April 2023 Master Gardener News

April 2023

SPRING!

Spring brings welcome bursts of colors with an array of bulbs forcing themselves out of the ground. Look, too, for the pussy willows and the magnolias such as this early beauty at Bayard Cutting Arboretum.

Spring is also a great time to see the bones of your garden. What's missing or needs a good trim? Is there an invasive plant that needs a yank? Has last summer’s drought affected once vigorous shrubs?

Consider this an opportunity to incorporate more native plants, trees and shrubs in your garden.

Spring Gardening School

& PLANT SALE

Saturday, April 29 IN PERSON

Suffolk County Farm, Yaphank

Although SGS registration remains open, some sessions are full such as Container Gardens and Seed Starting.

SGS brochure https://online.fliphtml5.com/ifobx/pbsj/

Please scan or copy and send with your registration fee via the US mail.

Sarah Osborn can answer your questions. so348@cornell.edu (631) 727-7850, ext. 207.

PLANT SALE

Three vendors will be represented: Colorful Gardens, Site One and Glover Perennials. In addition to beautiful annuals, we've ordered perennials including native, rain garden, deer resistant and pollinator plants. As the Plant Sale is open to the public, you're welcome to attend. The greatest variety of plant material will be available in the morning. The Plant Sale opens at 8:15 before classes start at 9:30.

VOLUNTEERS

WE NEED 5 more MG volunteers

Thanks to those who answered the call last month! As the number of SGS participants has grown, we need a few more helping hands.

Please send your name to MGs Chris DeSantis "mrtwo1@optonline.net" or Carol Tierney rose2red@gmail.com . Volunteer for the morning, the afternoon or the whole day.

If you sign up as a volunteer before April 8, we can order your Panera lunch. After that date, you may still sign up as a volunteer, but understand the lunch order has already been placed. (Sorry. We have to place the order early at Panera's request.)

Like last year, we'll set up on Friday, April 28. Meet in the Pole Barn starting at 10.

Denise, Claudia and Mary Jo at last year's Spring Gardening School Plant Sale.

Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators

The second meeting of the Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators (SAP) group at the Middle Country Library on March 25 outlined the dozens of new and ongoing efforts to build pollinator pathways throughout Suffolk County. About 100 joined us. The in-person group included 75 participants with another 24 in the remote audience.

We're presently organized into 4 geographic regions: Western Suffolk, Mid Suffolk, the North Fork and the South Fork. The leadership of our Master Gardeners in each region is impressive.

Working with environmental and other gardening groups, we're planning events, developing educational outreach, meeting local government leaders and putting more gardens as well as Suffolk towns on Pollinator Pathways.

Take a look here. https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/ Scroll down to the map.You can add your home garden here. Or look at the tab 'Pollinator Pathways'/ New York and find towns where our demonstration pollinator gardens are located. Master Gardeners are working on featured entries for the towns of Babylon, Medford, Rocky Point, Brentwood and Islip.

Thanks to Master Gardeners making a significant contribution to SAP. These include Alicia Whitaker, Susanne Jansson, Patty Collins, Sally Neumann, Hope Kranidis, Charlie Bevington, Joan DiMonda, Deb Kimmelman, Nancy DePas Reinertsen, Betty Baran, Pat Garry, and Kathy Readinger. A good number of Master Gardeners in training have also joined the SAP effort. The interaction among existing Master Gardeners and the ‘newbies’ has been a treat to observe.

Want to learn more about this effort? Add add your name to the SAP mailing list linked here https://forms.gle/BsnU8PK8ruFd3Qsu8

Master Gardener

Badges

How to replace your misplaced or lost Master Gardener badge? We purchase badges once a year for the current Master Gardener class. Now is when we're ordering for the 2023 class.

This is your moment to send a note to Sarah Osborn about a badge replacement. Repeat. Please order ASAP as we won't be ordering again until next year. There's a $5 fee for the badge for pick up in Riverhead. If you wish it mailed to you, that's an additional $5 for shipping as we're required to mail in a padded envelope. Please contact Sarah Osborn so348@cornell.edu or 631 727-7850, ext 207.

BARN RAISIN'

Come ONE DAY to volunteer at a site in need of your help. Bring tools and gloves.

Thursday, April 13

Northport VA Medical Center

10:00 AM 79 Middleville Road, Northport

Contact MG Michael Gornicki at mgornicki@optimum.net for directions as the Northport VA is a large campus.

Continuing Education

The Cornell Cooperative Extension April library programs offer a variety of choices. Some are in person workshops. Others are live-streaming Zoom programs. The library programs provide excellent educational outreach to communities across Suffolk County. Patrons from other libraries are often welcome to join a program at another library.

See the CCE Events calendar here. https://ccesuffolk.org/gardening

COASTAL GARDENING

I imagined that I would be rolling out the details of the Coastal Gardening course this month. You may recall this as a 5 week ‘good gardening near the sea’ program to be piloted in Suffolk followed by CCE Nassau and Westchester County.

Although there’s every indication that this project will be funded, the actual award of the contract has not arrived. We’re keeping fingers crossed that this will soon come our way.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: EARTH DAY

RIDGE COMMUNITY PARK

The first Earth Day celebration to be held at Ridge Community Park on Saturday, April 22.

Activities include: Litter cleanup challenge, growing our own gardens, avoiding chemicals in lawns.

Contact Cynthia Eaton: <cynthiaeaton@gmail.com>

ISLAND QUEST DAY CAMP

offers a special needs program where kids participate in camp with over 700 children in the summer.

On Sunday, April 23rd, Island Quest is getting ready for the summer with new planters and gardening/planting event.activities.

Contact Michael Donnelly

Michael@IslandQuestDayCamp.org.

Congratulations to Master Gardener Cynthia Ackerman who was recognized for her many contributions to food security by growing fresh produce for her community food pantry at the Suffolk Y JCC. Kudos!

Master Gardeners

Class of 2023

MGs in training during the Plant ID session as well as during Barn Raisin' in the Children's Garden and Herb Garden at Suffolk County Farm. Alice Raimondo has been very busy preparing the Class of 2023 soil samples for testing.

Tell a Master Gardener not receiving this newsletter that it's posted on our MG webpage:

Click here:

http://ccesuffolk.org/gardening/master-gardener-volunteers

If you have photos, events and news to share in the newsletter, please email me at rz378@cornell.edu

Happy Gardening!

Roxanne Zimmer

423 Griffing Avenue, Suite 100, Riverhead, NY 11901-3071

631-727-7850

Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Cornell Cooperative Extension is funded in part by Suffolk County through the office of the County Executive, and the County Legislature.