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The Goodhue County Master Gardeners are proud to co-sponsor another excellent Red Wing Community Education Program on September 27th, 2011, 7 to 8:30 pm at the Courtyard Cafe, Red Wing High School. The speaker will be Professor Albert "Bud" Markhart, PHD a professor at the University of MN who will give a presentation on soil improvement techniques that will result in healthier plants, more produce, less weeds, less watering and much less work. Professor Markhart III is now advising 13 environmental horticulture majors at the U of MN. He pioneered the University's organic horticulture curriculum and inspired students to create Cornercopia, a one-acre plot of certified organic land on the St. Paul campus.
The registration fee is only $8 and you can sign up online today HERE or call Comm. Ed at 651-385-4565.
Persons who have gardening talents they would like to share with other residents of Goodhue County are being sought for the Master Gardener program sponsored by University of Minnesota Extension. Master Gardeners will be taking applications for the Goodhue County Master Gardener Program until November 7, 2011.
The Master Gardener program is an educational program designed to train volunteers to help others in their communities with horticulture. The 2012 Master Gardener Core Course will be held at the University of MN -- St. Paul Campus and online. A total of 48 hours of education, this class is taught by University of Minnesota extension educators and faculty. Some of the topics included in the core course will be: entomology, herbaceous plants, trees and shrubs, indoor plants, integrated pest management, lawn care, fruits and vegetables.
Upon completion of the Master Gardener program, each Master Gardener is required to complete an internship of 50 hours of volunteer time the first year, and 25 hours of volunteer time in following years. These volunteer hours can be achieved in a variety of ways including presentations and community service projects.
For more information, please contact Robin, U of MN Extension Goodhue County, 651-385-3100 or 1-800-385-3101.
By Jody Ohlhaber, Goodhue County Master Gardener
As you read this article, you will realize that Creeping Charlie is quite possibly a plant to admire. At the very least, you may curb the desire to become the Terminator when you hear the name. First of all, I would like you to consider its name. Romeo and Juliet summed it up in the lines, "That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet". Scientifically, Creeping Charlie is named Glechoma hederacea. However, it has many common names: ground ivy, gill-over-the-ground, runaway Robin, Lizzie-run-up-the-hedge, alehoof, gillrun, hay maids, and hedge maids.
Continue reading "Living with Creeping Charlie" »
David Velasquez, Goodhue County Master Gardener Intern
Buckthorn is designated as a restricted, noxious weed in Minnesota. So why is it so pervasive on my property and the property of so many landowners? Originally buckthorn was imported as an ornamental. Most Minnesota nurseries have voluntarily stopped selling this tree because of its ability to escape cultivation, which is the issue. When uncontrolled, buckthorn can form dense thickets in forests, yards, parks, and roadsides. It will crowd out native plants and displace the native shrubs and small trees in the mid-layer of the forest where many species of birds normally nest. It is important for property owners to recognize and remove buckthorn in order to protect their local environment.
Continue reading "Battling Buckthorn on Your Property" »
Terry L. Yockey, Goodhue County Master Gardener
Last season Japanese Beetles invaded Minnesota in a big way and unfortunately now that they have arrived, they are here to stay. Though they are fairly new to Minnesota, the first transplanted Japanese beetle was found in a New Jersey nursery in 1916. As the name implies they are native to Japan where they have several natural enemies that keep their population in check. Here in the U.S., however, Japanese beetles continue to spread to new areas every year and have become a highly destructive plant pest.