Master Gardener Newsletter: January - Master Gardener Classes, Community Gardens, Christmas Cactus...

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Master Gardeners of Greene County

January 2022

Table of Contents for January's Newsletter

Master Gardener Hotline

Master Gardener Core Training Online Classes

Youth Gardening Activities by MU

Planning Your Garden Journal

Herb Production with Patric Byers

MDC: Eagle Days

MDC: Annual Seedling Sale

Garden Links

Get Your Soil Tested Before Winter

Previous Newsletter Link

Need a Speaker for One of Your Meetings or Groups?

Gardening Questions Phone Number

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Master Gardener Greene County Hotline is open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. THURSDAYS ONLY. This is to collect soil samples and to help with your gardening questions. We are in winter hours until the end of February.

Feel free to contact us anytime with your questions by phone (417-874-2963), by email or on our website. Feel free to send pictures of your problems or questions via email. For more information check here.

Please leave a detailed message if calling or just sending an email.

Questions answered state wide.

In the meantime, if you need a faster answer to your important gardening question, use the MU Extension website and use the topic search box.

**EDITOR'S NOTE: If you are planning on doing a vegetable garden this year and have not had your soil tested in the last two years, these next two months are an excellent time to do so. You need to give the nutrients time to dissolve into the soil.

Master Gardener Core Training Online Classes

January 16, 2022 - May 31, 2022

Registration fee: $200

Registration is NOW open. Your $200 registration fee includes a FREE Missouri Master Gardener Core Manual. For additional information, including complete course description with syllabus and registration link, click here.

You do not need to be a gardener to attend. The objectives of Master Gardener online training are: 1) To understand the mission of the Missouri Master Gardener Program and how it functions. 2) To acquire a working knowledge of the fundamental principles of plant growth and development. 3) To apply concepts of plant growth and development to everyday situations and uses in horticulture. 4) To learn basic terminology associated with the art and science of horticulture. 4) To gain an appreciation of horticulture as a life-long pursuit.

Youth Gardening Activities Series by MU Extension

The following six guides are a new series of youth gardening activities.

See list below of publications by Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture:

● Designing a Butterfly Garden

● Growing Sunflowers

● The Cut Flower Garden

● Making Seed Tapes

● Winter Sowing Seeds

● Taking Plant Cuttings

Planning Your Garden Journal

The From Seed to Harvest and Beyond: Garden Journal and Calendar is a garden journal for all Missouri gardeners, as well as a how-to guide and information resource. It provides a place to keep all gardening information, plans and notes together.

Keeping a garden journal is a great way to organize and keep track of the how, when, where and what of the gardening season. Writing down your thoughts, successes, failures, needed improvements and new ideas as the gardening season progresses is easier than struggling to remember them several months after the season has ended. Many gardeners believe the keys to successful gardening are to get your plans on paper first and to keep records. This journal allows a gardener to do this. Find it here.

Cost is $20.00

Missouri Herb Production with Patrick Byers

VIDEO: Join Byers for a discussion of herb production for the farm and garden. The presentation discusses herbs for culinary use, as well as herbs that offer potential for fragrance and essential oil production. Sponsored by Springfield Community Gardens - Agriculture Workshops. This FREE class is 1 hr. 26 min. video on YouTube.

MDC: Eagle Days

Discover Nature with Continuing MDC Eagle Days + Eagle Watching on Your Own: MDC is offering Eagle Days events around the state. Some events will include live eagle programs, exhibits, activities, videos, and guides with spotting scopes. Some events require registration.

Can't make an MDC Eagle Days event? Other check out local events and hot spots for winter eagle viewing.

For details including locations and times of events and great places to see eagles, dates and more click here.

MDC: Seedling Order Form 2021–2022

By Missouri Department of Conservation:

Plan Ahead and Order Early! Although we accept orders from Sept. 1, 2021, through April 15, 2022, we always sell out of some species quickly. To get the plants you want, please send your order as soon as possible. Otherwise, you can select the option to have us substitute suitable species for you. Some species are in short supply and will only be available online.

Check out our online catalog for all available seedlings. You can place your order online starting Sept. 1, 2021 or download the Seedling Catalog order form, and send it by regular mail or fax here.

Click here for current details.

January's Tips and Tasks

Virtual Town Hall Meetings/Classes

These are weekly, now.

MU: January Gardening Tips

Webinars

2022 Home Gardening Webinar and Registration Series of 7

Produce Safety for Community Gardens and Home Gardeners

Poinsettias

Poinsettias Can Bloom Again

Poinsettia: America's Most Popular Flower

Wild Poinsettias

What is a Community Garden?

Caterpillars in Your Garden and Yard

Norfolk Island Pine for Christmas and Beyond

Is it a Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter Cactus?

Holiday Cactus - A Case of Mistaken Identity

Recycling Wood Ash

When Oak Leaves Fail to Fall

Prepare Your Garden for Winter

How to Build a Cold Frame

Planting and Growing Zinnias

14 Cascading Plants for Your Garden

Guides for Fruit Production

Newsletters

National Gardening Association Gardening.org - Chock full of information on growing corn, different kinds of flowers and houseplants.

Planning on your 2022 Garden

The Garden Spade

Get Your Soil Tested Now

Before You Put Your Garden to Bed for the Winter

Basic soil testing analysis is done by the MU Soil Lab in partnership with our Master Gardeners of Greene County. Results include fertilizer and lime recommendations. Additional tests are available for nutrient management plans, environmental issues, potting mixes, compost, manure and water usage. Each sample should contain a total of 2 cups of dry soil and from 6 to 7 inches deep and about 5 or 6 different areas. Results are typically provided within two weeks.

We recommend bringing the soil sample(s) to our office between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Thursdays. Master Gardeners can complete the paperwork and submit your test. One of our extension specialists will review your results. In most cases, gardens, lawns and fields should be tested every two years.

The cost is $30 per sample. Feel free to call if you have any questions.

417-874-2963

Previous Newsletter

Need a Speaker for a Meeting or Group?

Master Gardeners of Greene County are unavailable at this time to speak to garden clubs, civic organizations, schools and other groups on a wide variety of topics within the world of gardening, horticulture, landscaping and the environment.

Please keep us in mind for a future date.

For more information.

Email Us

Donating to MU Extension

Without MU Extension, there would be no Master Gardeners.

Gifts from individual donors support MU Extension's educational programs in Greene County. Primarily, we receive cash donations by check or online with a credit card and the non-cash donation of vehicles.

For more information

Donate Online

Tax deductible donation

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