Ask-A-Master-Gardener (Plant Clinic)

Ask-A-Master-Gardener (Plant Clinic)

Chairperson: Greg Jones……….410-796-2577……….

Introduction

Ask a Master Gardener is a program where Master Gardener volunteers in conjunction with the University of Maryland Extension provide information to home gardeners at the county libraries.

At the Ask a Master Gardener library clinics, Master Gardeners look at samples of ailing plants to make diagnosis, give recommendations, answer questions, and provide printed information on a variety of gardening subjects.

Locations

Columbia Central Branch Library
10375 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia
Coordinator: Alicia Wilmes,
2nd and 4th Sat of the month from 10:30 to 12:30
Miller Branch Library
9421 Frederick Road, Ellicott City
Coordinator: Barb White,
Saturdays: 10:30 to 12:30
Mondays: 7-8:30
Glenwood Branch Library
2350 Route 97, Cooksville
Coordinator: Clare Openshaw,
3rd Sat of the month from 10:30 to 12:30

How it works

2 people usually volunteer at a site for each scheduled date.
Interns are always paired with an experienced Master Gardener
The set-up is a table usually near the entrance of the library.
There will be a sign or banner designation “Ask a Master Gardener” plus a box of resource materials.
Volunteers fill out sign-in sheets.
Volunteers meet nice people, answer questions, handout brochures and have fun.

Backyard Composting

Co-Chair: Darcy Bellido de Luna ….410-868-3461 ………………

Co-Chair: Janine Grossman ….……410-750-9659 ………………

Program Overview

MGs provide how-to tips and advice about backyard composting from April to October
at four demonstration sites in the County: Alpha Ridge Landfill, Centennial Park,
Miller Branch library garden and Robinson Nature Center.
We distribute free compost bins to Howard County residents in partnership
with the Bureau of Environmental Services Department of Public Works.
During 2015, MGs distributed 221 bins to Howard County residents.
We coordinate compost presentations during special events at the
Howard County Conservancy, Whipps Garden Cemetery Plant Sale and GreenFest.
MG volunteers help elementary students learn about composting and vermicomposting
at Our Environment in Our Hands.
MGs answer questions about composting and other soil/gardening issues.

Compost Demonstration Sites

Alpha RidgeLandfill
Saturdays from April - October
Contact Jerry Fitzpatrick
410-461-6099. E-mail: / Centennial Park
Saturdays from April - October
Contact Michelle Bryden
E-mail:
Miller Branch library garden
Saturdays and Mondays from April - September
Contact Darcy Bellido deLuna
E-mail: / Robinson Nature Center
Saturdays and Sundays from April - November
Contact Richard Freas:

Alpha Ridge Conservation/Rain Garden

Co-Chair: L J "Mauceri ………. 410-442 -8201 ……….
Co-Chair: Linda Olson ………..410 404-4187 ………

Program Overview

Alpha Ridge Landfill in Marriottsville has a rain garden that serves as a community teaching garden. The Howard County Master Gardens do the maintenance of the garden. We do gardening chores to open the garden in May and close it in September. On the third Saturday of each month the Master Gardener are available at the garden to teach about conservation rain gardens and the availability of rain water and compost.

Volunteer Opportunities:

The 3rd Saturday of each month (May21, June18, July 16, Aug 20, Sept 17, October 15) from 9:00 to 12:00, volunteer to work with other Master Gardeners in teaching the public about
rain gardens: the plants, the site, the connection with water channeling, etc.
the advantages of composting and demonstrating the techniques.
On Thursday starting April 21 and ending about Sept 29, volunteer to help maintain the garden by weeding, planting, trimming, watering, etc. Bring your own tools and equipment. Water and snacks will be provided. Come prepared for the weather. You will really enjoy the sharing moments andthe fellowship with other MGs.

Always Check first with one of the co-chairs before arriving on site, if it's raining.

Bay Wise

Chair: Linda Decker………………………..443-756-6471…………………

Program Overview

The goal of the Bay-Wise Committee is to educate residents that simple choices people make in their landscapes and homes can directly affect the health of Chesapeake Bay. Meetings are held at UME on the first Monday of each month. Volunteer opportunities on this committee are quite varied. All one needs is a passion for the environment.

Activities of the committee include the following:

Act as consultants for community leaders seeking help with implementing Bay-Wise principles and designing Bay-Wise landscapes.
Providegardening advice to local residentsthroughsite visits.
Certify local properties as Bay-Wise, through site visits.
Organize an annualgarden tour to raise awareness of Bay-Wise principles.
Create displaysat Howard County Libraries on topics pertaining to Bay-Wise principles.
At fairs and other venues, provide a Bay-Wise display and talk to people about Bay-Wise principles.
Give presentations explaining Bay-Wise principles.
Organize and sponsor a native plant sale at Howard County Greenfest.
Maintain demonstration garden at Alpha Ridge
Assist in distributing rain barrels to Howard County residents

Conservation Stewardship

Chair: Aylene Gard……………………410-992-9889………………

Program Overview

The Conservation Stewardship Project is a partnership between the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks and the Howard County Master Gardeners that raises awareness of invasive plant species and the need to control them before they crowd out the native species that wildlife depends on.

Our focus is on:

restoring wildlife habitat in the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area by removing invasive plant species and planting native shrubs and trees,
educating the public about the major, local invasive species and their control, via a power point presentation presented before the first event,
advisingindividuals about invasive plants on their property, and
providing an opportunity to visit the beautiful 1012-acre stream valley and to enjoy its natural diversity

We meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month between 9:00 – 11:30 am from March to June and again from September to November. Tools and training are provided. Volunteers should dress for the weather and bring water. All hands are welcome, especially members of the public who want to know about invasive species in the county. We do cancel if it is raining more than a sprinkle.

Guest speakers often provide an educational component that has included deer and tick control, wildflower ID and butterfly tagging. Flyers announcing upcoming programs will appear in the Looseleaf and the calendar.

Grow It, Eat IT

Co-Chair: Jerry Kissel…..…....…410-461-9578……………….

Co-Chair: Kent Phillips …………301-490-5963…….…………

Program Overview

The Grow It Eat It (GIEI) campaign is the University of Maryland Extension’s response to the demand for information and assistance with starting and maintaining successful food gardens. It is a joint venture between the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) and the Master Gardeners (MGs) of Maryland.

The GIEI team of MGs teaches classes which emphasizes sustainable gardening techniques using organic principles. Topics taught range from starting a vegetable garden, container vegetable gardening, holistic (organic) pest control, drip irrigation, starting seeds and growing transplants under lights and extending the vegetable gardening season (spring and fall vegetable gardening). Volunteer opportunities include:

Providing presentations to both adult and youth clients on various food gardening topics;
Promoting the GIEI campaign at various public events;
Creating new presentations dealing with different sustainable food gardening subjects;
Maintaining a demonstration vegetable garden at the Howard County Conservancy at the Mt. Pleasant Farm in Woodstock, MD;
Providing guidance and mentoring for Howard County citizen gardeners as opportunitiespresent themselves;
Developing new relationships and new venues to present the campaign to county residents;
Providing advice on sustainable gardening techniques for growing fruits and vegetables at the four community gardens located around Howard County through an “Ask a Master Vegetable Gardener” activity.

Howard County Conservancy at Mt. Pleasant

Co-Chair: Jo Ann Russo………..410-549-8403…………

Co-Chair: Monica May..…..…….410-992-0311…………

Program Overview

The Conservancy is an environmental education center which has a wide variety of opportunities that impact approximately 7000 children and several thousand adults each year. The largest number of Master Gardener volunteers are needed to support the spring school programs from mid-April through mid-May, but activities continue throughout the year. For formal programs MGs are asked to come one half hour early for specific instruction and task assignment.

Activities which Master Gardeners participate:

Historical Demonstration Vegetable Garden:Workdays every Friday throughout the growing season, generally from 9-11 am. This garden is available to school and camp groups and for viewing by the public with explanatory signage. Compost demonstrations and demonstrations of drip irrigation system are also conducted during the summer and fall.

Children's Garden:Managed by Master Gardener Nancy Perkins. This garden is available for school and camp groups for environmental activities.

Partnering with Howard County Schools:

Elementary Program: One of a series of stations teaching students about the interactions between people, plants and animals Our station will show small groups of students the importance of native plants to pollinators and their role in the environment.

Middle School Service Learning:

Master gardeners will supervise groups of 8-10 students teaching them about the invasive plants they are removing and why this is important for the environment. There will be an adult from the school with each group. Tools are provided by the Conservancy.

2016 schedule:

April 4th & 5rd - Patapsco Middle Elementary
April 21th & 22rd - Burleigh Manor Middle Elementary
May 9th & 10th - Tomas Viaduct Middle School

April23 – Earth Day –from 8am until 1pm:Activities may include compost demonstration, invasive removal, tree planting, work in the vegetable, children's, native plant or rain gardens.We will have a sale of spring vegetable and native plants. In addition to manning the plant sale, tasks include supervising children and adults in activities or manning a Bay-Wise, Native plant or other instructional display. Generally about 200 members of the community attend this event – including boy and girl scouts, community college and adult or family groups. Tools are available at the Conservancy, but you may wish to bring your own hand tools. If you bring your own tools, please have them clearly marked with your name. MGs may volunteer for any portion or all of this time.

Fall Festival – Saturday, Oct. 1st – 11:00- 3:00. Come enjoy Blue grass music, watch blacksmiths at work, animals at play and enjoy nature walks and tours of the property. We will have a plant sale of fall vegetables and native plants – another volunteer opportunity for Master Gardeners. Bring your family and a picnic lunch and enjoy the day.

Patapsco Female Institute

Point of Contact: Kiri Houpt…..……410-313-0423..………

Program Overview

Perched at Ellicott City’s highest point, the Patapsco Female Institute offered a revolutionary curriculum to young women from 1837-1891. The school earned a national reputation for its inclusion of botany, chemistry, languages, literature, math, and music in an effort to mold elegant young ladies into engaged, active citizens.

The property, now a stabilized ruins and historic park, is owned and operated by the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. It is host to open-air theater, field trips, summer day camps, and weddings. Much has been done in the past year to restore the property, and this summer we would like to make strides in reviving and restoring neglected garden beds.

Volunteer opportunites:

Participate in our PFI Spruce-Up day on Wednesday, April 20th at 10 am. This event will include clearing debris, weeding, mulching, and planting three small beds of native plants.
Commit to helping us maintain these newly planted beds throughout our April – October season. Volunteers will be expected to visit the site weekly (or so) to weed/water the beds and keep them tidy (2-3 volunteers needed).
Leadership opportunity for anyone interested in designing and conducting an educational program for the public about Heritage plants and 19th century landscaping trends.

Address: 3655 Church Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043

Patuxent Research Refuge, School Yard Habitat

Chairperson: Ann Coren……….410-290-7834……….

Program Overview

The Patuxent Research Refuge’s School Yard Habitat (PRR SYH) is located outside the National Wildlife Visitor Center in Laurel Maryland. It is a Conservation Landscape site which, in miniature, attempts to recreate each of Maryland’s major habitats; meadow, prairie, forest, wetland. It’s goal is to educate the public about Conservation Landscaping and to encourage people to transition lawns to wildlife habitat. The garden is free and open to the public. It attracts families out for nature walks, and photographers. School groups use it for environmental education activities, and church groups and scout troops for their volunteer service hours. Due to funding restrictions the garden had fallen into disrepair. So far we have restored part of the pollinator meadow. Since it is Federal, part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, we are very selective in assuring that all new plants are native to the site assuring that all new plants are as close to the native ecotype for the site as possible so as to avoid overcomingthe genetics of any native plant population that may have survived 200 years of human impact. Master Gardener volunteers at this stage are a welcome part of the design phase. You’re welcome to share our passion for native plants and to teach the public about the benefits of gardening for biodiversity.

We will be setting up dates for regular meetings and work days shortly. Much of the planning happens via email and garden maintenance according to each volunteer’s availability.

All new volunteers will need to complete the one-day PRR volunteer orientation at the Refuge. The next scheduled PRR New Volunteer Orientation will be in April 2016.

We gather to celebrate successes with ‘garden parties’.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Garden maintenance tasks: such as weeding, clearing paths, planting,…
Garden planning tasks: such as researching appropriate native plants to restore each unique habitat within the site, working with growers to source the plants, and planning the landscape design.
Identify plants in the garden as native or invasive.
Hike the larger Refuge identifying sources of seeds and plants for the SYH gardens.
Participate in educational activities such as: tabling during the Wildlife Festival; leading activities in the garden for school groups, church groups and/or scouts; teaching workshops on gardening with native plants, attracting pollinators, …
Raise funds to buy plants and supplies: including writing and managing grants. In 2014 the ‘Day of Remembrance, Day to Serve Grant’ from the MD Governor’s office funded the plantingof a new section of the pollinator garden, along with attracting many new volunteers.
Create educational literature: for instance a brochure for the public explaining pollinator plant interactions in the SYH; pictorial literature for new gardener volunteers to distinguish between native plants and weeds….
Supervise and/or train non-gardener volunteers.
Photograph the changes in the garden, seasonal, plant, pollinator…
Collect data on plant survival, plant/pollinator interactions, etc.
Create a composting area.

Whipps Cemetery

Chairperson: Aleta Gravelle……….410-465-2398……….

Program Overview

Whipps Cemetery was established in 1855. Restoration of the over-grown and vandalized cemetery began in 1987. It is a one acre garden/park at 3651 St. John's Lane, just south of the Frederick Road and St. John's Lane intersection. Howard County Master Gardeners maintain the property. The site offers these work opportunities: a butterfly garden, a rose garden, many native plants throughout to nurture, prune, new native plantings to establish, pathways to keep trimmed and mulched, and a permanent composting site to maintain. It has become an educational venue for Master Gardeners to offer the community horticultural presentations and demonstrations.

Whipps organizes two annual fund-raising events: The Whipps Plant Sale (May 13 and 14)and Daffodil Days (April 9). Daffodil Day will include the sale of daffodils and other Spring-blooming plants, entertainment, raffle and MG presentations. The Plant Sale will include a variety of native perennials, and many hard to find plants. Many plants have been grown and maintained by the Master Gardeners as well as local garden nurseries. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Whipps Cemetery, a non-profit organization. Master Gardeners will be on hand to help answer your plant and gardening questions.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Coordinator for organizing periodic presentations at Whipps Theater..
Help with planting and maintaining the grounds –Thursdays from 9-12 in good weather, March through mid-November,
Help at the Daffodil Day Celebration on Saturday, April 9 and the Whipps Plant Sale Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14 by helping Master Gardener presenters, greeter visitors and telling them about Whipps and its mission, selling plants, answering questions about plants and talking about the Master Gardener Program.
Donation plants you may be dividing to be included in the annual plant sale. More details to come.
Chair or co-chair the maintenance of a specific garden area, such as rose garden, herb garden and butterfly garden.

Oella – Ellicott City Entry garden

Chairperson: Paul Farragut ………

Program Overview

Maintain and enhance the primarily native plant garden overlooking the Patapsco River and historic Ellicott City at the entrance to Oella. Along the river bank, adjacent to the Frederick Road bridge entering Ellicott City from Baltimore County, is a community garden staffed by Master Gardeners, Patapsco Heritage Greenway members, and community members. Planted in 2010,the attractive waterfront garden was funded with proceeds from the 2008 Maryland Home and Garden Pilgrimage tour of Oella, and designed by landscape architect John Slater.The rock cairn sculpture at the center wasdedicated to Teddy Betts, an artist, educator and tireless volunteer who dedicated his life to improving the riverine environment of the Patapsco River.