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Master Gardener

News May 2016

2015 Officers:

Lila Waldman, President

Carol Ziehmke, V.P.

Kelly Tomko, Secretary

Barb Rothwell, Treasurer

Lori Nadolski, Reporter

In This Newsletter

MGV Next Events 1 From the President 3 MGV Plant Sale 4 CC Fair Booth Sign-Up 5 MGV Field Trip to Madison 6 Garlic Mustard 7 Brady Holbach Thank You 7 Emerald Ash Borer 8 Portage Daily Register 9 MGV Meeting Minutes 4/26 10-11 LGGG Pictures 12-14 For the Garden of Your Daily Living 15

Columbia County MGV Next Events

MGV Plant Sale Saturday, May 14th 8:00 am -12:00 pm Tractor Supply in Portage (more info: page 5)

4-H Planters for Columbia County Fair

Tuesday, May 17th Link’s Greenhouse

in Portage

A

planter

from

2015

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Page 2

Date Event Program & Chairperson May 14 Plant Sale—Tractor Supply (Leah Stark) 8:00 am—Noon May 15 Sign up for MGV Madison Lila Waldman Bus Tour opens to others May 17 4-H Planters for fair At Link’s Greenhouse (Leah Stark) June 28 Bus Tour—Depart Market (Becky Gutzman, Carol Square 8:00 am; Ziehmke, Lila Waldman, Return about 5:30 pm Linda Haddix) July 26 Columbia County Fair (Jean, Bill, Lila, Setup Ardyce, Leah) July 27-31 Columbia County Fair Portage Fairgrounds Aug 23 Arlington Ag Research (Jeff Breuer and Station Kelly Tomko) Sept 15-17 Upper Midwest MGV In WI Dells Conference (combined With WIMGA Conference Sept 27 Root’s Chocolates (Jane Considine) Wisconsin Dells Oct 25 Wreaths with Paul Bergum (Kelly Tomko) Nov 22 Pot Luck and Member (Becky Gutzman) Activity Dec No meeting

Page 3

Lila Waldman, President

Spring is here. We’ve had fresh asparagus and I’ve made rhubarb crisp. Our tomato, pepper, and marigold plants are looking good, waiting to be planted. Potatoes, lettuce, arugula, and spinach seeds are already in the ground. I’m enjoying the pretty tulips and daffodils outside my office window as I write this. Master Gardeners worked at the Portage library and museum on Earth Day, April 22nd, along with about 60 volunteers throughout the city. After our April 26th business meeting, Liz Meils, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protect, Plant Industry Bureau, gave an interesting presentation on how nurseries and greenhouses are inspected in the state. Our May “meeting” will be the annual plant sale on May 14th and assisting 4-Hers with container planting at Link’s greenhouse on May 17th. Your help is needed at both events; contact Leah Stark to volunteer. The June “meeting” will be a gardening field trip to Madison on June 28th. We will leave Portage’s Market Square at 8:00 a.m. and return at about 5:30 p.m. In the morning we will tour and shop at The Flower Factory, then continue to the UW Research station for a tour and lunch. In the afternoon we will visit the gardens at Epic Systems. The cost is $20 for Columbia County Master Gardeners and $35 for non-members, lunch included. CCMGVs must submit payment for themselves and their guests by May 15th. Make checks payable to Columbia County Master Gardeners and submit to either George or Lila. After May 15th, this opportunity will be offered to other gardeners and associations.

The Columbia County Fair will be July 27th-31st. Volunteers are needed to help set up and staff the booth in the Bidwell Building. Contact George or Lila to sign up. See sign-up list on next page for dates and times still needed. The fair planning committee will be determining the booth theme this month.

Page 4

The Report

Columbia County Master Gardener Volunteers 2016 Columbia County Fair Booth Sign-up

Tuesday, July 26 6:30 pm Booth set up in the flower building and in the Bidwell Building. Select MGV Youth Awards. All members are invited to help set up and to help select the awards. This is instead of our monthly meeting time! 1. Leah Stark 3. 2. Lila Waldman 4. Wed, July 27 1:00 pm MGV Open Class Choice Award Selection 1. Jean Damm 3. 2. 4. 1-2 members are needed to staff the booth in the Bidwell Building during open hours 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. We will be selling garden items, sharing information, and answering questions. Wed, July 27 5-7 PM 1. Rose Leckwee 2. Lyn Bryant 7-10 PM 1. 2. Thur, July 28 10 AM – 1 PM 1. 2. 1-4 PM 1. Marie Rohrbacher 2. 4-7 PM 1. Jane Considine 2. Sue Bradley 7-10 PM 1. 2. Fri, July 29 10 AM – 1 PM 1. Marie Rohrbacher 2. 1-4 PM 1. Bill Damm 2. Jean Damm 4-7 PM 1. Tracy Schilder 2. Linda Haddix 7-10 PM 1. Robert Thompson 2. Sat, July 30 10 AM – 1 PM 1. 2. 1-4 PM 1. Sherryl Stolte 2. 4-7 PM 1. 2. 7-10 PM 1. 2. Sun, July 31 10 AM – 1 PM 1. 2. 1-4 PM 1. 2. 4:00 PM Assist 1-4 PM shift with tear down and pack up display 1. Jean Damm 2.

FYI – MGV cash box can be picked up and dropped off at the fair office each day.

Page 5

MGV Plant Sale Saturday, May 14

8:00 am -12:00 pm Tractor Supply in Portage

We need your HELP, and we NEED PLANTS!

If you have any plants that you are looking to divide or get rid of, we would gladly take them for our sale. Annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, veggies...whatever you have! Tractor Supply Company is allowing us to bring our items the Friday night before (4:00-6:00), so if you can't make it to the sale but still have plants to donate, please bring them on Friday. If you don't have time to pot your plants, please put them in a bag or box with the correct name and/or description. Sun, shade, etc. We also need more volunteers. Right now 8 people have signed up to work on Saturday, but we could always use a few more, even if it is for just a few hours. Please let me know if you are able to help out.

Thanks, Leah Stark leahlynn3@yahoo.com, 608-346-4442 after 3:30 or leave a message

A note from Carol Ziehmke:

I have flats of plants at my house that Jean Damm and Donna McElroy purchased at the Amish Tri-County Auction for our sale on Saturday.

Plants purchased are tomatoes, peppers, impatiens, alyssum, dianthus, marigolds and spikes. I need help transporting the plants to the sale. I live in Pardeeville by Chandler Park. If you can help just give me a call

429-2676 or email me at carol@ziehmke.com. I will be able to work at the sale early to help set up

and later in the morning to clean up.

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Page 7

Garlic Mustard

Have you seen this invasive weed on your property? If so, pull, pull, pull!!! Refer to the A3924-07 “Garlic Mustard” factsheet for help in identifying and controlling this weed. http://learningstore.uwex.edu/Assets/pdfs/A3924-07.pdf. One of the real challenges is that the seeds can lie in the ground and be viable for about seven years, so you have to be more persistent than the weed itself. It is most effective to pull or cut the stem from the root prior to flowering, but be assured it is already beginning to flower in our area.

Brady Holbach

Page 8

Emerald Ash Borer

Now is the best time to protect your ash trees from Emerald Ash Borer. Trees are waking up and taking in large amounts of water and nutrients, which will help them to move the protective chemicals up into the tree canopy. We have had confirmed sightings in Harmony Grove, near Lodi; in the city of Portage; and west of Portage in the Lewiston Township. Therefore the insects are here and they will be visiting an ash tree near you (if they are not already there). To find a Certified Arborist to do tree injections or to treat your trees, check out the Wisconsin Certified Arborist Association website for a list of certified professionals. You may treat your own trees by purchasing the correct active ingredients to control EAB, and then follow the directions on the label. Here is a link to the UW-Extension Document XHT1181 “Homeowner Guide to Emerald Ash Borer Insecticide Treatments”. https://pddc.wisc.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/Fact_Sheets/FC_PDF/Homeowner_Guide_to_EAB_Insecticide_Treatments.pdf. Another helpful document is XHT1215 “Is My Ash Tree Worth Treating for Emerald Ash Borer?” https://pddc.wisc.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/Fact_Sheets/FC_PDF/Is_My_Ash_Tree_Worth_Treating_for_Emerald_Ash_Borer.pdf

Signs of an emerald ash borer infestation: Sparse leaves or branches in upper part of tree Vertical splits in the bark Winding S-shaped tunnels under the bark, often visible within

vertical bark splits D-shaped exit holes about 1/8 inch wide New sprouts on the lower trunk or lower branches Increased woodpecker activity Leaf feeding damage Adult EAB on leaf

Page 9

Portage Daily Register CC MGV Schedule

Due Date Publish Author Topic 5-16 5-21 Barb Rothwell Container Gardening 5-30 6-4 Jan Housley Herbs for our diets 6-13 6-18 Sue Bradley ?? 6-27 7-2 Sherryl Stolte First Detector Network 7-11 7-16 Jan Housley Monarch Butterfly 7-25 7-30 8-8 8-13 8-22 8-27 9-5 9-10 9-19 9-24 10-3 10-8 10-17 10-22 10-31 11-5 11-14 11-19 11-28 12-3 12-12 12-17 12-26 12-31

Here are some possible topics to choose yet:

Training and pruning Apple (Fruit) Trees

Indoor houseplant care in winter Soil fertility Choosing a growing media Feeding vegetables and flowers Proper watering IPM and pesticide use Fertilizing your lawn Pruning lilacs and summer flowering

shrubs Mowing your lawn Watering your lawn Waging war with moles Household composting Using worms to compost –

vermiculture Caring for a strawberry bed

Growing raspberries EAB – protecting your ash trees Growing blueberries Growing Aronia berries CSA’s Amish Vegetable Auction in Dalton Crabgrass Control Lawn weed Control – Dandelion Container Gardening Growing Hops Cleaning up planting beds House Plants County Fair-flower and vegetable

building Benefits of Spiders Tomatoes – early blight, late blight,

verticillium wilt Growing Greens

Where does your

article fit in?

You have several

months to write it.

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COLUMBIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEERS Minutes April 26, 2016

The meeting was called to order at 6:32p by President Lila Waldman.

Secretary’s Report: Minutes of the previous meeting were approved as published in the newsletter.

Treasurer’s Report: Printed report was distributed. The report will be filed for audit. The current balance on hand is $5,591.82

Reports: 2016 Midwest Conference Becky reported on the 2016 Midwest MGV Conference on September 14-16 at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells. The website is: midwestmgconference.wordpress.com. Registration will soon be at Bright Link. Volunteers from our group will be needed at the conference.

LGGG Ardyce said over all the day went very well. There were 200+ in attendance despite wintery weather. The evaluation forms have been compiled (attached).

Newspaper Articles A signup sheet was passed for volunteers to write an article for the Portage Daily Register.

Cobra Head Tools Order The deadline to order tools is April 27th. See George to place your order. The short handled tool is $13.75 + shipping; the long handled tool is $33.00 + shipping.

Scholarship The scholarship committee selected two area students to receive our awards this year. Lila will present the award to Anthony Reitmeyer at the Poynette High School awards ceremony. Becky and Sandi will present the second award to Bradley Halbach at the Portage High School ceremony.

Tomato Trials Leah has started seeds of 6 varieties of tomatoes. She will put the information on the list serve when the plants are available.

Member Survey Results of the online survey are attached.

Volunteering The Senior Center in Poynette would like MGV to do a program on gardening. Topic of your choice. See George if interested and he will give you the center contact person.

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6:30 PM New Business

Plant Sale Our annual plant sale is May 14th at Tractor Supply in Portage from 7a-noon. This is our main fund raiser each year. Volunteers are needed; please sign up on sheet being passed. Plants can be brought to Tractor Supply on the Friday afternoon, 4-6pm, prior to the sale. Donna will go to the Amish Sale this week Friday and would like help at the sale and taking care of the plants up until our sale day.

4-H Fair Planters Volunteers are needed to work with 4-H groups at Link’s Greenhouse on May 17 at 6p. The youth make planters that are entered in judging at the Columbia County Fair and used as displays throughout the fair grounds.

Bus Trip Tuesday, June 28th our club will travel by bus to The Flower Factory, West Side Research Station and Epic in Madison. Bus will leave from Market Square at 8am and return by 5:30p. Cost for MGV is $20 if paid by May 15th, $35 for others and MGV if paid after May 15th. Lunch will be served at the Research Station (Subway sandwiches). Be prepared for extensive walking at Epic. Reservations go to Lila Waldman, checks should be made out to Columbia County Master Gardeners.

MGV Class A new class for Master Gardener Volunteers will start on May 9th. George said there are currently 10 people registered and he expects a few more.

Portage Community Gardens There are a several plots still available; rent is $10 or $20 per season depending on the plot size. MGV are encouraged to meet at the gardens on the third Thursday each month from 6:30-7:30pm to answer questions and help other gardeners. If you are in need of a project this is a good service to the community.

Columbia County Fair “On With the Show” is the theme for this year’s fair on July 26- July 31. The club will have a booth in the Bidwell Building. Volunteers will be needed to staff the booth and help with judging in the Flower building. Planning committee is Lila, Leah and Jean.

Being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7p on motion by Ardyce.

Liz Meils from Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection was our speaker. Liz heads the staff of greenhouse, nursery and tree farm inspectors who works with wholesale and retail vendors doing $250 + in trade annually. The inspectors watch for diseased plants that must be removed and destroyed, as well as incorrect/misleading labeling of plantings.

Respectfully Submitted, Jean Damm

Page 12

8th Annual

Let’s Get

Green

and

Growing!

Page 13

Let’s Get

Green

and

Growing!

Page 14

Let’s Get

Green

and

Growing

Thank you to everyone

who helped with this

very successful event!

We are already

planning for next year.

Page 15

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING, PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:

1. Peas of mind 2. Peas of heart 3. Peas of soul

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH: 1. Squash gossip 2. Squash indifference 3. Squash grumbling 4. Squash selfishness

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:

1. Lettuce be faithful 2. Lettuce be kind 3. Lettuce be patient 4. Lettuce really love one another

NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:

1. Turnip for meetings 2. Turnip for service 3. Turnip to help one another

TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:

1. Thyme for each other 2. Thyme for family 3. Thyme for friends

WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE.

THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.

Page 16

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