG conference information, Seed Project information, and Bicentennial information.  There were eighteen members and two guests present.

Nancy Smith, moved to accept the minutes as published in the March Newsletter.  The motion was seconded by Jean Taddie, motion carried.

The treasurer reported a balance of $1527.29, plus collected dues, plus speakers fees of $50.00, minus $25.00 for this evening’s speaker. 

Updates: President Vicki introduced Debbie Sickmiller, a transfer member from Ashland.  Welcome Debbie. 

Vicki also mentioned the conference website, which is on the conference information attached to the agenda. It’s time to plan to go to conference in Trumbull County, October 3-4, 2008.

There will be a Bicentennial meeting at Kingwood Center meeting room April 19, at 10:00 am.  Vicki will attend.

Judy White reported on the new Naturalists Program, which is similar to the Master Gardener program. Julia Woodruff, in Ashland is a contact person if any are interested.

Members are to check the attached roster to see if all information is correct.  If changes need to be made, contact Judy Vanatta.  Name tags and pins will soon be ordered by Vicki Bright. Vicki had temporary tags for interns. 

An interesting project sheet, on collecting data about bees and sunflowers for San Francisco State University, is attached to the agenda.  Interested members can obtain more details at sfbee@sfsu.edu 

Another project, closer to home, is growing celosia and saving seed for Kingwood Center.  More information is available at jmakley@kingwoodcenter.org  or 419-522-0211.

Old Business: 

Regular Projects: Project leaders were sent names of those who signed up for work in their project.  Project leaders have made schedules and contacted their groups. Project work will begin soon.

May 3 & 4 will find members busy at Kingwood’s Spring Flower Festival and Malabar’s Wildlife Weekend.  Sign up sheets for helping at these events were passed around.  Vicki Bright will head up the Kingwood information booth, and Mary Ann Free will head up the Malabar booth.  Thanks to Nancy Smith for getting the information boxes ready. 

Ohio Master Gardener Week will be celebrated in conjunction with the Mansfield Bicentennial plantings in Richland County.  Information to this effect was sent to Dave Dyke by email.

Although the refreshment list has disappeared, Louise Ulmer has volunteered to provide for the June meeting at Gorman Nature Center and Judy (?) and Sherry Weaver have volunteered for the October meeting.

New Business:

The budget presentation has been postponed until the next meeting. Due to unexpected information the budget was not ready for this meeting.

Jean Taddie presented information about a new downtown market being started in Mansfield.  The first market will be Friday, June 6, from 11:30 - 5:30 on Fourth Street, by the Carrousel. 

The next meeting will be June 9, 2008, 7:00 pm at Gorman Nature Center. The speaker will be David Horn, OSU entomologist, speaking on the Wooly Adelgids, which threaten the hemlocks. This meeting is open to the public; invite your friends, relatives and neighborhood gardeners.

The Rain Garden Program at Kingwood was not held due to snow, although the speakers all got there and Kingwood was plowing to get the parking lot cleared. It has not been rescheduled to date, because getting the speakers together again is an awesome task.

Betty Keener sent some MG shirts, free for the taking.

Nancy Smith reported the hot line is up and running. She also reported that there are 36 phenology gardens in the state and there is much data to be compiled and many interesting stories to be told.

Vicki read a thank you note from past president Cheryl Harner.

A motion to adjourn was made by John Vanatta, seconded by Judy Vanatta. This motion passed.   

Malabar Farm Report
Mary Ann Free

Work is in full swing at Malabar.  The driveway bed is ready for planting red, white and blue.  The bottom level of the terraces is weeded and ready to plant annuals. The canna lilies are planted. The second level is about one fourth to one third weeded.  We have moved several day lilies and hostas. The top level needs weeded and edged. There is much to do, and we can use all the hands we can get. Malabar did some repair on the wall below the flagstone patio area, so we feel much safer working there.  After Wildlife Weekend we will begin to thin the hostas in the second level and get the top weeded.  Stakes and ties need to be put around the peonies before they bloom so they will not flop so badly.  It is a beautiful and peaceful place to work.  

Malabar May work dates: 
Wed. May 14, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Sat. May 17, 9 – Noon

Tues. May 20, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Sat. May 24, 9 – Noon

Wed. May 28, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Sat. May 31, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Richland County Fairgrounds Nature Park Work Schedule

Amy Smith

Like the past two years, we will be working at the Fairgrounds on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and the 3rd Saturday of the month, weather permitting.  If you prefer to start before the scheduled time on the weeknights, please feel free to do so as the gate is open because the Fairgrounds offers Bingo on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.  Please feel free to join us any of these times.

April-(Completed) 

May

Thursday-May 1, 2008 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday-May 7, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-May 8, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday-May 14, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-May 15, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Saturday-May 17, 2008, 9-noon

Wednesday-May 21, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-May 22, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday-May 28, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-May 29, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

June

Wednesday-June 4, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-June 5, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday-June 11, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-June 12, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday-June 18, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-June 19, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Saturday-June 21, 2008, 9-noon

Wednesday-June 25, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-June 26, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

July

Wednesday-July 2, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-July 3, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday-July 9, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-July 10, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday-July 16, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-July 17, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Saturday-July 19, 2008, 9-noon

Wednesday-July 23, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-July 24, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday-July 30, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Thursday-July 31, 2008, 6-8 p.m.

Master Gardener Meeting Dates in 2008

June 9, 7:00 p.m. in the Buckeye Room

Wooly Adelgids presented by Dave Horn

August 11, 6:00 p.m. at Ralph and Vicki Bright’s

Picnic and program on garden favorites

October 13, 7:00 p.m. in the Buckeye Room

Our 2009 Planning Session presented by Dave Fitzsimmons

December 8, 7:00 p.m. in the Buckeye Room

Christmas Party and Election of Officers

Master Gardener Speaking Schedule

MAY

May 13, 2008, 10:00 a.m.

Vegetables & Flowers – Vicki Bright will present an interactive demonstration on planting seeds and designing a container planter for Shelby Helpline Ministries

JUNE

June 10, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Other Wildlife to Your Garden – Vicki Bright will make a presentation to Pleasant Valley Petal Pushers

June 21, 2008

Attracting Butterflies & Butterfly Gardening – Vicki Bright will make a presentation at Alta Greenhouse

JULY

July 19, 2008

Hostas – The Kings & Queens of the Shade Garden

Shade Gardening – The Different Types of Shade & Plants That Enhance Your Garden

Presented by Vicki Bright for Perennial Day at Alta Green House

SEPTEMBER

September 24, 2008, 1:00 p.m.

Malabar Terrace Gardens and Fall Clean-up for Any Garden – Vicki Bright will make a presentation to the Heritage Garden Club

Note from the Editor: Additional speaking programs from other Master Gardeners will be included in future newsletters; please forward news of your upcoming programs to smadura@neo.rr.com or jtaddie@neo.rr.com. 

Total Plant HealthCare Workshop - How Plants Grow and Function

Join us on Thursday, June 5th from 8:30 am-4:00 pm at the Greene County Extension Office, 100 Fairground Road Xenia, Ohio, as Greene County Master Gardeners and OSU Extension present Dr. Roger Funk, Vice-President of Davey Tree Company as he discusses an approach to plant care that he developed.  Plant HealthCare promotes a proactive, holistic approach to plant care that focuses on strengthening the plant’s natural defense.

The workshop cost is $40.00 and includes lunch. More information is available at: www.greene.osu.edu or by calling 937-372-9971.  Participation is limited to 50.

Public Education Series - Vegetable Gardening Workshop

Union County is hosting a series on vegetable gardening.  The remaining 2 classes will be held July 12 (From Garden to Table Cooking Demonstration) and August 9 (Food Preservation); both at 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  The cost is $5 per session. 

To register, call the Union County Extension Office at 937.644.8117 or toll free at 800.589.8584.

For more information, check out: http://union.osu.edu/mgarden/events/PUblicEducationSeries.html 

See, Sniff 1,500 Blooming Heirloom Roses: OSU Garden in Wooster to Host June 14 Open House   April 14, 2008 Press Release - Kurt Knebusch

WOOSTER, Ohio — See a thousand-plus heirloom roses in bloom — plus maybe buy a few, learn how to prune them and walk a new rose-scented labyrinth — in Wooster on Saturday, June 14.

Ohio State University’s three-acre Garden of Roses of Legend and Romance at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) will host a free open house that day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The program will feature tours led by rose experts, a pruning demonstration at noon, labyrinth walks and the sale of a small number of roses, all of them propagated from plants there.

Established nearly 40 years ago, with most of the original plants still thriving, the garden features 500 varieties of old-fashioned roses, types that came before modern hybrid roses, with 1,500 specimens in all…

For more details contact: Kelly King, OARDC, Research Operations king.1364@osu.edu, 330-263-3612

Top Performing Annuals

Judy White

Several of us attended a presentation by Pam Bennett, State Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator, about the best-performing and easiest-to-grow varieties of annuals.  The Clark Co. extension service has field trials each year of over 200 varieties of annuals.  They don't "baby" them at all -- no insecticides or fungicides, no deadheading, no mulch, one application of slow-release fertilizer, compost every few years.  They are rated on how good they look once a month through the growing season.  This is her list of winners!  (I have been taking it with me as I visit nurseries.)

Ageratum 'Artist Alto Blue', 'Alto Purple'

Agastache 'Color Spires' Hot Pink, Steel Blue

Angelonia 'Angelface', 'Angelmist', 'Serena White'

Arryanthemum 'Maderia Crested Primrose'

Basil 'Preso Perpetuo'

Calibrachoa 'Million Bell', 'Superbells'

Celosia 'Punky Red'

Cleome 'Senorita Rosalita'

Coleus 'Kong Scarlet', 'Rose', 'Red'

Coleus Stained Glassworks 'Kiwi Fern'

Coleus 'Coleusaurus Kiwi'

Coleus 'Twist n Twirl'

Coleus 'Religious Radish'

Coleus 'Freckles'

Cyperus 'King Tut', 'Baby Tut'

Diascia 'Miracle Pink'

Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost'

Helenium 'Dakota Gold'

Impatiens 'Fiesta Double' Sparkler, Peppermint, Salsa Red

Impatiens 'Pixi' Pink Bicolor, Orange

Lantana 'Tropical', 'Lucky', 'Landmark', 'Lucious'

Mecardonia 'Goldflake'

New Guinea Impatiens 'Infinity Dark Salmon Glow', etc.

New Guinea Impatiens 'Celebrette'

Nirembergia 'Summer Splash Patio' White, Blue

Ornamental millet 'Red Baron,' 'Jester'

Ornamental Pepper 'Explosive Blast', 'Explosive Ember', ' Explosive Ignite'

Ornamental Pepper 'Black Pearl'

Pennisetum rubrum 'Princess'

Perilla 'Magilla Purple', 'Vanilla', 'Gage's Choice'

Petunia Surfinia 'Purple Picotee', etc. but not red

Petunia Supertunia Vista 'Fuschia', 'Bubblegum'

Petunia 'Wave', 'Easy Wave', 'Tidal Wave', 'Shock Wave'

Petunia 'Hurrah'

Petunia 'Storm'

Petunia 'Double Madness'

Salvia 'Victoria Blue', 'Victoria White'

Salvia argentea

Verbena Temari 'Patio Rose','Burgundy', 'White', 'Sakura Pink' (not reds)

Verbema Tapiens 'Lavendar Pink', 'Lilac'

Verbena bonariensis

Verbena rigida 'Santos'

Vinca Pacifica 'Pink', 'Rose Halo', 'Pure White'

Vinca Titan 'Blush', 'Burgundy', 'Polka Dot'

Vinca 'Sunstorm Apricot', 'Cooler'

Zinnia augustifolia 'White Star', 'Star Gold'

Zinnia 'Profusion Cherry,' 'Profusion Orange,' 'Profusion Knee-High Red Improved'

Zinnia maritime 'Solcito'

For more details use the link for Herbaceous Ornamental Field Trials at clark.osu.edu or webgarden.osu.edu.  Since growers often give them new cultivars to test before they are released, you won't find all of these this year, but I've found quite a few.

Vend for Free at Carrousel District Friday Farmers Markets
Jean Taddie

Turn your garden bounty into cash at the Carrousel District Friday Farmers Market.  Backyard and community gardeners can sell their vegetables, fruits, flowers, and homemade goods at the Community Garden tent for FREE.  Farmers and other vendors who prefer a full 10X10 space can reserve one of those for a single $1.

The weekly Markets will be held Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. beginning June 6 through October 3.  The Market will be located in Downtown Mansfield on 4th Street, in front of the Carrousel. 

The June 6 kickoff will have speakers and educational exhibits from Kingwood Center, the Men’s Garden Club, and OSU-Mansfield.  There will be other special features on the first Friday of every month. 

For more information, call Annamarie Fernyak at 419-522-4200, or visit www.carrouseldistrict.com.

Flowers Are Losing Their Smell

Air Pollution Is Destroying the 'Scent Trail' That Leads Insects to Plants, Scientists Say      LEE DYE (ABC News, April 16, 2008)

Air pollution is killing the smell of flowers, possibly eliminating the "scent trail" that helps guide those terribly important pollinators, like bees, to the plants that depend upon them for survival, scientists believe.

The discovery could be one of several factors in the "colony collapse disorder" that is wiping out honey bees around the world.

While it is still too soon to determine the full impact of air pollution on the symbiotic relationship between insects and the flowers they pollinate, researchers at the University of Virginia are confident they have shown that pollutants are killing the scent trail, and that could turn out to be extremely significant…

For more details, see: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=4660586&page=1

Invasive Earthworms?

Earthworms are not native to the Great Lakes Region. They were all wiped out after the last glaciation. The current population, brought here by early Europeans, is slowly changing the face of our native forests.

To learn more, explore the University of Minnesota’s Great Lakes Worm Watch website: http://www.nrri.umn.edu/worms