In Season - Winter 2017

In Season

A publication of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program and the Virginia Tech Department of Horticulture Volume 31, Number 1, January 2017

Dave Close State Master Gardener Coordinator John Freeborn Assistant Master Gardener Coordinator Riley Schmitt Communications Project Manager and Media Specialist Sue Edwards Master Gardener Program Development Gabrielle Sanderson Program Support and Implementation Intern

Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Edwin J. Jones, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; M. Ray McKinnie, Interim Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State University, Petersburg.

Table of Contents 4 Extension Master Gardeners Share Love of Gardening at Virginia State Fair

6 Update: Extension Master Gardener Training Handbook PDF

7 Emil Carlson Recognized for His

Outstanding Work with the Grass Roots Program

9 Healthy Virginia Lawns – Have you heard about it?

10 2017 Master Gardener College - Update 10 Logo Design Contest for the 30th Annual MGC

11 The Extension Master Gardener Program is on Instagram!

Extension Master Gardeners Share Love of Gardening at Virginia State Fair by: Gabrielle Sanderson Hanover Extension Master Gardeners host booth at annual Virginia state fair to share love of gardening and horticulture information with fairgoers as a part of

the outdoor classroom.

The booth is visited by elementary, middle and high school students eager to learn about science and the environment.

The State Fair of Virginia is a celebrated tradition.

While people have come and gone, locations have changed and years have brought new ideas, it is still an important custom and an eagerly welcomed time for Virginia. It is notorious for its food that is not for the faint of heart: Bacon Pretzel Dogs, Breakfast on

a Stick, and Philly Tots are just a few of the interesting concoctions. Food is not the only aspect that makes the State Fair of Virginia magical for all ages. One piece that is particularly special is the relationship of the Extension Master Gardeners with the Fair that “the Hanover Master Gardeners began at least thirty

years ago in Richmond. Hanover Extension Master Gardeners continue to act as a host for the Extension Master Gardener booth today at The Meadow Event Park by working with other counties to spread their knowledge on sustainable land care management and the protection of natural resources” exclaims Christy Brennan. Just some of the counties that are involved are Hanover, Henrico, Louisa, Central Rappahannock, Prince George and many more.

Just like the State Fair, the Extension Master Gardeners’ Booth and their involvement has transformed over the years. The Master Extension Gardeners select their themes and demonstrations to appeal to a variety of different visitors. So as the visitors change the Master Gardeners’ booth morphs as well. In the past, they even used to help plant the State Fair gardens, answer questions about the gardens and help educate consumers about plants and planting techniques. While this part has been discontinued in the State Fair but the Master Gardener Booth is still thriving. The Master Gardener Booth is part of the State Fair outdoor classroom so it is seen by a mix of elementary, middle and high school students that are eager to learn about science and environmental education.

The Virginia Master Gardener Association (VMGA)

supports this huge undertaking of the Master Gardeners through the funding and recruitment of volunteers from units in the commonwealth.

The Extension Master Gardeners are not the only ones involved in this immense educational experience; “The Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Coordinator’s Office and staff are instrumental in assisting this monumental event with their time, talents and resources” exclaims Brennan. The State Fair doesn’t only carry out a tradition or strengthen the community, but The State Fair of Virginia gifts the Master Gardener Program with the splendid opportunity to educate a diverse population that visits the Agriculture Exhibits at the Fair. The thousands of names recorded every year are not just contacts; they are people being educated that will hopefully pass on the word. While the State Fair of Virginia leaves impressions in the hearts of the people, hopefully the State Master Gardeners will leave impressions in hearts as well and inspire the community to become and continue to be passionate about the environment. Look for the Master Gardener booth at the next State Fair of Virginia on September 29, 2017 and hopefully you too will be inspired.

All images were taken by Michael White, Governor’s Office. Governor of Virginia Terry McAuliffe. We do not own the images, all credit goes to the rightful owner. You can check out more of Michael’s work from the State Fair on flickr : https://www.flickr. com/photos/governorva/albums/72157673342159842

Update: Extension Master Gardener Training Handbook PDF

An announcement that many have been waiting for, the digital PDF version of the Master Gardener Training Handbook is complete! This version is more than simply a scan of the Training Handbook, with over 700 working links and an interactive Table of Contents and Index, thus putting it together took some time. This publication is subject to copyright laws, so our hope is that EMGs do not “share� the file with one another; folks are on the honor system to not copy and share the PDF. The new PDF version will be available in two formats.

The first will be on a flash drive as a PDF, sent out from

our office. The second method for those who do not have USB capabilities, will be via download through a special instance (Unit) set up in the VMS. Individuals will be added to the Online Handbook section of the VMS after purchase, and the Handbook will be available for download. Ordering is available in the Coordinator Section of the EMG website.

The pricing for the digital Handbook is the same as the print version, $85.00 for new trainees and $50.00 for existing EMGs. If a new trainee chooses to purchase both, the price will be discounted to a total of $135.00 for the print and digital versions.

Emil Carlson Recognized for His Outstanding Work with the Grass Roots Program by: Gabrielle Sanderson

Emil Carlson of the Chesterfield County Extension Master Gardeners has help 600 lawns through their Grass roots Program (a local version of the Healthy Virginia Lawns Program). He is being recognized for his dedication to serving and educating his community.

serve more than

Grass Roots is a program of Virginia Cooperative Extension in Chesterfield County that teaches homeowners how to implement the best management practices for their lawns. Grass Roots is a program that is a part of the Healthy Virginia Lawns initiative and provides an onsite visit from a Master Gardener volunteer and a thorough site evaluation. One key player in this program is Emil Carlson. Just by himself he has served close to 600 clients, yet he exclaimed “I

am still amazed that the work I have been doing in the Grass Roots program has added up to so many home visits!” He says that “there were a lot more homes to do each year during the first few years in the program and wound up doing more than 100 per year for a few years.” While the last couple of years there has been a slight decrease in the number of onsite evaluations, Carlson still does 50 or more visits per year. Despite having to travel all over the county, some places even

as far as 50-60-miles roundtrip from his house, he sees the silver lining exclaiming that he learned a great deal about the geography of Chesterfield County. It is easy to see his love for the Grass Roots program as he makes light-hearted jokes about his heavy load of traveling.

“All this driving has allowed for me to become pretty familiar with the county and its roads. It has prepared me for a career as an Uber driver!” Carlson remarks.

While the main reason that Emil Carlson got started with Grass Roots in 2008 was to satisfy the volunteer requirement of 50 hours in the Extension Master Gardener program, Carlson said “I really enjoyed seeing the various lawns and landscapes around the country and how they coped (or didn’t) with the many different conditions.” One thing that he learned from his experience in the program was how different the soils were in Chesterfield County and that while his property was predominately clay – red clay, other properties he has visited have loamy soil, sandy soil and combinations of the three. Not only has he learned about the geography of the county or the soil types of the land, but he has also gained knowledge from the clients themselves. While Carlson felt that the answers he provided his clients regarding lawn care were repetitious they in turn would give him valuable advice. “They would invariably share widely varied information about things other than grasses.

I’ve been given a banana tree, seeds for a beautiful blue flowered vine from Texas, a lilac bush, several different plants and bulbs, tips on growing asparagus, and a wealth of sharing about planting experiences and county history” Carlson said. Not only is he improving lawns as he travels from property to property but his joyful interactions with the owners have improved his experiences and knowledge on Chesterfield County.

While many of his experiences have been educating and stimulating beyond belief he has had some sad instances where new home buyers, who don’t have a lot of extra time or funds to maintain a yard, purchase previously vacant homes that require quite a bit of landscape revival. “Since they have been vacant for a while there is a lot of work (pruning, weeding, reseeding, etc.) …and when they hear what will be involved in restoring a lawn they can become overwhelmed” Carlson said. Yet despite their hesitation, he encourages them to follow a multi-year plan, makes them aware of the Extension office programs and enlightens them on the Learn Your Landscape programs. “You leave praying that they are able to come up with the energy, time, confidence, and resources to make the property what they want it to be” Carlson said.

Emil Carlson is not only helping the Grass Roots program, he is informing the minds of homeowners and improving Chesterfield County one yard at a time.

“I think this is a critical part of the program: If you can visit a homeowner who does not have any idea whether they have grass or weeds, educate them enough to develop a plan which they feel comfortable they can do, and make them aware of the help available – then the soil sample becomes the least important part of the visit!” He noticed that the work he has dedicated to the program paid off when he visited a past client that had transformed his clay backyard into a luscious landscape. When Carlson asked the man how he got his lawn plush, green and beautiful he exclaimed that “he just followed the Grass Roots program instructions and ‘Voila’” he said. The Grass Roots program is beneficial to Chesterfield County and Emil Carlson has demonstrated that perfectly.

Images of the Chesterfield Grass Roots program at work!

Healthy Virginia Lawns – Have you heard about it? by: Dave Close

Have you ever heard about the Healthy Virginia Lawns program? What about SMART Lawns, Best Lawns, Grass Roots, Turf Love, Home Turf, “Green” Grass, Smart Green Lawns? All of the latter programs and a few more with the Healthy Virginia Lawns (HVL) name have been around for varying amounts of time dating back to the early 1990’s. What do they all have in common? Several things actually. First of all they all involve Extension Master Gardener (EMG) volunteers

locally. Secondly, they all address the issue of urban nutrient management within the specific context of residential lawns and landscapes. Thirdly, they all strive to improve water quality locally to ultimately improve water quality within the Chesapeake Bay. Under the supervision of a local Ag & Natural Resources Extension Agent or local Extension Master Gardener Coordinator, EMG volunteers assist homeowners with developing a management strategy for their lawns, gardens, and landscapes to minimize or eliminate nutrient runoff into local waterways. This is all about knowing when and how much to fertilize if at all and also employing cultural methods for effectively managing their residential properties in a way that does no harm to water flowing through and off their property. Were you aware

that in 2015, there were more than 200 EMGs statewide participating and helping with this statewide initiative?

Those volunteers with guidance and management from their agent or coordinator helped more than 1,100 clients to better manage their lawns. Through this program, more than 575 acres of residential lawns and landscapes are under management using best lawn practices. With 75% of the Commonwealth being in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, there is plenty of work to be done and plenty of opportunities to expand the great

work that has been in place for more than two decades in a couple of instances. Want to learn more? Visit this website to see who already has a program within the Healthy Virginia Lawns Initiative: http://blogs.lt.vt. edu/mastergardener/healthyvirginialawns/. Oh, did I mention that we are partnering with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation on this initiative? They have been a financial supporter of this work for more than three years!

2017 Master Gardener College - Update Planning ahead for summer yet? Don’t forget about the 30th Annual Master Gardener College this June in Blacksburg, Virginia. Join us from June 22-25 for this year’s MG College offering Land Care Steward training.

Want to know who is going to be there? We can share a sneak peek at who is going to be there and some of the sessions! Joining us will be Dr. Bob Lyons, Professor Emeritus from the University of Delaware (and Virginia Tech), Rick Fell as he discusses pollinators, and Dr. Melissa Chase talking about herb and food preservation. A special guest will be with us this year, someone very near and dear to our Extension Master Gardener program, Dr. David Gibby! Dr. Gibby is the individual who first started the EMG program in Washington State in 1972. We met Dr. Gibby last fall at the National Coordinator’s Conference, and he has accepted our offer to come to MG College this summer and talk about how the EMG program started!! This is quite the honor for our program, and we are very excited to make this announcement, and hope you are able to join us!

Logo Design Contest for the 30th Annual MGC Greetings Everyone!

I would like to announce a contest to design the logo for our 30th Annual Master Gardener College, which is scheduled for June 21-25, 2017. The winning logo will be showcased in some off the MG College promotional material including the MG College program. Please submit your design electronically to me (dclose@vt.edu) no later than February 8.

Here are the contest parameters: 1) 2)

3) 4) 5)

Contest is open from now until Sunday, January 8 Things to consider: a.

Suitable for 8.5x11 print b.

Will transfer nicely to a t-shirt This is our 30th Annual MG College The theme this year is Celebrating 30 years of Master Gardener College Full color Have fun creating your design!

Dave Close

The Extension Master Gardener Program is on Instagram! by: Riley Schmitt It is official, the Extension Master Gardener Program has an Instagram account and is looking to share the mission and vision statement of the program through this social media platform.

You can find it @vce_master_gardeners.

A couple of months back the Office of the State Master Gardener Coordinator began discussing different social media platforms and how the program could not only continue to grow and adapt to the times, but also how the message and vision of the program could reach more people. The Office saw a lot of potential in Instagram, an online mobile photo-sharing site, where users post pictures to there feed to share and connect with others.

The social media platform is currently the second most popular, behind Facebook, with over 600 million active

users as of December 2016 according to the online stats website Statista.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program Instagram (@vce_master_gardeners) was created!

Instagram, developed by the Facebook company, is a way for people to post and share images taken from their phone (it is an exclusively mobile app and cannot

be fully accessed on a desktop or laptop) and allows friends and followers to stay up-to-date through images.

Instagrm is extremely popular because it is visually based. The photos are captioned with a text description and allows the user to connect with others (@) and to other topics through hashtags (#). The Office uses #extensionmastergardener and #cooperativeextension on all of its posts and invites others to tag their EMG images with the hashtags as well.

The idea behind the Instagram account is to extend the reach of the program and to share horticulture information with a different demographic of people that are not reached through traditional means. The Pew Research Study reports that 55% of all online 1829 year olds in the United States are using Instagram.

It is the goal of the account to share horticulture information, engage with users and educate them about the EMG program. Posts range from Gardening tips to horticulture humor, Office updates to program announcements.

The state office is excited for the new opportunities Instagram provides and have some fun posts scheduled in the coming year. Make sure to follow us @vce_ master_gardeners.

If you have any questions comments or ideas please feel free to contact Riley Schmitt, Communication Project Coordinator, at rileys9@vt.edu. If you or your unit already has a page, be sure to connect with us, we always love to see what others are doing!

Social Media Update Facebook The Facebook page was started a little over 3 years ago and has over 2,000 followers. It reaches close to 2,500 people each week with posts about the latest Extension Master Gardener events from all around Virginia, educational articles and videos, and some horticulture humor as well. The page is very active with content being posted 3-5 times each week.

YouTube About 1 year ago the program created a YouTube page. The page already has 51 subscribers and over 2,700 views. The Office has been hard at work producing video content for the page and recently released a series of 10 videos covering different topics within plant propagation filmed at the Virginia Tech greenhouses. Be sure to check out and subscribe to the page!