New Announcements:
1. Join us for Extension Master Gardener College, June 22-26 in Blacksburg. Full program available now! Registration opens April 21, 2022 Lean more
2. Extension Master Gardener College Scholarship – Nomination Period is Open! – The Virginia Master Gardener Association is accepting nominations for the 2022 Diane Relf EMGC Scholarship. The merit-based Scholarship is intended to cover the majority of the costs to attend EMGC this year. (Volunteers will receive more information about the conference from the State Office in April, and registration will open in May.) All active EMGs attending are eligible for nomination if they are not a prior recipient of the Scholarship. See https://vmga.net/wordpress/vmga-diane-relf-scholarship-guidelines/ for details and how VCE Agents or Coordinators can nominate up to two volunteers from their units by 4/30/22. If you have any questions or would like more information and application emailed to you, please contact Scholarship Committee Chair Stacey Morgan Smith at VMGAScholarship@gmail.com
3. Spring Garden Festival – April 30th, 2022 – Reynolds Community College, Goochland Spring Garden Fest The Goochland – Powhatan Master Gardeners Association will hold its 16th annual Spring Garden Festival on Saturday, April 30, 2022 at Reynolds Community College, 1851 Dickinson Road, Goochland. This annual event of the Goochland-Powhatan Master Gardener Association (GPMGA) in cooperation with RCC and the Virginia Cooperative Extension is a free, family friendly event that is a celebration of all things related to gardening. Spring Garden Fest 2022 will include the much loved GPMGA Plant Sale, with plants suited to Central Virginia gardens at great prices, an Ask the Master Gardener station for free gardening help, and lots of fun gardening related vendor booths. For a small registration fee you can also increase your gardening knowledge through classes, workshops, and tours offered throughout the day. Online registration for these educational opportunities is available at http://www.gpmga.org or contact the Goochland Cooperative Extension office at 804-556-5841.
4. GardenFest and EMG Plant Sale – 6/4/2022 – Belle Grove Plantation, Middletown, VA – The Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners will hold their annual GardenFest and EMG Plant Sale on Saturday, June 4th at Belle Grove Historic Plantation just south of Middletown, VA. Reasonably priced plants or all kinds raised by the Master Gardeners will be available. Parking is free and there is no admission charge. There will be plant related vendors, tool sharpening services, children's activities and more.
5. PCMG Spring Plant Sale – 4/30/2022 – Rotary Building, Stuart VA – Doors open at 8 a.m. at the Rotary Building in Stuart, VA, for the Patrick County Master Gardeners' annual spring plant sale. Members have been fielding requests over their Facebook page for the past several weeks. In response, they've assembled an extensive inventory of native wildflowers and pollinator favorites; herbs; modern and heritage vegetables from arugala and bok choy to all manner of tomatoes; berries — straw-, rasp- and elder-; and cottage garden favorites. There is no admission fee; parking is free. Doors will close promptly at noon; any plants left over at that time will be available at the Stuart Farmers Market on May 6. Proceeds from the plant sale will benefit Master Gardener programming, scholarships and The Patrick County Developmental Center.
6. Master Gardeners of Prince William Spring Plant Sale – Saturday May 14 9am-Noon – Teaching Garden at St Benedict Monastery 9535 Linton Hall Rd Bristow VA – Join the Prince William Master Gardeners for their annual Spring Plant Sale on May 14, 2022. It is held at the St Benedict Monastery Grounds at 9535 Linton Hall Rd, the home of our Teaching Garden. We are featuring many native plants that are from our Teaching Garden and our Master Gardeners gardens as well. The hours are 9 am – Noon. You may pay with cash or checks. We will be happy to answer any questions and the sale of plants will continue on each Saturday in the Garden program once a month. If you have more questions, contact our Helpdesk at mastergardener@pwc.org Also, check this page for our Saturday in the Garden programs: https://www.pwcva.gov/department/virginia-cooperative-extension/horticulture-classes Please follow signs for parking. Thank you!
7. NRVMGA Spring Plant Sale – 5/7/2022 – Montgomery County Government Center – Come on out to join us at our NRVMGA Spring Plant Sale, Saturday, May 7 on the front lawn of the Montgomery County Government Center in Christiansburg. We will have plants grown by our own Master Gardeners. A plant for every place and everyone! We will have perennials, annual, vegetables, trees, shrubs and even a yard sale for your gardening needs.
8. Piedmont Master Gardeners' Annual Plant Sale – 5/7/2022 – Albemarle Square Shopping Center, U.S. 29 North at Rio Road, Charlottesville – On hold for the past two years, the Piedmont Master Gardeners’ Annual Plant Sale has returned and will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 7, at Albemarle Square Shopping Center in Charlottesville. The sale will offer thousands of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs and houseplants, including a large assortment of native plants. In addition, shoppers can purchase new and used garden implements, yard ornaments and other “Green Elephants”; have their tools sharpened by an expert; and drop off their surplus plastic nursery pots for recycling. The sale will also feature a Help Desk for answering gardening questions and information tables on locally native plants, soil and composting, invasive plants, conservation landscaping and much more. All proceeds support the many free and low-cost programs the Piedmont Master Gardeners offer to the community. Credit cards, checks and cash will all be accepted. Learn more at http://piedmontmastergardeners.org/events/.
Old April Announcements
9. Abingdon Garden Faire Returns – 4/16/2022 – Abingdon Garden Faire returns with a one-day outdoor show, Saturday April 16, 2022 from 9:30 to 5:00 on the front lawn of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. There will be a host of garden related vendors, food trucks, tool sharpening service and gardening information available. No admission charge. Presented by Washington County Master Gardeners. Like us on Facebook or go to www.gardenfaire.net for more information.
10. Bees: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – 4/18/2022 – Zoom program – VIRGINIA BEACH MASTER GARDENERS PRESENT GARDENING TALKS: Join us on Monday, April 18, 2022, at 7 pm via ZOOM for a Gardening Talks presentation on: Bees: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The presenter is Frank Walker, President of the Norfolk Beekeepers. Mr. Walker will discuss the latest research on bees and how we can support them. He will discuss why it is necessary to grow native plants and what plants we should grow to help the bees survive and thrive. Beekeepers are savvy but they cannot do it alone. They need the community to support their efforts in creating a bee friendly pollinator world. Find out what you can do to make this happen. Gardening Talks is presented via Zoom and is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. No registration is required. Gardening Talks are one hour. Go to VBMG.org and click on the Zoom link! Check out upcoming Gardening Talks for 2022 as you explore our website!
11. Popular Plant Sale Returns on April 30th – 4/30/2022 – Williamsburg Botanical Garden – James City County Williamsburg Master Gardener Association (JCCWMGA) is hosting a plant sale on Saturday, April 30 from 9 am to 3 pm at the Williamsburg Botanical Garden (WBG) located within Freedom Park at 5537 Centerville Road. This long-awaited sale runs only on Saturday, April 30, rain or shine. Admission to the WBG and parking are free. The sale offers a wide selection of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, trees, and shrubs. Much of the plant stock has been raised by the Master Gardeners themselves. In addition to plants, visitors can shop the Green Elephant sale for gently used garden tools, books, equipment, and specialty items to perk up their garden decor. Shoppers will enjoy connecting with fellow gardening enthusiasts and getting expert advice from the JCCW Master Gardeners Help Desk team who will be on-site during the sale to answer questions. Learn more here.
12. VBMG Spring Plant Sale – April 30 & May 1, 2022, – HR AREC, 1444 Diamond Springs Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23455 – The Spring Plant Sale traditionally held at Virginia Beach Farmer’s Market each spring will be held at HRAREC, 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. The sale offers thousands of plants grown by Virginia Beach Master Gardeners in their own gardens or from seeds or cuttings. Featuring a wide selection of plants, the sale has something for all gardens – plants for sun, shade, or something in between – annuals, perennials, native and pollinator plants, vegetables, herbs, tropicals and houseplants, trees, and shrubs. More information at https://www.vbmg.org/spring-plant-sale.html
Old Announcements
13. If you would like an infographic showing your local unit’s 2021 statistics, please email Devon dvj@vt.edu Infographic template available here. Note: We have not pre-made infographics for each unit this year and will instead be working with you to develop them on request.
14. Updated indicia statement:
Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law.
As always, remember to use the indicia statement on all material you distribute to the public. For promotional material for events, you also need the ADA statement, available here.
Other Announcements:
1. Send us your announcements! Have you converted educational programs to an online format? You can still submit those announcements for the biweekly email! Submit an item for the biweekly update here.
2. Follow the State Office on social media: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube