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February 2024 UME Master Gardener
State Office Announcements
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Signs of spring are here. I'm sure many of you are starting seeds in preparation for the growing season.
Our newsletter this month has A LOT in it including updates about our website and the GIEI meeting, new continuing education opportunities, the Year of Heirloom Tomatoes, #GivingDay, and more!
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Changes Coming to Master Gardener Website | |
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Change is in the air! On February 14, the state Master Gardener Program website will be moving under the Home and Garden Information Center. This will not change any information you normally find on the state Master Gardener Program website. This is simply a relocation of the information. On the Home and Garden Information Center, you will find the Master Gardener Program more prominently featured. This will bring our state home horticulture program all into a more unified and stronger presence online. You will still be able to use quick links to the Master Gardener home page: https://go.umd.edu/MG.
Links from county Master Gardener pages to the state Master Gardener Program will need to be revised. We appreciate your patience while these changes are in progress.
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Join the Ask Extension Team | |
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Looking for a different volunteer opportunity? Join the Ask Extension team to assist answering horticulture questions sent in by the public. All of the questions are answered through a website, so you can be located anywhere in the state to participate.
This opportunity requires a moderate to high level of knowledge and experience (such as working plant clinics) as there will not be much time for one-on-one coaching.
Please contact Miri Talabac if interested.
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Are you looking for an already made PowerPoint presentation? Visit our 'Teaching Tools, Templates, and Presentations' webpage. The most recent additions are 'All the Dirt on Wintering Sowing' for both native and edible plants.
If you have a presentation that you would like to share with other MGs, please reach out to us!
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The City Nature Challenge is a collaborative effort involving cities all over the world to identify as many wildlife species as possible in their urban setting over a 4-day period using the iNaturalist platform.
The National Aquarium is the regional coordinator for the City Nature Challenge for the Baltimore Metropolitan Area, and we are inviting you and your organization to partner with the National Aquarium to promote and participate in this exciting challenge.
The 2024 challenge is taking place from Friday, April 26th through Monday, April 29th.
Please see the informational flyer for additional information.
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Year of Heirloom Tomatoes! | |
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2024 is the “Year of Heirloom Tomatoes” for UME’s Grow It Eat It program! Let’s celebrate the incredible diversity of this popular crop, so easy to grow in Maryland, by learning about and trying new cultivars and techniques. We have lots of resources to help out beginners and seasoned gardeners.
The PowerPoint template, social media graphics, and resources can all be found on the "Year of the..." webpage.
Jon Traunfeld will also conduct a train-the-trainer for delivering the PowerPoint presentation. This will be a virtual training on February 28th from 12PM- 1PM. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this webinar, please contact Stephanie Pully on or before February 14 at (410) 531-1754 or pully@umd.edu.
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Statewide Meetings and Continuing Education | |
Winter GIEI Meeting update
Unfortunately, our move to the new building has been delayed, so our March meeting will be virtual only now.
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If you have a presentation for your county/city report, please send it to Kaitlyn at kbaligus@umd.edu. | |
Ask A Master Gardener Plant Clinic | |
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We're trying something new for Ask A MG Plant Clinic training this year. We'll have monthly updates on the first Wednesday of the month (except in July, then it's the 2nd Wednesday) at 12pm from April through October. These will all be conducted virtually.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this webinar, please contact Stephanie Pully at least 2 weeks prior to the webinar at (410) 531-1754 or pully@umd.edu.
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Learn how to use the weeds you would normally throw away!
Tama Wong will talk about gardening in the Anthropocene, a time of change and where the imprint of human activity has reached all corners of the earth. She will make a case for wild gardens, managed for diversity and resilience, but not manicured control. The wild garden becomes a place not only to enjoy, but also to harvest weeds and intentional plantings for cooking, flower arrangements, teas, and celebrations.
This event will be in-person at the Montgomery County Extension Office in Derwood, MD on Saturday March 23rd from 10AM-12PM.
If you need a reasonable accomodation to participate, please contact Steph Pully at pully@umd.edu on or before Friday, March 8, 2024.
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Catch Up on Continuing Education | |
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Did you miss any of our continuing education webinars last year?
Check out the recordings below! You can always see both upcoming continuing education opportunities and recorded webinars on the State MG Continuing Education webpage.
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Working the Night Shift: Pollination After Dark
Join Emily May to learn more about the pollinators that come out to work as others turn in for the evening.
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Local Conferences and Gardening Series | |
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Don't miss the annual GardenWise event sharing research-based based information about sustainable gardening and environmental stewardship. GardenWise is filled with informative sessions for new and experienced gardeners! This event is brought to you be Penn State Extension.
When: March 9, 2024 (8:00 AM-3:00 PM)
Where: Central York Middle School, 1950 N. Hills Rd., York, Pennsylvania 17406
Registration deadline: February 24, 2024 11:59 p.m.
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Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy is hosting their 13th Annual Conference:
- What: WSA’s 13th Annual Conference
- When: Saturday, March 9th from 9:00am - 3:30pm
- Where: Maryland Live! Event Center
- Who: Open to anyone
- Cost: General Admission: $90, Student: $30
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Details and Registration Link: https://aawsa.org/2024-annual-conference
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Get ready for #GivingDayUMD!
On March 6, join together with fellow University of Maryland alumni, faculty and staff, students, and volunteers for an extraordinary day of giving back. On this one-day campaign, please show your support for Extension’s home horticulture services by contributing to the Home and Garden Information Center Fund. All gifts to our fund will also count to help the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources unlock a challenge grant to support student scholarships. Learn more about Giving Day.
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Home and Garden Information Center | |
Web Content
Check out these webpages:
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Video Content
Check out these videos:
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Free the Flare: Maintain Visible Root Flare for Tree Health
By Christa Carignan, Certified Professional Horticulturist & Coordinator, University of Maryland Extension Home and Garden Information Center
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Seed Starting Guide
By Erica Smith, Montgomery County Master Gardener
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Stephanie Pully
UME Master Gardner State Coordinator
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Kaitlyn Baligush
Program Management Specialist
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The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression. | | | | |
