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Is there even a contest here? Go to air-conditioned movies or see live entertainment at the Montgomery County Fair. Hands down, the Fair wins as a unique family experience--no reruns or R-ratings. The Master Gardeners’ demo garden there, free to the public, is the only MG annual event that draws thousands of adults. No other venue gives us such exposure to spread our messages for gardening green, IPM, composting, creating rain gardens, choosing native vs. non-native plants, etc. Plus, we expand our email lists to recruit for the annual mini-conference and new membership class. Tom Stanton and Mike Parizer are the co-chairs of the Fair Demo Gardens. Along with their volunteers, they have spent the past year redesigning and refining the existing three gardens: the Agricultural Triangle, the Heritage Garden, and the 4-H Garden. So see you soon—between the pig races and the tractor pull! The Seed News that grows on you Quick Links Board Meeting Minutes Board Members, Committees and Services GIEI Blog Green Sheets Home & Garden Info Center Join the Listserv MG Information Sheet Native Plant Center Insect Data Base Plant Clinics Derwood Demo Gardens Propose New Activity Discounts for MGs at Nurseries and Stores Monthly Membership Meetings MG Website University of Maryland Extension, Montgomery County, MD, Master Gardeners What’s Inside The President’s Column............. 2 Photo of the Month ................... 2 Announcements......................... 3 Membership Meeting ............... 3 GIEI Event.................................... 4 Plots Thicken—Derwood DG .... 4 Ask and Answer ......................... 6 Stumped ..................................... 7 How to Submit Articles.............. 7 Continuing Education Corner .... 8 Meet Me At the Fair AUGUST 2013 Tom Stanton discusses layout of vegetable plants with Lacey Ann Gude. Photo by Julie Mangin Click here for info on the August Meeting at Fairgrounds Step right up to one of the best shows in town, the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, whose theme this year is “Plenty to See from A to Z”. And surely there is, with more than 40 rides on the midway, dozens of events and exhibits, and food for every appe- tite and whim. While you’re there, don’t miss the Master Garden- er Demo Garden, located at the corner of Poplar and Hickory Avenues, across from Old McDonald’s Barn and the 4-H building. What: Montgomery County Agricultural Fair When: August 9-17, 2013 Hours: August 9, 3PM--midnight August 10-17, 10AM--midnight When and Where to Find the Fair

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Page 1: AUGUST 2013 The Seed - University Of Maryland...PAGE 2. The Seed . AUGUST 2013. The Seed Team. Nancy Moses Greenblatt. Editor-in- hief. Deborah Petro. Julie Super. Production o-Editors

Is there even a contest here? Go to air-conditioned movies or see live entertainment at the Montgomery County Fair.

Hands down, the Fair wins as a unique family experience--no reruns or R-ratings.

The Master Gardeners’ demo garden there, free to the public, is the only MG annual event that draws thousands of adults. No other venue gives us such exposure to spread our messages for gardening green, IPM, composting, creating rain gardens, choosing native vs. non-native plants, etc. Plus, we expand our email lists to recruit for the annual mini-conference and new membership class.

Tom Stanton and Mike Parizer are the co-chairs of the Fair Demo Gardens. Along with their volunteers, they have spent the past year redesigning and refining the existing three gardens: the Agricultural Triangle, the Heritage Garden, and the 4-H Garden.

So see you soon—between the pig races and the tractor pull!

The Seed News that grows on you

Quick Links

Board Meeting Minutes

Board Members, Committees and Services

GIEI Blog

Green Sheets

Home & Garden Info Center

Join the Listserv

MG Information Sheet

Native Plant Center

Insect Data Base

Plant Clinics

Derwood Demo Gardens

Propose New Activity

Discounts for MGs at Nurseries and Stores

Monthly Membership Meetings

MG Website

University of Maryland Extension, Montgomery County, MD, Master Gardeners

What’s Inside

The President’s Column ............. 2

Photo of the Month ................... 2

Announcements ......................... 3

Membership Meeting ............... 3

GIEI Event .................................... 4

Plots Thicken—Derwood DG .... 4

Ask and Answer ......................... 6

Stumped ..................................... 7

How to Submit Articles .............. 7

Continuing Education Corner .... 8

Meet Me At the Fair

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3

Tom Stanton discusses layout of vegetable plants with Lacey Ann Gude. Photo by Julie Mangin

Click here for info on the August Meeting at Fairgrounds

Step right up to one of the best shows in town, the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, whose theme this year is “Plenty to See from A to Z”. And surely there is, with more than 40 rides on the midway, dozens of events and exhibits, and food for every appe-tite and whim. While you’re there, don’t miss the Master Garden-er Demo Garden, located at the corner of Poplar and Hickory

Avenues, across from Old McDonald’s Barn and the 4-H building.

What: Montgomery County Agricultural Fair

When: August 9-17, 2013

Hours: August 9, 3PM--midnight August 10-17, 10AM--midnight

When and Where to Find the Fair

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Photo of the Month

The President’s Column by Julia Horman

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 P A G E 2 The Seed

The Seed Team

Nancy Moses Greenblatt Editor-in-Chief

Deborah Petro Julie Super Production Co-Editors

Katie Mcle Senior Editor, Editor, Ask & Answer

Julie Mangin Photo Editor

Claudia Sherman Editor, Continuing Education Corner

Diyan Rahaman Editor, STUMPED Tech Support

Betty Cochran Copy Editor

Anne Abend, Rachel Shaw Contributors

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Can you name the MC Master Gardener volunteer activity with the highest number of contacts in 2012? Or, name the activity that makes most of its contacts in the shortest period of time? Or, guess the activity that is a bartering chip for a valuable service to the MC-MG organization? I’m sure many of you know there is only one answer to those questions – the Fairgrounds!

Our Fairgrounds Committee activities have a unique characteristic – months of steady, low-profile, general gardening work culminating in the Montgomery County Fair, an over-the-top, nine-day exhibition period during which MC-MGs make over 5,500 contacts with the public. Also, this committee’s extra work on the Heritage and 4H gardens is the trade-off for our free use of the Fairgrounds’ meeting space.

Last month, I made a pre-Fair date with Tom Stanton and Mike Parizer, Co-Chairs of our Fairgrounds Committee. I wanted to talk with them and their team about the scope of the committee’s activities and get a closer look at our gardens. We began at the Heritage Building gardens that MC Master Gardeners were asked to take over a few years ago. Tom described the improvements at that site, including an upgrade of the plant materials and expansion of the area. We moved on to the garden at the 4H Building to see the results of a re-design that relocated shade-loving plants into the shade, added new plants that would thrive in the hot, sunny

garden and replanted the signature “4H” with a uniform, low-growing Liriope for more effective delineation. Finally, we walked down to the MG Demo Garden – a wonderful space that shows off the skill, effort and dedication of MC Master Gardeners. This garden has broad appeal, with something for everyone – raised beds of beautiful plant material, birdhouses, a rainscape, vegetables, natives, and a variety of flowering and shade trees.

Tom and Mike praised their Fairgrounds team of six or seven “regulars” who do the real gardening throughout the growing season. The regulars, with the help of a new crop of MG Interns, start the year with a spring clean-up; they refresh and maintain the established gardens, and suggest and implement new ideas for re-designing specific areas. The emphasis at the Demo Garden is on attracting MC Fair visitors and sharing MG gardening know-how with them.

Thanks to Mike Parizer, Tom Stanton, and all the MGs who volunteer throughout the year at the Fairgrounds. We love how great you make MC Master Gardeners look!

See you at the Fair.

Julia

5,500 Contacts is a Fair Amount

Eryngium 'Big Blue' graces the Fairground Demo Garden.

Photo by Julie Mangin

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Announcements

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 P A G E 3 The Seed

MG BENEFIT General Membership Meeting

Where: Fairgrounds

When: Thursday, August 1 2013;

9:30 a.m. mingle; 10 a.m. meeting

Speaker: Ann English

Topic: RainScapes in the Home Garden

Ann English is the RainScapes Coordinator for Montgomery County ,MD, DEP. She will present information on how to rethink the home garden so that it manages on-site storm water and provides consciously chosen plant materials that soak up rainwater and also support pollinators. Examples will be provided to show how the RainScapes Rewards incentives work on home landscape and garden levels.

Click for directions

Nominate Your Choice for Outstanding Master Gardener 2013

WHEN: Deadline Oct. 1, 2013

WHERE: See Form on website

Anyone can nominate a fellow MG for our annual Outstanding Service Award, to be presented at the Holiday Luncheon in December. The deadline for entries is October 1, 2013. (Please note that Board members and committee co-chairs are not eligible to receive awards. Also please note that in order to be considered for an award, MGs must demonstrate to be in good standing by having regularly posted hours.)

Criteria for the award are listed within the nominating form, available online here:

http://www.extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_docs/programs/master-gardeners/Montgomery/NominationformOutstandingMG2013.pdf.

OPEN GARDEN

WHAT: Friends House Community Garden

WHERE: 17340 Quaker Lane, Sandy Spring, MD 20860

WHEN: Tuesday, August 13, 2013, 10 am – 1pm

The gardens are located on what was once Quaker farmland in historic Sandy Spring, MD. The nearly two-acre garden includes vegetable, fruit, herb and flower gardens as well as an apiary. For the past six years, residents and Master Gardeners, under the leadership of MG Joe Schechter, have used sustainable and or-ganic gardening practices in the maintenance of the garden. This past year, making the garden more accessi-ble and enjoyable for residents and aging gardeners has been a priority. This includes:

creating more raised beds (including 2 experimental waist-high beds);

planting the most popular vegetables closer to paths and resident walkways;

using wider, bluestone paved paths for walkers and wheelchairs;

creating places to sit including a new pergola for shade;

installing larger, easier-to-read identification signs;

investing in ergonomic, long-handled tools; and

planting interesting cover and decorative crops outside the nursing home windows.

Newly created is the Shakespeare Garden, featuring plants and quotations from the Bard’s works. There will be varietal tomato tasting and homemade refreshments using the garden’s herbs and fruits. Handcrafted natural soaps made with beeswax from the garden’s apiary will be available for sale. Proceeds from the sales are used to help support garden expenses.

DIRECTIONS: From Olney, head east on Sandy Spring Road, (Route 108); right on Norwood; left on Quak-er Lane. From New Hampshire Avenue north (Route 650), left on Norwood Road, turning right on Norwood Road at Dr. Bird Road; right on Quaker Lane.

Visitor parking for the garden is approximately 2/10 of a mile on the right.

MG BENEFIT

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THE PLOTS THICKEN

A gorgeous day in late June and a record-sized crowd at the Grow It Eat It Summer Open House at the Derwood Extension made a winning combination. About 270 attendees visited plant clinics, got answers to a host of gardening ques-tions from compost to row covers, and generally had a great time.

Lessons learned? According to event coordinator MG Terri Valenti, “We learned we could hold more people at the summer event due to how much we could offer when the demo garden is in full bloom.” She added that, “The demo garden was absolutely beautiful and an encourage-ment to all gardeners.”

This photo array spotlights a few of the highlights from that day.

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 P A G E 4 The Seed

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GIEI Event Pulls in People

The ‘Little Gardens’ at Derwood By Anne Abend

Besides the voluptuous vegetable gardens at the Derwood demo garden, there are several unique small gardens there, each with its own captain.

The new Medicinal Garden provides us with a fresh look at plants that have historically been grown for medicinal purposes. The plants have been carefully chosen “to focus on cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” two of the most prevalent diseases we currently face, ac-cording to MG Millicent Lawrence. A quick glance reveals a handful of well known medicinal herbs: common Foxglove, whose extracts, digi-talis and digoxin, treat heart disease; Stevia, a non-sugar substitute; Yarrow, to staunch bleeding; Garlic, to prevent cardiovascular disease; Ginger, an anti-nausea agent; Catmint, with sedative like qualities; Mint, for stomach and chest pain; and Lavender, a soothing anti-inflammatory.

MG Ida Wallenmeyer is the team leader of the Kitchen Garden with its variety of herbs, vegetables, and edible flowers. Sorrel, parsley, basil, sage, thyme, chives, and lemon balm are all merrily growing. The Egyptian Walking Onion is so-called because the weight of the bulblets on the top of its thick, tangled stems causes them to fall over and re-root at some distance. Dill and larkspur bloom delicately. The intensely fragrant leaves of lemon verbena are wonderful in teas and jellies, while the oil of rose-scented geranium is often used in aroma-therapy or massage therapy. Pot Marigold (Calendula) is a virtual workhorse—the flowers are edible and used as healing agents, to color butter and cheese, and to dye wool.

This winter, members of the Derwood DG team built the hoops for the “caterpillar” of hyacinth bean vines in the Children Garden. Photo by Darlene Nicholson

Plots, continued on page 5

ABOVE: MG intern Larry Himelfarb explains composting .

RIGHT: MG Joe Ginther at the tool sharpening table.

Photos by Julie Mangin

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Plots continued from page 4

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 P A G E 5 The Seed

Our Mission:

To support the University of Maryland Extension mission by educating residents about safe, effective and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes, and communities.

Our Vision:

The Maryland Master Gardener vision is a healthier world through environmental stewardship.

Disclaimer: All opinions regarding businesses or their products are those of the authors and not of the University of Maryland.

EEO Statement: 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 or expression.

Montgomery County Master Gardeners

18410 Muncaster Road Derwood, MD 20855

301-590-2836

Email: [email protected]

Website

Direct correspondence to:

Stephen Dubik University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Coordinator and Horticultural Consultant

The Children’s Garden is a veritable zoo of flowers that has been cleverly designed by MG Lily Bruch and her team to captivate a child’s imagination. New signage alerts the viewer to “animal” plants. Note the “caterpillar,” constructed of wire frame and draped with hyacinth bean that welcomes visitors into the area. It is surrounded by the tall spikes and velvety leaves of Lamb’s Ear, Cranesbill, Spiderwort, and Ponytail Grass, the spiny spires of Bear’s Breeches, Catmint, Tiger Lily, ruby colored Beebalm, Solomon’s Seal, Tiger Stripes (Gazania), Teddy Bear Sunflower, Turtlehead, Popcorn Plant, and Pigsqueak, which “squeaks” when you pull your thumb and forefinger along the leaf. Who can resist being drawn into such a brightly blooming mix? Across the way, vegetables grow in a child-sized bed.

Other small gardens at DDG and their volunteer coordinators are: Shade Garden Carol Martin; Wildlife Garden Mary Johnson; Vegetable Garden Co-leads: Erica Smith, Robin Ritterhoff; Potatoes Barbara Knapp; Herb/Fragrance Garden Marty Isaacson with co-leader Kathleen Tsai; Therapeutic Horticulture JoAnn Mueller; Autistic Children Garden Ellen Meyerson; Ponds Bobbie Walker; Compost Susan Eisendrath; Butterfly Garden Bobbie Maxwell; Equipment/Turf Joe Ginther; Fence Tom Maxwell; and WebSite/Structures Barbara Dunn.

RECIPE FOR SEED READERS MG Maro Nalabandian, a professional chef and in-

structor, has cooked alongside many celebrity chefs in-cluding at the Ritz Carlton. She uses her own harvest in her creative cooking. The Rosemary and Sage Cannellini Spread was created just for The Seed.

Rosemary and Sage Cannellini Spread

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil + extra for drizzling 1 sprig fresh Rosemary

1 sprig fresh Sage

2 cloves Garlic, finely minced

2 cans Cannellini Beans, lightly drained

Salt and Pepper, as needed

Sliced Baguette or pita chips

In a small frying pan add the olive oil, rosemary, sage and heat them up just enough to bring out the essence of the herbs.

Add the garlic and mix it around, but do not let it brown. Turn off heat, remove the pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, empty and heat the cannellini beans into a medium sauce pan, and stir so the bottom of pan does not stick. Empty the herb mixture into the pot of beans and let it cook together for 5 minutes.

Remove and discard the herbs, then mash the beans, give a taste test to see if seasoning is needed, and empty in a serving bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top of the beans, and serve with pita chips or ba-guette.

Former Ritz-Carlton chef MG Maro Nalabandian demonstrates

cooking with herbs.

Photo by Julie Mangin

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Q. I have a row of Austrian pine trees planted on my property. The trees are about sixteen years old. Last year, the needles started to drop off of the bottom branches of one of the trees. This problem is now spreading to the higher branches and to the nearest adjacent tree. What is happening?

Signed, Perplexed in Poolesville

A. Pines are susceptible to several needle blight and needle cast diseases caused by various fungi. Infection usually starts in the lower branches and progresses upward through successive years. If not controlled, adjacent trees will become infected as the disease spreads. There have been epidemics of needle cast disease causing severe economic and environmental losses.

One of the common needle cast diseases of Austrian pine is Lophodermium needle cast, caused by the fungus Lophodermium seditiosum. Infected needles drop prematurely. Spring and summer are typically the seasons of greatest needle loss. Infection may be worse on the lower half of the tree, but if the disease is allowed to spread, the entire tree will become infected. Needles will display small brown spots surrounded by yellow; then the needle turns brown and falls off.

In order to reduce the chance of infection with a needle cast disease, homeowners need to space trees adequately to ensure proper air circulation and adequate sunlight. Tall weeds around the base of the tree should also be removed.

Consult a certified arborist for a definitive diagnosis. Depending on the extent of the damage, treatment can be applied to save the tree. However, in the photo included here, one of the trees is beyond help and needs to be removed. The other tree needs to be treated before the disease spreads to other adjacent pines. Treatment should be performed by a certified arborist.

Source: http://extension.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/lophodermium-needle-cast

P.S. M.G. Carolyn Stelle responded to our inquiry to name favorite plants that like the hot summers. She replied: “Far and away, my most favorite summer annual is portulaca. In the sun, heat and drought, it never seems to disappoint.”

Ask & Answer

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 P A G E 6 The Seed

Why Have My Pine Trees Lost Their Needles?

Needle cast disease on Austrian pine (Pinus nigra). Photo by Katie McIe

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Forget the internet and your mentor. When you have a 1930s clock by Burpee Seed that tells you what to plant and when, that alone will give you a great crop. Clock on display at the National Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia, PA. Photo by Robert Toense, husband of MG Diana Locke

Time Will Tell

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Here are some home-gardener questions that came to the MG Extension office, plant clinics and to HGIC recently. Some questions we answered and some had us -- STUMPED!

One Spot, Two Spot… Leaf spots, browning and early leaf drop are some of the major issue affecting landscapes during the recent

wet humid weather. Most leaf spots are of two types – fungal and bacterial. Below are common examples of the two types of leaf spots that were brought into the Derwood Extension office for identification and possible control measures.

Dogwood Anthracnose Dogwood anthracnose, caused by the fungus Discula destructiva,

is a serious disease of flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida) that can cause leaf spots, leaf blight and lower branch dieback.

Trees with the disease usually show medium-large, purple-bordered leaf spots and scorched tan blotches that may enlarge to kill the entire leaf. Where twig or petiole infections have occurred, dark, shriveled dead leaves may be seen hanging from the infected branch. As the disease progresses, lower branches die, cankers form on the limbs, and trunk sprout development increases.

Prune out all dead or dying twigs and limbs during dry weather along with water sprouts or suckers on trunks and branches. In the fall, leaves should be raked up and removed. For more control options see the HGIC Factsheet HG12 - IPM Series: Dogwood at: http://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_images/programs/hgic/Publications/not_updated/hg12_IPM_Dogwoodrevised_004.pdf

Bacterial Leaf Spot on English Ivy Bacterial leaf spot and stem canker is caused by Xanthomonas

campestris, the most common disease of English ivy, an invasive species best grown in pots. Dark green to brown water-soaked spots form on the leaves sometimes accompanied by a yellow halo. Most lesions are nearly round and can enlarge to blight the petiole, thus killing entire leaves. Young green stems may turn black and wilt. Severe infection results in defoliation.

Bacterial leaf spot and stem canker is most common on leaves that are shaded and close to the ground, especially near wet areas. The bacterium is spread principally by splashing water. The organism survives in the soil and in plant refuse.

Thin plants at the start of each season to increase ventilation in the beds. In established beds, remove and destroy any diseased plant parts immediately.

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 P A G E 7 The Seed Stumped

How to Submit Articles and Pictures

[email protected]

MGs are invited to submit articles and pictures for the newsletter, but keep in mind that submittals may be edited and/or not used until a later month. Please limit stories to 350-400 words.

Photos must come with basic information that includes name of the person in the photo, subject matter or caption and either a signed photo permission slip from those in the picture or an email from them saying they allow us to use their picture in the newsletter. Click here for website and scroll to bottom of page for link to the form.

If you have your name, email address and/or phone number in your article, please give us permission to use them. The newsletter can be accessed through the internet. Without the permission, we will delete the contact information.

Bacterial Leaf Spot (Xanthomonas campestris) Photo courtesy of North Carolina State

University

Dogwood Anthracnose (Discula destructiva)

Photo courtesy of University of Maryland

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Continuing Education Corner

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 P A G E 8 The Seed Resources

The Accokeek Foundation

Audubon Naturalist Society

Behnke’s

Brookside Gardens

Casey Trees

City Blossoms

Green Spring Gardens

Horticultural Society of Maryland

Irvine Nature Center

Ladew Topiary Gardens

Maryland Native Plant Society

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

Merrifield Gardens

Montgomery College

Neighborhood Farm Initiative

Prince William Cooperative Extension

State MG Advanced Training

United States Botanic Garden Conservatory

US National Arboretum

MG BENEFIT

Continued on page 9

Editors Note: Want to find the web link for the organization offering a class? See the green column called “Resources” on the side of the page to take you directly to the site. For exam-ple, if “Basic Gardening” is being offered by Green Springs, find its name on the side column and click on it. Find class and registration information at that web site.

August 10, 10am-noon. Garden Terrarium Workshop. Green Spring Gardens Park. $47 for residents outside Fairfax County; registration required.

August 15 and 16, 8:30 am-4 pm. Monarch Butterfly Teacher Workshop. This workshop enables educators to teach essential skills in literacy, math, science, geography, technology, Spanish, the arts and social studies through the captivating story of monarchs. Participants are provided with the knowledge, skills, materials and confidence to raise monarchs and create an outstanding learning experience for their students. $99; registration required (only a few spots left).

August 17, 10:30 am–noon. The Right Soil and Fertilizer: Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potash, Oh My! Careful horticultural practices can improve the structure and availability of nutrients providing a bountiful harvest of fruits, vegetables and flowers each year. Learn about soils and fertilizers and how that knowledge can help your garden grow. U.S. Botanical Gardens Conservatory Classroom. FREE; pre-registration required.

August 19-21, 9:30am–3 pm. Winged Wonders. This workshop is for adults who’d like to learn about the spectacular flyers that visit our gardens. We’ll immerse ourselves in the world of these amazing pollinators, predators and flying ‘flowers’. We’ll explore their different life cycles and examine the unique roles they play in nature. Black Hill Visitor Center Auditorium, Boyds, MD. $150, FOBH $145.

August 24, 10:30 am–11:30 am. Think Spring! Planning for a “Bloomiferous” Spring Garden. The

best time to think spring is before the leaves even change color! Learn ideas and techniques to help you boost your spring flower power by planning ahead in autumn. How to select and utilize the right bulbs and associated spring flowers to achieve a spectacular spring show in your garden. U.S. Botanical Gardens Conservatory Classroom. FREE; pre-registration required.

August 30, 10:30 am-noon. First Farmers and the Origins of Crops. The archeological, botanical and modern genetic evidence used to trace the appearance of agriculture around the world, its spread, how it changed the plants and how the plants changed human cultures. U.S. Botanical Gardens Conservatory Classroom. FREE; pre-registration required.

STATE MG ADVANCED TRAINING

September 5, 2013; one day workshop. Plant Diseases (Dave Clement). This course will fulfill the Plant Disease require-ment for MG State Advanced Training Certificate Course in Plant Diagnostics. UME Howard County (Ellicott City). $35.

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Continuing Education Corner continued from 8

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 P A G E 9 The Seed

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MORE WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING Environmental Concern, Inc. in St. Michael’s offers courses on wetlands.

The Graduate School USA offers a Natural History Field Studies Certificate Program.

The University of Maryland Extension sponsors the Maryland Naturalist Program. Sessions are held in different areas of the State. http://masternaturalist.umd.edu/

The Center for Environmental Research & Conservation of Columbia University has online classes for its Certificate in Conservation & Environmental Sustainability. http://www.cerc.columbia.edu/.

NC State Permaculture Classes (free):

http://mediasite.online.ncsu.edu/online/Catalog/pages/catalog.aspx?catalogId=f5a893e7-4b7c-4b79-80fd-52dcd1ced715. Classes to choose from include Site Analysis & Design, Soil Ecology, BioDynamic Agriculture, Garden Ponds, and more.

WEBINARS Tree Talk Thursdays: Casey Trees’ online chat series held every second Thursday of the month at noon to discuss urban forestry and tree care topics. Archived chats are available for replay and sharing. www.caseytrees.org.

Seed Savers (not approved for CE credit). Recorded webinars include: Population Size; Planning Your Fall Garden; Pepper Seed Saving; Eggplant Seed Saving; Planting Garlic; Dry Seed Cleaning; Growing Biennials for Seed. www.seedsavers.org.

Webinar Policy The following MC-MG guidelines for determining how webinars qualify for Continuing Education credit were developed by a Board ad hoc committee and approved by MG Coordinator, Steve Dubik.

Continuing Education:

Subject matter must be relevant to the field of horticulture.

Continuing education hours may be granted for webinars assuming:

The duration of the program is a minimum of 30 minutes for which a MC-MG would earn 30 minutes of CE credit.

The source is an educational or governmental organization (e.g., University of Maryland, Penn State University, Maryland Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture or Environ-mental Protection Agency).

The webinar has been pre-approved by the state or local Master Gardener Coordinator.

At least five of the required continuing educational hours must be earned in a face-to-face environment such as meetings, seminars or workshops.

If you have questions as to whether a webinar may be accepted for continuing education credit, contact the local Master Gardener Coordinator or designee.

An MG’s First Viewing of the False Potato Beetle

While weeding the rain gardens at her church this summer, MG Heather Zindash came across a couple of “pudgy little bugs” eating the leaves of a ground cherry. Her research showed they were False Potato Beetle larvae, Leptinotarsa juncta (Germar).

False Potato Beetles feed primarily on horse-nettle, Solanum carolinense L and species of ground cherry or husk tomato, Physalis spp., and nightshade, Solanum spp. These were just the weeds she and others were pulling at church.

The life cycle of the false potato beetle consists of eggs hatching in four to five days. The larvae feed on the leaves of the host plants. There are four larval instars lasting 21 days. The larvae drop to the soil to pupate, and pupation lasts 10 to 15 days. They are more benign than their “cousin” the Potato Beetle that feasts on agricultural crops.

Zindash said that she used the IPM methods she learned in the MG program and moved the larvae to the yard waste pile “where man and beast could peacefully coexist.”

Potato Beetle Larvae found in church yard. Photo by Heather Zindash