The Compost - University Of Maryland...Nike Site - CC MG Paula Hutzell and CC MG Intern Kathy Davis work at the Pinefield site. They worked with MW participants to plant flowers and

The Compost

Inside this issue:

Hot Dog Social 1

MG Coordinator

Comments/Snake

Rescue

2

Melwood Update 3

Melwood Cont./

Potomac Pollution

4

Peter Rabbit/La

Plata Fall Festival

5

CC MG “Bug Day” 6

Calendar/ Websites 7

CC MG Scholarship 8

Cobb Island/

Beekeeping

9

CC Fair/Celebrate!/

Compost Workshop

10

Growing Garlic 11

Resources 12

Autumn 2018

CC MG ANNUAL HOT DOG SOCIAL

CC MGs had a great time on August 14 at

Gilbert Run Park in Charlotte Hall.

The weather was pleasant and attendees

brought great food and good cheer to share.

Delicious hot dogs, salads and desserts made

for a wonderful pot luck and we all enjoyed the

evening to the fullest.

Thank you Terry and Luke for making all

the arrangements and for working so hard to

prepare another wonderful event for all of us!

Article and photos by

CC MG Tina Bailem

The Compost Page 2

COORDINATOR’S CORNER

The late summer and early fall brought even more rain to an already wetter than average growing season. As of October 1, cumulative rainfall totals for 2018 were 16-20 inches more than average. The extra moisture has been a boon for some who have not needed to water newly planted gardens, but it has also made it difficult for sites with marginal drainage or plants prone to fungal diseases!

In the past few months we enjoyed many great events like the County Fair, CC MG Bug Day, several workshops at the office and of course, our regular Plant Clinics. Our cooperation with Melwood has also reached new heights!

If you have ideas about new ways to learn and to reach the community, please share them with the group. As the year winds down, please make sure to log all your education hours and volunteer hours and contacts. Thanks for all the great work you do in the community!

By Luke Gustafson, CC MG Coordinator

CC MG Cindy Barnhardt went above and beyond our MG direction when she recently received CC MG Rose Markham’s distress call about a snake she discovered in her yard, entangled in a deer net. The poor thing went unnoticed for a week because it was thought to be a black water hose. Within minutes of the call, Cindy arrived at Rose’s house and without hesitation took charge of the situation. With garden scissors in hand and a net she began the tedious job of freeing the snake which was immediately named “Liberty Lucy.”

The Black Racer snake was a captive of the deer net for at least a week but constant watering probably kept it alive as she was able to stay hydrated. By the time she was freed, she had a couple of slight knicks and scrapes to her skin due to her struggle to free herself but it was obvious she and Cindy had bonded. By the way, she had the deepest midnight blue eyes. The snake that is, not Cindy. These eyes actually saved her because when Rose was checking the situation before calling Cindy, those eyes were staring right at her as if to say “I’m not a hose, I’m a snake. HELP!!!!!!” Lucy was definitely stressed and exhausted but was very grateful to be back in her world.

Cindy checked her out carefully and as the pictures tell, Liberty Lucy was one happy girl. She hit the ground and gracefully departed the scene.

Thank you Cindy for your help; Lucy and Rose are forever grateful and you will always remain their Hero.

MASTER GARDENER TO THE RESCUE

Article and photo by CC MG Rose Markham

The Compost Page 3

CC MGs had a very successful spring and summer working with Melwood (MW) participants at our pollinator partner gardens. We are especially grateful for our partner, Suse Greenstone, MW, Manager Horticultural Therapy. Suse has shared a wealth of information and taught us much about gardening in general and working with individuals with differing abilities in particular.

In March, CC MGs Terry Thir and Barbara Hill took the lead in overseeing the growth of our native flowers in the greenhouse for our plant sale. CC MGs Rose Markham, Pam Sarvis and Jackie Jenkins assisted with the greenhouse production. Based on our experiences, next year, we plan to grow more varieties of native flowers, herbs and vegetables for our plant sale.

Spring preparation for the pollinator and cutting gardens was a tough task. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into them. Well, mainly sweat! First, we had to clear spaces. We pulled and smothered weeds, augmented the soil, rototilled the beds, selected flowers and designed layouts for the gardens. CC MGs Pam Sarvis, Barbara Hill, Marlene Smith, Jackie Jenkins, Rose Markham, Terry Thir and CC MG Intern Mary Beth Leaf were the work horses, along with MW participants.

Suse Greenstone gave us a crash course on how to operate and grow plants in a greenhouse. We worked with MW participants to plant seeds, transplanted and watered the seedlings until they were ready to be planted. Planting days were fun. The anticipation of the MGs and MW participants watching the plants grow and flower was exhilarating. A second cutting garden was planted with zinnias, sunflowers, thionian, basil, scented geraniums and other plants. Both gardens were pollinator magnets! I have never seen so many different butterflies, bees and hummingbirds in one place.

Classes were taught to MW participants on every aspect of the garden - plants and their growing needs; beneficial insects we hoped to attract to the gardens - butterflies, bees, and other insects; the life cycle of butterflies and much more. All MGs participated in hands-on teaching and in assisting Melwood participants. Great admiration grew between all parties. CC MG Jackie Jenkins, for example, taught a class on bees and involved participants in creating a bee hotel. CC MG Pam Sarvis erected a trellis for native honey suckle and taught participants how to build it. CC MGs Marlene Smith and Jayne Tyson taught participants how to build an herb spiral garden with the herbs needed to attract beneficial insects.

Our arts project for the gardens is in phase one. We want to create a ‘whimsical’ year long garden experience. CC MG Sally Hopp acquired fence panels, donated by Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores that will be painted with beautiful murals. Two murals will be placed in front of a large and very ugly propane tank to create a year- round floral garden. Future murals will be painted on the outside of the arts building illustrating the life cycle of monarchs, along with sunflowers and butterfly head cut-

outs. MW participants will paint the murals with our help. CC MG artist, Karla Costello, will lead the painting projects. Terry Thir, Rose Markham, and Pam Sarvis will assist with this project. CC MG Gail Walker will lead other art activities to include creating garden stepping stones. Rose Markham will teach the participants how to use a camera in order to photograph the butterflies, bees and other insects found in the gardens.

MELWOOD POLLINATOR PROJECT - A LABOR OF LOVE

Article continued next page

CC MG Intern Kathy Davis (left) at Nike Sure Herb garden with Lions Club representatives

L.-r.: CC MG Marlene Smith, CC MG Intern

Mary Beth Leaf and CC MG Coordinator Luke

Gustafson

The Compost Page 4

WHO POLLUTED THE POTOMAC

On October 9, CC MGs Sherie Zimmer, Kathy Jenkins, Gail Walker and Terry Thir taught children (grades 3-5) at Grace Lutheran Church School how to prevent the contamination of waterways in the Chesapeake Bay area.

Photos by of CC MG Terry Thir

MELWOOD - CONTINUED

A future “Honey Bee” project will be lead by CC

MG Intern Mary Beth Leaf. She is researching local

honey bees. She will explore MW sites to erect a

protected area to house two bee hives.

Nike Site - CC MG Paula Hutzell and CC MG

Intern Kathy Davis work at the Pinefield site. They

worked with MW participants to plant flowers and

herb gardens.

We are grateful for the MGs and Interns who

recently joined our MW team: Mary Beth Leaf (Intern),

Gail Walker, Sally Hopp, Kathy Jenkins, Kathy Davis

(Intern), Janet McGrane, Cynthia Gariepy (Intern) and

Paris and Jim Reed (Interns).

If you enjoy fresh air, flowers, beautiful insects and

being on a farm - join our team!!

L.-r.: CC MGs Pam Sarvis, Rose

Markham and Gail Walker

Article and photos by CC MG Terry Thir

Melwood Project Leader and CC MG Suse

Greenstone at work in the cutting garden

The Compost Page 5

THE MISADVENTURES OF PETER RABBIT

Article and photo by

CC MG Terry Thir

LA PLATA FALL FESTIVAL

Article and photos by CC MG Terry Thir

On October 14, the La Plata Fall Festival turned out all it promised to be. Many families came out to enjoy the beautiful fall day festivities. CC Master Gardeners talked to children and their families about pollinators and the best plants to grow in their gardens to attract pollinators. The kids really liked making caterpillars out of pipe cleaners. MGs used our monarch puppet to demonstrate the life cycle of monarchs.

Participating CC MGs were Doris Santimays, Amanda Tellechella, Jan Lakey-Waters, Jennifer Godlewski and Terry Thir.

Once again, CC MGs performed

“The Misadventures of Peter Rabbit

in Farmer McGregor’s Garden” at

the Charles County Fair.

We had a great audience of

curious and vivacious children. It is

so much fun to see the joy on the

children’s faces. Kids have few

boundaries and say the funniest things.

The cast included CC MGs Gail Walker, Jim Corby,

Pam Sarvis, Jackie Jenkins, Sally Matts,

Karla Costello, Miranda Blakely, Sherie

Zimmer and Terry Thir. Our next

performance will be at Grace Lutheran

School sometime this winter.

The Compost Page 6

CC MG “BUG DAY” 2018

Article by CC MG Dave Lewis, photos by CC MG Intern Bill Allen Jr.

“Bug Day” host CC MG Dave Lewis

Bug Day returned to

Dave Lewis’ home after a

2 year absence.

After initially threatening

rain, it turned out to be a

perfect day and the CC

Master Gardeners, led by Dr. (Doc) Faustini, retired CC

Public School Teacher and an expert in Entomology

and CC MG Coordinator Luke Gustafson, were able to

spot and identify over 40 different insects, including

several bugs. Aphids, bagworms, black leaf hopper,

brush-footed butterfly, bumble bees, Carolina praying

mantis, Cuckoo wasps and Granddaddy long legs

spiders were just a few of the critters found on the

expedition. Thanks to Doc Faustini’s expertise the

group was able to differentiate between

beneficial and non-beneficial insects.

After the trek participants enjoyed

lunch and discussed their many finds.

Additional photos are posted at

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XBmE7o1X9ZKdMKbx5

Gray Hairstreak Carolina Praying

Mantis

The Compost Page 7

11/27 10:00 am

General Membership Meeting Luke Gustafson Extension Office, Bel Alton

12/04 Time TBD

Holiday Potluck Luke Gustafson Extension Office, Bel Alton

01/15 Deadline Compost Input Tina Bailem CompostSubmissions@

yahoo.com

01/22 6:00 pm

General Membership Meeting Luke Gustafson Extension Office, Bel Alton

CCMG CALENDAR OCT 2018 TO JAN 2019

WEBSITES OF INTEREST

1. Plants that will clean the air in your home:

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930073077.pdf

2. Scientists thought they had created the perfect tree. But it became a nightmare.

A pear seedling selection named Bradford was cloned by the gazillion to become the ubiquitous street tree of

America’s postwar suburban expansion. Then it turned invasive:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/how-we-turned-the-bradford-pear-into-a-

monster/2018/09/14/f29c8f68-91b6-11e8-b769-e3fff17f0689_story.html

3. Warning: Christmas Tree Spotted Lanternfly Could Infest Homes:

https://www.newsweek.com/warning-christmas-tree-spotted-lanternfly-could-infest-homes-1169023

The Compost Page 8

2018 CC MG SCHOLARSHIP

Charles County Master Gardeners have awarded one $1,000.00 scholarship to a graduating Henry E. Lackey High School senior, who plans to pursue studies in the areas of agriculture and animal sciences.

Hayley Tanner, this year’s recipient and outstanding student, earned an unweighted GPA of 3.76 while holding dual enrollments at Henry E. Lackey High School and the College of Southern Maryland. She has won multiple Principal Honor’s Awards and was selected to be a member of the National Honor Society.

Hayley exhibited leadership and prepared for her future career through several organizations and activities. As a nine-year member of 4H, she held offices of President, Reporter, and Historian. She has been a member of the ‘Farmers Fortune 4-H Club’, participated as a ‘4-H Overnight Camp Tribe Leader’, and attended the West Virginia Older Members Conference Leadership Camp to work on her leadership skills. She has used these skills to volunteer and judge livestock at the Charles County Fair, where she won the ‘4-H Herdsman and County Champion Public Speaker’. In addition, Hayley exhibited leadership as Captain of the Henry E. Lackey Softball Team while in high school. She earned Varsity Letters in field hockey and lacrosse, and the ‘Minds in Motion Athletic Achievement Award’ for each year of high school. Both letters of recommendation stated that she was an outstanding leader and motivator for other students with effective time management abilities while she demonstrated an exceptional work ethic.

As a volunteer, Hayley has been involved with school and community organizations. A sample of her activities included donating to ‘Toys for Tots’ in Washington, DC, serving Thanksgiving meals to senior citizens, stuffing Christmas stockings for children in need at Mt. Hope Elementary School, creating blankets for the Ronald McDonald shelter in Baltimore, and participating in the Potomac River cleanup with her biology class. Hayley’s employment record included working as a ‘Tall Pines’ horse camp counselor and for Hancock Family Farms during her summers.

With her accomplishments in academic, athletic, and leadership areas, it is likely that she will succeed in the future. David Hancock, her employer, wrote a letter of recommendation, which stated: “Her attributes are all across the board, and her people skills are exceptional…the ability to communicate with a wide variety of people is key. Hayley has mastered the ability to do just this. Also, her ability to do physical work is a great asset. No matter what is asked of her, she always does it well, and with a smile on her face.” Christina Laverty, her mathematics teacher, stated: “Throughout these different activities, Hayley has demonstrated her leadership skills while leaving high standards for those who will follow in her place… I give Hayley my highest recommendation possible.”

The CC Master Gardener Scholarship of $1,000.00 will help Hayley continue her pursuing her goals at the College of Southern Maryland and the University of Maryland. Hayley plans to finish her coursework to obtain a degree in Business at the College of Southern Maryland and transfer to the University of MD to study Agriculture and Animal Science. Her ultimate career goal is to work for the United State Department of Agriculture.

Article by CC MG Kathy Jenkins

CC MG Scholarship recipient

Hayley Tanner

The Compost Page 9

COBB ISLAND MONARCH MANIA

Article and photos by CC MG Terry Thir

Charles County MGs participated in a fun

family day educational event. We spoke to

families about pollinators, their life cycles and

desirable plants to invite pollinators to their

yards. In addition, we assisted with the tagging

and release of more than 100 monarchs!

Everyone was excited to share in this

amazing event and to send the monarchs off

on their adventures migrating to Mexico.

BEEKEEPING AT MELWOOD

We've been busy as bees - no pun intended - working on, planning and

collaborating with Anne Arundel Master Gardeners who run the only

beekeeping project in the state!

AA MGs Mary Yee (dark haired on the left below) and Pam MacFarland

(on the right) met with us several times and are providing us much wisdom

and guidance about their program and their experiences as personal

beekeepers and co-leaders of their project.

Suse Greenstone, MW, Manager Horticultural Therapy, CC MGs Rose

Markham, Marlene Smith and I, as well as PG County MG Judith Glazner attended AA MGs excellent

presentation last month on beekeeping. Several of us also attended Mary and

Pam's regular public presentation and demonstration at their hive location at

Quiet Waters Park. We spent quite some time with them discussing what it

takes to set up a beekeeping project. They have been exceptionally helpful in

mentoring and advising us in our planning process. We are now working on

our budget and developing our fundraising strategies. If anyone is interested

in joining the beekeeping project please contact me at [email protected].

Article and photos by CC MG Intern Mary Beth Leaf

The Compost Page 10

Ellen Gustafson, CC MG, works with visitors to the Master Gardener booth at the 2018 Charles County Fair.

CHARLES COUNTY FAIR

Photo by CC MG Coordinator Luke Gustafson

L.-r.: CC MGs LaVerne Madison and Gail Walker at the sign-in table for the

compost workshop.

On October 13, and a chilly morning indeed, 26 county residents joined us to

educate themselves about how to start composting or improve composting in

their backyards. Since 2015, more than 200 compost bins have been distributed

through this partnership with Charles County Government.

COMPOST WORKSHOP

Article and photo by CC MG Ellen Gustafson

CC MG Tima McGuthrie took this photo of a

‘busy bee’ on a coneflower this summer. It was

accepted to be showcased at the ‘CELEBRATE!

Exhibition at Gallery 600’ at the United States

Patent & Trademark Office.

Congratulations, Tima!

Photo by CC MG Tima McGuthrie

CELEBRATE!

Page 11 The Compost

GROWING GARLIC

Article by CC MG Coordinator Luke Gustafson

By November, tomatoes, squash and other producers in the

summer garden have succumbed to frost. Unless you have filled

in with a lot of cool season greens, there is usually plenty of

open space available. There is still at least one crop that you

can plant this late – garlic!

Garlic is an excellent garden crop and now is a good time for

fall planting. This hardy bulb can be planted from October

through at least the first half of November. Fall-planted garlic

cloves put out roots and get established, so they are ready to

grow again first thing in the spring. It is encouraging in the

springtime to see the green shoots growing long before other

vegetable crops. Garlic can also be planted in the early spring –

around the same time as early potatoes – but it will not yield as

well as fall-planted garlic.

To plant, break the bulb apart and place individual cloves 2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart in rows.

Once the shoots emerge from the ground, cover the rows in mulch such as shredded leaves or straw to

keep down weeds. Hardneck varieties produce a flower stem called a scape. These mild-flavored, tender

stems are harvested in May or early June and can be some of the first produce from the garden in the

springtime. They have a mild garlic flavor and sauté well with other vegetables or can be made into scape

pesto. About one month later in late June to early July, it will be time to harvest. After harvest, the whole

plant with the top attached should be allowed to dry for several weeks in a dry, well ventilated place out of

direct sunlight. That same garden space can be replanted in July for a

fall harvest of winter squash or pumpkins.

There are many colors, shapes and sizes of garlic out there to try.

Mail order companies offer the best selection. Order early since

specialty varieties sell out early. Do not be tempted to plant garlic

from the grocery store since it has not been disease tested and may

have been treated with a sprout inhibitor. Garlic can be saved and the

larger cloves replanted the following season, but after several years in

may decrease in quality and yield. Garlic

varies widely in size, flavor, storability and ease of peeling, so you can find a type

that matches your preference.

Check out the Garlic (GE 110) publication, the HGIC YouTube video and the

Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland (GE 007) and Washington

State University’s garlic Fact Sheet for more information.

https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/garlic

http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/FS162E/FS162E.pdf

Garlic with straw mulch growing in early spring. Photo by Tom Sackton.

Find us on the Web at:

http://extension.umd.edu/charles-county/home-gardening

Submit articles, photos, reports, events, and other items for publication to Tina Bailem at [email protected] by January 15, 2019

for the Winter 2019 newsletter. If you send a photo, please include a brief description of the activity and names of persons included in the photo, as well as the photographer’s name.

If you send a photo of a plant, please include the scientific name.

The University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural

Resources programs are open to all and will not discriminate

against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual

orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or

national origin, marital status, genetic information, political

affiliation, or gender identity and expression.

Published Quarterly by the

Charles County Master Gardeners

University of Maryland Extension, Charles County

9501 Crain Highway, Box 1

Bel Alton, MD 20611

Phone 301 934-5403 or 301 753-8195

Luke Gustafson, Charles County

Master Gardener Coordinator Tina Bailem, Compost Editor

Janet McGrane, Compost Calendar

Elizabeth Solis-McGarry, Editorial Advisor

Check out the Charles County Master Gardener page on Facebook! If you haven't already, please like us and

share with your friends. This will be a great way to expand our reach into the community!

https://www.facebook.com/charlescountymastergardeners/