Please click here for the video
Friday, September 30, 2016
Monday, September 26, 2016
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Water Steward Training on September 17, 18, 24, and 25 in Leesburg, VA
The training will be offered at the Loudoun County Extension Office. For more information, please contact Sam Allaire, the Loudoun County Extension Office, or the State Coordinator's Office. You can also click on this link for more information: http://advancedmastergardener.
VMGA Fall 2016 Educational Symposium at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Henrico and Maymont Gardens in Richmond on September 17, 2016
2016 –
Tour of two of the Southeast’s best public gardens, Lewis Ginter and
Maymont.
Maymont,
A World of Gardens in one Estate.
Join Peggy Singlemann, Maymont’s Director of Horticulture and co-host of
WCVE’s “Virginia Home Grown,” to learn how Maymont exemplifies the influence of
international garden design on the landscape. Ms. Singlemann will
lead a walking tour of the hilly estate following a presentation on Maymont’s
varied gardens.
Getting
to Great, Growing the Garden.
The lecture will be from Grace Chapman Elton, Director of Horticulture at Lewis
Ginter Botanical Garden. An overview of recent Garden design projects
that enhance the guest experience, connect people and plants, demonstrate
sustainable choices, and build focused collections. Tours led by members
of the Garden’s horticulture staff will highlight several of these recent
projects, with an emphasis on the design choices and ongoing refinements.
Schedule:
8:30 AM --
Arrive and register at either Lewis Ginter or Maymont
9:00
AM -- Talk and Tour On-site
11:30
AM -- End of site one tour, depart promptly for second site, lunch on your
own
12:45
PM -- Arrival and registration at Lewis Ginter or Maymont
1:00 PM --
Talk and Tour of site two
3:30
PM -- End site two tour, free to enjoy the garden
From Your Backyard to the Blue Ridge Somerset, Orange County, VA ----September 17, 2016
View full file and registration form at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9sqayp787K1TWpxUjl2V1ZtcXJkejlXSWdhSkVYVGpZYmNV/view
Friday, September 16, 2016
Save the Date: Extension Master Gardener Leadership Development Training, Charlottesville, VA -- November 2, 2016
Save the date: Extension Master Gardener Leadership Development Training-- November 2,
Speakers: Dave Close, John Freeborn, Curt Friedel, Dan Goerlich,
Martha Walker, Jeremy Johnson. Location--Charlottesville, VA and more
information will come coming soon on specific topics.
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Friday, September 2, 2016
Update on the Boxwood Blight Situation, VA ---- August, 30, 2016
Recent outbreaks of boxwood blight, caused by the fungus Calonectria pseudonaviculata, are causing concern in Virginia. Boxwood blight can cause severe defoliation of susceptible boxwood, including English and American boxwood, and is of serious consequence to nursery growers, landscapers and homeowners. All diagnoses of boxwood blight in home landscapes made by the Virginia Tech Plant Disease Clinic since last fall are linked to new boxwood purchased from several Virginia locations of one national retailer, and new cases are likely to emerge. (See news article at: http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/boxwood-blight-hits-lynchburg/article_a2860e97-438c-523a-9c63-202902eaf42b.html). Agents will likely get inquiries, so we wanted to update you on the disease, the current situation in Virginia, and available educational resources.
Symptoms of boxwood blight include leaf spots, black streaking on stems and severe defoliation. Other diseases of boxwood, such as Volutella blight and root diseases, can be confused with boxwood blight; therefore, laboratory confirmation is necessary. Learn to recognize symptoms of boxwood blight by viewing the image gallery on the Virginia Boxwood Blight Task Force web site http://www.ext.vt.edu/topics/agriculture/commercial-horticulture/boxwood-blight/.
In all the cases diagnosed by the VT Plant Disease Clinic in home landscapes, the disease was introduced on infected boxwood plants. The fungus has sticky spores and is not adapted for movement on air currents; however, spores may stick to and be transported by spray hoses, tools, clothing, shoes, and vehicles. The fungus can also be transported in soil and likely by animals moving through infected plants, e.g. deer, dogs. Infected boxwood may also be present in holiday greenery.
What to tell clients concerned about boxwood blight:
- Although the disease has been found in 21 counties/independent cities in Virginia, to our knowledge it does not appear to be widespread in any county.
- English and American boxwood are very susceptible to the disease.
- Other plants in the boxwood family that are susceptible to the disease include pachysandra and sweetbox (Sarcococca), so avoid introducing those plants into landscapes with highly valued boxwood.
- The primary way the disease gets around is on infected plant material, so avoid introducing diseased plant material, especially if susceptible boxwood are already present.
- Because the disease can also be transported on equipment, it is important for landscapers to sanitize tools and equipment between properties. Home growers should only hire landscapers who demonstrate awareness of the disease and who are implementing measures to prevent transport of the disease from one property to another.
- We strongly recommend that growers purchase boxwood from a nursery or retail outlet that has purchased boxwood exclusively from a boxwood producer in the Boxwood Blight Cleanliness Program (http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/plant-industry-services-boxwood-blight.shtml). These growers follow stringent practices to avoid the introduction of this disease to their nurseries.
- Purchase cultivars with resistance to boxwood blight (e.g. Green Beauty, Nana, Golden Dream, Northern Emerald, Wedding Ring).
- Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of the disease and best management practices by visiting the Virginia Boxwood Blight Task Force web site (http://www.ext.vt.edu/topics/agriculture/commercial-horticulture/boxwood-blight/).
- Monitor all boxwood plants in areas where new boxwood has been introduced within the past year for symptoms of the disease.
- If you suspect boxwood blight, collect symptomatic branch samples with at least a few green leaves still attached. Double bag the samples and take them to your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office (http://www.ext.vt.edu/offices/index.html). Samples will be forwarded to the Virginia Tech Plant Clinic for diagnosis.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Arlington and Alexandria September Events
The following
events are scheduled by VCE Master Gardeners in Arlington and Alexandria in
September. September events will be posted online at https://mgnv.org/events/mgnv-events/
Thursday, Sept.1, Fall Lawn
Care, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Fairlington Community
Center, 3308 S. Stafford St., Arlington 22206. Fall is the ideal time to restore cool-season grass, the most
common turf grass grown on lawns in the Northern Virginia area. This program
will describe how to improve lawns and the underlying soil and outline steps
for ensuring a beautiful weed-free lawn. Alternatives to turf will also be
explored. Advance registration requested at mgnv.org. Questions, telephone 703-228-6414 or email mgarlalex@gmail.com.
Tuesday, Sept. 6,
Simpson Gardens Stroll, 11 a.m. to noon,
Simpson Park Gardens, 420 E. Monroe St., Alexandria 22301 (by the YMCA). VCE
Master Gardeners who maintain the Simpson Park Demonstration Gardens will be in
the garden to greet visitors, answer gardening questions and describe what’s
blooming in the garden. No need to register; just drop by.
Tuesday, Sept. 6, Putting your Herb
Garden to Bed, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Barrett Branch Library,
717 Queen St., Alexandria 22314. Find out which herbs you should prune,
pull, protect and bring inside. And yes, you can plant now! Learn tips and
techniques to use and preserve all the herbs you’ve just pruned. Advance registration requested at mgnv.org. Questions, telephone 703-228-6414 or email mgarlalex@gmail.com.
Thursday, Sept. 8,
Putting your Herb Garden to Bed, 7 to 8:30 p.m.,
Burke Branch Library, 4701 Seminary Rd., Alexandria 22304. Find out which
herbs you should prune, pull, protect and bring inside. And yes, you can plant
now! Learn tips and techniques to use and preserve all the herbs you’ve just
pruned. Advance registration
requested at mgnv.org.
Questions, telephone 703-228-6414 or emailmgarlalex@gmail.com
Wednesdays in the Garden, Sept.
7, 14, 21, and 28, 7 to 9 p.m., Arlington
Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington 22201. This series of indoor and
outdoor programs, taught by Arlington Food Assistance Center volunteers and VCE
Master Gardeners, is designed to teach gardening skills to a wide audience.
Topics by date: Sept. 7, Putting Your Herb Garden to Bed for the
Winter; Sept. 14, Eat Fresh in December: Cold Frames and Hot
Beds; Sept. 21, topic to be announced; Sept. 28, Inside Arlington
Kitchens: Multicultural Cooking Techniques. All September programs will be held
in the second floor Conference Room. No registration required. To confirm topic
and room number, check the Arlington Library Events Calendar at http://library.arlingtonva.us or call the library at 703-228-5990.
Sunday, Sept. 11, Organic Vegetable
Garden Taste and Tour, 1 to 4 p.m., Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 N. Marcey Road, Arlington
22207. Hosted by VCE Master Gardeners. Enjoy samples from
the garden and talk with Master Gardeners about growing vegetables in Northern
Virginia―with a special emphasis on planting fall crops and over-wintering
vegetables. (Park in the lot and walk past the
Nature Center to the garden.)
Sunday, Sept. 11, Composting Program
in conjunction with the Organic Vegetable
Garden Taste and Tour, 1:30 to 2:30
p.m., Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 N. Marcey Road,
Arlington 22207.Arlington County Horticulture Extension Agent Kirsten Buhls
will describe what to put in a compost pile, how to maintain it so the
materials break down properly, and how to use compost to enrich and improve
garden soil. No need to register.
Sunday, September 18―AutumnFest
Celebration at Glencarlyn Library Community Garden, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 300 S. Kensington St., Arlington
22204. Free tastes of herbal treats and drinks, a naturalist with critters,
balloon artist. Free Master Gardener-led mini-workshops. Hundreds of locally
grown sun- and shade-loving perennials, ferns, shrubs, and trees for sale, just in time for fall planting. Rain
or shine. Sponsored by VCE Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
(Alexandria/Arlington). For information call Alyssa Ford Morel at703-907-9318 or Judy Funderburk at 703-671-5310.
Monday, September 19, Tree
Selection for Urban Street and Small Yard Plantings, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Mt. Vernon Recreation Center, 2701
Commonwealth Ave., Alexandria 22305. Sponsored by the Alexandria Beautification
Commission, this program will provide participants with criteria and
resources for making decisions about “Right Tree, Right Place.”
Register to attend by contacting the VCE Horticulture Help Desk at 703 228 6414 or mgarlalex@gmail.com.
Sunday, Sept. 25,
Simpson Park Gardens Fall Open House, 1 to 3
p.m. 420 E. Monroe St., Alexandria 22301 (by the YMCA). VCE Master Gardeners who maintain this demonstration
garden welcome visitors to the garden for a display of what’s in bloom, with
emphasis on native plants and plants for pollinators. Discover host plants for
butterflies and their larva. Enjoy light snacks and drinks and get a closer
look at your neighborhood garden.
Sunday, Sept. 25,
Screening of the film, Hometown Habitat, 6:30 to
8:30 p.m., Arlington Central Library Auditorium, 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington
22201. VCE Master Gardeners of Arlington/Alexandria join with Arlingtonians for
a Clean Environment to present this 90-minute environmental education
documentary focused on showing how and why native plants are critical to the
survival and vitality of local ecosystems. Entomologist Doug Tallamy, an
authority on the misuse of non-native plants in landscaping, provides the
narrative thread throughout the film. Seating is limited, so advance
registration is requested. Sign up athttp://bit.ly/2av1P2g.
Thursday, Sept. 29,
Soil Evaluation & Composting, 7 to 8:30
p.m, Beatley Central Library, 5005 Duke St., Alexandria 22304. Learn the
basics of evaluating your soil and how to turn yard clippings and kitchen waste
into black gold that will nourish your plants. As leaves are about to fall,
instead of bagging them, learn to use them to create a natural and earth
friendly soil amendment for your home and garden. Advance registration requested at mgnv.org. Questions, telephone 703-228-6414 or email mgarlalex@gmail.com.
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