Preschoolers Get Early Start on Growing Season

By Carol Kagan



On Saturday, led by Master Gardener Rebecca Keller, twelve young gardeners gathered with their fathers, mothers or grandparents for a Family-Friendly workshop to make mini-greenhouses for milkweed and sunflower seeds to start growing outdoors now.

The youngsters first learned about how a seed becomes a plant and then nestled lima bean seeds among damp cotton balls in a zip lock bag to germinate at home. Roots and leaves should soon appear and give them a real-life view of what they saw on their handout.

Keller showed pictures of Monarch butterflies and talked about how they need to have milkweed plants to lay their eggs.

She then guided them, and their grown-up assistants, in making two mini-greenhouses using recycled gallon plastic bottles.

During the process the children measured and marked the soil line on the bottle,

gleefully scooped the dampened soilless growing mix inside

 

 

and carefully added both milkweed and sunflower seeds.

Labels were added and the bottles were taped shut with duct tape, the most popular color among those offered was pink.

 

The little greenhouses will be put outside in a sunny spot and watered if there isn’t enough snow or rain.

Keller’s assistant, Master Gardener Cathy Campbell, told them the scientific name for the milkweed they planted - Asclepias tuberosa (Ass-KLEE-pee-us  too-bur-O-suh) – and had them practice a few times in hopes they would still remember when they got home.

 

The workshop ended with grown-ups carrying out armfuls of the plastic bottles. Workshop evaluations completed by the parents indicated this was a successful workshop and there were requests for more tailored to this age group.

 

More Family Friendly Workshops

 

The next Family Friendly Workshop on the schedule is Container Gardening on May 2, just in time to come and plant a pot with beautiful flowers for Mother's Day.

 

Two more Family Friendly programs are

 

Bug ID: What's Buggin' You? on June 13

 

and Cornhusk Wreaths and Dolls on October 17.

 

For information about or registration for any of our classes or workshops, please call 717-263-9226.

 

Also, visit the MG Facebook page for a current listing of classes and workshops as well as upcoming events. Of special note are the annual plant sales in May.

January Workshops are Popular - Register Now!

by Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

This year as a Penn State Master Gardener I was on the Class and Workshop Committee. We have amazing programs lined up for 2015 almost all for just $10. To get on our e-mailing list send your address to franklinext@psu.edu. Please feel free to share with your FaceBook and IRL friends, too.


Registrations are coming in for the January workshops and classes. All are held at the Ag Heritage Center, 181 Franklin Farm Rd, Chambersburg.  Register NOW and avoid the disappointment of a full class. Call 263-9226 to register.

This year "For the Birds" is adding an extra feature of a Make and Take bird feeder. This is a Family Friendly program and the cost if $10/1 adult & child or $15/family. Make sure to let them know when you register how many will attend so we have enough supplies.



Next up is "Winter Sowing," another Make and Take workshop. Astound your neighbors and friends when you start seeds in mid-winter and have an early harvest of tomatoes. This method of winter sowing eliminates the need for elaborate indoor set-ups and work. For only $10 you can create a seed starter to take home and the knowledge to make 20 more! This is not only a fun project but a good strategy for home gardeners.



The "Miniature 'Fairy' Gardens" class will teach the basics about these indoor or outdoor landscapes. Last year's class had a number of children interested in these fun projects. These gardens can by any world you want - from fairy gardens to "gnome homes," to Hobbit landscapes. Come and learn the basics and get a head start on the February Make and Take Workshop. This is very popular so register now.

Update on My Seed Starting

On day five and six nothing had sprouted. On day seven my cabbages, dianthus, bachelor’s buttons and bunny grass have sprouted.

 

 

 

 

Day eight and nine and nothing new sprouted but the ones that already sprouted got taller.

We purchased our fence and gate. We also measured where we’re going to put our fence.

We had to take our rototiller to get the seal on it fixed and, hopefully, it will be done this weekend.

We know from the past garden that no garden will survive without a fence. We had deer, possums, ground hogs and many more unwanted visitors.

Bird Sanctuary and Starting Seeds

More from Emmalee, our 4-H Garden Club blogger.

Bird Sanctuary (Emmalee)

Here’s a picture of our failed garden. Last year we turned the garden into a bird sanctuary. As you can see from the picture the stuff that’s growing on the right side of the bird sanctuary is smaller than the other side because the right side is closer to the black walnut tree.

After doing my sunlight test I have new location for my garden. I don’t have that dug yet but we’ll be doing that soon. We purchased a walk-up greenhouse and we put it together on Saturday.

Seeds planted in plastic cups (Emmalee)

I planted the seeds of 10 varieties of vegetables and also planted 10 varieties of flowers. I used plastic cups and poked holes in the bottom. Here’s a picture of the greenhouse.

Greenhouse (Emmalee)

When I checked it later that evening it was very moist and hot. Today is day three and nothing has germinated or sprouted yet.

Thoughts and Meditations on Gardening - 6

“Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets, but humbler folk may circumvent this restriction if they know how. To plant a pine, for example, one need be neither god nor poet; one need only own a shovel. By virtue of this curious loophole in the rules, any clodhopper may say: Let there be a tree - and there will be one.” 
   Aldo Leopold, "A Sand County Almanac"

As gardeners we know we can nuture small seeds into towering trees or tiny bits of creeping thyme. But have we ever considered that we possessed a power - a power to transform one state of being into another?

Aldo Leopold was one of the most ardent proponents of the movement to preserve the wilderness. An early incident in his life changed his perspective on nature, seeing it as a community where all things have value. His book “A Sand County Almanac,” highlights some events of nature that are important parts of the natural community.

Here’s a quote that moved me to find out more about him:

"A half-dozen other [wolves], evidently grown pups, sprang from the willows and all joined in a welcoming melee of wagging tails and playful maulings. In those days we had never heard of passing up a chance to kill a wolf. In a second we were pumping lead into the pack, but with more excitement than accuracy...

"We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then, and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes -- something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then, and full of trigger-itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view."

If you are interested in learning more about Aldo Leopold, one of the top 12 environmentalists

Top 12 Enviornmentalists You Should Know
Aldo Leopold Foundation
Aldo Leopold Nature Center
About Aldo Leopold
Aldo Leopold WIlderness Research Institute

Starting Seeds Indoors Workshop

Photo courtesy Jim Grefig

Expand your options for plant selections beyond what’s available from commercial nurseries and greenhouses. You, too, can jump-start the spring growing season by starting your own plants from seed.

Master Gardener Ray Eckhart will teach about the equipment and methods used for starting seeds indoors. As part of the class, attendees will build and take home a frame to support a lighting system suitable for home use on Thursday, February 28, 2013 from 6:30-8:30 pm.

Cost for the class is $25, including your own frame. Without a frame, class fee is $10. Registration is required.

Class is limited to 20 people.









Update: February 22, 2013

Master Gardener Prep Team in Action.  MG Jane Krumpe led a team of Manly Men prepping for next week's workshop.  Thanks, folks!

MG's Lionel Lemery, Bill Dorman, Jane Krumpe, and Paul Luka

Measure Twice, Cut Once

Once

Twice

Cut

Ready for Assembly

Starting Seeds Indoors

Horticulture Educator Steve Bogash provides tips for starting seeds indoors.

Here's a picture of the easy to build lighting system we did for the class a few weeks ago.

Lighting System

Plans for building the frame here.

Plans for making a heat mat from outdoor Christmas Lights here.

University of Maryland site for starting seeds here.