Master Gardener Program
Extension News
Hellebore Delivery-It is the height of the hellebore season and I have lots of lovely plants ready to go. Have something blooming in your garden before the last frost date. For anyone that may want to have some plants brought to the next Master Gardeners meeting, please give me a call and I will get them to you.
Mary Wenger 770-287-0734
From Kathy Lovett -Going Green Organic Fertilizer will be on sale at the HCMG meeting on Tuesday night--$15 per 40 lb. bag. It will be available when you arrive at 6:30. For further info, go to www.goinggreenorg.com. If we sell out, we’ll take orders. (Profits for JMG)
“Gardens on Green”
1. Native Garden gardeners – Trip to Georgia Perimeter College Native Garden on Saturday, March 21 – Contact Janelle Whalen.
2. Thursday, March 26 – Planting in the Native Garden
3. Thursday, April 16 – Planting annuals
4. A BIG THANK YOU to the following who have volunteered in the Gardens during March: Tim Attaway, Bobbett Holloway, Joann Keller, Mindy Wade, Mike Carson, Barbara Thornton, Janelle Whalen, Deloris Smith, Dorothy Kraus, Faye Westfall, Judy Mecum, Lisa Clement, Lee Lovett, Jill Grobeck, Rhonda Tritt, Kathy Lovett, Betty Daunhauer, and several Wal-Mart volunteers
5. A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Philip Zeimer, Bobbett’s gardener, for helping us with pruning and for kindly donating a Mohawk viburnum for the Gardens!
6. A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Sid and Shay Grant of Grant Garden Group who have joined our team!!
Office volunteers needed – we need office volunteers the weeks of March 16 and 23rd. Especially Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Please call Wanda or Becky, 770-535-8293. We are beginning to get lots of spring gardening
calls. Thanks so much!!
HCMG dues are now $15
You can send them to the extension office to the attention of Lee Lovett. 734 East Crescent Drive, Gainesville, Ga. 30501.
Look for upcoming Rain Barrel classes sponsored by the Gainesville Public Utilities and Hall County Cooperative Extension on Tuesday, April 7th and Thursday, May 7th, 6:30 pm at the Gainesville Flat Creek Facility. Call the Extension office to register, 770-535-8293.
Seminars at Jaemor Farms
Saturday, March 21st from 9 am - 12.00 noon with a cost of $12 for refreshments. Kellie Bowen of Full Bloom Nursery will be talking about Flowers and Shrubs.
Saturday, April 18th from 12.30 - 3.00 will be a seminar on Vegetable growing.
PLEASE CALL Drew Echols at Jaemor Farms if interested. 770-532-8201.
Lots of gardening help needed!
Elaine Kelley at The Potting Shed Nursery needs lots of help this week getting the nursery spruced up for the spring season. We will be cutting back and cleaning up perennials, fertilizing, pruning, freshening mulch etc. Monday, Tuesday ,Wednesday and Friday (if needed) any time from 9 to 6.
TO JMG LEADERS…..
FREE POTTING SOIL. Contact Lee Lovett if interested in picking up, 770-532-3136 or
SEEDS NEEDED: If you have any seeds you’d like to share, please bring them with you to the HCMG meeting on Tuesday night, labeled please. At the Dedication of “Gardens on Green” at our April meeting, we’d like to give a little packet of seeds to all guests attending, reminding them that “the flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds of today.” (We’re looking for a JMG group to package the seeds.)
JMG BULB SALE deadline: Please remember to bring your bulb orders and money to the meeting on Tuesday night—checks made to HCMG, except for school JMG groups, who will make checks to their individual schools. THINK OF THIS: If each of us 125 members sells $50 worth of bulbs, that’s $6,250 with a profit of $3,125 for JMG. (We will notify everyone when the bulbs arrive for pick-up. It will be by the first week in April.)
*SAVE THE DATE: Tuesday, April 21, at 6:30---------Dedication of “Gardens on Green”
EXCITING NEWS!!!
Winter, 2010, GMGA Conference:
The HCMG membership has agreed to host the January, 2010, Winter GMGA Conference in Gainesville. Because of this, we will not hold the 2009 Fall Gardening Symposium, but put our efforts towards the Conference.
HCMG VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES….
Volunteer Opportunity-Wilshire Trails Friday March 20th 9:00- 11:00
We will be cleaning up the winter debris and getting the beds ready for planting annuals in a few weeks.
Please bring an assortment of shovels, rakes, broom, clippers, trowel, etc. If anyone has a leaf blower it would be handy.
Gloves are recommended.
Wilshire Trails is located off Pearl Nix Rd. near Longwood Park and behind Gainesville High School.
There is lots of parking, rest rooms and water available. Please call Mary Wenger (770)287-0734 for direction
Brian Johnston, a teacher at Friendship Elementary School is looking for someone to advise/guide his class in creating a butterfly garden at the school. If you can help with this project please call Brian at 678-548-9155.
New Web Site for Georgia Gold Medal Plants
The Georgia Plant Selections Committee, now in its 16th year, has recently announced its slate of 2009 Georgia Gold Medal Winners. Administration of the program has been shifted from Cooperative Extension to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, and a new web page for the program has been created. To obtain information on the 2009 winners as well as a printable color fact sheet, see www.georgiagoldmedalplants.org Limited quantities of the 2009 fact sheets also can be obtained from the State Botanical Garden by contacting Shirley Berry at shberry@uga.edu
INTERESTING TIDBITS…..
Bulletin, bulletin! The Dunwoody Nature Center "Eye-poppin' Natives" plant list and order form are on our website. Find some new offerings that are just gorgeous!
and find something great for your garden. If you prefer a paper order form, call 770-394-3322.
Invasive Species
Spring is around the corner and with it comes the proliferation of invasive species, species that can be 'plants, animals, or other organisms.' Have you ever wondered about some of these invasive species and how to control them? ‘Invasive Species’ will answer all of your questions and anything else you might want to know about a particular species. The site allows access to a comprehensive database for ease of locating your particular interest/concern. This site is not just for the botanical invasions but also has details on plants, animals, and other organisms (e.g., microbes). Human actions are the primary means of invasive species introductions, so here’s your chance to see how you yourself can control the invasion.
FOR SALE – 6’ X 8’ GREENHOUSE IN NEAR PERFECT CONDITION. IF interested, please contact Mike McConnell @ jymcconn@bellsouth.net.
THE SOUTHERN GARDEN SHOW
The Southern Garden Show can be seen at ‘Charter on Demand’ anytime; or online at www.fullbloomnursery.com. New shows and a new format will be airing soon.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS-
March 21, 2009 Master Gardener Day in Georgia. Let's all celebrate with service in our communities.
April 10, 11 Hall County MG 2009 Spring Garden Expo Friday and Saturday, Chicopee Woods Ag Center near Gainesville. www.hcmgs.com
April 18 Annual Spring Plant Sale Research & Education Garden UGA Griffin Campus
Apr 22, 2009 Earth Day
