While our plants are growing, so are the many opportunities for interaction across our national gardening extension network.
Below you’ll find a number of inspiring blog posts and resources from a number of contributors across the country. You’ll also find a number of on-demand Webinars and modules that you can put to use for the 2013 gardening season.
Generosity Through Blooms, Beauty, and Volunteer Service
Flower Philanthropy in Yarmouth, Maine
This month, gardeners really connected around flowers, gardens, and ways to share them with others.
How the Master Gardener Program Started 40 Years Ago at WSU Extension – Shared widely by Extension Master Gardeners across the country. It’s hard to know if we are more surprised the program is 40 years old already, or if we can’t remember what it was like without a program in every state!
Flower Philantrophy: Sharing a Bounty of Beauty– Mary Webber of Maine shared her story, which sparked conversations here and in Facebook, like this one:
“Mary, What a beautiful story! Your simple act has brought so much pleasure to those lucky enough to be on the receiving end of your generosity and to Master Gardeners who continue find ways to benefit and beatify their communities. Priceless….as they say”
Grandma’s Garden by Lee County Master Gardener (Alabama) was admired by many as we got a preview of their work at their local historical museum site.
An Artistic Way to Enjoy Veggie Gardening – Sent from Brisbane, Australia. Mary Jean sent us these photos and asks: Were you able to guess the word before the last picture?
Spring Bloom (of Iris) lead to more Spring Blooms of Tree Peonies. This month Connie’s photos in North Carolina inspired Shelby’s posts in Virginia, allowing us to pause two Wednesdays in a row to admire these spring bloomers.
National Public Gardens Day – My Gardens – Foy shares an endearing posts about gardens she’s essentially adopted through sweat equity, and a sense of admiration. Do you have a favorite public garden that feels a bit like your own?
During May, National Public Gardens Month, Foy remembers time spent at the Longwood Gardens Lily Pool
Garden How-to’s
My Garden Journal (Photo: Carla Albright)
Garden Journaling Phenology Events Can Help Grow a Garden – This post was a hit on Pinterest , Facebook, and here on the blog, leading us to believe there are many out there journaling in one form or another. Look for future garden journal posts from Carla and others by searching: garden journaling.
Bees 101: Staring our Colony – Experienced as a Master Gardener and beekeeper, Gladys is now sharing the story of her adventures in beekeeping. Stay tuned, and soon she’ll tell us how she cares for her bee hives.
Seed Saving 102 – What and How to Save Your Favorite Veggies Seeds is a followup to several seed saving posts this spring. Here, John Porter helps gardeners understand which seeds you can save with ease, and which ones will make you earn your keep(ing them)!
Horticulture and Gardening Webinars to Watch , Modules to Take
The following Webinars and modules are just a few options available for on-demand learning. View past monthly updates for more on-demand gardening Webinars, modules, courses and other learning opportunities.
Landscaping to Reduce Insurance Claims (Webinar recording) – Available to view anytime, this Webinar will help you get ahead of damage caused to your home by storm-damaged trees.
Gardening for Pollinators Webinar (Webinar recording)
Gardening for Pollinators Webinar (Webinar recording) – Want to be a pollinator friendly gardener? Available now, learn captivating stories and facts about pollinators just in time for National Pollinator Week, June 17-24.
Online IPM Modules (self-paced module) – Seeing plant problems already or think they may be just around the corner? Available to take or view at anytime, learn how to start troubleshooting 8 important garden pests or problems in these half-hour, self-paced modules.
Growing Healthy Shade Tree Webinars (Webinar recording) – Designed for Extension Master Gardeners in the North Central States, this shade tree Webinar is divided into multiple parts covering planting, fertilizer, water and preventing abiotic problems.
Tomato IPM Webinar (Webinar recording) – Learn how to prevent pests on tomatoes from the beginning to the end of the growing season. Variety selection, best planting practices, and cultural information will be covered along with how to recognize leaf spots, early and late blight, and bacterial spot.
Curious about a wide range of science-based learning opportunities? Check out…
- eXtension Learn for upcoming and past Webinars on a variety of topics — anything from gardening to finance, backyard poultry to social media, or energy conservation to military families resources).
- Ask.extension.org – View already answered questions by Extension horticulture professionals and Master Gardeners from across the country, comment on an answer by logging in with Facebook, Twitter, or Google, or submit a question yourself.
Until Next Month
Until next month, please join us and share your gardening or volunteer experiences with us in the following spaces:
Here – Extension Master Gardener Blog: https://blogs.extension.org/mastergardener/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/extensionmastergardener
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eXEMG
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/emastergardener/
-Karen Jeannette
-Editorial Reviewer
Linda Brandon, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator
NC Cooperative Extension/Guilford County Center