We have Agent Associate / Master Gardener Coordinator positions open in Charles County and Baltimore County. We are also hiring an entomology/IPM Faculty Specialist. Please help us share these positions on your social media pages!

We could not achieve our amazing impacts without volunteers!

Join Madeline Potter to learn of the many valuable lessons from this insect egg hunt and how plant selection impacts sustainable control of insect pests. Her Master’s research was on biological control of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) and included a community science project. The community science project, called Project Stink-be-Gone, recruited 50 Maryland Master Gardeners to collect insect eggs from all around Maryland. The data collected elucidated new information about egg parasitic wasps that help to sustainably control pest stink bugs and other insect pests.

This webinar is being hosted by the Maryland Native Plant Society.

At the workshop you will:

• make a Snowman themed gourd
• Learn how to grow, dry, and clean gourds
• See tools and materials used in gourd crafting

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact Doris Behnke, 410.996.8135, on or before November 4, 2023. 

Thank you to all who attended our seed saving workshop and helped package seeds for next year's state fair! We had close to 300 seed packs by the end of the session. We still have some great continuing education events coming up this year. Please register at the links below.

Kokedama Workshop

Friday, October 13, 2023 | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Baltimore County Extension Office

Kokedama is a ball of soil covered with moss on which an ornamental plant grows. The idea has its origins in Japan where Kokedama are very popular. Kokedama is a style of Japanese bonsai, where a plant's root system is simply wrapped in moss and bound with string, transforming it into a sculptural art form. Loosely translated, ‘koke’ means moss, and ‘dama’ means ball. The original Japanese form of Kokedama had miniature sculptured bonsai trees displayed on handmade pottery or pieces of driftwood.

Young Choe is a kusamono artist who studied traditional art in her native Korea before moving to the United States and earning her BS in horticulture from the University of Maryland. While volunteering at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, she brought her artistic talent together with her knowledge of horticulture to create kusamono. As her interest developed, Young traveled to Japan to study the unique art form with the master kusamono artist, Keiko Yamane, a former student of Saburo Kato. She worked for many years with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) including the U.S. National Arboretum. Young is considered a leader in the field and enjoys conducting workshops and lectures nationally as well as internationally.



If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 on or before September 29, 2023.

For the discounted ticket price, remember to enter the Master Gardener promo code: UME_MG_Koko_Ticket

Pollinators and other native wildlife need your help this autumn! Did you know one of the most valuable actions you can take to support pollinators is by providing them with winter habitats? Join University of Maryland Extension Horticulture Educator Madeline Potter to learn more about sustainable gardening and landscape practices for this season. This research-based webinar will address the growing buzz about leaving your fallen leaves on the ground as well as other landscape practices that can support wildlife through the upcoming winter months. Learn how to teach others about the importance of supporting native moths, butterflies, bees, fireflies, and more this season so we may create flourishing ecosystems for an abundant spring and seasons to come!

If you need a reasonable accommodation for this event, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 before October 16, 2023.

From tidal wetlands to woodlands, this guided experience will increase your knowledge of the native flora and fauna in the park as well as its indigenous cultural significance both past and present. Participants will walk through one of the 6 Piscataway Park trails and discover trees and other plants indigenous to Piscataway Park, learning and using key identification techniques to identify plants significant to the Piscataway People both past and present. This is an outdoor 1.5 hour walk with periodic stops, through mildly uneven terrain, during which participants will cover a distance of less than 2 miles.

Please dress appropriately for the weather, wear closed toe shoes, bring bug repellant/sunscreen or other appropriate measure, bring a refillable water bottle, and pack lightly as we will be walking for a good portion of the tour. Materials such as ID cards, ID sheets and pencils, etc. will be handed out during the hike.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 on or before October 18, 2023.

Tickets are sold out, but you can still join the waitlist.

UME Agents Annette Cormany, Ashley Bachtel-Bodkins, and Sarah Llewellyn will begin our program with an educational session about our native evergreen plants. Following the presentation, we'll channel our new appreciation for these hardy trees and shrubs by creating our own holiday wreaths!

Most supplies will be provided, but please bring your own pair of gloves and hand pruners.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or (410) 531-1754 on or before November 24, 2023.

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.