Master Gardener Program
Extension News
HCMG VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Office volunteers needed – we need office volunteers the week of March 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 for your help.
Spring Expo Volunteer Opportunity
2 volunteers needed for Spring Expo for the Ask a Master Gardener Booth on Saturday, April 11 from 8 – 11:30 AM. Please contact Hugo Kollmer if interested @ hugo2@bellsouth.net.
Hugo Kollmer is chair of the Ask A Master Gardener Booth for the Spring Expo. He has requested two more Master Gardener volunteers to work at the booth during the expo. Could you add this request in the weekly newsletter? Volunteers could contact either Hugo (770-965-2911) or me (770-965-3322). Thank you!
Kathleen Holdash
Bakers needed for Garden Walk! There will be 2 gardens in Garden Walk that will offer delicious homemade cookies (Helen Hyatt and Marguerite Jones). The refreshment committee is seeking bakers to help bake the necessary cookies, which could total as many as 1,000. There will be 2 recipes - Toll House Chocolate Chip and Southern Tea Cookies. Both of these recipes can be baked ahead and frozen until needed, so you can bake several batches if you'd like! More details will follow as we get closer to June, but if you are willing to help please email Connie Hill at
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.
“Gardens on Green”
1. Thursday, March 26 – Planting in the Native Garden
2. Thursday, April 16 – Planting annuals
3. 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
4. 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!
5. A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Sid and Shay Grant of Grant Garden Group who have joined our team!!
*SAVE THE DATE: Tuesday, April 21, at 6:30---------Dedication of “Gardens on Green”. Master Gardener meeting to be held there also.
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, 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.
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.
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…..
If you have someone to nominate, you might be interested in this…..……
> The following request for proposals link has been sent to you from
> Philanthropy News Digest at the Foundation Center's Web site. Gardener's
> Supply Invites Nominations for Garden Crusader Awards
“The "25 Most Common Landscape Mistakes" can be viewed on the internet. The website is hgtv.com/landscapemistakes. This is on HGTV and it is interesting.
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.
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-
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
