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April 2023 UME Master Gardener
State Office Announcements
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Happy Spring! We hope you have been taking advantage of the warmer days by being out in the garden.
Our newsletter this month includes opportunities to work with the MG program, Volunteer of the Season, new continuing education events, new HGIC resources, and more!
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Welcome Kaitlyn Baligush, Program Management Specialist | |
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Kaitlyn Baligush is the new Program Management Specialist for the UME Master Gardener Program! She has Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Delaware. She served as the Master Gardener Coordinator for Charles County for two years before joining the state office. Prior to that, she was a recreation assistant for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Patuxent Research Refuge. There, she developed a deeper interest in native plants. Many of her favorites can be found tattooed on her arm!
Kaitlyn enjoys travelling, visiting gardens, lazy days with her cat, Chubbs, and beating her fiancé, Tarik, at board games.
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Work with the UME MG Team! | |
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We have Agent Associate / Master Gardener Coordinator positions open in Allegany County and Baltimore County. Apply today or share with others who may be interested!
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This position supports the financial and operational aspects of both the Home & Garden Information Center as well as the Master Gardener Program. Apply to join our team or share with someone you know who may be interested in working with us! The deadline for applications is April 12th. | |
Spring Volunteer of the Season: Terry Thir from Charles County
Terry was nominated by her coordinator, Kaitlyn Baligush, because she is a champion of the Master Gardener program in Charles county. She wears many hats as a UME Master Gardener in Charles County. She is a volunteer for the program at Melwood Recreation Center, the coordinator for the plant sale, and the co-chair of the demonstration garden committee. She has navigated some tense situations to move important projects forward. She also serves as a member of the MG steering committee.
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Spring AAMG Plant Clinic Training
Tuesday, May 23, 2023 | 9 am - 12:30 pm| Virtual
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Learn the latest updates to be on the lookout for this growing season from our UMD and Extension experts! This training will cover info on plant diseases, problem insects, weeds, problems in the vegetable garden, and wildlife. There will also be a diagnostic demonstration. This training will help you prepare for your upcoming Ask A Master Gardener Plant Clinics!
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully in the State MG Office at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 before May 9, 2023.
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Summer Grow It Eat It Meeting
Wednesday, July 12, 2023 | 10 am - 2 pm| St. Mary's Fairgrounds
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Join your fellow GIEI volunteers for a garden tour, lessons from our GIEI experts, and updates from all the county GIEI programs! The meeting will be hosted by our MG group in St. Mary's County at their Fairgrounds demonstration garden where you can check out some amazing container and vertical garden ideas. Bring a potluck dish for lunch and any produce or seeds you would like to share!
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully in the State MG Office at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 before June 28, 2023.
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Permaculture Workshop
Wednesday, April 21, 2023 | 10 am - 2 pm| $50 | Pearlstone Center
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This hands-on session will introduce permaculture site design as a useful framework for making observations and plans. We'll share helpful tools, examples, and stories in an inclusive and uplifting session of peer-to-peer learning. It includes lunch with fresh local food, some even grown on-site! Come learn with your fellow MGs at the beautiful Pearlstone Retreat Center in Baltimore County!
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully in the State MG Office at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 before April 7, 2023.
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Irrigation Workshop
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 | 10 am - 12 pm| $5 | MD State Fairgrounds
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Learn hands-on how to install drip irrigation in your vegetable garden! Fellow MG and leader of the UME Learning Garden at the Maryland State Fairgrounds Robert Cook will show the ins and outs of installing and maintaining a drip irrigation system in raised beds and in-ground gardens.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully in the State MG Office at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 before May 3, 2023.
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Summer UMD Campus Food Garden Tour
Saturday, June 24, 2023 | 9 am - 12 pm| $5 | University of Maryland, College Park, Community Learning Garden
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Join experts from UMD's Campus Arboretum and Institute of Applied Agriculture for a tour of the food gardens around the UMD College Park campus. Finish the morning out with a hands-on workshop in the Community Learning Garden. Please note that this program will require walking and working outdoors! Registration opens April 21, 2023.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully in the State MG Office at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 before June 10, 2023.
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Maryland Biodiversity Project Blog | |
The Maryland Biodiversity Project is an excellent resource for identifying Maryland flora and fauna, what's native and what's not, plant seasonality and geographic range. You can now read their posts from Facebook and Instagram on their blog. | |
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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Spotted Lanternfly Update Webinar with MDA | |
The UME MG program learned the latest updates about the spotted lanternfly from MDA Entomologist Kenton Sumpter.
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The Home and Garden Information Center has created posters with QR codes which are available for Master Gardeners to use at program and outreach events. Check them out below! | |
Maryland Grows Blog is a wonderful place for new and experienced gardeners to read timely tips on food gardening, soil improvement, troubleshooting plant problems, and supporting pollinators in your landscape. | |
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How to Grow a Healthy Garden
By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County
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Beyond Broccoli Part Three: Pesky Pests
By Erica Smith, Master Gardener, Montgomery County
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Stephanie Pully Kaitlyn Baligush
UME Master Gardener State Coordinator Program Management Specialist
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