Category Archives: Uncategorized

Biweekly Update – August 6

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New Announcements

  1. State Office Webinar Series All webinars are recorded and posted in the webinar archive
  2. Submit your fall plant sale information! Last spring we compiled a list of spring plant sales; we are doing the same for fall plant sales. If your unit is planning a fall plant sale, submit it to be included on our list. Submit here.
  3. Join the James City County Master Gardeners for a guided tour of Lewis-Ginter Gardens, a picnic lunch in Byrd Park and a stroll through Maymont Gardens, conveniently transported by bus departing and returning to Williamsburg on Sept 11. Learn more and register here.
  4. VMGA Fall Event – Join Virginia Master Gardeners for an In-Person Continuing Education Opportunity offered by Virginia Master Gardeners Association, Education Committee. Flyer here.
    • When: Saturday September 20, 2025 9:30am-3pm
    • Where: Wilder Bldg. 20901 Carter Woodson Ave. VSU
    • Registration Fee (Lunch included): VMGA Members: $20.; Non-VMGA Member $25. Registration at https://vmga.net/education-event-saturday-may-182024/(Please note: Virginia Extension Master Gardeners are not automatically members of VMGA. Go to https://vmga.net for information on the advantages of becoming members of VMGA and https://vmga.net/# to join VMGA).
    • Our Speakers are Dr. Leonard Githinji Topic: Soil and Water Management in Vegetable Gardens. He leads the Sustainable and Urban Agriculture program at VSU, and was appointed as a state program leader for agriculture with Virginia Cooperative Extension.Dr. John Hoben Topic: Soil Fertility and Water Quality. John is a Research Scientist with the Stewart Lab of the Environmental Soil Science Research Groups.  He trains the groups in soil fertility, water quality, and protein biochemistry.  John’s research interests include bioremediation of soil and water and focusing on how microbial communities transform nutrients.
    • Field Trip Options: Randolph Farm (just 1.7miles from Wilder Bldg.) OR Learn about overhead watering drip irrigation techniques with hands on demonstration.

Old August Announcements

  • Cut Flower Workshop at The Carver Center with Rapidan River Master Gardeners – Grow and Design with Cut Flowers – Join us for an immersive and hands-on cut flower workshop and take home a beautiful floral design that you created!  Register here.

    Old September Announcements

    • The Heart of Virginia Master Gardeners‘ invite you to join us 9/4 at noon at the Prince Edward Extension Office for informative Lunch & Learn sessions:
      • Lawn Renovation – 9/4
    • Newport News Extension Master Gardeners 2025 Fall Plant Sale – September 13, 2025 – Brittingham-Midtown Community Center 570 McLawhorne Drive Newport News, Virginia | Our fall plant sale features native shrubs and trees, native plants (plugs and pots) as well as houseplants, ornamentals, perennials, herbs, veggie plants, and a few surprises, too. All plant sales benefit our Horticulture Grants for Newport News Public & Private Schools & other Master Gardener Programming. Our Master Gardener Help Desk will be on site to answer your horticulture questions. For details visit our website: http://nnmastergardeners.org/
    • Louisa – Mineral Farmer’s Market 2025 Backyard Gardening for Kids: Hands-on gardening sessions for kids held at the Mineral Farmers Market on the following Saturdays from 8:00am – 12pm.  No cost to attend.   Events calendar
      • Sept 14 – Bird seed Feeders 

    Biweekly Update – July 24

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    New Announcements

    1. State Office Webinar Series All webinars are recorded and posted in the webinar archive
      1. August 11th, 2:00-3:00 pm | Landscape Design- The Art of It – Register for the August 11th Webinar Here
      1. August 19th, 2:00-3:00pm | VCE Fruit Webinar Series : Economic Thresholds and IPM – Register for the August 19th Webinar here
      1. September 5th, 10:00-11:15 am | Herbs with Megan Tierney – Register for the September 5th Webinar Here
      1. September 23rd, 2:00-3:00 pm | VCE Fruit Webinar Series: Apples – Register for the September 23rd Webinar here
    2. Submit your fall plant sale information! Last spring we compiled a list of spring plant sales; we are doing the same for fall plant sales. If your unit is planning a fall plant sale, submit it to be included on our list. Submit here.
    3. Cut Flower Workshop at The Carver Center with Rapidan River Master Gardeners – Grow and Design with Cut Flowers – Join us for an immersive and hands-on cut flower workshop and take home a beautiful floral design that you created!  Register here.
    4. Louisa Master Gardeners’ Backyard Gardening Kids, Mineral Farmers’ Market – 81 Louisa Avenue, Mineral –  August 2 – Calling All Young Gardeners!
      1. Join the Louisa Master Gardeners’ Backyard Gardening Kids for a fun and hands-on morning on Saturday, August 2nd, from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Mineral Farmers’ Market. This time, we’re getting creative with succulents! 🌵Kids will learn how to plant and care for these unique and easy-to-love plants, all while having a blast in the garden. Perfect for curious minds and green thumbs of all young ages—come dig in the dirt, learn something new, and take home your very own plant creation!
      1. Don’t miss it—invite your friends, bring your kids and grow with us! Facebook event here

    Old July Announcements

    • The Heart of Virginia Master Gardeners’ invite you to join us on July 24th at noon at the Prince Edward Extension Office for informative Lunch & Learn sessions:
      • Planning Your Fall Garden – 8/7
      • Lawn Renovation – 9/4

    Old August Announcements

    • Louisa – Mineral Farmer’s Market 2025 Backyard Gardening for Kids: Hands-on gardening sessions for kids held at the Mineral Farmers Market on the following Saturdays from 8:00am – 12pm.  No cost to attend.   Register here.
      • Aug 2 – Planting Succulents
      • Sept 14 – Bird seed Feeders 

    Old September Announcements

    • MARK YOUR CALENDAR: OPTIMIZING VEGETABLES – 9/20/2025, 10-3 (with Field Trip – times may change somewhat) – VSU Wilder Bldg. 1 Hayden Dr. | MARK YOUR CALENDAR!! Fall Continuing Education Event: Optimizing Your Vegetable Growing – This event is advanced training for EMGs to provide optimum help to the public. Speakers: Leonard Githinji Ph.D VSU; Second speaker TBD. Location VSU Wilder Bldg. 1 Hayden Dr. Field Trip: Randalf Farm to demonstrate and practice drip and other irrigation techniques. Provided by the Education Committee of the Virginia Master Gardener Association. Registration will be posted soon at: education@vmga.net and future bi-weekly announcements from VMGA.
    • Newport News Extension Master Gardeners 2025 Fall Plant Sale – September 13, 2025 – Brittingham-Midtown Community Center 570 McLawhorne Drive Newport News, Virginia | Our fall plant sale features native shrubs and trees, native plants (plugs and pots) as well as houseplants, ornamentals, perennials, herbs, veggie plants, and a few surprises, too. All plant sales benefit our Horticulture Grants for Newport News Public & Private Schools & other Master Gardener Programming. Our Master Gardener Help Desk will be on site to answer your horticulture questions. For details visit our website.

    Old Announcements

    • Allium leafminer – Participate in a citizen science project to monitor the spread of this new pest of alliums!
    • NICH Infographics – A great advocacy resource if you need to explain the value of plants in different settings!

    Biweekly Update – February 14, 2019

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    New Announcements:

    1. Come to the Garden with speaker Lisa Zeigler – Lexington, VA – March 16, 2019
    2. Save the Date: Annual Plant Sale – Piedmont, VA – May 4, 2019
    3. Innovation in Greenhouse and Vertical Farming – Richmond, VA – March 12, 2019
    4. Education Day 2019 for Virginia Master Gardener Association – Roanoke, VA – May 4, 2019
    5. Spring Symposium: Wild about Natives – Fredericksburg, VA – April 13, 2019
    6. Trees, Construction and Uninvited Guests: 2019 Roanoke Tree Care Workshop – Roanoke, VA – March 6, 2019
    7. Statewide Extension Master Gardener Infographics released
    8. Register Now for 2019 Gardening in the Northern Neck Seminar – White Stone, VA – March 23, 2019
    9. Registration now open for online Plant Identification Classes by Longwood Gardens and NC State – Click Here
    10. 25th Anniversary of the 2019 Horticultural Extravaganza – Yorktown, VA – March 2, 2019
    11. Save the Date: The Piedmont Master Gardeners and the Charlottesville – Charlottesville, VA – May 4, 2019
    12. Chesapeake Master Gardener Volunteers’ 2019 Annual Plant Sale – Chesapeake, VA – April 26-27, 2019

    February Announcements:

    1. Western Reserve Herb Society: $10,000 National Horticulture Scholarship Available – Deadline: February 28, 2019
    2. Loudoun County Gardening Symposium: “Let’s Get Growing” – Leesburg, VA – March 23, 2019 (Registration opens February 1)
    3. Extension Good and Bad bugs webinar series – Feb 1 – Dec 6, 2019
      1. https://articles.extension.org/pages/74786/2019-all-bugs-good-and-bad-webinar-series
    4. Winter Symposium: 50th CVNLA Short Course Pesticide Recertification – Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden – February 13-15, 2019
    5. The 15th Annual EcoSavvy Symposium – Alexandria, VA – February 16, 2019
    6. February 2019 Public Education Programs – Arlington / Alexandria

    March Announcements:

    1. Annual Grow the Good Life Seminar – Central Virginia Community College, Bedford Campus – March 9, 2019 (Registration officially open)
    2. Gardening in the Valley Symposium – Winchester, VA – March 9, 2019
    3. 26th Annual Gardening in the Northern Neck Seminar – White Stone, VA – March 23, 2019
      1. Website: http://nnmg.org/nngardeningseminar.asp
    4. Weekly Calendar Updates – Northern Shenandoah Valley – March 2019
    5. CSVMGA Bug Hotel Workshop – Central Shenandoah Valley – March 23, 2019
    6. 2018 Food Security Summary – National Survey – Deadline: March 15, 2019

    April Announcements:

    1. Horticultural Horizons – Chesterfiled County, VA – April 30, 2019
    2. Mid-Atlantic Garden Faire – Abingdon, VA – April 19 & 20
      1. Daily Admission $6
    3. Horticulture Horizons Event – Chesterfield, VA – April 30, 2019
      1. Registration Form

    May Announcements:

    1. VMGA Education Day – Virginia Western Community College – May 4, 2019

    Other Announcements:

    1. Follow the State Office on social media:
    1. Save the date for 2019 Master Gardener College!

    September 19-22, 2019, Norfolk, Virginia

    1. Pollinator Survey with Oregon State University
    1. Resources for fertilization of lawns and for those involved with Healthy Virginia Lawns programming
    2. Do you have questions coming in to your Extension Master Gardener program and need to find some answers? Extension Search Resources for EMG Questions

     

    Biweekly Update – September 17, 2018

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    New Announcements:

    1. Virginia Farm to School Fall 2018 Newsletter

    2. Registration for 2018 Arlington / Alexandria Urban Agriculture Symposium is OPEN, Arlington, VA – October, 5, 2018

    • To REGISTER or see the full schedule, click HERE

    3. 42nd Annual Fall Forestry and Wildlife Field Tours 2018 (aka the Bus Tours)

    4. Lewis Ginter PlantFest POSTPONED – Richmond, VA – September 28-29, 2018

    5. FREE Gardening Workshops, Speakers, and Giveaways at Belle Grove – Middletown, VA – September 16, 2018

    6. Turfgrass Tuesday Webinar on Bluebird Habitat – September 25, 2018

    • The Sept. 2018 VCE/VT Turfgrass Tuesday webinar features VA Master Naturalist and VA Bluebird Society member Sandy Weber discussing how turfgrass habitats can be utilized to promote cavity-nesting birds, with a focus on bluebirds. As always, it’s a FREE event and it takes place from 10-11 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, Sept 25.

    7. Composting – What to do with all those leaves? – Monday, September 24, 2018—Arlington / Alexandria area.

    September Announcements:

    8. Saturdays in the Garden Series – Fauquier County – September 22

    9. Home Horticulture Education – Eggleston Garden Center, Norfolk, VA – September 8th to October 13th

    10. 12th Annual Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello – Charlottesville, VA – September 22, 2018

    11. VMGA 2018 Educational Event – Appomattox, VA – September 29, 2018

    12. Arlington / Alexandria Events – September

    October Announcements:

    13. Central Shenandoah Valley Garden Symposium: “Going Native” – Weyers Cave, VA – October 27, 2018

    Janurary Announcements:

    14. Save the Date: VAFHP 2010 Annual Conference – Blacksburg, VA – January 28-29, 2019

    February Announcements:

    15. Save the Date: Spring to Green – Danville, VA – February 2, 2019

    Other Announcements:

    16. Follow the State Office on social media:

    17. Recorded Webinars: Recorded EMG Coordinator webinars hosted by the National Extension Master Gardener Coordinators Committee

    18. Whether you attended the 2018 Master Gardener College or not, you should still check out the Brag Boards that were submitted! Click HERE to view the video of all of them! Make sure to send in a brag board next year to brag about your unit!

    19. National EMG Coordinator’s Webinar Recordings