Notes from the editor:
Because this coming Tuesday is Election Day, the WCMGA Chapter Presentation and Meeting will be the second Tuesday of the month, November 12th.
Interested in what's happening with the Master Gardener organization statewide?
https://omga.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Fall2024GardenersPen-3c.pdf
Above is a link to "The Gardener's Pen", the Oregon Master Gardener Association (OMGA) quarterly newsletter for you to enjoy after perusing what's going on in Washington County below.
|
|
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
7:00 - 8:00 PM PDT - Free Webinar, Open to All
Registration Required
8:00-9:00 PM PDT - Members Meeting
|
|
|
Join the Washington County Master Gardeners and Jane Collier, Clackamas County Master Gardener, for a presentation comparing and contrasting strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Topics covered will include longevity, space requirements, variety choices, expected time of harvest, quantity of harvest, common pests and diseases, and cultural requirements including fertilizing, watering, and pruning.
|
|
|
|
Jane Collier has been a Clackamas County Master Gardener since 1996. She has taught many classes for the award-winning 10-Minute University™ Program. Jane gained extensive experience with growing blueberries while operating a ‘U-Pick’ blueberry patch on her farm. Today, she and her husband grow and preserve a variety of fruits, berries, and vegetables on their five acre farm.
|
|
|
My husband and I (well, he) have been building a garden shed. I get credit for painting all the siding. I’m eager to get all my gardening stuff out of the garage and into its own space.
I hope you all worked your way through the Volunteer Reporting System. I’m trying to log my hours as I complete them. We’ll see how that goes.
Two reminders:
1. Please stay on for the Chapter Meeting after the presentation this month and December. This month we are voting on the Board positions and next month on the 2025 budget. A Summary spreadsheet of our budget appears below.
2. Remember to renew your membership:
https://washingtoncountymastergardeners.org/renew-join-membership/
And welcome to Perennial membership all you who were Interns this past year! We’re delighted to have your continuing contributions to the chapter and look forward to getting to know you better.
(From the editor: If you want to see Thomas Dambo's "Ole Bolle" Troll in person, please visit the Nordic Northwest, 8800 SW Oleson Rd, Portland, OR 97223, not Hope's garden.)
|
|
The Learning Garden team has been bustling with activity, transforming the garden into a vibrant autumn oasis. They've been harvesting, dividing bulbs, planting for fall, spreading wood chips, and pruning across the garden. September's harvest alone was impressive, yielding a whopping 521 pounds of vegetables, herbs, and fruits donated to our food bank partner. Now, the vegetable beds are prepped and planted with a mix of fall vegetables and cover crops, ensuring the garden remains productive and beautiful throughout the season.
The group is also participating in the "Reading the Tea Leaves" Community Science Project led by Srijana Shrestha, and tea plants were planted in different areas of the garden.
|
|
|
|
Jean Ratalsky planting tea.
|
|
|
|
Cindy Muir and Allyn Kirnak placing tea plants in the Pioneer Herb Garden.
|
|
|
|
Annette Bell improving the soil for the tea plants.
|
|
|
|
Learning Garden Volunteers enjoying the garden.
|
|
|
On October 12th, Learning Garden volunteers and their families took a break from their hard work to savor a delightful potluck in the garden. The event was filled with mouth-watering dishes and the perfect mix of sunshine and fresh air. A special shout-out goes to Anna Stubbs for orchestrating such a memorable afternoon of relaxation and community.
|
|
Planning is underway for the In-the-Garden series classes for 2025. One proposed topic that still needs presenters is Small Garden Design in March. If you are interested in being a presenter for this class, please contact Annette Bell at annette@bellsorchard.com.
All are welcome to join the Learning Garden regular work parties on Thursday mornings, 9 am – 1 pm. The last formal work party for 2024 will be on November 21st. For more information contact Steve Kister kansammy@yahoo.com or Robin Burnham robin.e.burnham@aol.com.
|
|
|
|
Larina Hoffbeck and Lois Hays planting Moon and Moth Garden
|
|
Moon and Moth Garden Takes Shape
MGs Larina Hoffbeck and Lois Hays began planting natives that attract nighttime pollinators in the new Moon and Moth Garden. Pearly everlasting, nodding onion, and Oregon sunshine were collected from other parts of the garden (and even from gravel paths!) and transplanted in the new space. “Found” flagstone and rocks helped anchor the design. MGs will add Evening primrose this fall and white blooming annuals next spring.
|
|
|
|
Parrotia persica is on the list for winter pruning
|
|
Renewing the Task List
The Education Garden is 6 years old and thriving! Fall is a good time to take stock of which plants are doing well, which are doing a bit too well, and those that need dividing, eventual pruning, or relocating. This month a core group of MGs strolled through the garden classrooms to update the task list for the coming months. The list will include seasonally appropriate care to keep the trees, shrubs, and perennials looking their best!
|
|
|
Wow! Beautiful New Plant Signs!
The Ed Garden Team just received their first shipment of new plant signs purchased by funds obtained from an American Conifer Society grant. These permanent signs will identify plants in the Waterwise Garden Classroom. Next up, the team will double-check plant inventory in another garden classroom for a second order. More to come!
|
|
Other Happenings
- The regular Wednesday work days will pause just before Thanksgiving and will resume after January. Thanks to all of our perennial and intern MGs for their efforts in the garden this season. We still have a project list to work on during the cold wet months ahead!
- IGS Saturday November 16th 10 am – 12 noon. Plant Propagation by Hardwood and Softwood Stem Cuttings, PCC Rock Creek Building 4, Room 104. Presenters: Karen Anderson, Helen Dorbolo, & Cindy Muir, OSU Extension MG Volunteers. Class approved for 1 hour MG continuing education credit.
- If you would like to be added to our Education Garden email list, contact Susan Albright or Sue Ryburn.
|
|
Our Fall Social in September was fun and well attended. Certificates were presented by our president, Hope Preston, to Larina Hoffman, OMGA Master Gardener of the Year, Terry Wagner, WCMGA Behind the Scenes, and Special Acts/Making a Difference to both Lisa Barnhart and Dan McDonald. Books for our Little Free Library and plant pots for the Propagation Team were donated and members picked up blue bags for bottle returns. (Our bottle returns have added $3521.90 to our coffers!) Door prizes were coveted. The food, thanks to Jonina Weisz, was beautifully prepared and tasty.
Many thanks go to volunteers who helped with set-up and take-down at the Social: Candy Wells, Dan McDonald, Grace Wong, Harriet Ottaviano, James Galbreath, Jennifer Legault, Jonina Weisz, Larina Hoffbeck, Lorill Hirschberger, Marilyn Berti, Michael Donoghue, Robin Burnham, Shari MacDonald, Steve Kister, Sue Ryburn, and Teresa Gibson. And, my personal thank you to the Fall Social Committee: Larina Hoffman, Hope Preston, Harriet Ottaviano, Jonina Weisz, Shari MacDonald and Robin Burnham.
|
|
WCMGA would like to offer the opportunity for Master Gardeners to gather once a quarter to build on existing friendships and to form new ones - with no stress of volunteer hours, or CE requirements!
If you are interested in low-stress fun events organized at a home or garden, or meeting members in a local coffee shop or restaurant or taking a walk together in a local park, please let us know.
We will try to include something for everyone's taste.
Please send your ideas and interest in participation and/or hosting social events to Lakshmi Srinivasan (srinival@gmail.com) and Minoo Sweet (minoossweet@gmail.com).
|
|
|
Saturday, May 3 2025, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Set-Up Day: Fri, May 2, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM (plus member pre-sale)
|
|
|
Volunteers Make This Event Successful!
In 2024, we had our best year ever with the highest number of member participants, largest crowd of visitors and shoppers, and the most money raised for WCMGA. Sales from GardenFest allow us to offer dozens of free classes to the public, fund special gardening programs such as Grow 1 Give 1, and support our two gardens. Please plan to join in the fun, working side by side with your gardening friends.
Currently we have some vital volunteer needs. These include working within teams to:
- obtain wholesale plant stock from local nurseries
- coordinate plant propagation projects
- create educational plant signage
Interested? Please reach out to: LisaBarnhartMG@gmail.com
|
|
|
Hardwood Cuttings, It's the Season!
by Helen Dorbolo
One of the easiest ways to clone your favorite tree or shrub is to take hardwood cuttings, and we are coming into the season for that. These cuttings are made from mature stems that don’t bend easily. For deciduous trees and shrubs, the best time is after leaf fall, between mid-autumn and late winter, or right before the plant buds out in spring. Cut pencil-thick branches of the current year's growth, and divide them into approximately 8-12" lengths, making sure there are at least 3 nodes in each length. Take care with the orientation; the growing tip has to be up when you plant!
My shortcut method: Dip the ends in rooting hormone and plant the cuttings in damp potting soil amended with about ⅓ to ¼ perlite for drainage. Leave at least one node exposed and two nodes underground. Plant as many cuttings as you can in one pot. Keep the pots in a cold but frost-free space. If you don't have such a place, put them up against a building and mostly cover them with leaves or mulch. During winter, the planted ends of the cuttings will form calluses, which are precursors to rooting. Make sure the soil does not dry out completely, and does not stay waterlogged either.
When the weather warms up in spring, move the pots outside or remove the mulch from around them, and keep them in a sheltered area until about the end of summer. During the growing season, the calluses will sprout roots. Make sure they get adequate water, morning sun, and a light application of fertilizer. You should see new growth emerging as leaves and/or roots poking out from the pot drainage holes. At the end of summer, divide the rooted cuttings into individual containers and discard the inevitable failures. Depending on the hardiness and vigor of the rooted cuttings, you can plant them into the landscape or keep them potted up and protected until the following spring, then transplant them.
Within our propagation group, we have had great success propagating these plants using hardwood cuttings: Roses, Fig, Plum, Viburnum, Redtwig Dogwood, Hydrangea, Snowberry, Rose-of-Sharon, Deutzia, and many more.
Give this method a try and let us know how it worked for you!
|
|
|
|
Deutzia cuttings taken January 2023; Calluses formed on clematis cuttings
|
|
Our WCMGA Propagation group meets Fridays from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at the PCC Rock Creek greenhouses. Contact Karen Anderson, worthog42@gmail.com for more information.
Check out this website for more propagation information: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/hardwood-cuttings-for-shrub-tree-propagation/
|
|
|
Join Washington County Master Gardeners to discover the magic of plant propagation in this two-hour class! Delve into the art of softwood and hardwood cuttings, exploring techniques for their successful growth. Learn to nurture and propagate plants effectively with hands-on guidance and expert tips.
The class will be led by Karen Anderson, Helen Dorbolo, & Cindy Muir.
OSU Extension MG Volunteers
No registration needed. Free parking.
For more information:
https://washingtoncountymastergardeners.org/event/plant-propagation-by-hardwood-and-softwood-stem-cuttings/
|
|
Bees, Bottles and Biodiversity:
A fundraiser for the Oregon Bee Atlas
Thursday November 14 from 4:30-7:00pm
NW Natural Headquarters, Main floor reception area
250 SW Taylor Street
Portland, OR 97204
Tickets $75 with all proceeds going to the Jerry and Judith Paul Native Pollinator Endowment
To purchase tickets:
https://secure.touchnet.net/C20159_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=211&clearPreview=true
Event webpage:
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/master-melittologist/events/bees-bottles-biodiversity-fundraiser-oregon-bee-atlas
Facebook event page (for sharing):
https://www.facebook.com/events/390354047470114
For more information: Contact Andony Melathopoulos (Andony.Melathopoulos@oregonstate.edu, 541 452 3038)
The OSU Extension Master Melittologist Programs trains and equips community scientists to help gather important information about our native Oregon bees and the floral hosts that they depend on. This data, which has been gathered since the inception of OBA in 2018, is not only being used to assess the health of our native bees, but also provides valuable information to restoration projects around the state about the native plants and trees upon which these bees rely.
OBA, and its member volunteers, have been strong supporters of our MMG outreach events, providing expert information, fun activities, free giveaways and free high quality publications about the bees of Oregon, including:
- 2022 and 2023 Meet the Mason Bees & Friends family event at the WCMGA Education Garden
- September 2022, PolliNation Podcast #220 'Washington Co Master Gardener - Pollinator Outreach (par excellence)'. Hosted by OSU Pollinator Health Specialist, Andony Melathopoulos, this is an interview with OBA and WCMGA members at our first Mason Bees and Friends event
- 2023 and 2024 open garden events at both WCMGA gardens
- 2024 OBA booth at the MCMGA Incredible Edibles sale
- free publications about the bees of Oregon and their needs that are available at all MMG outreach events and WCMGA's IGS sessions
- promotion of WCMGA events through the OBA weekly newsletter to members
Join the OBA and member volunteers for an exciting and exclusive fundraising event hosted by our partner NW Natural. Delve into the Oregon Bee Atlas’ ongoing mission to catalog the state’s native bees. Sip bee friendly wine from Abbey Road Farm in Carlton and sample appetizers while hearing from Oregon’s leading bee and wine advocates about recent achievements and the work left to be done. Entertainment will include a silent auction, wine wall and lessons on the link between bee surveys and biodiversity. Lastly, witness the unveiling of new and exciting Oregon bees that have never been seen before!
|
|
|
Indigenous, Indigenous Peoples
“Generally, Indigenous refers to those peoples with pre-existing sovereignty who were living together as a community prior to contact with settler populations, most often – though not exclusively – Europeans. Indigenous is the most inclusive term, as there are Indigenous peoples throughout the world – such as the Sami in Sweden, the First Nations in Canada, Mayas in Mexico and Guatemala, and the Ainu in Japan – fighting to remain culturally intact on their land bases. Indigenous Peoples refers to a group of Indigenous peoples with a shared national identity, such as “Navajo” or “Sami,” and is the equivalent of saying “the American people.”
-https://equity.ucla.edu/know/resources-on-native-american-and-indigenous-affairs/native-american-and-indigenous-peoples-faqs/
The members of the WCMGA DEI committee recognize that the terms and phrases used when discussing topics related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion may be unfamiliar or confusing to many people. Definitions may also change over time. Since gardening is for everyone, we’d like to help foster understanding of DEI vocabulary with our members and other readers of Chapter Chat and the WCMGA website.
We’re featuring a different phrase or term each month throughout 2024 on our webpage here: https://washingtoncountymastergardeners.org/wcmga-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-committee/
We hope you’ll check back each month for new words and phrases as well as examples of how Master Gardeners can incorporate these concepts into our work with the public and with our own members.
|
|
|
With a name like Merlin we would expect something magical and his book doesn’t disappoint by revealing the mysteries of fungi. They are neither animal nor plant life and yet they are found everywhere, all over the earth, the air and our bodies. They range from microscopic to a species that is the largest organism ever recorded (it’s in Oregon!), can weigh hundreds of tons, live for millennia, cover more than 2,000 acres, digest rocks, enabled the first life on land, survive in space, and thrive with nuclear radiation. When new ecosystems are formed, fungi that are lichens and algae or bacteria are the first life to be established and make soil. The photographs are fascinating, his observations interesting and the philosophical connections thought provoking.
This is a comprehensive story of fungi covering decompositions, fermentation, nutrient distribution, psilocybin production, fungi role in the evolution of plants, and how humans relate to the kingdom of fungi. Their ability to digest plastics, explosives, pesticides, and crude oil is leading to break-through technologies. Sheldrake says our usual ranking of intelligence is humans at the top, then animals that look like us (monkeys), higher animals, continuing down to fungi. We put fungi at the bottom of the intelligence ranking. However, even though they don’t look like us, don’t behave like us and don’t even have brains, it has been determined that fungi can solve problems, communicate, make decisions, learn and remember. They turn our concept of intelligence upside down.
Fungi are the connective tissue of our soil. Fungi live on us, within us and we could not survive without them. Sheldrake makes it clear that we should prioritize becoming better stewards of our soil, discover and use the benefits of fungi for the survival of our world.
|
|
|
|
|
