Posts Tagged: master gardeners
Tenaya Lodge Hotel and Conference Updates
Thank you for registering early to ensure the UC Master Gardener Conference will be an extraordinary event. Currently more than 400 attendees have registered for the conference!
The Tenaya Lodge is officially sold out of rooms (don't panic) from Oct. 8 -10, 2014. There are a few ways you can do to help manage the situation as outlined below:
- Attendees are encouraged to check with roommate(s) for duplicate hotel reservations and release unneeded reservations as a courtesy to their fellow Master Gardeners.
- Still need lodging? Continue to check on room availability by contacting the Tenaya Lodge directly, (559)683-6555. There is no waiting list - rooms are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
- The Statewide Office is looking at alternate accommodations and those options will be published as soon as they become available.
We are reviewing the lodging list from the Tenaya Lodge to ensure accuracy of reservations. Be on the look-out for an email confirmation from UC ANR regarding your lodging plans in the upcoming weeks. We still have plenty of space for UC Master Gardeners who would like to attend the event.
We promise to keep you informed on hotel updates and conference activities in the near future!
Downy Mildew Clobbers Impatiens
One of California's most adored flowering plants, impatiens, is being threatened by a serious pest. You may have noticed the common garden impatiens missing from nurseries, retail store shelves, and landscapes, parks, and gardens this year.
Impatiens are dying from a relatively new plant disease called impatiens downy mildew, caused by the fungus-like, oomycete pathogen Plasmopara obducens. The pathogen primarily affects varieties of Impatiens walleriana, or hybrids with an I. walleriana parent and wild impatiens (I. balsamina). Note that this pathogen does not affect New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) or other bedding plant genera. This disease develops rapidly, with a few leaves on apparently healthy impatiens beginning to show slight yellowing and stunting followed by development of white, powdery spores on the undersides of leaves, and later, by leaf and flower drop. Plants are likely to become completely defoliated within several weeks. The pathogen produces airborne spores, which can travel for many miles, as well as swimming zoospores and oospores, which can survive within soil and plant debris for long periods and infect healthy plants when replanted in the same area.
Early detection is especially critical for this disease since chemical control has been shown to be ineffective once sporulation begins. Scout routinely to identify and remove diseased plants before epidemics can result. Removing infected plants may limit spread to other areas of the landscape.
Consider growing alternative bedding plants that will grow well in shady areas of the landscape but that will not be affected by the disease. Some examples include Bergenia hybrids, Caladiums, Coral bells, Lobelia, New Guinea impatiens, Sweet alyssum, and wax begonias.
This article was originally published in the December 2013 issue of the UC IPM Green Bulletin.
/span>Conference Update: Start Planning for Your MarketPlace!
Caution!
Don't miss this opportunity to add money to your UCCE Master Gardener Program's bank account. That's right, the MarketPlace can help volunteers increase the flow of money into their program's operating budget.
The passion UCCE Master Gardeners have for sharing horticulture with the community is fueled by our love for people and love of plants (or maybe you prefer insects). Regardless of the motivation that brings you to the UCCE Master Gardener program, we all have one thing in common - we must periodically purchase items for our gardens!
Historically, conference attendees arrive with empty suitcase space specifically intended for transporting home newly acquired treasures. The MarketPlace is an opportunity to collect unique gardening items while helping individual counties along the way.
Each county has the opportunity to reserve a sales booth space, provide sales materials of their choice and volunteer to assist with store operations. Funds raised by each individual county will be returned to them less minimal operating costs.
Within the next month each UCCE Master Gardener Coordinator will receive an information packet with preliminary participant guidelines. Space may be limited, so keep an eye on the 2014 UC Master Gardener Conference website or the statewide blog for MarketPlace updates. Absolutely, don't allow the information packets to lay dormant or become part of the compost pile.
Start the conversation in your county today, be prepared to respond quickly when the packets arrive in the mail. Talk about how your county can capitalize by participating in the MarketPlace. Brainstorm about what ‘must-have' items will motivate gardeners, naturalists, or bird watchers to part with their hard earned cash. Think about display methods for showcasing your sales items. Offer to coordinate your MarketPlace booth or be a committee participant. Be the one who makes a difference!
Yolo and Sacramento counties are proud to be hosting the 2014 MarketPlace. We look forward to having you join us in Yosemite, one of California's most treasured spots!
A Note of Thanks and Holiday Wishes
Happy Holidays to All!
This Thanksgiving I finished up my bulb planting project and reflected on all of the things I am grateful for. If you’ll indulge me - I’d like to share a few of them with all of you.
- I am thrilled to be a part of the UCCE Master Gardener community and am still reveling in the warm welcome, patience and support as I have been making the transition.
- New staff and positions at the statewide office will help us better address the needs of the UCCE Master Gardeners! Aubrey Bray is enjoying her new position as training coordinator. Aubrey is doing the formative work for online training modules to complement the CA Master Gardener Handbook (new handbook’s ETA is fall 2014). Melissa Womack is settling is as program coordinator and has already shown us how valuable her talents will be to harness the power of our Web based assets throughout the state.
- The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) has a beautiful new home. Now all programs and functions within UC ANR are housed in the same building in Davis, Calif. The statewide Master Gardener office moved in early November, and now has direct access to Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Information Technology (IT) and increased visibility to ANR leadership!
Here is our new contact information:
Master Gardener Program
University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources
2801 Second Street
Davis, CA 95618-7779
Main:530.750.1362
Fax: 530.756.1076
Melissa: 530.750.1388
Aubrey: 530.865.1105
Missy: 530.750.1266
I am looking forward to a fruitful 2014 with exciting opportunities, including the 2014 Statewide Master Gardener Conference next October. Please keep your eyes open for blog posts and updates – the theme is appropriately Growing Together, a tagline we are actively putting into practice now and for years to come.
Wishing you a safe and family filled holiday season!
Warm Regards,
Missy
Regional Trainings: Another benefit from the Statewide Master Gardener Program (Part IV)
To provide continuing education for Master Gardeners, the Statewide Master Gardener Program provides regional trainings. An example is the Advanced IPM Training being offered next week in Davis, CA. Trainings like these are always popular and serve as a place for Master Gardeners to learn new things, refine their skills, interact with University of California scientists, and meet other gardeners. By promoting activities where Master Gardeners learn together, the Statewide Master Gardener Program ensures that Master Gardeners are up-to-date with the most recent research recommendations from the University of California.
The next set of regional training sessions will be the Edible Landscaping series. In this training, Master Gardeners will learn the ins and outs of incorporating edibles into their landscapes. The training includes planning and design, policies, maintenance, harvest and storage, and food safety. Attendees will then be certified to teach others in Edible Landscaping practices - a skill that is in high demand.
Master Gardeners might recall attending the Sustainable Landscape Train the Trainer series two years ago. The Statewide Master Gardener program surveyed the people who were subsequently trained by Master Gardeners and we found some wonderful things! For example, 77% of the people who did not compost at the time of training indicated that they had started composting after three months! That is a significant change in their behavior that definitely leads to a more sustainable California. In addition to composting, over 40% more people began leaving portions of their gardens undisturbed for wildlife, 20% of those surveyed began using better irrigation techniques, and just over 10% planted drought tolerant plants. These examples are just a handful of the practices that were influenced by the Sustainable Landscape classes.
Together, through these classes, the Master Gardeners and the Statewide Master Gardener Program are making a difference! See you soon at one of the Edible Landscape Training sessions!