Monthly Archives: August 2022

Biweekly Update – August 29, 2022

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New Announcements

1.    ESVMG Fall Symposium ” Planting with Purpose” – October 22, 2022 — The Chincoteague Center 6155 Community Drive Chincoteague Virginia

a.    The Eastern Shore Master Gardeners invite you to join us for our Fall Symposium ” Planting with Purpose” . Spend the day with us learning how to bring beauty to your garden and improve your backyard habitat for all natures creatures, great and small. We have four guest speakers, each will present a different topic, they are; Barbara Ellis ” Diversity in the Garden”, Douglas Tallamy ” Natures best hope”, Ginny Rosenkranz ” Designing a Garden with Native and other Beautiful Plants”, and Mikela Boley ” Native Seed Saving and Sowing”. All attendees will be eligible to participate in our gift basket raffle, gift baskets will include local products and artwork. Tickets are $75.00 which includes a full day of thought provoking lectures focusing on purposeful gardening and includes morning coffee/Tea & pastry, a boxed lunch, afternoon snack, educational booths, and book sales. You can register online at www.esvmg.com

2.    VCE Urban Gardening In-Service Training – October 25-26, 2022 – Virginia State University-Randolph Research Farm Pavilion 4415 River Rd, Petersburg, VA 23803 The Virginia State University Sustainable & Urban Agriculture Program will be hosting an in-service training for up to 75 interested VCE personnel interested in learning more about urban gardening on October 25-26, 2022. Register here: https://vsu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3CqybesyGe945kq

 

Old September Announcements

3.    Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners’ 20th Annual Plant Extravaganza – September 9 & 10, 2022 – Moose Lodge 886 Family Center, 6565 Moose Drive, Gloucester, VA 23061 – Join the Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners for our 20th Annual Plant Extravaganza on Friday, September 9, 4-6 p.m. and Saturday, September 10, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The sale will feature native plants, perennials, trees, shrubs, herbs, house plants, gently used garden tools and more at great prices! All proceeds benefit the Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners Scholarship Fund. Admission and parking are free.

Old Announcements

4.    Project Highlight: Loudoun Turf to Trees project: Last September, Loudoun Extension Master Gardener Cynthia Falconer spearheaded a cost share grant project, Virginia Trees for Clean Water, awarded by the VA Dept. of Forestry, for her Potomac Green HOA common area. The objective was to convert sections of turf to mulched beds with native trees and ground cover, thereby reducing runoff and nutrients flowing into Russell Branch Creek, which runs through the property, and reducing in-stream sediment. The trees will also shade a 600-foot section of the community trail system and provide an object lesson in the benefits of trees to community members. Read more

a.    Submit a project highlight: Are you a project leader & want to share your unit’s work with the statewide program? Submit a project highlight here. Project highlights will be posted on the EMG website and on Facebook.

5.    Congratulations to 2021 Milestone awardees. Thank you for your time and dedication to making your community stronger! Please view a list of our award recipients here. Milestone pins and certificates have been mailed to unit offices.

6.    Spotted lanternfly quarantine area expanded – VDACS has expanded the SLF quarantine area. It now includes the following cities and counties: Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Manassas, Staunton, Waynesboro, Albemarle, Augusta, Carroll, Page, Prince William, Rockingham, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, and Wythe. This is in addition to the quarantine already in place for Frederick, Warren, and Clarke Counties and the City of Winchester.

b.     Read the pub “What Virginians Need to Know about the 2022 SLF Quarantine Expansion”

 

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

Greer School Garden Project

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By Christine Atkins, Piedmont Master Gardener

PMG volunteer Christine Putnam, a retired science teacher, talks to 3rd graders about the importance of oak trees while PMG volunteer Fern Campbell gathers acorns for the children.

In 2021, the Piedmont Master Gardeners (PMG) began a partnership with Albemarle County Public Schools to provide gardening instruction and support at three elementary schools, beginning with Mary Carr Greer Elementary School. Greer serves the most diverse student population of any Albemarle County school, and some 75 percent of its students live in households below the poverty line.

Since last September, PMG volunteers have collaborated with Greer teachers to provide lessons to all first- and third-grade classes once per month to enhance their love and understanding of gardening and the environment. The lessons are structured to meet approved Virginia Standards of Learning for science, social studies and mathematics and were developed by Piedmont Master Gardeners who are retired teachers. Some examples include:

Continue reading→

Biweekly Update – August 10, 2022

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New Announcements

1.    Project Highlight: Loudoun Turf to Trees project: Last September, Loudoun Extension Master Gardener Cynthia Falconer spearheaded a cost share grant project, Virginia Trees for Clean Water, awarded by the VA Dept. of Forestry, for her Potomac Green HOA common area. The objective was to convert sections of turf to mulched beds with native trees and ground cover, thereby reducing runoff and nutrients flowing into Russell Branch Creek, which runs through the property, and reducing in-stream sediment. The trees will also shade a 600-foot section of the community trail system and provide an object lesson in the benefits of trees to community members. Read more

a.    Submit a project highlight: Are you a project leader & want to share your unit’s work with the statewide program? Submit a project highlight here. Project highlights will be posted on the EMG website and on Facebook.

2.    Spots open on 2023 IMGC Search for Excellence Committee: We have 5 spots left on our evaluation team for the Search for Excellence. The evaluation team will review submissions for the 2023 IMGC Search for Excellence Awards. Email Kathleen Reed at reedka@vt.edu, first come first served.

3.    All Ages Flower Show – Central Rappahannock Regional Library – August 23 and 24, 2022 – Downtown Library, 1201 Caroline St., Fredericksburg, VA 22401 More info here

4.    Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners' 20th Annual Plant Extravaganza – September 9 & 10, 2022 – Moose Lodge 886 Family Center, 6565 Moose Drive, Gloucester, VA 23061 – Join the Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners for our 20th Annual Plant Extravaganza on Friday, September 9, 4-6 p.m. and Saturday, September 10, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The sale will feature native plants, perennials, trees, shrubs, herbs, house plants, gently used garden tools and more at great prices! All proceeds benefit the Gloucester Extension Master Gardeners Scholarship Fund. Admission and parking are free.

Old Announcements

1.    Congratulations to 2021 Milestone awardees. Thank you for your time and dedication to making your community stronger! Please view a list of our award recipients here. Milestone pins and certificates have been mailed to unit offices.

2.    Spotted lanternfly quarantine area expanded – VDACS has expanded the SLF quarantine area. It now includes the following cities and counties: Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Manassas, Staunton, Waynesboro, Albemarle, Augusta, Carroll, Page, Prince William, Rockingham, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, and Wythe. This is in addition to the quarantine already in place for Frederick, Warren, and Clarke Counties and the City of Winchester.

a.     Read the pub “What Virginians Need to Know about the 2022 SLF Quarantine Expansion”

 

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

Turf to Trees

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By Barbara Bailey, Community Engagement Coordinator Master Gardener Coordinator Virginia Cooperative Extension, Loudoun County

Turf to Trees project info box

Last September, Loudoun Extension Master Gardener Cynthia Falconer spearheaded a cost share grant project, Virginia Trees for Clean Water, awarded by the VA Dept. of Forestry, for her Potomac Green HOA common area.

The objective was to convert sections of turf to mulched beds with native trees and ground cover, thereby reducing runoff and nutrients flowing into Russell Branch Creek, which runs through the property, and reducing in-stream sediment. The trees will also shade a 600-foot section of the community trail system and provide an object lesson in the benefits of trees to community members.

Continue reading→