New Announcements:
1. EMG Webinar: Andrea Davis, School Gardens – February 20th 2020
a. Join the EMG state office for an exciting webinar with agent Andrea Davis discussing best practices and practical tips for running school garden programs. Use this link to pre-register for the webinar 2/20 at 10 a.m.: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/register/vpMocempqTouSiHjlX6YYjhXSiP2Khtr3Q
2. Virginia is hosting International Master Gardener Conference 2021 – Norfolk, VA – September 12-17, 2021
a. Have you heard? Virginia is hosting IMGC 2021! IMGC is an opportunity to come together with other EMGs from across the nation for a week of tours, workshops, and speakers. Check out our keynote speakers and start planning your trip to Norfolk now: https://www.internationalmastergardener.com/
3. Master Gardener College 2020 – Save the date: June 24-28 in Blacksburg, VA
4. IMGC 2021 Call for proposals – Norfolk, VA – September 12-17, 2020
a. IMGC 2021 is soliciting speakers for concurrent sessions and workshops. If your unit has had a great guest speaker who might be interested in this opportunity, please forward them this info! If you or someone you know is interested, please fill out our application form here: https://vce.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_emTq59MEsXzf3XD
b. Learn more: https://www.internationalmastergardener.com/2020/01/28/call-for-proposals/
5. Home Gardening Mini- Course Lecture Series– Newport News, VA
a. The Newport News Master Gardener Association announces our new Lecture Series, Home Gardening Mini-Course, a series of eight, free, monthly lectures covering a wide variety of horticultural topics.
b. The Mini-Course is FREE and will be held at the Virginia Living Museum.
i. Located at:
Virginia Living Museum,
524 J Clyde Morris Blvd,
Newport News, VA 23601
c. Pre-registration is required:
i. by calling the NN VCE office at: 757-591-4838.
¨ Lecture Schedule:
§ 1/21/20 Winter Interest in the Garden
§ 2/25/20 Residential Landscape Design
§ 3/24/20 Environmentally Responsible Lawn Maintenance
§ 4/21/20 Growing Edibles – Eat Your Yard!
§ 5/28/20 Flowers We Love – MG Favorites
§ 6/18/20 Backyard Actions for a Cleaner Bay
§ 7/23/20 Tree and Shrub Pruning, A Hands-on Workshop in Riverview Farm Park
§ 8/27/20 Native Selections – Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials
6. NSVMGA Gardening in the Valley Symposium – Winchester, VA – March 7th 2020
a. From 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at:
Shenandoah University Hester Auditorium,
Henkel 1460 University Dr,
Winchester, VA 22601
b. The Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association sponsors a day of VCE educational offerings each spring.
i. All proceeds benefit the NSVMGA Memorial Scholarship Fund. The cost is $65 through PayPal at the link below or $70 at the door, and includes a continental breakfast and lunch.
ii. Visit http://nsvmga.org/events/symposium/ for more info
7. 27th Annual Gardening in the Northern Neck Seminar – White Stone, VA – March 21st 2020
a. Join the Northern Neck Master Gardeners for its 27th annual Gardening in the Northern Neck Seminar on March 21 in White Stone VA. This year’s theme is “Spring Fever! Adventures in Gardening” and features guest speakers C. Colston Burrell, Nancy Lawson and Vincent A. Simeone.
b. The registration form is attached, and more information about the Seminar and its guest speakers is available at www.nnmg.org.
8. 8th Annual Living in the Garden Symposium – Falmouth, VA – April 4th 2020
a. Join the Master Gardener Association of the Central Rappahannock Area for our annual symposium with featured speakers Bryce Lane, Michael Judd, and Barbara Ellis. Fee includes light breakfast, buffet lunch, and “How to Prune Trees & Shrubs” handbook.
9. New VCE Master Gardener Photo Submission!
a. Here at the Extension Master Gardener State Office, we want to showcase YOU— our hardworking Master Gardeners!
b. We know our Master Gardeners and volunteers are working hard to empower the communities around them, and we want to display and share that hard work on our social media!
c. Submit your photos using the above link of volunteer events, training, community garden projects, meetings, and more— Anytime!
i. Photos that are submitted may be used in potential official VCE Master Gardener social media posts, blog material, or In Season stories— depending on the photos and stories submitted.
10. Biweekly Update Submission form – Please use this form for submitting future biweekly update items.
Other Announcements:
1. Follow the State Office on social media:
i. Facebook
ii. Instagram
iii. YouTube
2. Resources for fertilization of lawns and for those involved with Healthy Virginia Lawns programming
3. Do you have questions coming in to your Extension Master Gardener program and need to find some answers? Extension Search Resources for EMG Questions
4. Registration now open for online Plant Identification Classes by Longwood Gardens and NC State – Click Here
5. An update from National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture: 2018 accomplishments letter
6. Visit the VCE Lawn and Garden Calendar!
7. Every Kid in a Park Program
8. Spotted Lanternfly, an invasive pest insect– found in Winchester, VA- January 2018
a. For information regarding the quarantine please see attached link
9. eXtension Good and Bad bugs webinar series – Feb 1 – Dec 6, 2019
10. Biennial 2018 EMG Summary – from the Extension Master Gardener National Committee
a. Data collected indicates there are 86,076 EMG volunteers throughout the United States and Washington, D.C, contributing 5.6 million hours educating the public, providing youth programming, and facilitating produce donated to local food banks.
b. While this is only the beginning of the value EMGs provide in their communities each year, 2018 efforts are estimated to have contributed 140 million dollars in value to the general public. Our volunteers reported over 8.6 million contacts and continue to be the front line of Extension’s consumer horticulture efforts. Forty-six states participated in this report.
11. Basil Downy Mildew: Occurrence Monitoring and Info Website for Gardeners
a. A new website, created by Margaret McGrath and the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University, on monitoring occurrence of downy mildew on basil in the US and Canada:
i. It maps occurrences and replaces them into a GoogleDocs spreadsheet since 2009. There is information about BDM at the website that is geared for gardeners. Gardeners have been the primary and most important reporters in helping with monitoring this disease.
b. A handout for gardeners about reporting occurrences of BDM and 2 other important diseases: late blight and cucurbit downy mildew.