The Real Dirt April 2013 1 Table of Contents President’s Corner Page 2 Training Schedule Page 2 Announcements Page 3 Plant Sale Page 4 Year at a Glance.

The Real DirtApril 2013

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Table of Contents

President’s Corner Page 2

Training Schedule Page 2

Announcements Page 3

Plant Sale Page 4

Year at a Glance Page 5

MG Reunion Invitation Page 6

Arbor Day Event Page 7

Workshops Page 8

Mystery Picture Page 8

Demo Gardens Page 9

Hospitality Page 10

Youth Outreach Page 10

Composters/Recyclers Page 11

Home & Garden Show Page 12

In the Spotlight Page 13

Craft Committee Page 14

April Calendar Page 15

May Calendar Page 16

Note the Time Change:

Social Hour: 6:00 P.M.-7:00 P.M.Educational Program: 7:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M.Business Meeting: 8:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M.

APRIL 23 MONTHLY MEETING

Key Contacts

Office: 351 NW North Street, Chehalis, WA 98532360-740-1212http://lewis-mg-mrc.org/ Hours: 9-3 Mon.–Thurs. or by appointment.MG Coordinator: Debbie [email protected] 740-1216WSU Extension Director: Sheila [email protected] 740-1214Office Manager: Kim [email protected] 740-1212

What Master Gardeners Need to Know About Mushroom

Identification

Do you know what to do if a client asks you to

identify a mushroom her pet has eaten? What

about the mushroom that is growing on a stump

and the client thinks it might be edible? Debbie

Burris will explain what Master Gardeners can and

can’t do to help clients with mushroom questions.

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PRESIDENT’S CORNER

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.“ (Nelson Henderson) This month we celebrate two special days that encourage planting trees: Arbor Day and Earth Day.  J. Sterling Morton, a pioneer in Nebraska Territory, first proposed a tree-planting holiday in 1872. An estimated one million trees were planted in Nebraska that first Arbor Day. In 1885 Arbor Day was proclaimed a legal holiday in the new State of Nebraska and April 22, Morton’s birthday was selected as the date. Since then, other states have passed legislation to observe Arbor Day with the dates varying to coincide with the best tree-planting weather from January in the South to May in the North. Washington’s Arbor Day is officially the second Wednesday in April. WSU Extension, City of Centralia Parks, and Lewis County Master Gardeners have traditionally held an Arbor Day tree-planting ceremony at Borst Park. This year’s celebration will be 9 am on April 27, when several trees will be planted to honor the 141st anniversary of the first Arbor Day. All are invited and encouraged to attend. A flyer for this event is in this newsletter.  The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. It was organized primarily with college students in mind by a federal proclamation of US Senator Gaylord Nelson (WI). The late 60’s were a time of awakening to the effects of environmental degradation and over 20 million participated at the grassroots level to peacefully demonstrate for environmental reform. Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring became a New York Times Bestseller and the Ecology Movement was born. Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. "It was a gamble," Gaylord recalled, "but it worked.”  Today, Earth Day is globally celebrated in 192 countries and is often extended to Earth Week. In addition to tree-plantings, Earth Day celebrations include recycling events, cleanups, and teach-ins—aiming for the second billion (yes, with a B) Acts of Green.   Find this info and more at www.arborday.org and www.earthday.org.

Cecelia Boulais, PresidentMASTER GARDENER COORDINATOR ANNOUNCEMENT

2013 WSU Lewis County Master Gardener Training Schedule

May 21: 9AM-12 *Botany & Plant Identification 12:30 PM-4 PM *Plant Problem Diagnosis (Topics may change due to availability of speaker or venue. Scheduled dates will not change.) NOTE: Classes marked with an asterisk (*) are considered “core” classes by WSU meaning you must take those classes in order to be certified as a Master Gardener. Unfortunately, it is difficult to make up the classes so you are encouraged to make every attempt to attend them. Veterans who plan to attend should notify the coordinator in advance as not all classes meet in the Extension meeting room.

Trainee Soils Testing Class

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

KUDOS TO: Don Enstrom for the use of his workshop.

Linda Gorremans for the large amount of donated materials, most of which were used to build craft items.

NEEDED: I am looking for bamboo to build an arbor for a wedding in August. Interested parties can email or call. I am listed in the directory.Thanks very much!

Contact Candi White

HISTORY:

  I'm putting together display boards of the three demo gardens from the beginning to present for the reunion party on April 21st.Also, I will have a slide show presentation of current and past activities of Master Gardeners.  If you have any pictures that could be used for this, please contact me @ [email protected].          Thanks...

Mary Jo Christensen, Historian

PLANT CLINICS: There are a few open days in April and a few more in May. Just a reminder to the trainees: you need at least one plant clinic per month. We do not send out reminders for plant clinics, so please check your calendars and plan to be here for your shift.

PLANT SALE MEETINGBefore the next monthly membership meeting on April 23rd, at 5:30 p.m., we will be having another organizational session for the upcoming plant sale.

MG REUNION:We need help serving cake, coffee, and punch, people to help set up, and clean-up. We want greeters for the folks as they come in.  Sign up with Mary Jo Christensen on the calendar. The date is April 21, 1 PM-4PM. Call MaryAnn Albenesius for questions.

Sylvia Swift, a 2008 class veteran, died March 29, 2013. She was cremated and her kids have not decided if or when they will have a memorial service. For Cards: Harry’s address is: 172 Cowlitz View Drive, Packwood, WA 98361.

Micheline Bickford, our oldest veteran, is in ill health. She would appreciate cards. Her address is: PO Box 644,  Centralia, WA. 98531.

WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local WSU Extension office.

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MAY PLANT SALE

DATES TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR:

Set up days: May 16 & 17 Sale days: May 18 & 19

THANKS FOR GROWING! If you've got plants started, divided or discovered, and potted up for the plant sale at the SWW Fairgrounds in Chehalis, it's time to get them ready for their close-ups. Here's what they need:  Good care from now on. Be sure and check plants regularly for soil moisture. Remember that the smaller the pot, the faster it dries out. Spring rains don't provide nearly enough water for potted plants.   Good grooming. Before you bring your plants to the sale, please trim off dead or ugly leaves, and make sure the pots are free of weeds, bugs, and slugs.  Labels. I'll make sure there are plenty of the mini-blind pieces we use for label blanks on hand in the MG office. You can write on them with felt-tip markers or #2 pencils. For edibles, the plant name is usually sufficient. For ornamentals, you'll need the plant name, perennial/annual, sun/shade, and flower color if any (or say "mixed"). If you would like help, just let me know what plants you have and how many of each, and I'll make labels for you on my computer.  Salesmanship. I like to have a poster with a color picture and key selling points for each plant variety. Let me know ahead of time, and I'll make posters for your ornamentals; Lanette Scapillato is organizing the information for tomatoes and other vegetables. Thanks again for all the plants you're growing. As the sale gets closer, watch for emails that will have important, specific information for you. Remember that we have a stockpile of potting mix at the Borst garden, and pots of all sizes. Barbara Eastman, Plant Sale Coordinator

MORE PLANT SALE NOTES

We had a great turn-out at our planning meeting for the plant sale. Thank you everyone who came with great ideas and a willingness to step-up and take care of areas. Barbara and I were able to walk thru the new area at the fair grounds and it is smaller than the one at Yard Birds. But we will have a small kitchen with running water and restrooms right in the building. Since it is a smaller area we need to be better organized with set-up and check-out. We have people who have volunteered to be in charge of areas and organize during the set-up. Woody shrubs and trees, tomatoes, annuals, perennials, vegetables, bulbs, and tubers have people in charge of them. But there are still plenty of areas that could use your help organizing. If you would like to take charge of ground covers, native plants, house plants, or something you have a  passion for give me or Barbara a call. We hope the rest of you will come and help with the setup days on May 16th-17th, and the sale days on May 18th-19th. We will have another planning meeting right before the April 23rd monthly meeting.Thank-you everyone.

Sherry Pearson, VP of Resources

YEAR 2013 AT A GLANCE

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APRIL 610 AM-Composting WorkshopContact: Bob Taylor1311 AM-Hugelkultur WorkshopContact: Sherry Pearson169 AM-Master Gardener TrainingContact: Debbie Burris21Master Gardener ReunionContact: Mary Ann Albenesius

MAY 410 AM-Composting WorkshopContact: Bob Taylor410 AM-Container Gardening WorkshopContact: Mary Jo Christensen1111AM-Pop bottle Cold Frame WorkshopContact: Barbara Eastman 18-19Plant SaleContact: Barbara Eastman21 9 AM-Master Gardener TrainingContact: Debbie Burris

JUNE 1 10 AM-Composting Workshop Contact: Bob Taylor 18 9 AM-Master Gardener Training Contact: Debbie Burris

JUNE 2210 AM-Green Smoothie GardeningContact: Lanette Scapillato

JULY 6 10 AM-Composting Workshop Contact: Bob Taylor 16 9 AM-Master Gardener Training Contact: Debbie Burris

AUGUST 3 10 AM-Composting Workshop Contact: Bob Taylor 13-18 SW Washington Fair Contact: Bob Taylor 20 9 AM-Master Gardener Training Contact: Debbie Burris 24 11AM-Growing Grains Contact: Barbara Eastman

SEPTEMBER 710 AM-Composting WorkshopsContact: Bob Taylor179 AM-Master Gardener TrainingContact: Debbie Burris21Fall GFEContact: Charmaine Gill 26-28Annual Master Gardener

Conference in EverettContact: Bob Taylor

OCTOBER 159 AM-Master Gardener TrainingContact: Debbie Burris

NOVEMBER 310 AM-All about DahliasContact person: Ed Schroeder199 AM-Master Gardener Training-last class

DECEMBER 10Christmas PartyContact: Sharon Winningham & Judy Wilson26Christmas Tree RecyclingContact: Sherry Pearson

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Lewis County Master Gardeners are celebrating 40 years in the WSU Master Gardener program. Come say hello to old friends and share the wonderful successes of Master Gardeners in Lewis County.

1 - 4 p.m., April 21, 2013 Centralia Eagles

2308 N. Pearl StreetCentralia, WA 98531

Call today & RSVP even if you are a current member.Leave your name, phone number & if you will be bringing a guest.(360) 785-3785 or (360) 740-1614Light refreshments will be served.

Lewis County Master Gardener Reunion

An invitation to all current Master Gardeners and Friends

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2013 GARDENING WORKSHOPS

APRIL 13 10 AM SALKUM DEMO GARDEN HUGELKULTUR CONSTRUCTION

MAY 4 10 AM PROVIDENCE DEMO GARDEN CONTAINER GARDENING

MAY 11 11 AM SALKUM DEMO GARDEN POP BOTTLE COLD FRAME

JUNE 22 10 AM BORST PARK DEMO GARDEN GREEN SMOOTHIE GARDENING

AUG. 24 11 AM SALKUM DEMO GARDEN GROWING GRAINS

NOV. 3 10 AM BORST DEMO GARDEN ALL ABOUT DAHLIAS

FIRST DETECTOR TRAINING

Instructor  Karen Ward, WSU plant pest diagnostician, and Debbie

Burris

Students Attending First Detector Training class

WHO CAN SOLVE THIS MYSTERY?Identify this person and contact

Mary Jo Christensen.

Tree Recycling at Yard Birds in 1994

2013 FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERSPresident: Cecelia Boulais [email protected]. Membership: Mary Ann Albenesius [email protected]. Educational Outreach: Charmaine Gill [email protected]. Resources: Sherry Pearson [email protected]: Mary Jo Christensen [email protected]: Barrie Pitts [email protected] President: Chuck Stanfield [email protected] Foundation Representative: Bob Taylor [email protected]

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DEMONSTRATION GARDENS

Providence Place Garden350 SE Washington Ave., ChehalisWork parties: Tues. 9-12

Contact:Bob TaylorLaVeta Arnold

Salkum Library Garden2480 US Highway 12, SalkumWork parties: Tues. 10-12

Contact:Barbara EastmanSherry Pearson

Borst Park GardenBorst Park, CentraliaWork Parties: Wed. & Sat. 9-12

Contacts:Mike StedhamEd SchroederGaylend Wilmovsky

We need MG volunteers to be responsible for a certain area or just to help out. It’s a lot more fun if two or more MG’s team up on an area or project. Please contact either one of us if you are interested. Due to health changes with some of the residents two of the large raised beds opened up which will now be tended by Master Gardeners. With the weather finally starting to clear up we will be doing our spring cleaning and readying the areas for new plants. Bob Taylor and LaVeta Arnold, Demo Garden Co-Coordinators

The garden is bursting with color from a couple of hundred spring-flowering bulbs in bloom. We're getting ready for our Hugelkultur workshop on April 13. Most of the logs and branches are on site and just need to be moved into place. We'll probably need to use all the contents of our several compost piles and top-dress them with what's left of our old mountain of claybuster. Ultimately, we'll be planting potatoes and other vegetables--stay tuned for progress

reports here. The next project on our list is surrounding more of our garden features with retaining-wall blocks.  The Friends of the Salkum Library will be holding their annual Book and Plant Sale on Saturday, May 4. There are books of all kinds, for 50 cents. Kids' books are featured, and it's a great way to stock up. The Friends provide most of the funds we use to support the demo garden. Barbara Eastman and Sherry Pearson, Coordinators

Spring is here! The gardens continue to wake up. The war on shot weed is never ending.  On the bright side, the keepers of the front borders (Sally Wheeler and Gaylend Wilmovsky) have been tending their property well. Jane has all sorts of flowering plants in the old iris bed (she can't resist sales at Home Depot). Marsha Humbock, Linda Knee, and Judy Stratton are creating a new Honey Be Good Garden, with some plants already in place and much moreto come. Cecelia's square foot garden has a lush growth of cover crop (winter rye and

Austrian field peas). In the vegetable garden Mike's cover crop is puny by comparison but he does have fava beans that are a few inches high and garlic that is progressing nicely. Come visit us sometime!

Mike Stedham, Ed Schroeder, & Gaylend Wilmovsky

All of our demo gardens need volunteers. We are responsible for a lot in this county and it requires many hands. To accrue your necessary demo gardening hours in any of them, call (360) 740-1212, or the contact person for that garden. Coordinator names are on the Demo Garden page. You will find their numbers listed in the directory.

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HOSPITALITY 2013

YOUTH OUTREACH

Forty youth and adults attended two sessions on mason bees which included pollinizing and assembling a medium sized mason bee house at the 12th Annual Chehalis Basin Youth Conference held at Centralia College.  The kids were from a variety of schools ranging from 3rd to 8th grades.  All of the classes focused on native natural resources.  The Toledo Elementary kids’ garden is very much alive with the plantings from early March really starting to show growth.  The last few days of the month were spent doing indoor seed planting.  The kids had a large variety of flower and edible seeds to choose from.  It was great to watch 3rd graders teach the kindergarteners the whole process from selecting seed types, filling out a plant marker, filling the seed starting peat pot, determining the depth, planting the seed, and fertilizing the start with organic materials.  Some of the seeds will be grown in the classrooms while most will be tended to in one of the parent home hoop houses and then returned for planting during May and June.  One of the original goals in the kids’ garden was to educate and expose them to healthier food choices.  The elementary garden is not big enough to feed its 300 kids so the next best thing to do is work with the food supplier, providing better choices offered in the cafeteria.  A group of parents and school district personnel now gather regularly to discuss both food content and resources.  The food service company was very happy to have these discussions and even more excited that the school district wanted to reduce processed food and move toward more fresh vegetables.  It is still early in the transition process but fresh salad ingredients are being loaded onto high school plates and gradually picked up by the younger kids.  In both cases these ingredients are not dished out but self-served by the kids.  We are still encouraging cafeteria personnel to systematically track the waste.  Since no actual tracking was done before, we should at least get a subjective waste comparison.  The next step will be to get more local growers qualified as resources for the food supplier.

Bob Taylor, Instructor

APRIL: Lynn Ford SEPTEMBER: Mary Ann Albenesius Kim Weiland Carolyn Lufkin Julie Pirtle Veronica Damm

MAY: Fred Wilson Pat Bower Alice Fisher

JUNE: Dwight Jackson

JULY & AUGUST ARE POTLUCKS

OCTOBER: Charmaine Gill Marsha Humbock Shawn Hill

NOVEMBER:

DECEMBER is the Christmas Party

We need 4 sign-ups per month

William Pittman & Barrie Pitts

Jim Thielges & Bob Taylor

WSU MASTER RECYCLER AND COMPOSTERS

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This past month was a “workshop treadmill.” We’ve had day classes, night classes, and weekend classes. Regardless of when or where we held the classes, we consistently exceeded the room’s capacity. This is a good problem. Now we just need to recruit and train some more MRCs.  Please commit to doing something constructive to support Earth Day goals. There are many local events on or around April 22nd and I hope to see you at one of them. Bob Taylor, MRC Foundation President

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

A BIG EVENT AT BORST

KUDOS TO: Bram Granger for removing limbs free of charge at the Borst Demonstration Garden

Time to Start Planning for the Southwest

Washington Fair Master Gardener Display

A theme has been developed for the Master Gardener display at the fair this summer: “Healthy Soil, Healthy Plants, Healthy Living All Year Long.” You can help develop the display area by joining us at the SW Washington Fairgrounds next to the Wildlife Building on Monday, May 20th at 2 p.m. If you have ideas or would like more information, please contact Bob Taylor.

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HOME & GARDEN SHOW

We had a successful Home and Garden Show booth again this year, with the theme “Healthy Soil, Healthy Food, Healthy Living.” This is my first year coordinating our booth, and it involved quite a lot of planning and meetings.  I appreciate all the volunteers who helped package trees, set up the booth, worked the various shifts, gave seminars, and helped tear down the booth.   We had five varieties of trees to hand out: Western Red Cedar, Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Noble Fir. and Red Alder. Our thanks to Tree Management Plus of Ethel who gave us the trees.  There were some Red Alder and Douglas fir trees remaining. Barbara Eastman potted up some for our May plant sale and some were sold to one of our trainees.  We had a drawing for seven items: a large beautiful flower planter donated by Bob and Mary Ann Albenesius, a birdhouse I made, three lettuce bowls donated by Barbara Eastman, a book on ornamental grasses donated by Cecilia Boulais, and a massage donated by trainee Joanne Cobbs. She is a certified Swedish massage therapist.  Nine people showed interest in Master Gardener training for next year.  Our booth took first place in the educational category, continuing a tradition for the past several years.  Again, many thanks to all who helped.

Chuck Stanfield, immediate past president

Pete Wolf, Anna Marie Pizzariello, & Chuck Stanfield

Chuck Stanfield, Barbara Eastman, Quahlee Lassila, Jeff Parks, Sherry Pearson, Mary Jo

Christensen, & Pat Bower

Danna Dugan & Ed Schroeder

WORKSHOPS

Pat Bower & Margaret Snider teaching Gardening for Life Workshop at Providence

Mary Jo Christensen teaching Square Foot Gardening Workshop at Providence

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

MEET LINDA KNEE Don’t think that foot surgery will keep you from being interviewed. Just ask Linda Knee, this month’s Spotlight, who was in recovery mode when I visited her country home. Linda was hobbling quite well in her boot. Linda, and her husband Jim, live on Centralia-Alpha road on ten acres that are part of the property on which he grew up. They are establishing their gardens on two and one-half acres of former pasture land. The rest of their acreage is open space timberland. While Jim remodels the house and outbuildings, Linda plans gardens. Jim is becoming a gardener also, and helps with big projects. The couple planted four hundred trees (two-thirds are hemlock, and one-third are giant sequoias) on an area that was a commercial dahlia farm for a period of time. Adjoining that area is their ever-developing arboretum and planting beds. Linda is very fond of pine trees. She has planted two ponderosas, two mughos, a Japanesepine (which turns totally brown in the winter), a Leyland

cypress, a contorted pine, Italian Stone Pine, and an Austrian pine. There is a large curving perennial bed, and a second one in its planning stage. The latter bed will be the home of Linda’s beloved wild flowers. Jim and Linda have eight raised vegetable beds, and a small greenhouse where they start their vegetables. The raised beds can be converted to hoop houses early in spring and late fall. In these beds Linda has several types of plants started for the plant sale. Jim is the berry man. In more raised beds and half barrels he grows raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries. All of this development has taken place in the

five years that they have lived on this property. The Knees have extensive decks on which to rest and contemplate their efforts. Surprisingly, Linda is a late comer to gardening. She grew up in Elk Grove, California (just a few miles south of Sacramento). She was very active in the 4-H program as a horseback rider. Linda was a champion barrel racer, but her parents didn’t want her to take part in rodeos. She was chosen to be a 4-H high school summer exchange student to Spain. In 1998 she participated in a thirty year reunion of the students and host families in Spain. Horses were part of her life for many, many years. Linda later lived in Taylorsville, California, and then moved to Vancouver, Washington. Her career always included working with the elderly. In Vancouver she was the Activities and Program Director of a twenty-four bed Alzheimer’s care facility. It was work there that led to her writing and publishing a book, Alzheimers: The Person Within. Communication with these patients had become very important to Linda. Following five years in Vancouver, Linda moved to Centralia where she ran her own home care facility. Eventually she went into individual home care.

Continued…

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT CONTINUED…

After thirteen years of being single, Linda and Jim met through a dance club. They love to ballroom dance and karaoke dance! Once a month they take their camper to Astoria and Ocean Park to attend dances at the American Legion and Moose Lodge. They now have a combined family of two daughters, one son, and five grandchildren. Both of the Knees are avid bird feeders and watchers. They feed their feathery clients twice a day, going through six to seven cups of feed each day. Linda talks enthusiastically about the variety of birds that visit them, but her absolute favorite are the violet-green swallows. Linda keeps track of the dates of the bird’s arrivals and departures in her bird notebook. Her interest in birds really developed out of a program she started at the care facility in Vancouver. She wanted the clients to have something to increase their awareness. Linda was interested in becoming a Master Gardener. When the time was right she began training and graduated with the class of 2012. She helps with the Plant Sale, Gardening for Everyone, the Home and Garden Show, and the fair. She has gone to work at Borst Garden undertaking the redesign of the children’s garden with partners Marsha Humbock and Judy Stratton. They renamed the garden “Honey be Good.” When asked what she liked about being a Master Gardener, Linda beamingly replied, “The camaraderie between gardeners.” Future gardening plans at home means extending beds, adding a tiered area in the trees, and trying to make sure that Linda and Jim don’t over extend themselves. I think that we need to wish them luck with that!

Sharon Winningham, Veteran since 2004

CRAFT COMMITTEE

We had two very successful Craft Work Parties in March and another on April 5th to focus on filling remaining items ordered. At the last work party we made bird houses and squirrel feeders. All items made were sold in two days. We also constructed one of the two raffle items, a planter box with trellis, which still needs is to be finished. To date we have sold $984 in craft items. This figure is an all-time high for sales prior to the Plant Sale. Our expenses now total only $73.17 thanks to all of the donated materials.

Bob Taylor, Committee Chair

Anna Marie Pizzariello, Bob Taylor & Linda Gorremans

Linda Gorremans & Bob Taylor

Chuck Stanfield Anna Marie Pizzariello & Bob Taylor

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MASTER GARDENER PLANT CLINIC AND EVENT CALENDAR FOR APRIL 2013

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MASTER GARDENER PLANT CLINIC AND EVENT CALENDAR FOR MAY 2013

Updates to the calendar can be viewed at: http://calendar.yahoo.com/lewisgardener. To see specific details, place your cursor over the information and hold it there or click on it to see a pop-up box with details such as sign-ups for plant clinics or other events. This is not an interactive calendar. To sign up, add, change or delete an event, please contact MaryJo Christensen.