Master Gardener Potluck at the Stewart's

I wanted to share these pictures in color with everyone. They were distributed at the last meeting but only in a black and white format.

I hope you enjoy.

Junior Master Gardener Program in Arkansas

Our State Master Gardener Leader's assistant Julie Treat forwarded this bit of exciting information about youth and gardening

In this JMG newsletter, read about the Fayetteville JMG program. Arkansas has JMG programs throughout the state, beginning more than five years ago.

Here is the article in the newsletter from the original source.

Arkansas Master Gardener Program Celebrating 20 years (1988-2008)

Basic Tree Planting and Tree Care Workshop

Trees that grow in our communities provide us with many benefits. Learn some basic principles of proper tree planting and tree care to help ensure long lives for these trees.

This workshop qualifies for Forester CFEs, ISA CEUs and LA CEUs.

Workshop Topics

• How to Properly Plant a Tree
• Challenges for Trees in Urban Areas
• Dos and Don'ts for Tree Care
• Preparing for the Emerald Ash Borer
• Tree Topping: Myths and Misconceptions
• Hazardous Trees: What to look for
• Top Ten Trees for Urban Areas

When: Tuesday, December 16, 2008
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: City of Fort Smith Parks Department
Creekmore Community Center
Rose Room
3301 South M Street
Fort Smith, Arkansas

Registration deadline: Friday, December 12, 2008.

Cost: $20 for AUFC (Arkansas Urban Forestry Commission) members.
$40 for non-AUFC members which includes AUFC dues for one year. Lunch and educational handouts provided.

For more information contact Cathy Slater at the Arkansas Urban Forestry Council at 800-958-5865 or 501-625-3710 or send her an E-mail

This workshop is sponsored by the Arkansas Forestry Commission, Arkansas Urban Forestry Commission and The Mower Shop Inc.

November Gardening Calendar

According to Janet…

Fall clean up is here. Rake up debris around your plants—especially those that struggled with insects and disease. A light layer of leaves on your lawn is not an issue, but don’t let them accumulate too long. Heavy piles cut down on air circulation, oxygen and sunlight. Leaves are a great raw commodity for compost—one of the best things to enrich your soils.

Perennials
Pay particular attention to your cannas, as the leaf roller insect seems to be getting worse each year. This insect over-winters in the spent debris of the plants and can come back to haunt you next year. Think about even replacing the old mulch.

You can still plant perennials if you have time this season. Perennials planted in the fall give you a stronger plant the following growing season—just make sure you have good soil drainage or the root system can rot in the ground.

Bulbs
November is the ideal month to plant spring blooming bulbs. Concentrate you bulb planting in blocks rather than single lines. Grouping plants together makes a stronger statement than a few plants here and there.

The general rule of thumb when planting bulbs is to plant them at a depth equivalent to 2-3 times the size of the bulb. You can layer your bulbs, putting the larger daffodils and tulips down deep, and then the next layer can be hyacinths.

This can give you layers of color and textures, and with proper selection can you give color from late January through April.

Annuals
You still have time to plant pansies, violas and snapdragons, but flowering kale and cabbage need some time to get established before hard frost hits. Look for larger, flowering plants to ensure color this winter. Plant in the ground or containers. BUT…don’t forget to water—especially the containers. Consider planting spring bulbs in the base of your containers to pop up amidst your winter annuals.

Trees
Now is the ideal time to plant large shrubs and trees. Planting in the fall allows the roots to become established while the tops are dormant. Hardy shrubs such as hollies, boxwoods, elaeagnus, and more can be planted in the fall and early winter. Avoid planting shrubs that can suffer winter damage such as hydrangeas, gardenias, crape myrtles, and azaleas. Plant these in the early spring.

Holiday Gardening
Remember that poinsettias like bright light and even moisture. If you desire a cut tree to plant outside later, think about it before choosing this method. Do you have room for a permanent evergreen in your yard? The living Christmas tree can only be inside your home for a maximum of a week and less time is preferable. Also, avoid heavy ornaments and hot lights.

Janet Carson is Associate Professor and Extension Horticulture Specialist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. She is the state coordinator for the Arkansas Master Gardener program, and gives leadership to consumer horticulture, with media work including a weekly column in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Radio call in program on KARN every Saturday, and Today's Garden tv show on AETN & cable stations.

Friends to Friend

Congratulations to

Master Gardener Dick Taylor

recipient of the

Walter E. Hussman Award
for Civic Service

Bits and Pieces

Camden Shines

Camden was one of six cities in Arkansas to receive the first-ever Keep Arkansas Beautiful Shine Award for the numerous efforts in making Camden a clean and green community.

Master Gardeners, let’s join other Camden volunteers in the effort to keep our city clean and green in 2009. We should be recognized for our projects and add NEW ones next year.

2009 Officers

I wasn’t at the October MG Meeting, but word has it that no one volunteered to serve as an officer for 2009! How sad…

Work/ED Hours

Continue to keep a record of any work completed through December. These hours will count locally for 2008. Send to Ryan in January. A new record sheet can be found here.

Mulch is Worth the Cost to Improve the Yard

Some new thoughts from Beth Botts in the CHICAGO TRIBUNE.

A layer of mulch over the soil does plants no end of good.

It insulates, keeping the temperature more steady and protecting roots from cold snaps and hot spells. It keeps soil moisture from evaporating so you don’t have to water as often. It shades out weed seeds so they don’t get enough light to sprout.

Here are things to think about when shopping for mulch.

• Consider the source. Most commercial organic mulches, apart from straw, are wood byproducts from the lumber industry. Bagged mulches from good garden centers or home-improvement stores or bulk mulches from reputable landscape supply companies are likely clean and safe. But cheap bags of mulch, such as those often sold at gas stations, may contain shredded construction debris or other waste with toxic chemicals, metals or lead paint. And never buy cypress mulch, even though it is widely sold by reputable stores: It may come from clear-cutting virgin trees in Southern wetlands.

• Choose mulch for its purpose. Consider the plant when you choose. Medium-textured mulch such as shredded hardwood will work in most places. But in a permanent layer around trees, big chunks such as pine bark nuggets will last longer. You wouldn’t want to dig through them in perennial beds, though, so use something finer. In vegetable beds, use something fluffy and easily decomposed such as straw. Gravel mulch, recycled glass or recycled rubber tires will cover the ground, but won’t improve soil as organic mulch does, and the pieces tend to stray all over the yard. An underlying layer of landscape fabric underneath mulch will help deter weeds, if you will never want to dig there. But replenish and tidy the mulch periodically to keep the fabric hidden. Mulch color is strictly a matter of taste; undyed dark brown mulch is the most classic look.

Master Gardener Annual Training 2009

Planning sessions have begun for the next annual training for new Master Gardeners. The 2009 group will involve participants from five counties: Calhoun, Columbia, Dallas, Ouachita, and Union.

• Training Dates: Begin on Monday, January 26th and continue until Monday, March 16th


• Training time: 12:00 noon – 5:00 pm


• Training Cost: $65.00 per participant


• Location: Healthworks Fitness Center
  304 North Madison
  El Dorado AR 71730
  870-862-5442

We need many new members in Ouachita County who will attend meetings, complete work and educational hours, and take on leadership positions.

Each one, solicit one!