New Announcements

1. Save the date: 5th Annual Prince William Native Plant Symposium – February 11, 2023, Saturday – Verizon Auditorium George Mason University
2. Shade Gardening – February 6, 2023 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Zoom
   1. VIRGINIA BEACH MASTER GARDENERS PRESENT GARDENING TALKS: Join us on Monday, February 6, 2023, at 7 pm via ZOOM for a Gardening Talks presentation on: Shade Gardening: Presented by Stacie McGraw, VCE Virginia Beach Master Gardener Explore the differences between full and part shade gardens, as well as dry and moist shade. Plant selection for each will be discussed, along with how to sneak in spring color and year-round interest. We’ll also look at the adaptations that allow shade plants to thrive in low light conditions. 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 2023 as you explore our website!
3. Native Snakes of Virginia – January 21, 2023 – 10am- 2:30pm – Historic Manassas Courthouse, 9250 Lee Ave, Manassas, VA
   1. Learn to accurately identify local snake species of Virginia. Review some best practices on how you can limit snakes from coming onto your property and/or into your house. Deep dive into the notorious Eastern Copperhead as well as discuss the other two venomous snakes of VA (Northern Cottonmouth and Timber Rattler). For registration questions, email to mastergardene@pwc.gov
4. Seed Exchange at Blandy Farm – Virginia State Arboretum, Clarke County
   1. Annual Northern Shenandoah Valley VCE Master Gardeners will have their annual free seed exchange at Blandy Farm in Clarke County on Saturday, Jan. 28.  It is free admission and free parking at Blandy to get your choice of flower, vegetable, shrub and tree seeds.  The doors will open at 10am. There will be a book and magazine swap.  Bring your extra seeds to share. Please check the Blandy website to make sure you are not bringing any invasive seeds. MG website is nsvmga.org for more information and the Seed Exchange flier is attached.
5. IMGC 2023 Search for Excellence Open
   1. Submissions for the International Master Gardener Search for Excellence are open now! Virginia EMGs are encouraged to submit. Deadline is February 6. https://imgc2023.com/awards-submissions-2/

Old January Announcements

6. Rockbridge Area Master Gardeners Seed Swap – January 21, 2023 – Rockbridge Area Relief Association, 350 Spotswood Dr., Lexington 24450
   1. RAMGA members have grown, collected, cleaned, and packaged a wide variety of seeds to share with our community.
7. Louisa EMG Seed Swap – January 28, 2023 – Louisa Baptist Church, 305 East Main Street Louisa, VA 23093
   1. Chase Away Those Winter Blues by Collecting Seeds and Starting Plans for Your Spring Garden! Please join the Louisa Extension Master Gardners for their First Seed Swap to be held at the Louisa Baptist Church, 305 E. Main Street Louisa, VA 23093. The  free Seed Swap will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Educational gardening demonstrations, literature and information will be available.  Basket raffles and door prizes will be awarded at the event. 
      Please join us to beat those Winter Blues! Read more here.
8. Central Rappahannock Area Extension Master Gardeners’ 7th Annual Seed Swap – January 28, 2023, from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm – Rowser Building, 1739 Richmond Hwy., Stafford VA.
   1. Save your seeds and the date for our 7th Annual Seed Swap! Bring your packaged and labeled seeds and any garden related items you want to trade (such as books, magazines, pots, tools, plants and cuttings). Don’t have seeds to swap? Come anyway! There will be speakers, children’s activities, a trade table for garden items, free seeds and more. Garden Talks: “Quick Fixes for Disturbed Soils.”  Pat Reilly will offer dos and don’ts to help you achieve optimal soil health while minimizing weeds and seeing your landscapes thrive! And “Winter Sowing: Make Growing Seedling Fun and Easy.” Lisa Waddell will demonstrate a method of starting seeds outdoors in the winter thus eliminating the use of grow lights and trays. Visit https://www.mgacra.org/ for additional information.

Old April Announcements

9. MGACRA Spring Symposium “Flower Power: From Roots to Blooms” – April 1, 2023 — Gari Melchers Home & Studio, 224 Washington St., Falmouth, Virginia, 22405.
   1. The Master Gardener Association of the Central Rappahannock Area invite you to join us for our 11th Annual Spring Symposium “Flower Power – From Roots to Blooms” . Spend the day with us learning how to grow beautiful flowers in your garden. We have three guest speakers: back by popular demand – Bryce Lane presenting two sessions “Understanding Garden Soils” and “Accenting Your Landscape With Color”, Stacy Chapman “Westwind Flowers – From our Field to Your Vase”, and Nancy Berlin “Container Gardening With Northern Virginia Natives.” All attendees will be able to explore the gardens at the Belmont Estate, spend time in their outstanding museum gift store, and visit with fellow Master Gardeners. Tickets are $80.00 which includes a full day of thought-provoking lectures focusing on purposeful gardening and includes morning coffee/tea & light breakfast, a delicious buffet lunch, and afternoon cookies. Registration is now open. You can register online at https://www.mgacra.org/2023-spring-symposium.html

Old Announcements

10. Leadership development training recordings and materials are available! If you missed leadership development training, check out the recordings here.

Congratulations to Hanover Extension Master Gardeners on the groundbreaking at their new horticultural learning center! Read more: https://www.hanovercounty.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=657

New Announcements

1. Rockbridge Area Master Gardeners Seed Swap – January 21, 2023 – Rockbridge Area Relief Association, 350 Spotswood Dr., Lexington 24450
1. RAMGA members have grown, collected, cleaned, and packaged a wide variety of seeds to share with our community.

Old January Announcements

2. Louisa EMG Seed Swap – January 28, 2023 – Louisa Baptist Church, 305 East Main Street Louisa, VA 23093
1. Chase Away Those Winter Blues by Collecting Seeds and Starting Plans for Your Spring Garden! Please join the Louisa Extension Master Gardners for their First Seed Swap to be held at the Louisa Baptist Church, 305 E. Main Street Louisa, VA 23093. The  free Seed Swap will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Educational gardening demonstrations, literature and information will be available.  Basket raffles and door prizes will be awarded at the event. 
   Please join us to beat those Winter Blues! Read more here.
3. Central Rappahannock Area Extension Master Gardeners’ 7th Annual Seed Swap – January 28, 2023, from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm – Rowser Building, 1739 Richmond Hwy., Stafford VA.
1. Save your seeds and the date for our 7th Annual Seed Swap! Bring your packaged and labeled seeds and any garden related items you want to trade (such as books, magazines, pots, tools, plants and cuttings). Don’t have seeds to swap? Come anyway! There will be speakers, children’s activities, a trade table for garden items, free seeds and more. Garden Talks: “Quick Fixes for Disturbed Soils.”  Pat Reilly will offer dos and don’ts to help you achieve optimal soil health while minimizing weeds and seeing your landscapes thrive! And “Winter Sowing: Make Growing Seedling Fun and Easy.” Lisa Waddell will demonstrate a method of starting seeds outdoors in the winter thus eliminating the use of grow lights and trays. Visit https://www.mgacra.org/ for additional information.

Old 2023 Announcements

4. MGACRA Spring Symposium “Flower Power: From Roots to Blooms” – April 1, 2023 — Gari Melchers Home & Studio, 224 Washington St., Falmouth, Virginia, 22405.
1. The Master Gardener Association of the Central Rappahannock Area invite you to join us for our 11th Annual Spring Symposium “Flower Power – From Roots to Blooms” . Spend the day with us learning how to grow beautiful flowers in your garden. We have three guest speakers: back by popular demand – Bryce Lane presenting two sessions “Understanding Garden Soils” and “Accenting Your Landscape With Color”, Stacy Chapman “Westwind Flowers – From our Field to Your Vase”, and Nancy Berlin “Container Gardening With Northern Virginia Natives.” All attendees will be able to explore the gardens at the Belmont Estate, spend time in their outstanding museum gift store, and visit with fellow Master Gardeners. Tickets are $80.00 which includes a full day of thought-provoking lectures focusing on purposeful gardening and includes morning coffee/tea & light breakfast, a delicious buffet lunch, and afternoon cookies. Registration is now open. You can register online at https://www.mgacra.org/2023-spring-symposium.html

Old Announcements

5. Leadership development training recordings and materials are available! If you missed leadership development training, check out the recordings here.
6. Congratulations to Hanover Extension Master Gardeners on the groundbreaking at their new horticultural learning center! Read more: https://www.hanovercounty.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=657

New Announcements

1.    Leadership development training recordings and materials are available! If you missed leadership development training, check out the recordings here.

2.    Congratulations to Hanover Extension Master Gardeners on the groundbreaking at their new horticultural learning center! Read more: https://www.hanovercounty.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=657

3.     Virginia Master Naturalist Webinar – What's In a Name? Thoughtful Nomenclature Makes a Difference – November 10, 2022 12:00-1:00 pm

a.     What’s in a name? A lot. In 2022, the Entomological Society of America (ESA), publicized ‘spongy moth’ as the new common name for the moth Lymantria dispar, an invasive moth species that damages many tree species, particularly oaks. Presenter: Angela Gupta is a University of Minnesota Extension Professor of Forestry who specializes in terrestrial invasive species. She’s done invasive species early detection education and outreach for about 15 years. Read more here. Pre-registration is required, register here.

4.    Louisa EMG Seed Swap – January 28, 2023 – Louisa Baptist Church, 305 East Main Street Louisa, VA 23093

a.    Chase Away Those Winter Blues by Collecting Seeds and Starting Plans for Your Spring Garden! Please join the Louisa Extension Master Gardeners for their First Seed Swap to be held at the Louisa Baptist Church, 305 E. Main Street Louisa, VA 23093. The  free Seed Swap will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Educational gardening demonstrations, literature and information will be available.  Basket raffles and door prizes will be awarded at the event. 
Please join us to beat those Winter Blues! Read more here.

5.    Central Rappahannock Area Extension Master Gardeners’ 7th Annual Seed Swap – January 28, 2023, from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm – Rowser Building, 1739 Richmond Hwy., Stafford VA.

a.    Save your seeds and the date for our 7th Annual Seed Swap! Bring your packaged and labeled seeds and any garden related items you want to trade (such as books, magazines, pots, tools, plants and cuttings). Don’t have seeds to swap? Come anyway! There will be speakers, children’s activities, a trade table for garden items, free seeds and more. Garden Talks: “Quick Fixes for Disturbed Soils.”  Pat Reilly will offer dos and don’ts to help you achieve optimal soil health while minimizing weeds and seeing your landscapes thrive! And “Winter Sowing: Make Growing Seedling Fun and Easy.” Lisa Waddell will demonstrate a method of starting seeds outdoors in the winter thus eliminating the use of grow lights and trays. Visit https://www.mgacra.org/ for additional information.

6.    MGACRA Spring Symposium “Flower Power: From Roots to Blooms” – April 1, 2023 — Gari Melchers Home & Studio, 224 Washington St., Falmouth, Virginia, 22405.

a.    The Master Gardener Association of the Central Rappahannock Area invite you to join us for our 11th Annual Spring Symposium “Flower Power – From Roots to Blooms” . Spend the day with us learning how to grow beautiful flowers in your garden. We have three guest speakers: back by popular demand – Bryce Lane presenting two sessions “Understanding Garden Soils” and “Accenting Your Landscape With Color”, Stacy Chapman “Westwind Flowers – From our Field to Your Vase”, and Nancy Berlin “Container Gardening With Northern Virginia Natives.” All attendees will be able to explore the gardens at the Belmont Estate, spend time in their outstanding museum gift store, and visit with fellow Master Gardeners. Tickets are $80.00 which includes a full day of thought-provoking lectures focusing on purposeful gardening and includes morning coffee/tea & light breakfast, a delicious buffet lunch, and afternoon cookies. Registration is now open. You can register online at https://www.mgacra.org/2023-spring-symposium.html

Old October Announcements

7.    Gardening with HOPE – From the Soil Up, October 29, 2022 10:00 am-noon, Powhatan County Public Library – GPMGA invites you to join us for “Gardening with HOPE – From the Soil Up” on Saturday, October 29, 10:00-noon at the Powhatan County Public Library. Presentations/demonstrations will include no-till and Hügelkultur gardening beds, making your own fertilizer and other techniques for enhancing the soil and contributing to regenerative gardening. See attached flyer.

Old November Announcements

8.    Lift the Winter Blues with Color in Garden, November 3, 2022 – Peggy Singlemann will present a variety of plants to add splashes of vivid color and beautiful texture to the winter landscape. These plants will help lift your spirits and energize your life just when you need it most. More information on the flyer here.

New Announcements

1.    Leadership development training – Join us for 2022 virtual Leadership Development Training. Sessions will be held Wednesdays in October 1:00 – 2:30pm. You can choose which sessions to attend (or come to all!). All sessions (except October 26) will be recorded for viewing later. Learn more here.

a.     Register now!

b.    October 19: Evaluation Deep Dive. Tom Archibald will lead this session on the ins and outs of program evaluation best practices, how tos, and more.

c.     October 26: Leadership Dialogue. Join your fellow EMG leaders and prospective leaders, EMG Coordinators, and Extension Agents in discussion around relevant topics to your EMG units. Time will be spent discussing challenges, successes, and opportunities around: recruiting new members, retaining members, and building strong community partnerships. Come prepared to share your thoughts on these topics.

2.    Lift the Winter Blues with Color in Garden, November 3, 2022 – Peggy Singlemann will present a variety of plants to add splashes of vivid color and beautiful texture to the winter landscape. These plants will help lift your spirits and energize your life just when you need it most. More information on the flyer here.

3.    The 8th Annual SeedMoney Challenge starts next month with grant funding available for a wide range of food garden projects including community gardens, community farms, school gardens, food bank gardens, tribal gardens, shelter gardens and many more. Grants range from $100 up to $1000 and there are no geographic restrictions. We expect over 500 projects to participate this year. To learn more and apply, see: https://donate.seedmoney.org/

4.    Gardening with HOPE – From the Soil Up, October 29, 2022 10:00 am-noon, Powhatan County Public Library – GPMGA invites you to join us for “Gardening with HOPE – From the Soil Up” on Saturday, October 29, 10:00-noon at the Powhatan County Public Library. Presentations/demonstrations will include no-till and Hügelkultur gardening beds, making your own fertilizer and other techniques for enhancing the soil and contributing to regenerative gardening. See attached flyer.

Old October Announcements

5.    Native Woody Plants of the Virginia Piedmont, October 14, 2022, South Boston Halifax County Museum 1540 Wilborn Ave. South Boston, VA 24592 – We hear more and more about problems with invasive species and what to do to eliminate them. Jason Fisher will cover many of our native woody plants found in the Piedmont of Virginia including the identification and use of these species. He will touch on the need for the protection and cultivation of our native plants. Jason is a certified Arborist and Central District Extension Agent who serves multiple counties in Central and Southern Virginia. He has over 25 years experience and loves his work almost as much as he loves to hunt and fish. This is a free public educational program that you will need to pre-register for by either calling the Halifax Virginia Cooperative Extension Office or you can send an email to ask@ssmga.org or wmccaleb@vt.edu

6.    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 raffel, 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

Old Announcements

7.    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”

New Announcements

1.    Leadership development training – Join us for 2022 virtual Leadership Development Training. Sessions will be held Wednesdays in October 1:00 – 2:30pm. You can choose which sessions to attend (or come to all!). All sessions (except October 26) will be recorded for viewing later. Learn more here.

a.     Register now!

b.    October 5: Increasing volunteer engagement and building volunteer leaders. Join VCE Volunteer Engagement Specialist Dave Close as he shares thoughts on increasing volunteer engagement and building volunteer leaders.

c.     October 12: Happy EMGs and Thriving EMG Units – Focal Points for Good Leadership. Come learn the results of a recent research project focused on volunteer happiness and what factors can help EMG units thrive. Learn what steps can be taken to make your unit even stronger!

d.    October 19: Evaluation Deep Dive. Tom Archibald will lead this session on the ins and outs of program evaluation best practices, how tos, and more.

e.    October 26: Leadership Dialogue. Join your fellow EMG leaders and prospective leaders, EMG Coordinators, and Extension Agents in discussion around relevant topics to your EMG units. Time will be spent discussing challenges, successes, and opportunities around: recruiting new members, retaining members, and building strong community partnerships. Come prepared to share your thoughts on these topics.

Old October Announcements

2.    My Experience With Blue Orchard Bees, October 7, 2022 South Boston Halifax County Museum 1540 Wilborn Ave. South Boston, VA 24592 – My Experience with Blue Orchard Bees is presented by Halifax Extension Master Gardener Linda Logan, Linda has been organically gardening and building up her pollinators since moving to Halifax County in 2019. Wanting to improve gardening yields and the habitat for pollinators she has taken certain steps along the way, starting with the introduction of Blue Orchard bee eggs, providing the nest and the experiences that have occurred since. Linda has been a Master Gardener since 2004 starting in Mecklenburg and has given back many hours in educational programming. Pre-registration for this educational program is required. You can call the Halifax Virginia Cooperative Extension Office at 434-476-2147 ext. 0, or you can send an email to ask@ssmga.org or wmccale@vt.edu before the close of business on October 5, 2022.

3.    Native Woody Plants of the Virginia Piedmont, October 14, 2022, South Boston Halifax County Museum 1540 Wilborn Ave. South Boston, VA 24592 – We hear more and more about problems with invasive species and what to do to eliminate them. Jason Fisher will cover many of our native woody plants found in the Piedmont of Virginia including the identification and use of these species. He will touch on the need for the protection and cultivation of our native plants. Jason is a certified Arborist and Central District Extension Agent who serves multiple counties in Central and Southern Virginia. He has over 25 years experience and loves his work almost as much as he loves to hunt and fish. This is a free public educational program that you will need to pre-register for by either calling the Halifax Virginia Cooperative Extension Office or you can send an email to ask@ssmga.org or wmccaleb@vt.edu

4.    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 raffel, 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

Old Announcements

5.    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”

New Announcements

1.    Leadership development training – Join us for 2022 virtual Leadership Development Training. Sessions will be held Wednesdays in October 1:00 – 2:30pm. You can choose which sessions to attend (or come to all!). Learn more here.

a.     Register now!

b.    October 5: Increasing volunteer engagement and building volunteer leaders. Join VCE Volunteer Engagement Specialist Dave Close as he shares thoughts on increasing volunteer engagement and building volunteer leaders.

c.     October 12: Happy EMGs and Thriving EMG Units – Focal Points for Good Leadership. Come learn the results of a recent research project focused on volunteer happiness and what factors can help EMG units thrive. Learn what steps can be taken to make your unit even stronger!

d.    October 19: Evaluation Deep Dive. Tom Archibald will lead this session on the ins and outs of program evaluation best practices, how tos, and more.

e.    October 26: Leadership Dialogue. Join your fellow EMG leaders and prospective leaders, EMG Coordinators, and Extension Agents in discussion around relevant topics to your EMG units. Time will be spent discussing challenges, successes, and opportunities around: recruiting new members, retaining members, and building strong community partnerships. Come prepared to share your thoughts on these topics.

2.    We All Live Downstream. How clean is your water? September 20, 2022, South Boston Halifax County Museum – Poor water quality can pose a health risk for people. Poor water quality can also pose a health risk for ecosystems. Living in a county that has plentiful water supply from three rivers and numerous creeks along with a good water table in most portions of the county, you will learn about what is in your water and what is not in your water. Mark Estes, the Director of the Halifax County Service Authority and is a certified Utility Manager of the National Rural Water Association, the current President of the Virginia Water & Wastewater Authorities Association (VWWAA), President of the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA), and a member of the Board Of Directors of the VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER AGENCIES. With over 37 years of experience in water management, Mark will be able to share a lot of information and will discuss PFAS which you have read about lately in local and national newspapers. If you are concerned about the future of our water quality this will be a great opportunity to learn more about the nectar of life, H2O. You will need to pre-register for this free program so we can plan accordingly for the number of participants. Space is limited to 75. Pre-registration can be done by calling 434-476-2147 extension 0 or by emailing ask@ssmga.org or wmccaleb@vt.edu .

3.    My Experience With Blue Orchard Bees, October 7, 2022 South Boston Halifax County Museum 1540 Wilborn Ave. South Boston, VA 24592 – My Experience with Blue Orchard Bees is presented by Halifax Extension Master Gardener Linda Logan, Linda has been organically gardening and building up her pollinators since moving to Halifax County in 2019. Wanting to improve gardening yields and the habitat for pollinators she has taken certain steps along the way, starting with the introduction of Blue Orchard bee eggs, providing the nest and the experiences that have occurred since. Linda has been a Master Gardener since 2004 starting in Mecklenburg and has given back many hours in educational programming. Pre-registration for this educational program is required. You can call the Halifax Virginia Cooperative Extension Office at 434-476-2147 ext. 0, or you can send an email to ask@ssmga.org or wmccale@vt.edu before the close of business on October 5, 2022.

4.    Native Woody Plants of the Virginia Piedmont, October 14, 2022, South Boston Halifax County Museum 1540 Wilborn Ave. South Boston, VA 24592 – We hear more and more about problems with invasive species and what to do to eliminate them. Jason Fisher will cover many of our native woody plants found in the Piedmont of Virginia including the identification and use of these species. He will touch on the need for the protection and cultivation of our native plants. Jason is a certified Arborist and Central District Extension Agent who serves multiple counties in Central and Southern Virginia. He has over 25 years experience and loves his work almost as much as he loves to hunt and fish. This is a free public educational program that you will need to pre-register for by either calling the Halifax Virginia Cooperative Extension Office or you can send an email to ask@ssmga.org or wmccaleb@vt.edu

Old September Announcements

1.    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 October 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 raffel, 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 learnign more abotu urban gardening on October 25-26, 2022. Register here: https://vsu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3CqybesyGe945kq

Old Announcements

3.    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.

4.    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.

5.    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