1 The Garden Fence Harford County Master Gardeners Monthly Newsletter March 2019 Hello everyone, As your new Master Gardener president, I would like to take this time to tell you a little bit about myself. I choose to leave the Home Health Care business in 2013 to focus on our family. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made! We now have 4 grandchildren. They call me “Ron Ron”. In the spring of 2016, I called the Extension Office to talk about the 1000’s of bees flying around my back property. Joyce asked are you trying to get rid of them??? I said NOOOO. I want to know if you want to come out and take photos. We began talking about ground nesting bees in the backyard. At the end of our bee discussion, Joyce said to me “would you like to take a Master Gardener class?” I jumped at the opportunity! The 2016 class consisted of 18 people and today the class has 10 active members. One class member unfortunately has passed away, the other 7 either must have had life changing events or chose not to fulfill their 40 volunteer hour obligation. After becoming a Master Gardener, the commitment is lowered to 20 volunteer hours and 10 educational hours. We have so many wonderful committees, study groups, and book clubs to help you reach your service goal! President’s Message Inside this Issue President’s Message Transitioning the Master Gardener gavel Welcome Dr. Mandeep K. Virk-Baker Grow It Eat It Finding the Right Pollinator Mix MG Calendar link 2019 Year of the Snapdragon Myth Busting on Landscape Trees - Part 3 of 3 Buds and Bark Tree ID Continuing Education Opportunities Calendar of Events Officers Ronnie Grevey, President Anne Bredlow, Vice President Kim Poehling, Secretary Carol Linthicum, Secretary Greg Murray, Treasurer Steve O’Brien, Newsletter Editor Ginny Smith, Newsletter & Continuing Education Quick Links Harford County Extension Office Home & Garden Info Center VMS Logon
Transcript
1
The Garden Fence
Harford County Master Gardeners
Monthly Newsletter March 2019
Hello everyone, As your new Master Gardener president, I would like to take this time to tell you a little bit about myself. I choose to leave the Home Health Care business in 2013 to focus on our family. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made! We now have 4 grandchildren. They call me “Ron Ron”. In the spring of 2016, I called the Extension Office to talk about the 1000’s of bees flying around my back property. Joyce asked are you trying to get rid of them??? I said NOOOO. I want to know if you want to come out and take photos. We began talking about ground nesting bees in the backyard. At the end of our bee discussion, Joyce said to me “would you like to take a Master Gardener class?” I jumped at the opportunity! The 2016 class consisted of 18 people and today the class has 10 active members. One class member unfortunately has passed away, the other 7 either must have had life changing events or chose not to fulfill their 40 volunteer hour obligation. After becoming a Master Gardener, the commitment is lowered to 20 volunteer hours and 10 educational hours. We have so many wonderful committees, study groups, and book clubs to help you reach your service goal!
Always remember, Master Gardeners are educators. Our Mission Statement reads: The Master Gardener Mission is to support the University of Maryland Extension mission by educating residents about safe effective and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes and communities. I ask each of you to reach out to Harford County residents, businesses and private organizations. Talk to them and see how we can help make Harford County a greener, healthier, a friendlier place to live. Who knew that one phone call would have so much impact on my life! Thank you, Joyce, and all of you for welcoming me into Harford County Master Gardeners. Here are the facts about those intriguing backyard digging bees:
The North American native plasterer bee, Colletes inaequalis, like other species in the genus, build underground cells. Besides C. inaequalis there are numerous other ground nesting native bees that can be found in your backyard! This solitary bee mates either in midair or by rolling on the ground. Then the single female goes to work building her own nest. Excavating a foot and half deep in the ground, each night she digs out a new brood cell for her eggs, lining it with polyester secreted from her body. This sealing product is still not clearly
understood but it appears there is a reaction between
the bee saliva and the polyester secreted from her abdomen, causing it to harden into flexible, waterproof plastic, resembling cellophane. During the day, females collect pollen and pack it in the cell along with other larvae food material. After laying an egg inside the cell she seals it closed with more polyester. After completing several brood cells she plugs the cell entrance and moves on to dig another. These bees rarely sting (I easily walk through them and I am allergic!!!) Within a month they will be gone, not being seen again until the larvae morph and emerge late the following winter. This is such a cool thing to observe year after year. Ronnie Grevey, ‘16
Photo 2: C. inaequalis Nest aggregation Credit: Margarita López-Uribe
A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and
careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above
all it teaches entire trust – Gertrude Jekyll
3
Many thanks to Ellen Haas and Anne Spelman for four fabulous years of leadership. Best wishes to newly elected President Ronnie Grevey and Vice President Anne Bredlow going forward.
Photograph: Greg Murray
Dr. Mandeep K. Virk-Baker joined the Area Extension Director Position for Northern Cluster (Baltimore, Carroll, and Harford Counties) at the University of Maryland Extension, and recently relocated with her family to Baltimore County from Henrico, Virginia. Prior to joining UME, Dr. Virk-Baker served as the Public Health Policy Director at United Sikhs. As a public health scientist trained at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Virk-Baker is deeply passionate about improving public health and is thrilled for the opportunity to work closely with the Northern cluster stakeholders, UME leadership, faculty, staff, and the local communities to improve the lives of Marylanders. Dr. Virk-Baker has extensive public health program administration experience. She served as the Director for Division of Community Nutrition, Director for Women Infant and Children (WIC) program, and Director for Child and Adult Food Care program (CACF) at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). While at VDH, she lead federally funded special supplemental nutrition programs to improve health and wellbeing of women, infants and children across the thirty-five health districts. She has an extensive background in health policy and public health research and has published in several peer-reviewed journals. Her BS and Masters were attained in her homeland at Panjab University Chandigarh, India. She received her doctoral degree in Nutrition Sciences from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Virk-Baker is a registered dietitian and a certified lactation specialist. As the Cancer Prevention postdoctoral Fellow at the National Cancer Institute, she received a Master of Public Health, and Global Health graduate certificate from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Virk-Baker grew-up in a farming family in India, and the family’s agricultural roots run deep as her grandparents, great-grandparents and their ancestors were farmers. Her family grows wheat, rice, sunflower, sweet potatoes, and sugarcane in their ancestral farms in India. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, hiking, and playing with her Labrador retrievers.
The Grow It Eat It (GIEI) Program is a subset of the University of Maryland Extension (UME) Master Gardener program. Statewide it was launched in 2009 to teach Marylanders how to grow their own food in home, community, and school gardens. Over the past eight years, Maryland Master Gardeners (MGs) have
Grow It Eat It
Welcome Dr. Mandeep K. Virk-Baker
Transitioning the Master Gardener gavel
4
taught hundreds of classes, developed demonstration gardens, and helped thousands of individuals and groups start their own food gardens.
The vision of the GIEI program was seed sown on the vision of 1 million Marylanders producing their own affordable, healthy food. The mission is to help people improve human and ecological health by growing their own food and using sustainable gardening practices.
GIEI’s popularity and success resulted in its designation in 2017 as a “UME Signature Program.”
The University of Maryland Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) supports GIEI by creating web content, videos, and managing social media platforms.
Food gardening content can be found at the Home & Garden Information Center website.
General growing information for vegetables, fruits, and herbs can be found in the Learn section of the HGIC website with the other plant categories.
Go to the Get Help section of HGIC's website to diagnose garden problems.
Ask Maryland's Garden Experts link allows you to get personalized answers to your gardening questions from UME’s Certified Professional Horticulturists.
Grow It Eat It classes and other programs offered by UME Master Gardeners, across the state, can be found by viewing Local Programs on the Master Gardener website
Community Gardens and Youth Gardening web pages provide useful information.
UME Master Gardeners across the state sponsor Ask a MG Plant Clinics.
GIEI in Harford County
The Harford County Master Gardeners enthusiastically supported the UM Extension’s GIEI program at its inception. Fifteen classes were taught the first year in 2009. And since that time the program has thrived. In 2017 thirty-three classes were taught to approximately 750 contacts and 47 MGs participated in the GIEI program volunteering 1,903 hours. In 2018, 32 classes were taught to more than 350 participants with 41 MGs completing 1,574 hours for GIEI. That’s a lot of volunteer hours!
In addition, MG volunteers at the Eden Mill Nature Center in Pylesville, MD grew enough vegetables in 2017 to donate over 650 pounds to a local food bank. If you recall 2018 was a very cloudy, wet summer, yet they were able to donate 450 pounds of vegetables to two local food banks. MGs volunteer to teach numerous classes, including summer camp courses, to children and adults on the benefits of gardening. If you have not had a chance to visit the Eden Mill Nature Center, go to their website to learn more: http://www.edenmill.org/
Harford Master Gardeners are some of the most versatile and knowledgeable individuals, and many different GIEI classes have been taught. A listing of the classes follows:
How to Attract Pollinators to the Vegetable Garden
Fall Gardening
Perennial Veg. Gardening
Root Vegetable Gardening
For those interested to know more about Harford County’s GIEI program go to: https://extension.umd.edu/harford-county/home-gardening/grow-it-eat-it For more information: Follow HGIC on Facebook for weekly food gardening posts and lots of other fun and interesting gardening topics! Follow HGIC on Twitter and Instagram and check out Maryland Grows Blog You can learn more about MG classes, events, and programs by visiting the UME Master Gardener website. Links cited above: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic; http://extension.umd.edu/hgic/get-help; http://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics http://extension.umd.edu/learn/ask-gardening http://extension.umd.edu/mg/local-programs http://extension.umd.edu/mg https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/community-gardens https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/youth-gardening http://extension.umd.edu/mg/about-program/ask-master-gardener-plant-clinic
Thank you, Ginger Huller, for providing the beautiful pictures. Lisa Rainey, 10
Do you get tired of preparing a custom seed mix for every person who comes into the office wanting to plant a pollinator garden? Have you looked longingly at the pre-blended wildflower mixes at the garden store or on Amazon.com and thought, “wouldn’t that work for me?” You’re not alone. Field office staff and other partners have asked that same question of their local Plant Materials Centers many times, and the answer is a resounding, “It’s complicated.”
Commercially produced wildflower seed mixes are readily available and broadly used for attracting pollinators and adding beauty to small gardens and landscapes. These mixtures are popular with landowners because they are pre-mixed and eliminate the guess work of designing custom mixtures. They also eliminate the need to search for and purchase individual species from multiple vendors to create a seed mix.
Most commercial seed mixtures are created to cover a wide range of adaptation and may include plants adapted to extremely low precipitation areas like arid deserts as well as plants adapted to wetter environments of montane forests. This range provides some insurance that at least some of the species in the mixture are adapted to a specific site and may thrive.
However, a significant number of the species in the mixture are inevitably less likely to be adapted to the planting site and thus represent an unnecessary expense that can be avoided with some prior planning.
The species in the mixtures are selected for their attractiveness to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators and are purportedly well adapted to specific regions or environments. Despite these advantages, suitability of many of the species in the mixes to pollinator plantings for CRP or other NRCS programs is largely unknown. Many species are from North America outside of the target region; still others are of Eurasian or African origin. Additionally, some commercial mixes may contain plant species that can become invasive, or the mix may not contain appropriate species to provide pollinator forage throughout the year. The mix may also contain plant species that are attractive to humans but provide little value to the pollinators. Establishment, persistence, and suitability of many of these species to pollinator plantings are poorly understood in this context, and these issues need to be examined before NRCS can recommend commercially designed seed mixes for conservation practices.
Plant Materials Centers in Idaho, Oregon, and California installed comparative trials of multiple commercially available wildflower mixes to learn how the various species behaved and to determine the suitability of the mixes to NRCS programs. The PMCs evaluated various traits such as initial establishment, plant frequency or cover, weed presence, flowering times, bee visitation, and long-term persistence of over 100 species.
In the Idaho study, approximately two-thirds of the original species (39 of 62) flowered in the first two growing seasons indicating at least moderate adaptation to the study area. Those that did not establish or flower add to the cost of the seed mix and may be included at the exclusion of more appropriate species. Careful selection of adapted species can reduce the cost of seed mixes as maladapted species are avoided. After 4 to 5 years, the plantings had narrowed down to a few dominant species. These species established well in our planting and were able to spread and flourish under the growing conditions at Aberdeen and are now being recommended for use in pollinator plantings in our service area.
In the Corvallis, Oregon study, they found that the most important trait in a mix for providing continuous bloom over multiple years to attract the most pollinators is the right balance between annuals, short-lived perennials, and long-lived perennials. Annuals provided first year bloom and cover while the perennials were becoming established, but usually fell out completely by the third year. Short-lived perennials bloom heavily in the second year, while long-lived perennials will bloom every year after they establish and expand over time.
In the Lockeford, California study, most of the annual mixes evaluated for almond orchard floor use had good bloom from February to May the first year and all except the mustard mix reseeded the
second year. The more diverse (and expensive) mixes of annuals and perennials intended for longer-term pollinator habitat in California’s Central Valley attracted more native bees than most of the annual mixes, particularly in the second year of the study as the perennials became established.
A native bumble bee feeds on riverbank lupine (Lupinus rivularis) in a pollinator planting at the Corvallis, Oregon Plant Materials Center in May 2016.NRCS funds or provides cost-share on approved pollinator plantings which meet agency specifications. These specifications include seed mixture composition percentages and the rate at which the seed is planted (lb/ac or seeds/ft2). To accurately calculate seeding rates, one needs to know:
% of each species in the mix by weight, purity of each species, germination or viability of each species, and the average number of seeds per pound for each species.
This information is frequently lacking in commercial seed mixtures. Of the mixtures evaluated in Idaho, only two included percentage information, while 6 out of 7 mixes evaluated in Oregon provided percentage information. Species component percentages must be available to determine whether seeding mixtures meet NRCS standards. Mixtures not providing percentages of species components should not be used for NRCS-funded seedings.
Ultimately, the answer to the question, “can I use commercially available wildflower mixes?” is, “yes, you can, if those mixes meet NRCS requirements and goals of the planting.” You can ask for assistance from your local NRCS Plant Materials Center to look at a proposed mix, or it may be possible for them to develop a small number of custom recipes for your service area, which you can provide to local seed vendors. For example, Derek Tilley of the Aberdeen PMC has developed a mix that can be used for general pollinator habitat at many sites in Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Similarly, the ORPMC staff has developed recommendations for species that should make up the backbone of pollinator mixes for the Pacific Northwest. Your PMC staff and PM specialists are eager to help you put together the most beneficial and cost-effective mix for your site. Northeast Region Plant Materials Center https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/plantmaterials/pmc/northeast/mdpmc/
For a list of pollinator plants suitable for the Harford County, Maryland area refer to: Harford County Home Gardening’s web page
MG Stephanie Flash is the contact for changes and additions to our new calendar. Please send calendar requests, changes or additions through [email protected] Here is the link to view the Harford County Master Gardener calendar https://calendar.google.com/calendar/b/3?cid=bWFzdGVyZ2FyZGVuZXJzaGNAZ21haWwuY29t
Source: National Garden Bureau https://ngb.org/year-of-the-snapdragon/
The National Garden Bureau recognizes and thanks David Kuack and Syngenta Flowers as author and contributor to this fact sheet.
Looking for a flower that has multiple uses in the garden, smells great, attracts pollinators and comes in scads of colors? Then you should be planting snapdragons. For some gardeners, snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) is one of those flowers that evokes memories of their parents’ or grandparents’ garden. It is a nostalgic plant that can foster an emotional tie to the past. Tall varieties can be used as fresh cuts in floral arrangements and dwarf and medium varieties can be used in containers and garden plantings. Snapdragons are native to the Mediterranean region and parts of the Middle East and North Africa. Snapdragons are usually grown as an annual in most U.S. gardens even though plants are winter hardy to USDA Zones 7-10. The genus name Antirrhinum comes from the Greek words anti meaning like and rhin meaning nose or snout, which describes the shape of the flowers. There are also varieties that have unique double and open flowers. The dragon-shaped, tubular flowers come in a variety of colors including pastels and bicolors. With the bicolors the throat is usually white and the lip of the flowers is another color. The only flower color that is not available is a true blue. Generally, snapdragons are treated as annuals because they’re not that hardy. However, for Southern gardeners, snapdragons usually last longer when they are used in the fall. As temperatures start to rise later in the spring in the South, flowering typically slows down or stops. In moderate climates like what occurs in Midwest states, plants will stop flowering under warmer summer temperatures or produce only a few flowers. Once the temperatures cool off, plants start to flower again. Although the long days of summer can enhance flowering, warm temperatures can cause flowering to really drop off and the plants may go semi-dormant. Once day temperatures remain in the 80ºFs, flowering tends to slow down. If the temperatures become too hot, the plants may not survive. The flowering period can be prolonged if spent flowers are removed from the plants. Snapdragons can also be used for a biennial culture like pansies. In moderate climates, if snapdragons are planted in the fall and left in the garden where the plants don’t die back, they can develop as robust spring plants. The scent of snapdragons is another benefit that is often overlooked. Shoppers walking through a landscape or passing a display of snapdragons in a garden center will be attracted to the fragrant flowers. The fragrance is especially noticeable if snapdragons are planted in mass. Snapdragons are attractive to pollinators, including hummingbirds, bumble bees and other larger size bees. They’re not the best honey bee attractor because the flowers are a little heavy for the bees to access. Snapdragons are not a preferred food choice of deer and rabbits. A variety of sizes for multiple uses
Snapdragons come in a range of heights: dwarf (6-10 inches wide, 10-12 inches wide), medium (16-24 inches tall, 12-18 inches wide) and tall (24-30 inches tall, 14-16 inches wide). Dwarf types are currently the most common snapdragons found at garden centers. Their compact habit makes them ideal for sales in packs and pots and for multiple applications in garden plantings and in containers for porch and patio. Dwarf series include Candy Tops, Crackle and Pop, Floral Showers, Palette, Snappy, Snapshot, Twinny and the newest introduction Snaptini. Snaptini was bred to flower more easily under short day lengths during winter, early spring and late fall. Snaptini plants have stronger flower stems that are less likely to break in the garden. Medium series include Liberty Classic, Solstice, Speedy Sonnet, and Sonnet. Tall series include Madame Butterfly and Rocket. Snaptastic is a new type of intermediate height snapdragon that combines the bushy habit of dwarf types with taller flower stems typical of the medium types. Snaptastic offers better branching in the garden and requires less staking, but retains the classic look of traditional snapdragons. The Candy Showers series is unique as the first trailing snapdragon series from seed. It is ideal for hanging baskets, window boxes, and patio containers. Award-winning snaps Several snapdragon varieties have been chosen as All-America Selections winners. The first snapdragon varieties chosen as AAS winners were “St. George” and “Royal Rose,” which were selected in 1936. Madame Butterfly received the AAS award in 1970 for its unique double azalea type flowers. The last AAS winning snapdragon was Twinny Peach, which was the first double form snapdragon with a compact habit. It was a 2010 AAS Flower Award Winner. Garden How-To’s
Because snapdragons can tolerate cold temperatures, they are often one of the first flowers along with pansies, violas, early spring perennials and bulb crops that gardeners can plant in the spring. In the garden, the tall types should be staked as needed to prevent them from falling over and breaking. They can become top heavy because of their large flowers. Removing dead flowers should be done to ensure flowers keep initiating. If plants start to set too much seed, then the plants just peter out. Removing old flowers can also help to prevent gray mold disease (Botrytis). Managing water is important, especially if gardeners are growing the medium to tall types. The plants have a fibrous root system and if they don’t become established in the soil, they will fall over. Snapdragons should be fertilized like other bedding plants. If you’re looking for flowers with multiple colors, different flower shapes, different sizes, and great fragrance, you can’t go wrong planting snapdragons.
A double form snapdragon Twinny Peach™
10
This is the last of 3 parts on Trees. Parts 1 and 2 were published in The Garden Fence’s January 2019, and February 2019 editions respectively.
Source: https://www.nacaa.com/journal/index.php?jid=885&fbclid=IwAR0UJQvdbYRjOTTi8m1qCKVczVOsV9lEEt8jyKrPCuJeV8ADhh1HL4OOw48 JOURNAL OF THE NACAA ISSN 2158-9429 VOLUME 11, ISSUE 2 – DECEMBER 2018 GARDEN MYTH BUSTING FOR EXTENSION EDUCATORS: REVIEWING LITERATURE ON LANDSCAPE TREES Editor: Lee Stivers Chalker-Scott, L., Extension Specialist And Associate Professor, Washington State University Downer, A.J., Farm Advisor, University of California
Myth #7: “Wood chip mulches will decrease soil nitrogen and spread pathogens”
With chronic drought and/or record-breaking summer temperatures making it increasingly important to conserve water, many gardeners and groundkeepers are using landscape mulches. The ideal landscape mulch not only moderates soil temperature and conserves water, but also:
reduces compaction; provides nutrients; enhances plant growth; provides habitat for beneficial insects; helps control weeds, pests and disease; and reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers.
In addition, landscape mulches should be readily available, affordable, and easy to apply and replace. A review of the literature on landscape
mulches (Chalker-Scott, 2007) determined that organic mulches are overall the best choice, with deep layers of coarse woody material providing most or all of the above-listed benefits (Figure 11). Arborist wood chips (created from leaves and branches chipped up by tree service companies) are a particularly good option as they are generally inexpensive and easy to obtain anywhere trees are managed.
Unfortunately, many people have misconceptions about what arborist wood chips will and will not do. These misconceptions include:
absorbing nitrogen from the soil; suffocating roots by depriving them of oxygen; transmitting pathogens to established landscape plants; lowering soil pH; killing plants through allelopathy; and harboring termites, rodents and other pests.
Fortunately, none of these concerns are validated by research. Here are some brief explanations (Chalker-Scott, 2007) targeted to our audience:
Wood chips will not draw nitrogen from the soil unless they are incorporated into it. When used as mulch, arborist chips have no effect on underlying soil nitrogen levels, except to increase them over time.
Wood chip mulches, even those made from diseased trees, will not transmit pathogens to healthy plant roots. If diseased chips are incorporated into the soil they could infect plant roots, but field evidence of this is rare. Arborist chips that are stockpiled even for a few days undergo severe pathogen reduction through microbial attack within the pile (Downer et al., 2008).
Garden Myth Busting: Landscape Trees Part III
Figure 11. Wood chip mulches are beneficial for trees and shrubs growing under them.
Wood chips, or any other organic mulch, will not change the pH of the soil. The soil volume is vast, and any acidification would occur only at the mulch-soil interface where it would quickly be neutralized.
Wood chips, even those made from black walnut or cedar, will not kill landscape plants. There is no reliable evidence that chemical inhibition from decaying wood actually occurs in a landscape situation.
Wood chip mulches do not lend themselves to tunnel building like landscape fabric and other sheet mulches do: they collapse. Termites do not eat wood chips unless they have no choice; they are negatively affected by some of the chemicals wood contains. In fact, arborist chip mulches
house a number of beneficial insects and other species that naturally control pests.
For arborist wood chip mulches to be the most effective (Chalker-Scott, 2007), they should be:
coarse – no less than ½” diameter – so water and air can move freely through them; applied as soon as possible after chipping both to maximize the materials available to microbes
and to capture the nutrients released by their activity in the soil (Figure 12); and maintained at a depth of at least 4” to prevent weed growth.
What to do instead: Action items for gardeners and landscape professionals Choose appropriate native or introduced tree species based on their suitability to site conditions
and ecological function (Chalker-Scott, 2018). Prune only broken, dead, or diseased branches in newly transplanted trees. Remove branches so that branch collars are left intact – not flush with the trunk. Allow cut surfaces to seal naturally: do not use sealing paints or other products. Leave lower branches intact to help develop taper and to protect the young bark tissues. Avoid mycorrhizal products, but instead use arborist wood chips as a natural inoculant and
microbial food source (Chalker-Scott, 2017). Remove stakes as soon as possible to avoid injury to the trunk. Retain a thick woody mulch layer to reduce weeds and nourish both trees and soils (Chalker-Scott,
2015c).
Horticultural lore is full of apparent “common sense” practices that are not supported with scientific evidence. Gardeners and educators alike must question these practices, asking for supporting evidence from current, relevant, and science-based resources. Developing scientific literacy skills should be part of any professional or volunteer-based training, and can be facilitated through peer-reviewed materials readily available on the web (Chalker-Scott and Daniels, 2016).
LITERATURE CITED in this 3 part series of articles
Alvey, A.A., Wiseman, P.E., and B. Kane, B. (2009). Efficacy of conventional tree stabilization systems and their effect on short-term tree
development. Journal of Arboriculture, 35(3):157-164. http://auf.isa-arbor.com/request.asp?JournalID=1&ArticleID=3104&Type=2
Appleton, B., Koci, J. French, S., Lestyan, M., and Harris, R. (2003). Mycorrhizal fungal inoculation of established street trees. Journal of
Arboriculture, 29:107-110. http://joa.isa-arbor.com/request.asp?JournalID=1&ArticleID=83&Type=2 Bayala, J., Teklehaimanot, Z., and Ouedraogo, S.L. (2004). Fine root distribution of pruned trees and associated crops in a parkland in Burkina Faso.
Agroforestry Systems, 60:13-26. Carpio, L.A., Davies, F.T., and Arnold M.A. (2005). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, organic and inorganic controlled-release fertilizers: effect on growth and leachate of container-grown bush morning glory (Ipomoea carea ssp. fistulosa) under high production temperatures. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 130: 131-139. Chalker-Scott, L. (2018). Are native tree and shrubs better choices for wildlife in home landscapes? WSU Extension Fact Sheet
Chalker-Scott, L. (2017). A gardener’s primer to mycorrhizae: understanding how they work and learning how to protect them. WSU Extension Fact
Sheet FS269E. http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/FS269E/FS269E.pdf Chalker-Scott, L. (2015a). How Plants Work: The Science Behind the Amazing Things Plants Do. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Chalker-Scott, L. (2015b). Nonnative, noninvasive woody species can enhance urban landscape biodiversity. Arboriculture and Urban Forestry,
41(4):173-186. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281751812_Nonnative_noninvasive_woody_species_can_enhance_urban_landscape_biodiversity Chalker-Scott, L. (2015c). Using arborist wood chips as a landscape mulch. WSU Extension Fact Sheet
FS160E. http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/FS160E/FS160E.pdf Chalker-Scott, L. (2007). Impact of mulches on landscape plants and the environment – a review. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 25(4):239-
249. http://hrijournal.org/doi/pdf/10.24266/0738-2898-25.4.239 Chalker-Scott, L. and Daniels, C.H. (2016). Scientific Literacy for the Citizen Scientist. WSU Extension Manual
EM100E. http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/EM100E/EM100.pdf Corkidi, L., Allen, E.B., Merhaut, D., Allen, M.F., Downer, J. Bohn, J., and Evans, M. (2004). Assessing the infectivity of commercial mycorrhizal
inoculants in plant nursery conditions. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 22:149-154. http://hrijournal.org/doi/pdf/10.24266/0738-2898-22.3.149 Corkidi, L., Allen, E.B., Merhaut, D., Allen, M.F., Downer, J. Bohn, J., and Evans, M. (2005). Effectiveness of four commercial mycorrhizal inoculants
on the growth of Liquidambar styraciflua in plant nursery conditions. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 23:72-76. http://hrijournal.org/doi/pdf/10.24266/0738-2898-23.2.72 Downer, A.J., Crohn, D., Faber, B., Daugovish, O., Becker, J.O., Menge, J.A., and Mochizuki, M.J. (2008). Survival of plant pathogens in static piles
of ground green waste. Phytopathology, 98:574-55. https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PHYTO-98-5-0547 Gauthier, N.W., Fountain, W.E., and Missun, T. (2015). Tree wounds invitations to wood decay. University of Kentucky Plant Pathology Fact Sheet
PPFS-OR-W-01. https://plantpathology.ca.uky.edu/files/ppfs-or-w-01.pdf. Harris, R.W. (1984). Effects of pruning and staking on landscape trees. Journal of Environmental Horticulture 2:140-
142. http://hrijournal.org/doi/pdf/10.24266/0738-2898-2.4.140 Jones, M., Sinclair, F.L., and Grime, V.L. (1998). Effect of tree species and crown pruning on root length and soil water content in semi-arid
agroforestry. Plant and Soil, 201:197-207. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1023%2FA%3A1004324616942.pdf Linderman, R.G. (1988). Mycorrhizal interactions with the rhizosphere microflora: the mycorrhizosphere effect. Phytopathology, 78:366-
371. https://www.apsnet.org/publications/phytopathology/backissues/Documents/1988Articles/Phyto78n03_366.PDF. Martin, C.A., Whitcomb, S.A. , and Stutz J.C. (2010). Effects of frequent shearing on root growth and mycorrhizal colonization of two landscape
shrubs. HortScience, 45(10):1573-1576. http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/45/10/1573.full Neel, P.L. and Harris, R.W. (1971). Motion-induced inhibition of elongation and induction of dormancy in Liquidambar. Science, 173:58-59. Reichard, S.H. and White, P. (2001). Horticulture as a pathway of invasive plant introductions in the United States. BioScience, 51(2): 103-
113. https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/51/2/103/390610. Schubert, M., Fink, S., and Schwarze F.W.M.R. (2008). Evaluation of Trichoderma spp. as a biocontrol agent against wood decay fungi in urban trees.
Biological Control, 45:111-123. https://ac.els-cdn.com/S1049964408000029/1-s2.0-S1049964408000029-main.pdf?_tid=f129ff22-5edb-4730-a883-0f58d38bcaf2&acdnat=1541012443_ae85aef42d5b91d419abf689bfcf6721 Shigo, A.L. (1984). Tree decay and pruning. Arboricultural Journal, 8(1):1-12. DOI: 10.1080/03071375.1984.9746646 Shigo, A.L. and Shortle, W. (1983). Wound dressings: results of studies over 13 years. Journal of Arboriculture, 12:317-329. http://joa.isa-
arbor.com/request.asp?JournalID=1&ArticleID=1923&Type=2 Thacker, Martin, H.J. and Slater, D. (2018). Supporting failure? Damage inflicted to establishing trees in London by a range of tree support and
On Sunday, February 17, three Harford County Master Gardeners (Cindy Monius, Tina Newman and Joy Mayfield) and one Harford County Master Gardener Intern (Ed Newman) joined park naturalist, Missy, along with 9 other bundled up souls to hone our skill at winter tree identification. Missy provided us with hand lenses, field guides, cheat sheets and dichotomous keys to aid in identification out on the trail. She taught us ways in which to identify trees without leaves which is the challenge in the wintertime. We were tree detectives on a mission. It was a lot of fun. Cold and wet but fun.
The park offers a variety of classes throughout the year worthy of continuing education hours. Go to: www.otterpointcreek.org for their entire spring/summer schedule of classes. For us dendrophiles, there are two upcoming tree-related lectures: One on Saturday, March 16, entitled “Tree Talk” and another on Saturday, May 4, “Name that Tree” which is described as a “hands-on” lab to learn how to differentiate deciduous trees. Refer to Otter Point Creek’s Event Calendar for detail and fee information for these events.
Joy Mayfield, ‘18
Buds and Bark Tree ID Class at Anita Leight Estuary
Beginner Farmer Training Program (BFTP) applications due The BFTP offers 12 – month immersive training experience that combines a comprehensive classroom curriculum with hands-on learning at some of the region’s leading sustainable farms. Contact Sarah Sohn, Program Director, for more information: [email protected] March 4 6 weeks ON-LINE Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants Explore the edible side of the landscape with an exploration of vegetables, fruits and herbs that do best in your region. Then extend your growing season by learning how to properly cultivate and identify bulbs and houseplants. To register on-line go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454. Cost is $179.00 by February 26; $189.00 after February 26 March 8 – April 1 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm A Second Look at Spring Plants to Extend the Season Longwood Gardens Visitor Center Auditorium Searching for plants that will fill the gaps in your garden’s bloom period? Get a jump on spring by exploring underutilized plants that have the potential to add impact when the rest of your garden is dormant. To register on-line go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454. Cost is $89.00 by March 11; $99.00 after March 11. March 9 8:30 am – 4:00 pm Garden Wise Event; York PA Master Gardener Annual Training Day Central York Middle School, York, Pa. Fee: $75.00 or discounted to $60.00 is registered by February 8 register online at www.cvent.com/events/com/gardenwise or call 877-345-0691 March 9 1:00 – 4:00 pm Get the Dirt on Dirt Longwood Gardens – Betula Room Get your hands dirty while learning about soil’s profile, fertility and physical components and what they mean to your garden. Solve the mystery of soil testing and learn how to measure PH and drainage rates. Cost includes a PSU soil test. To register online go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454. Cost is $45.00 March 12 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Grow It, Eat It, Preserve It – Apple Butter Canning Class University of Maryland Extension Office - Harford County Agricultural Center This food preservation series provides a hands-on learning experience for beginners and advanced canners. There will be a typical workshop class lecture, followed by participants going into the kitchen to make the canned produce that they will bring home that day! Cost: A $20 fee includes lecture/instruction, and all the equipment and produce to process your own preserved jar. Registration required. Visit harfordapplebuttercanning.eventbrite.com or call 410-638-3255. March 13 6:00 – 8:00 pm Intro to Bird Friendly Gardening Workshop Oregon Ridge Nature Center
Learn how to transform your home into a bird and butterfly paradise! Audobon experts will be on hand to share practical tips and scientific support for gardening with native plants. Leave with resources you need to beautify your outdoor space and attract birds, butterflies, and other beneficial wildlife! Free! Register in advance: [email protected] or call 410-558-2473. Registration is limited! March 16 8:30am – 1:30pm A Symposium for the Public and our Local Farmers Food, Farmers and Community: Opening the Dialogue Harford Community College The James F. LaCalle Conference Room, E132- Edgewood Hall Learn about the current state of Harford County’s agriculture and food system and the advantages of “buying local”. Discuss with farmers the new trends in farming and learn what is behind the food label. Program will include four informative sessions co-presented by local farmers and specialists. Keynote: Julie Olberg, Deputy Secretary of MD’s Dept. of Agriculture. Cost is $10.00 and includes breakfast and lunch buffet. To register visit tickets.harford.edu. March 16 11:30 – 1:00 pm Tree Talk Anita C. Leight Estuary Center – Otter Creek Take a cool, relaxing hike among the oh-so important trees to mark the international Day of Forests! Head back to the Center for an easy and fun nature-inspired craft. Hands on education! Registration required for all programs. Go to www.otterpointcreek.org or call 410-612-1688 March 20 10:30 am Evolution of Chanticleer Gravel Garden Ladew Gardens Barn Gallery and Studio Chanticleer Gravel Garden is a stunning and unique landscape planted with a mix of fine textured grasses, gray leafed Mediterranean plants, drought tolerant perennials, annuals grown from seed, and hardy succulents. Form, texture, color, and rhythm are carefully considered in the design choices. Register in advance online .No longer accepting mailed registration. Call 410-557-9570 to pay by check. March 23 9:00am – 3:00pm Creating Biodiversity in Your Environment Oregon Ridge Lodge at Hunt Valley Expert speakers from a various agencies (e.g., Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, MD. DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service, etc) will provide answers to questions regarding the characteristics and behaviors of Md. Mammals (Part 2), how to wild scape with native plants, information about Maryland Big Tree Program, causes and impacts of climate change on plant species and forest ecosystems, and the history and importance of the Maryland Biodiversity Project. Contact Glenn Ferenschak at 410-428-4748 or [email protected] for more information or to register. Breakfast snacks and lunch and all materials are included for $50.00. Registrations will be accepted through March 8. March 24 9:00 – 12:00 pm What’s All the BUZZ? Longwood Gardens – Betula Room Beekeeping or apiculture is practical management of the social species of honey bees that live in large colonies of up to 60,000 individuals. Explore the mechanics, cost, and the ideal time to get started. To register online go to www.longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-5454. Cost is $49.00
March 26 - 27 8:00 - 4:00 pm The 2019 Philadelphia Poison Ivy Conference Philadelphia Zoo Come experience the most lively and knowledgeable and best practice tools and techniques to meet the daunting challenge of the upcoming poison ivy season. For conference information and registration go to: https://umarmycka.com/poison-ivy-conference-2019/ Cost is $260.00 (Includes light breakfast, lunch, and snacks. April 6 1:00 – 4:00 pm A Foray to Yunan China in 2018 Norrisville Recreation Center meeting room A very special horticultural presentation - Larry Klotz, Ph. D. will share observations of the geography, geology, culture, and vegetation with special emphasis on the flora of Yunan, China. He plans to share his wonderful photos of and information about the showy wildflower groups. For questions email Jerry Hudgens: [email protected] June 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 2019 International Master Gardener Conference – Various Locations in Pennsylvania Registration is now is now open! Use this link to take you to the registration site on event: http://www.cvent.com/d/hggxlp. You are encouraged to pre-plan your conference choices before you sign on to the registration site.
An easy to grow bulbous perennial, Snowdrops provide both a Nectar and Pollen source for bees and native pollinators in late winter and early spring when other food may still be very hard to find.
The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race,
age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.
March-April Calendar of Events
March 5 1:30-2:30 pm Brightview Brightview Assisted Living
March 6 6-8 pm Master Gardener Training 1st class; every Wed. Extension Office
March 7 10 am Monthly MG Meeting Extension Office
March 9 8:30 am – 4 pm GardenWise MG Training Event Central York Middle School, York PA
March 16 10 am – 12 pm Ask a Master Gardener Plant Clinic Aberdeen Library
March 20 10 am -11:30 am Study Group Topic: Indoor plant lighting Extension Office
March 23 10 am Birds, Butterflies & Bees Jarrettsville Library
March 23 10:15 a Garden Series: Herb Gardening Bel Air Library
March 24 11 am Invasinators Anita Leight Estuary
March 26 6:30-8 pm ABC’s of Growing the Luscious Tomato Extension Office (also on 4/20/19)
March 28 10 – 11:30 am Steering Committee Extension Office
March 28 11:30 am – 1 pm Greening Committee Extension Office
March 30-31 Weekend Home & Garden Show APGFCU Arena at HCC
