The Dirt for February 6: Deadlines and Even More Classes

This Week’s Deadlines: Symposium and Seeds

This is a friendly reminder that this Friday, February 9 is the last day to:

  1. Register for the 2018 Garden Symposium with the $65 price.  Price increases to $75 after February 9.  Final deadline to register is February 20!  Learn the truth about garden remedies, how to grow and use herbs, and how to design gardens that are beautiful and sustainable!
  2. Submit your 2018 seed order form.
The Dirt for February 6: Deadlines and Even More Classes

Testimonials from the Public

I wanted to share this feedback gathered in our year- end survey.  Read on to see how your contribution as a URI Master Gardener improved people’s’ lives and the environment!

  • “I yielded better crops this year. I sowed different veggies this year. I hope to use my compost pile this spring. I hope to have my soil tested again, follow through with the master gardeners recommendations.”
  • “Learned more about value of rain gardens in protecting clean bay water, more about drought tolerant harbor grasses, designs of soft structures in protecting water line, and more.”
  • “The URI Master Gardeners Hotline is my go-to source for gardening issues. They have always been very helpful and thorough in answering my questions and providing excellent information and additional resources. As a result of going to the soil testing at Roger Williams Park, I began using lime on my lawn and found a significant improvement. I was very pleased with their assistance and again additional information.”
  • “I bought poinsettia plants from East Farm that are still thriving. I got information about how to winter over a large Rosemary plant.”
  • “Made me feel like part of a community that works toward a positive future goal. It gets me outside connecting with others. It motivates me to want to do more in my garden.”
  • “I attended a very informative lecture about the gypsy moth and other insect pests.”
  • “I learned about your free seed program last year, and ordered seeds for my church garden. The seeds helped us grow more plants on a small budget. Since then, I’ve signed up for your newsletters and really appreciate the information in them.”
  • “I had my soil tested in the fall and have started to follow suggestions. By doing so I was able to speak with other volunteers and staff and this made my decision to apply to the URI Master Gardener Program.”

February-March Continuing Education Opportunities

Kettle Pond RI Native Plant Garden

” From Design to the Present 2017-18 ”  – Challenges and Successes of a RI Native Plant Garden  at a US Fish and Wildlife Refuge.
February 27th, 2018, 7:00 pm
Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Rd, Charlestown RI 02813

This presentation will chronicle the development of the Kettle Pond RI Native Plant Garden from Design to Implementation to include many of the challenges and successes along the way from March of 2017 to February of 2018.  Could you replicate this methodology in your own landscape and bring RI Natives and its benefits to your garden? Presenters include: David Vissoe, MG, Project Leader, Janis Nepshinsky, USFWS, Visitor Services Manager and Master Gardener members of the crew.   Please register in Volgistics.

Managing Wildlife in the Garden
March 2, 2018 from 10am – 12pm, Hotline Kickoff at 9am
East Farm Building 75

The RIDEM Division of Fish and Wildlife manages wildlife populations and habitat across nearly 60,000 acres of land statewide. The Division often receives calls regarding nuisance wildlife, including everything from woodchucks to coyotes. In this program, you will receive some basic information about the most common garden pests, ways to coexist with pesky critters, and a brief update on Division-funded conservation projects. Please register in Volgistics.

New! March Master Gardener Meeting: Communicating Science to the Public
March 12, 2018 from 6-8:30pm
Swan Auditorium

As an Extension Educator, you may find yourself answering tough questions from the public, explaining why a client  should adopt sustainable gardening practices.  ‘What should I spray for:_____?” is a common question.  Our March MG meeting keynote speaker is Sunshine Menezes, Ph.D. who will provide innovative strategies for communicating complex concepts.  How do we effectively encourage the public to become stewards of the land? As executive director of the Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting,  Menezes frequently gives lectures about the importance of science communication, working with the news media, and how to become a more effective science communicator. Please register in Volgistics.

The Ecological Landscaping Alliance’s 2018 Conference – Sustaining the Living Landscape
March 7th-8th
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Looking for New Ideas? Solutions? Inspiration? From the practical to the applicable, immerse yourself in a two-day exploration of ecological concepts as our speakers share their experiences and expertise. Delve into this year’s wide-ranging topics as we look at the principles and practices we need to design, build, and restore the living landscape. Conference Brochure

New! Composting: Reducing Waste and Bringing Goodness to our Gardens
Wednesday, March 21, 2018 | 2:00PM
BEECHWOOD: A Center for Life Enrichment
44 Beach Street; North Kingstown
Speaker: Nan Quinlan, URI Master Gardener

This Lecture will focus on the benefits and basics of Composting.  Composting is a component of our lifestyle.  The amount of time and energy we put into composting our kitchen, garden and yard waste will vary and so will the results.  The fact that we choose to make composting one of our lifestyle habits is wonderful given the goodness it brings to our gardens and that it reduces material that will end up in a mounting landfill.  In this talk you will learn everything you need to do to start composting, a bit of history, how composting happens, types of composting from the casual to the obsessive, how to use compost, the tools, the rules and the glorious results.

If interested in attending, please contact Rayna Wilcox, Volunteer/Program Coordinator, at The Beechwood Center for Life Enrichment at 401-268-1594; or email her at: RWilcox@northkingstown.org.  These programs are offered to members and the public at no charge.  Master Gardeners receive education credits for attending.  

RI Wild Plant Society invites MG’s to learn: Plants are better than mulch!
March 25 | 2:00 to 3:30 pm
URI Pharmacy Building | Kingston, RI

We have a strange relationship with mulch in America. Landscaping often means a sea of red mulch dotted with a few over-pruned arborvitae shrubs.

But how many gardeners got into the hobby for a love of mulch? There are good reasons to use mulch, it helps to control weeds, prevents soil erosion and maintains soil nutrients. Yet for every advantage that mulch offers well-chosen plants work even better. From groundcovers to larger mat-forming species there is a plant for every area in the garden. Join Dan Jaffe, author of Native Plants for New England Gardens to learn about the myriad of plants that can take the place of mulch on your landscape.

Dan Jaffe is the Propagator and Stock Bed Grower at New England Wildflower Society’s Garden in the Woods. His past experience includes a degree in botany from the University of Maine, an advanced certificate in Native Plant Horticulture and Design from New England Wildflower Society, and nursery management experience.  Dan Jaffe’s photography has been used in numerous publications and his book Native Plants for New England Gardens is scheduled to be released in March.  New England Wildflower Society is selling the book online. Copies will be available at the lecture. Purchase with cash, check or credit card.

THIS RI WILD PLANT SOCIETY EVENT IS FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. For more details, including directions and parking see www.RIWPS.org

Core Training Classes Open to MGs for Continuing Ed

The URI Master Gardener Program Core Training begins this Weds, January 24. Classes are held on Wednesday evenings from 6 – 8:30 at the URI Kingston Campus in Avedesian Hall (Pharmacy Building) room 170. All Master Gardeners are invited to attend these sessions to brush up on their knowledge, learn the latest research, and to earn continuing education hours.  The 2018 Course Schedule (topics subject to change) follows.

2/7/2018Insects 101
2/14/2018Plant Disorders & Diseases
2/21/2018Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition
2/28/2018Compost & Food Safety / Research in Action: Agroecology Practices from the Field
3/7/2018Edible Gardening: Vegetables
3/14/2018Volunteer Opportunity Fair / Volunteerism and Communications Class
3/21/2018Site Assessment  & Regenerative Landscape Design
3/28/2018Establishment & Maintenance of Home Lawns / Turf Pests & Pollinators
4/4/2018Diagnosing Plant Problems / Group Challenge
4/11/2018Invasive Plants / Native Plants
4/18/2018Ornamentals: Woody Plants and Perennials

Review all upcoming classes and events on our calendar: https://web.uri.edu/mastergardener/calendar/

Volunteer Opportunities

Help Wanted: Volunteers Needed for the Symposium

The Symposium Committee is seeking volunteers once again, for it’s annual event to be held on March 3. We need 10 volunteers for Fri., Mar. 2 from 3-5pm for set-up of tables and chairs and bringing things to and from the Mallon Center. We also need 10 volunteers for take down of tables and chairs, etc. on Saturday, after the event, from 2:30-4:30pm. You will receive 5 volunteer hours for doing either of these days.

Also needed are 2 volunteers to guide people from the Fine Arts parking lot to the walking route to the CBLS Bldg. or to the awaiting shuttle. This would also give you 5 hours of volunteer time as it would be from about 7:30 to 8:45am.

This will be on a first come, first serve basis. This volunteer opportunity is open to all Master Gardeners and interns. Please check your calendars to make sure you can commit to this opportunity.

Please reply to Melanie Racioppi (mel20002@yahoo.com)
Thanks to all in advance!
Melanie Racioppi
Volunteer Coordinator, Symposium 2018

Check our internal calendar for a full listing of events. Password – seeds

https://web.uri.edu/mastergardener/calendar/

Correction

Last week’s Eastern Region report had a slight discrepancy. 

It should have read that 3,203 lbs were grown by Mount Hope Farm Grow4Good, Norman Bird Sanctuary Good Gardens, Middletown Community Library Garden and Prescott Farm and donated to local soup kitchens and food pantries. 

Prescott Farm donated 740 lbs of produce this past year.