Gardening With Fewer Pesticides

Master Gardener Ray Eckhart will introduce the research based concepts of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) so homeowners understand ways to garden using little or no pesticides.





These are the same techniques used by organic and conventional farmers, but applied to the home landscape and vegetable gardens. 

Thursday, April 24, 2014 6:30-8:30 pm.  Contact the Extension Office at 717-263-9226 to register.

Make Your Own Miniature Garden (Fairy Garden) Tues. Evening April 8

by Carol Kagan

You've seen these miniature gardens with different themes - gnomes, Asian homesteads, fairies and even Lord of the Rings. You've wanted to make one but didn't know where to start. Here's the answer and a way to spring into spring since the weather won't let us!

After the very, very successful presentation on February 1 and equally successful "Make and Take" workshop on March 29, Juanita Kauffman is offering another "Make and Take Workshop" on Tues. April 8 from 6:30- 8:30 p.m. at the Ag Heritage Center, 181 Franklin Farm Road, Chambersburg.

This workshop will go over the guidelines for these miniature gardens but will be a hands-on presentation where participants will make their own to take home.

All supplies are provide including a made-in the-USA beautifully glazed, 13 1/2" pottery bowl, soil, gravel, 2-4 appropriately scaled plants and 2-3 tiny accessories.

Kauffman will participants put all these elements together to make a miniature gardens that will be a conversation piece and provide hours of enjoyment.

The cost is $50 - a great value for these quality supplies and workshop guidance. (I've seen the workshop supplies and this is really a great value. You will be pleased at your results.)

For information or to register, call 717-263-9226.

Preparing for the Greenhouse and Plant Sale

by Carol Kagan and Krista Cowan, Master Gardeners

2013 Plant Sale

The Greenhouse Team and Holding Area Team continue to nurture hundreds and hundreds of seedlings and plants that have overwintered in preparation for the annual Greenhouse Sale (Friday, May 9 -10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and the Plant Sale (Saturday, May 17 - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

Pots & cups full of "thinnings" from the seed trays

The Greenhouse Team has been watering and thinning every day and the plants are growing. On Saturday Krista Cowan and Walter Wray did thinning and watering.

Before disassembly

Earlier in the day Krista, Walter and Trey Gelbach disassembled the high tunnel frame.

This is one of the final chores for the holding area and overwintered plants as well as newly potted ones can be put in their new home.

The high tunnel parts and hardware were stored it in the barn for Steve Bogash to pick up.

Stored in the barn

Krista's comment for the day - Where is the sun?????!!!!!!  uggghhhjhhhhhhhhh!

Thanks to Krista for the update and photos.

Why are the Master Gardener, Franklin County, Vegetable and Plant Sales different from other plant sales?

•Heirloom and unique varieties, most not offered at garden centers, are growing in the greenhouse.

•Locally grown plants, nurtured by Master Gardeners in their home landscapes, have been divided out and potted up to sell.

•Our sales are also scheduled at an ideal time to take plants home and plant them out - no worry over where to hold plants until the last frost date.

•Master Gardeners will be at the plant sale to offer assistance for choosing and caring for the plants offered.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to get unique and quality plants are great prices!

40°, Sunny, Clear = Master Gardeners at Work

by Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

Tomatoes and Peppers Rise Up!

In preparation for the May 9 Vegetable and the May 17 Plant Sales, the greenhouse and holding area teams are working away.

Opal Basil- Just one of the many herbs to be offered

In less than 1 week we have tiny tomato and basil and other plants peeking up.

Opal basil, cinnamon basil, tarragon, borage, dill, lemon grass, garlic chives, cilantro, and hyssop will be offered along with parsley and sweet basil. Larger thyme and lemon balm should be available and lots of mints divided out from the demo garden.



Holding Area - May 2013

We have hundreds and hundreds of plants that are overwintering and will be moved to the holding area. These will add to the inventory for the plant sale.

"Many hands make light the work."

The Holding Area coordinators had many hands on deck (Bill Stead-shorts, really?) to help clear out the high tunnel area and adjacent space.

The high tunnel frame will be removed

2013 Master Gardener Plant Sale

Why is the Master Gardener, Franklin County, Vegetable and Plant Sale different from other plant sales?

• Heirloom and unique varieties, most not offered at garden centers, are growing in the greenhouse.
• Locally grown plants, nurtured by Master Gardeners in their home landscapes, have been divided out and potted up to sell.
• Our sales are also scheduled at an ideal time to take plants home and plant them out - no worry over where to hold plants until the last frost date.
• Master Gardeners will be at the plant sale to offer assistance for choosing and caring for the plants offered.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to get unique and quality plants are great prices.

Bring your wagons, cart, or boxes and load up on quality plants

Vegetable Sale - Friday, May 9 --   10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your boxes and take home these bargains.

Plant Sale - Saturday, May 17 -- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- Lines form early so grab your coffee and come over. Bring your cart or wagon and load up.

Make Your Own Miniature Landscape (Fairy Gardens) Sat., March 29

by Carol Kagan

You've seen these miniature gardens with different themes - gnomes, Asian homesteads, fairies and even Lord of the Rings. You've wanted to make one but didn't know where to start. Here's the answer and a way to spring into spring since the weather won't let us!

After the very, very successful presentation on February 1, Juanita Kauffman is offering a Make and Take Workshop on two dates: Sat., March 29 from 9 - 11 a.m. and Tues. April 8 from 6:30- 8:30 p.m. at the Ag Heritage Center, 181 Franklin Farm Road, Chambersburg.

This workshop will go over the guidelines for these miniature gardens but will be a hands-on presentation where participants will make their own to take home.

All supplies are provide including a made-in the-USA beautifully glazed, 13 1/2" pottery bowl, soil, gravel, 2-4 appropriately scaled plants and 2-3 tiny accessories.

Kauffman will participants put all these elements together to make a miniature gardens that will be a conversation piece and provide hours of enjoyment.

The cost is $50 - a great value for these quality supplies and workshop guidance.

For information or to register, call 717-263-9226.

Greenhouse Opening Marks the First Day of Spring

by Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

Peppers begin their journey to seedling then plant

What better sign of the first day spring than the Master Gardener greenhouse up and running? With the Annual Plant Sale just eight weeks away, the cycle of life begins for tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, flowers and herbs.

Heavy fleece jackets and sweat shirts came off as greenhouse team members generated their own heat in the controlled warmth of the greenhouse on March 20.  Lead by Juanita Kauffman, title yet undecided, everyone was busy beginning with the quick review of the day’s activities.

Barb Petrucci searches for Garden Peach tomato labels

 Seed starting trays were filled and passed on to planting teams. In recycling mode, many plant labels were sorted out from last year’s batch and matched up to their trays.

Tom Reeder refills the planting mix as Diane Keeney plants

Jane Birt & Ruth Young seeding a tray

The seeds were carefully matched to their labels and were dropped into the trays.

Bill Dorman and Diane Keeney match seeds to labels

After covering them lightly with planting mix they were watered.

Don Knode covers seed with planning mix

Some were set on heating pads to speed up germination.

Juanita Kauffman places trays on heating pads

The timing for planting is geared so plants will be ready for transplanting in our area at the time of the Plant Sale, scheduled this year for May 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Customers are advised to come early and bring their own carts or wagons.

This year’s sale promises a wide variety of plants started in the greenhouse. Many are unusual or heirloom varieties not typically found in local garden centers or nurseries. Another unique feature of the Plant Sale is the locally grown plants donated from Master Gardener landscapes.

Not all of the greenhouse team is shown here. After last week's clean-up and today's planting, their work is only starting - daily watering, transplanting and nurturing this year's crops.

Artemisia - International Herb Society Herb of the Year

By Carol Kagan, Master Gardener


Artemisia adds a silver touch to landscapes

The International Herb Society (IHS) official Herb of the Year™ for 2014 is Artemisia (Artemisia species).

There are over 300 species of Artemisia (Ahr-tuh-MIZ-ee-uh); each one has its own special features from height, leaf shape or color to aromas that range from clean and refreshing to acrid and repugnant. They are used for landscaping, cooking, and crafting. Their oils are used as insect repellents, perfume additives and are important ingredients in malaria medicines.

Artemisia species have a wide variety of heights and leaf textures, offering a range of landscape choices from borders to background plants. Artemisia plants can be as small as Silver Brocade (A. stelleriana), often called Dusty Miller, at six inches or as tall as Sweet Annie (A. annua) often reaching six feet. The silver, grey and green colors provide good backdrops to the more colorful plants in the garden.

While each species has its own growing requirements, most are perennials, hardy as far north as zone 4, prefer sun or partial sun exposure and like well-drained soil.

The culinary favorite, French Tarragon, is an artemisia

French tarragon (A. drancunculus) is the most well-known of the culinary artemisias. It is the main ingredient in French sauces and salad dressings and used in poultry dishes as well as tarragon vinegar. Although considered a bitter herb, wormwood (A. absinthium) is the primary ingredient in vermouth, absinthe liqueur, and used to flavor beer and wine.


Silver King (A. ludoviciana) and Powis Castle (A. arborescens ) are usually the silver color in many dried wreaths and flower arrangements. They are easy to dry and go with any color palette.

Silver King artemisia provides a background that shows off colors

Some artemisias have unpleasant scents and are put in sachets as moth and mosquito repellents while others with pleasing aromas are added to potpourris. In the language of flowers Artemisia represents dignity.

Sweet Annie provides a yellow-green leaf and small yellow flowers and is also good for dried crafting. For some, this herb has a pleasant fragrance but not for others. This plant was used historically as a medicine but it can produce allergic reactions, rashes and congestion in some individuals just by handling the plants. 

Flowers of Sweet Annie artemisia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Approved by the Federal Drug Administration and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, the component artemisinin found in Artemisia annua (Sweet Annie is used for treatment of malaria, most often in combination with other drugs. This has been found to be as effective as quinine.

Are you interested in Artemisia plants? The Master Gardener plant sale on May 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. will feature both Silver King and Silver Mound plants as well as a variety of other plants grown and donated by members.

Also check out the The Herb Society of America (HSA) Notable Native Herb for 2014  -  Redring Milkweed (Asclepias variegate), our Blog entry on this plant,  and the Master Gardener’s Redring MilkweedProject.

Masters Gardeners, Penn State Extension, Franklin County have presentations, events and workshops throughout the year. To be added to the e-mail event schedule list, please email lac19@psu.edu or call 717-263-9226.

Master Gardeners Enjoy Olmsted Presentation

Last fall at our annual banquet, Kirk Brown, as Frederick Olmsted, gave an excellent presentation. Here's his post about that presentation.

Chambersburg Master Gardeners and Olmsted’s Civil War Experience

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Mr. Kirk R. Brown

“What is human warfare but just this; an effort to make the laws of God and nature take sides with one party.”  –Henry David Thoreau
“Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.” –John F. Kennedy 

Mary Ritner’s Boarding House was a hot bed of abolitionist rhetoric and fiery biblical oratory.

It’s been nearly a century since the great fire of Chambersburg was ignited as one of the penultimate acts of defiance by rebels under orders from Brig. Gen John McCausland.

The downstairs parlor reserved for John Brown and his compatriots.

As the only major community burned down by Confederate forces during the Civil War, the borough had failed to provide a ransom of $500,000 in US currency or $100,000 in gold when the town was invaded for the third time on July 30, 1864. It was from Chambersburg that John Brown staged weapons and ammunition in the run-up to his ill-fated attack on Harper’s Ferry in 1859.

The kitchen of Mary Ritner’s boarding house has a table that once sat John Bartram and his partisan assembly of abolitionists.

Mary Ritner kept a boarding house at 225 East King Street. John Brown and several of his co-conspirators rented rooms from her while planning the take-over of the federal depot. The town was a center for abolitionist sentiments and served as a way station to the Underground Railroad because of its service as a railroad junction.

The Master Gardeners were celebrating their 20th anniversary.

In the intervening ninety-nine plus years, gardeners have been extremely busy beautifying the city. This year, dozens of them came together under the banner of the State Master Gardener’s Association to celebrate at their annual banquet.

Celebrating a 20th anniversary. Jane Krumpe, Truella Izer &Linda Secrist

Let me state unequivocally: Frederick Law Olmsted is an abolitionist. I wrote extensively of my travels through the slave states of Alabama, Louisiana and Texas in “A Journey in the Seaboard Slave States; With Remarks on Their Economy.” Nothing about the system is sustainable.

Entertaining the guests is always part of the thrill of speaking about Landscape Architecture and the history of its art and practice. With Juanita & Kenny Kauffman

Landscape design and execution, on the other hand can be very sustainable. The art and theory of Landscape Design should be extended as a perfect way to solve the problems facing human kind by urban crowding, general health of the population, and natural preservation. Without it we are simply abusers of the wealth given by God that we have been charged with stewarding.

Guests arriving were introduced to the evening’s lecturer: Frederick Law Olmsted.

 

Kirk R. Brown Website

Redring Milkweed Project

by Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

Redring Milkweed (Asclepias variegata)

I found something interesting when exploring the 2014 designated herbs - Artemisia: Herb of the Year of the International Herb Society and Redring Milkweed: Notable Native Herb from the Herb Society of America. I discovered that redring milkweed is on the endangered plant list in Pennsylvania.

After reading the blog posting, a Master Gardener inquired where to get plants or seeds. I discovered that is not easy. Long story short- Porterbrook Native Herbs in Ohio has plants available.

A proposal to the Master Gardener Steering Committee to establish a propagation colony in our Woodland Meadow Native Habitat Demonstration Garden was approved and plants have been ordered.

Redring Milkweed plant along a roadside

REDRING MILKWEED PROJECT

Redring Milkweed - Asclepias variegata

Master Gardeners of Penn State Extension, Franklin County

MISSION STATEMENT

This project was created to propagate redring milkweed plants (Asclepias variegata) which are an endangered native plant in Pennsylvania. A colony of plants will be established in the Woodland Meadow Native Habitat to provide seeds and plant divisions to share with other native plant organizations. Additionally, these hard to find native plants will be offered as a premium plant at Master Gardener plant sales.

In conjunction with the mission of the Master Gardeners of Penn State Extension, the Redring Milkweed Project will serve the home gardening and general public by 

• providing a renewable resource for this endangered Pennsylvania native plant.
• demonstrating inclusion of native plants in the landscape.
• providing a resource for publicizing the Master Garden program through communication sources such as the Master Gardener blog and Facebook page.
• adding to the beautiful and inspiring setting of the Woodland Meadow Native Habitat demonstration garden for the delight and inspiration of the public.

 

Masters Gardeners, Penn State Extension, Franklin County have presentations, events and workshops throughout the year. To be added to the e-mail event schedule list, please email lac19@psu.edu or call 717-263-9226.

Master Gardens and 4-H Team Up for Youth Garden Club

by Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

Planting the Seeds of Gardening

Franklin County 4-H Youth Start Garden Club

Chambersburg, PA – Although Michelle Obama’s White House garden gets a lot of media attention, it’s the growth of local and community gardens that have an impact IRL (in real life). This year 4-H of Franklin County is starting a Garden Club.

Franklin County is considered the No. 4 farm county in the state and earns more than $300 million annually in agricultural sales. With the farming community all around, many are inspired to learn about gardening and have gardens of their own.

Last year, Master Gardener Jessica Kauffman was asked if there was a junior Master Gardener program. While there is no Master Gardener program for youths, Kauffman’s inquiries planted the seed for a 4-H Garden Club.

The first organizational meeting will be held on March 27 at 6:30 PM at the Ag Heritage Building at 185 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg. Meetings will be held weekly on Thursday evenings.

“The … Garden Club is a great opportunity for children ages 8-18 in the community to learn all aspects of gardening,” said Jason Goetz, Extension Educator in the 4-H Youth Development Team.  Like other 4-H Clubs, he said, they will also learn “skills that will allow them to succeed in society.”

The Master Gardeners of Penn State Extension, Franklin County and the 4-H club are teaming up with Kauffman and Carol Kagan as club leaders. Other Master Gardeners will share their expertise as well. The club will have a garden at the Ag Heritage Center gardens on Franklin Farm Road.

In past years Master Gardeners partnered with the 4-H Harvest 4-Health and Kids Learning After School (KLAS) programs, helping establish a vegetable garden at Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School in Chambersburg. This is a local effort to teach the newest generation about growing fresh, nutritious food, much like the White House garden.

Students at Thaddeus Stevens do spring planting (Photo: Public Opinion)

Donna Scherer, Master Gardener Coordinator said, “It’s important that we reach out to our youth to connect them to where their food comes from and to empower them with the ability to grow their own food.”

For the 2014 year, the Garden Club will focus on Vegetable Gardening. Youth will have the opportunity to grow vegetables on the Ag Heritage grounds during the regular growing season. They will also have support and resources for any home-based vegetable gardens.

Club members will learn about gardening from planning what to plant through how to harvest and use the vegetables they grow. Along the way to harvest, they will learn about the life-cycle of plants, what they need to grow, and how to care for them to get a good harvest.

“I'm so excited to be a part of the new 4-H garden club! Kids seem to have an innate curiosity and excitement about nature,” said Kauffman, adding “I'm sure it will add to the energy at club meetings.”

In order to fund the Garden Club, 4-H is offering strawberry plants at $7 (incl. tax) for a bundle of 25. Varieties available include Earliglow, Honeoye, Northeaster, Allstar, Jewel, Cabot, Montery (day neutral plants).

Perhaps the White House could use a few more strawberry plants for their garden.

For more information about the club, becoming a member or to order strawberries call the Penn State Extension office at 717-263-9226.

For more information about this program contact:

Jason Goetz, 4-H  Youth Development Educator- Jjg300@psu.edu or 717-263-9226

Donna Scherer, Master Garden Coordinator- Dks14@psu.edu or 717-263-9226

To be added to the e-mail event schedule list, please call 717-263-9226.