Tag Archives: master gardener

Short and sweet

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I’m shooting out this time-sensitive information on items that may be of interest.

Open Garden and Hosta Sale

Glenda’s Gardens is having an Open Garden and Hosta sale. Glenda and her husband Gene Woggaman are members of the Miami Valley Hosta Society and their lovely home is a paradise to behold.

glenda

Hosta Society Bus Trip

The Miami Valley Hosta Society’s annual bus trip is coming up Saturday, June 22 through Sunday, June 23 and features touring gardens in the Kalamazoo & Grand Rapids, Michigan area. The bus will depart from Miller Lane (North Dayton area) 7 am Saturday and tour four private gardens with a shopping stop at ROMENCE GARDEN CENTER in Portage, Michigan. Sunday’s highlights include touring three private gardens and visit the FREDERICK MEIJER GARDENS AND SCULPTURE PARK (admission and tram ride included) in Grand Rapids, Mich. Afternoon shopping stop at ARROWHEAD ALPINES (Rare Plants for Obsessive Gardeners), Fowlerville, Michigan.

MEMBER COST: $150 double occupancy, $200 single occupancy. NON-MEMBER COST: $175 double occupancy, $225 single occupancy. REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 6, 2013. Click REGISTRATION BROCHURE for more info.

Greene County Master Gardeners 

“Garden Secrets Made Easy”, sponsored by the Greene County Master Gardeners, will be held June 6 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at the Xenia Church of the Nazarene (1204 W. Second St., Xenia OH 45385). Speakers will include: Pam Bennett, “Top Performing, Low Maintenance Annuals”; Dr. Laura Deeter, “Garden Design and Garden Maintenance” and Susan Liechty “Not Your Grandma’s Herb Garden.  Advance registration is $40 ($35 for Master Gardeners) and includes lunch. A full registration brochure can be found HERE.

Porterbrook’s Final Native Plant Sale

Sadly I report that the PORTERBROOK NATIVE PLANTS  will be closing in 2013. Their 13th and final Open House will be held May 26 through June 9 located in southeast Ohio in Racine, Ohio (Meigs County). Racine is about a 3 hour scenic drive from the south Dayton area. Dr. Porter has been a convention speaker and vendor for The Ohio Association of Garden Clubs and has been ethically collecting seed from native plants in Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia to propagate at the nursery since 1995. All of the plants are organically grown. There will be a wide selection of native grasses and sedges, as well as a limited supply of our American chestnut tree.

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Some things to crow about

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Hear ye, hear ye: Plant sales abound!

Hey bidder, bidder, bidder

The Miami Valley Hosta Society Plant Auction will be Tuesday, May 8. Preview starts at 6 pm, bidding starts at 6:30 pm. Polen Farm (5099 Bigger Rd., Kettering OH 45440). Open to the public. The Auction features more than plants. There will be garden art, books, tools and gardening paraphernalia too. Rare & unusual hostas, other hearty plant specimens. Contact  Gary Althaus at gjalt@aol.com or 937-833-3271 for more info.

I was thinking. I know that is a scary thought but check it out. If you are a quilter, perhaps you’ve heard of a Quilt Shop Hop; a day of shopping at various quilt or fabric shops. What if we did something like this with area Garden Centers or Greenhouses? I was thinking of just doing one to three stops in a day; you are going to need room in the car for plants! Leave me your thoughts or shop hop suggestions in the Comments section below.

Sales alerts (Remember to check the “Events” tab for more)

Greene County Master Gardener Plant Sale: Saturday, May 5, 9 am to 1 pm. Greene County Extension Office, 1000 Fairgrounds Rd., Xenia OH 45385)

Meadow View Growers:  Marigolds are on sale, Friday, May 4th thru Sunday, May 6th. Marigold flats will be buy 1 flat get 1 flat half off.

Spring Valley Gardens: Wave petunia sale. Some colors are $2.29 a 3.5″ pot. Zonal geraniums in 4″ pots are $3.99 through May 9. (1395 U.S. 42 S, Xenia OH 45385. 937-372-3943

Siebenthaler’s: 6-pack Wave petunias are 25% off through May 6.

Grandma’s Gardens: 25% off Roses, Tropicals, Flowering Shrubs and Pottery. Flowering hanging baskets are $5 off through May 13.

Knollwood Garden Center: Geraniums are on sale through May 9. 4.5″ pots are $3.99. (Excludes ivy geraniums.)

Stocklager’s Greenhouse & Garden Center: Check the Life + Neighbors section of your Thursday, May 3 issue of the Dayton Daily Newspaper for a 20% off coupon! Valid through May 31.

Spring Fever

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Things are hopping all over. I’m just going to jot it all down and let you sort through it.

Sales Alerts

Knollwood Garden Center (Beavercreek) is having their spring edition of Ladies’ Night Out this Tuesday, April 17 from 6-8 pm. Featured: a taste of wine (from Brunings Wine Cellar, courtesy of Knollwood), a few spring garden nibbles, and lots of informal demonstrations.  Did you know Knollwood offers seniors 60 years and older a 10% off  regularly priced items every day! The OAGC (Ohio Association of Garden Clubs) Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity, will have their fantastic Challenge Quilt on-site for viewing. This winner for this fundraising raffle will be drawn at the OAGC convention in June. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. It only takes one ticket to win!

Now for a limited time, Knollwood has 1.5 cubic foot bags of Osmocote Potting Soil with a great rebate! For use in any container or pot, it is a light, rich mix including sphagnum peat and perlite as well as Osmocote fertilizer! Sold for $9.99 a bag, with the $5.00 Mail-In rebate it’s only $4.99. Use your rebate form for up to 4 bags, or $20; just ask for the form at the checkout counter when purchasing. While supplies last.

Grandma’s Gardens & Landscape(South of Centerville)is having their Perennial Spring Party now through April 22, offering all quart, gallon and larger perennials at 25% off. Buy 10 or more quart and larger perennials and automatically become a Perennial Club Member on the spot. That will give you 20% off all future regular priced perennials. No fees, no expiration. Flower tree and shade trees are also on sale at 25% off through April 22. See store for details.

Educational Events

The Greene County Master Gardeners will present Thais Reiff and Jerry Mahan, Wednesday, April 18, 7-8 pm for a program  “Saving Ohio’s Ash Trees – Emerald Ash Borer Treatment Options”. This presentation for homeowners will be on the Emerald Ash Borer at the Greene County Extension Office, 100 Fairground Road, Xenia. Check out the flyer HERE.

The Ohio Invasive Plant Council (OIPC) is presenting a free workshop (lunch is included), “Aliens Among Us – An Introduction to Invasive Plants in Ohio” at the Dawes Arboretum (7770 Jacksontown Rd., Newark OH 43056) on April 26th, from 9:30am-4pm. Check out the flyer HERE. Dawes Arboretum is about 2 hours from the Dayton area and WELL worth the drive.

The Midwest Native Plant Symposium‘s registration is now open. The event will be held July 27-29 right in our backyard at Bergamo Center in Beavercreek. Top notch speakers and vendors are the highlights. Check out the flyer HERE.

Flowers in January?

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Helleborus spp.

It’s hard to believe that anything in our Miami Valley gardens would be thinking about growing let alone blooming in January yet a stroll around the garden proved just that. Today’s spotlight is on the plucky group of perennials in the Helleborus genus which are also known as Hellebores or the Lenten Rose.

If the perk of having something bloom in your garden in late winter/early spring isn’t enough to entice growing these beauties, perhaps knowing that many of the cultivars have leathery, evergreen foliage will. The Hellebores are truly a sight for sore eyes on a day like today!

Educational Opportunities

Montgomery County Master Gardener Classes Gear Up

Do you love to garden?  Would you like to learn new skills and meet others who share your horticultural interests? Applications are currently being accepted for the 2012 Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program.  Classes meet every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 6 through May 8, 2012, at the extension office at Montgomery County Fairgrounds, 1001 South Main Street, Dayton.

Training provides 50 hours of classroom instruction provided by OSU professors, county extension agents and other experts.  Topics cover a broad range of subjects, including plant propagation, herbaceous and woody ornamentals, trees and lawns, soils and fertilizers, fruits and vegetables, herbs, pest management and more.

Participants must attend one of several volunteer orientation sessions scheduled for February 7 – 9, 2012.  They also must pass a background check before entering the program and volunteer 50 hours of horticultural service to the community after completing the classroom instruction to become a certified Master Gardener Volunteer.  The class fee is $150.

For more information, please contact Clare Thorn, Program Assistant, Horticulture, at (937) 224-9654.  Applications and other required forms are available on line at www.montgomery.osu.edu.  The deadline for application is January 30, 2012.

Vacation recovery

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One of the poolside visitors.

It’s always fun to escape from the everyday routine and last week was no exception. Our vacation to Hilton Head Island, SC offered a whole ‘nother natural world to discover. Dragonflies were abundant as well as birds that we don’t see ’round these parts. A highlight for me was a Swallow-tailed Kite, a black and white raptor, not the kite with a string you fly on the beach! However now that I am home, there are lots of educational opportunities and sales events to report on so let’s get to it.

Who says snakes aren't cute? This one is about 8" long. Note the moss for a size reference.

Educational Opportunities

Vegetable Seminar, Saturday, August 6

Knollwood Garden Center is featuring Rich Pearson of Five Rivers MetroParks this Saturday, August 6th at 9:30 am. He will offer tips on how to keep your mid-summer gardens producing at their best and what to do with the great produce to save it for future use. Such as: freezing, drying, freezer salsa, refrigerator pickles (no canning!) and more.

Any one up for Bug Bingo? Saturday, August 6

Bring the kids out to Koogler Wetland/Prairie Reserve from 10-11:30 am, Saturday, August 6, in Beavercreek Township to learn about insects while playing Bug Bingo! Under the direction of Beaver Creek Wetlands Association (BCWA) Trustee Chris Simmons, tromp through the prairie shaking bugs from the wildflowers onto catching sheets and get a closer look-see in magnifier boxes. Volunteers will assist with identification. Those who successfully complete their Bug Bingo card will proceed to the “Edible Entomology” station, where they can create an insect from tasty treats. They can eat their creation if they can identify the basic parts of an insect.

Nets, collection boxes, identification guides, and treats provided. Dress appropriately – long pants and closed-toe shoes are recommended.  Koogler Wetland/Prairie Reserve is located on the southeast corner of Beaver Valley and New Germany-Trebein Roads.  Please contact BCWA at 937-320-9042 or by E-mail at admin@beavercreekwetlands.org for more information.

Men’s program offered this Saturday, August 6

Not slighting the men (after last post’s note on a Women’s Day event) Siebenthaler’s Nursery is offering a Men’s Morning, Saturday, August 6 from 8-9:30 am at the Centerville Garden Center ONLY. Men can enjoy breakfast cooked on the grill and hear helpful lawn tips from Len Dunaway of Green Velvet Sod Farm. Robert and Jeff Siebenthaler will discuss the latest Emerald Ash Borer news. This program is also free, but you need to make a reservation. Register by contacting Laurie Fanning at: lauriefanning@siebenthaler.com; 937-434-1326 or 937-427-4110.

Dr. Doug Tallamy to speak Sunday, August 7

The Greater Cincinnati Master Gardener Association is offering “A Case for Native Gardening: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants” and is presenting Dr. Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Back Nature for two speaking engagements on August 7. Tickets and more information can be found HERE.

Attracting Pollinators – Tuesday, August 9

The guest speaker for the 7 pm, Tuesday, August 9 meeting of the Miami Valley Hosta Society which meets at Cox Arboretum is Barbara Bloetscher, Ohio State University. For over 20 years she has had a close association with OSU and now serves as diagnostician for environmental and nutritional problems on agronomic crops and turfgrass. She also is the State Entomologist/Apiarist at the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Her specialty is turfgrass but she also is a recognized expert in identifying weed and herbicide injury on crops and ornamentals. The event is free.

Cincinnati Zoo’s Plant Trials Day – Thursday, September 1

Just what is a Plant Trials Day? It is a day for people who love plants! It is a view of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens Trials, including annuals, perennials, grasses, bamboo, shrubs, vines and trees. Industry professionals in these categories will be sharing their best new varieties. Featured speakers include: Jim Nau, Manager of The Gardens at Ball at Ball Horticultural Company; Bill Hendricks, President of Klyn Nurseries with one of the largest selections of plants anywhere in the country and Paul Cappiello, Executive Director of Yew Dell Botanical Gardens and Coauthor of the Book “Dogwoods”. The event is $45 and lasts all day and includes a catered lunch and reception and a Silent Auction for rare and outstanding plants. Find more information HERE.

Appalachian Forest School

If you are serious about learning more of the natural world around you, check out this branch of the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System HERE. Upcoming in-depth on-site schools include Butterflies of the Forest Heartland (August 22-26) and Trees of the Eastern Forest (September 18-23).

Sales Alerts

Grandma’s Gardens and Nursery: Sunset Specials from 6-8 pm, now through August 5. Aug. 2: Buy one shrub, get 2nd 50% off; Aug. 3: All gallon and larger perennials, buy two, get one free; Aug. 4: Half off one regular tree planting fee; Aug. 5: 30% off regular priced in-stock fountain. Now through August 14: all daylilies and Asiatic lilies are 30% off.

Knollwood Garden Center: 20% Off all trees and shrubs, 25% off all perennials (gallons, $12.99 & up), 50% off all quart-sized perennials ($6.59 & up). Groundcovers not included. Fountains and furniture 30% off.

Siebenthaler’s: Siebenthaler’s 61st Annual Tree & Nursery Sale is scheduled for September 24th & 25th and October 1st & 2nd.