published by & for maricopa county master gardeners · published by & for maricopa county...

Published By & For Maricopa County Master Gardeners

RGRP: Linda Theiken’s Garden , p. 3

RGRP: Jake’s Arbor, p. 5

Diggings, p. 7

The Leaf Miner, p. 8

Answering Questions, p. 9

Volunteer of the Month, p. 10

Budget Finance Committee, p. 11

Design Charrette, p. 12

Kale, p. 13

Soils, p. 14

AFGC Scholarships, p. 17

R&S Staff Changes, p.17

WHAT’S INSIDE THE DECEMBER 2015 ISSUELinda Theiken’s Garden, photo by Chris Wais

ROOTS & SHOOTS | DECEMBER 2015 PAGE 2

JEAN UPDIKE Editor

Associate Editor: MEG PATERSON Associate Editor: KAREN SANKMAN

Art Director: KIRSTEN CARTER

Website Questions: JO COOK | 602.827.8211

Roots & Shoots, published monthly by and for Maricopa County Master Gardeners, is printed under the direction of:

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Maricopa County Office

4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85040-8807Phone: 602.827.8200 Fax: 602.827.8292

Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday–Fridaywww.MaricopaMasterGardener.com

STAFFKELLY YOUNG

Assistant Agent, ANR/Urban Horticulture602.827.8219, [email protected]

REBECCA SENIOR Assistant in Extension, Ornamental Horticulture

602.827.8276, [email protected]

JO COOK Program Coordinator


YVONNE COOPER Program Coordinator,

602.827.8239

JESSE DAVENPORT Program Coordinator, Food Access


SHARON DEWEY Speakers Bureau


MARINA ACOSTA Program Coordinator, School & Community Gardens


CELESTE BURRELL Departmental Secretary

602-827-8253

SHERI SEMONESAdministrative Assistant


MASTER GARDENER CONTACT LIST

Ambassadors: PAULA PUTAO | 623.486.2356, [email protected] NEWHOFF | 602.943.1843, [email protected]

Technical Committee: CARRIE GOODE | 480.457.8840, [email protected] CHERYL SCHMIDTKE | 480.732.1527, [email protected]

Design Charrette: MITZI MALDONADO | [email protected], 602-573-2410SUE LANKER | 480.947.0552, [email protected] MURMAN | 602.863.9204, [email protected]

MG Update: OLIVETTE AVISO | 602.381.4318, [email protected]

MG and Public Calendar: KAREN SANKMAN LEE | 480.893.1066, [email protected]

RGRP Co-chairs: CHRIS WAIS | [email protected], 513-476-0710TWYLA MARTI | 602-791-5815, [email protected] THIEKEN | 602-996-4398, [email protected] BILL FELTON | [email protected], 480-759-9082

OFFICESMAIN OFFICE 602.827.8200 University of Arizona Cooperative Extension 4341 E Broadway Rd Phoenix, AZ 85040 Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5 p.m.

NORTHWEST VALLEY 623.546.1672 We are moving! Stay tuned for more information.

The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting Jo Cook, Program Coordinator, at [email protected] 602-827-8211. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Jeffrey C. Silvertooth, Associate Dean & Director, Economic Development & Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Arizona.

Facebook.com/MaricopaCountyMasterGardeners

http://Facebook.com/MaricopaCountyMasterGardeners


Real Gardens for Real People 2016 Garden Tour

written by LINDA LARSON, photos by ROB MARIANI

THE ECLECTIC GARDEN: Linda Thieken, MG, and Jerry Thieken

Linda loves growing flowering plants, and since very few plants do not flower she believes “the more variety the better,” although she does show a great preference for flowers in purple, blue and white. Some unique beauties in this area include a white Queens Wreath that thrives in the heat on the west wall of her garage and a Blue Mist Greggi that attracts a flutter of butterflies in the fall. Other favorite blooming plants are the white duranta, plumbagos in white and blue, purple cape myrtle and a collection of adeniums.

A flowering pear tree shades a custom designed composter (a birthday gift made by her husband Jerry). Jerry helps in the garden in many ways; he designed a water harvesting system from an old pool pump that helps water the plants in the front yard. He has devised structures that allow summer shading for tender plants. Jerry and Linda have been working on this garden for 32 years. Originally a professional landscape design was done for the 1/2 acre lot, but it did not have a good plan for desert adapted plants. In the years since they installed a French drain for better water management, reduced a 10,000 square foot lawn area, which was great for volleyball and family activities, to

5000 square feet. Linda became a Master Gardener in 2008 and has enthusiastically continued working on the garden.

Raised beds are a favorite for her vegetables and herbs; it increases access and allows for more customized growing medium. Jerry has also made plant cages to help keep rabbits from eating the plants. Linda favors not pruning her shrubs and trees. The leaf litter is allowed to accumulate to provide organic material and habitat for lizards and such.

Some plants and pots hold a special spot in her heart as they were contributions from her mother, who earned a master’s degree in botany from Iowa State in 1950.

Roses hybridized especially for our hot weather find a place in the sun; St. Patrick, Marilyn Monroe and Jack Kennedy varieties are favorite bloomers.

When this busy gardener finally sits she has a covered patio with comfy furniture and a view of the pool and her raised flower beds where she enjoys planting annuals in white and blue.


Real Gardens for Real People 2016 Garden Tour (continued)

Linda is happiest digging, planting and watching plants grow. Propagation gives her a particular thrill, and the Master Gardener program directly benefits from this as she recently donated 120 plants for the Fall Festival sale. Linda also has served in leadership roles of the RGRP tour every year since 2009. So if you enjoy the tour each spring, be sure to seek her out and say thanks. This is an enormous effort to organize and produce this event.

Gardeners are always learning and some of Linda’s best tips are:

• Spend money wisely on your plants. When she added a cascolate tree to her garden, she opted for the less expensive variety that grows with thorns. “A huge mistake” she says, because for $50 more on the one-time purchase she could have had a lifetime tree without fierce thorns.

• “Nursery pots” (her term for the propagation process) thrive in the shade of the mother plant. She places the drip emitter into the pot, and water then runs through and onto the host plant. This mirrors the growing conditions and increases the success of growing a new plant.

• Drought tolerant plants are not tolerant until they are fully established in the garden, then a reduction in water is possible.

• Don’t be afraid to dig up a plant and move it, because the right plant in the right place is always your goal.

• Search for plants that are frost tolerant; a bit of research initially saves a lot of heartbreak.

Features to Notice:• Composting set up• View from the covered patio• Varieties of plants, especially white

bloomers• Water harvesting system in front yard• Natural shape shrubs (result of minimal

pruning)


JAKE’s Arbor is an acronym for John And Kim Eisenhower’s garden. John is an ISA Certified Arborist and Master Gardener and has co-owned Integrity Tree Service with Kim since 1989. Kim is also a Master Gardener and together they purchased their home in 1997. The one acre property was perfect for them with a collection of mature palms and other trees growing on the property. Palm varieties include Canary Island Date, Phoenix Date, Mexican Fan, Mediterranean, and Sago palms.

Over the years John and Kim have added more trees, including a total of 19 varieties of edible fruit trees. This home provides visitors an opportunity to see apple, pear, peach, apricot, fig, pomegranate and more. The citrus collection includes lime, lemon kumquat, navel orange,

blood orange, Meyer lemon and pummelo, all of which will be bearing fruit during the tour. You will have an opportunity to see the size and qualities of mature trees and maybe taste a few of the fruits!

JAKE’s Arbor is a full acre property and offers many possibilities in landscape design. Here you will see the implementation of a divided acre providing a smaller garden space close to the house for pool and patio living. The remainder of the property beyond the pool enclosure includes a flood-irrigated orchard, a large metal barn and a bright red and white chicken coop inhabited by a dozen free range hens. There are also horse stalls converted into tool and firewood storage areas plus a large dog run. John and Kim incorporate composting in their garden,

Real Gardens for Real People 2016 Garden Tour

written by LINDA LARSON, photos by CHRISTINE NIMITZ, HOWARD ASCHOFF, and JOHN EISENHOWER

JAKE’S ARBOR: John & Kim Eisenhower, MGs


Real Gardens for Real People 2016 Garden Tour (continued)

and it benefits the raised beds and containers for herbs and vegetables. An old metal compost tumbler as well as several galvanized horse troughs prepare the compost ingredients.

Red brick paths wind their way to the front door under mature pine trees, trimmed to allow dappled sunlight to fall on a lawn and planting beds. Low lying wedelia and purple heart provide a bright color combination lining the walkway beneath shrubs of orange jubilee honeysuckle.

Chaste trees grow in several areas throughout the property. These trees produce a purple flower that creates drupes of small round seeds, historically used by chewing or brewing into a tea to reduce sex drive. Garden history is always interesting!

In the backyard, under the canopy of a sprawling mulberry tree, red brick paths wind past raised beds made of the same material. Planted in spaces between the pool deck, a dense groundcover called Lipia softens the hardscape with its deep green hues. A rose garden sits below the mulberry branches and continues to produce amazing blooms even though many of the plants are over 30 years old. John’s collection of old horticulture tools is displayed on the end of the garden shed. It includes his first tree climbing harness, old pruning equipment and more.

There are five main seating areas: A raised deck overlooks the pool. A hanging porch swing right below the deck provides a shady space to relax. A covered patio near the house provides a comfortable seating area for friends and family to gather. And a table and chairs near the poolside fire pit allow a cozy spot for cool evenings. A fifth and last seating area is located in a secret garden that entices the curious visitor beyond the raised deck. A mature Banks rose climbing into the top of a tall tree is a special treat there as well as a comfy bench near a fountain.

JAKE’s Arbor is a grand garden of trees, shrubs, flowers and groundcover. Come and enjoy a stroll in this urban woods. John and Kim welcome you! The plants are all labeled and ready to inspire your imagination for your own garden of dreams.

Features:• 19 stone and citrus fruit trees• Chickens• Vintage horticulture tool collection• Secret garden with lion-head tiered fountain• Red brick pathways• Segmented acre creating mixed use area


DIGGINGSwritten by PAM PERRY

A quick review of http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/t-tips/dec.htm covers most of the common early winter challenges and opportunities desert gardeners face. A review of this will put you “in the know” and you might have ready answers when friends and neighbors think to ask “their own” Master Gardener questions. You can WOW them!

The weather is still great, and we can plant. Wait, wait, and wait until after the first frost date to start pruning most desert adapted or sub tropical plants. Once your deciduous fruit trees have lost their leaves you can begin to consider what pruning cuts you want to make. If you are not entirely sure, identify potential cuts with tape or string and step away to consider what will be left and how those cuts may direct new growth this spring. Do not be too hasty; you cannot glue them back together. Try not to remove more than 25% of the plant. Check out the publication AZ1668. Be prepared for frost and adjust irrigation timers should we get true El Nino rain!

If you have had a successful harvest of sweet potatoes, how you store them is important. Keep sweet potatoes in a place that stays above 55 degrees. Temperatures lower than 55 degrees trigger enzyme actions that change some of the starches. The end result is your sweet potatoes cook up hard in the center. So, do not refrigerate them, and if you are keeping them outside and days get too cool bring inside what you can to keep them tender, moist and sweet. And harvest them before soil temperatures drop too low!

Baby greens rule this time of year! All those green and leafy crops can be thinned and eaten as proper spacing is achieved. Alternatively, many will transplant with a little care and never miss a beat if germination was too spotty. Quickly maturing crops -- Asian greens, radishes, or those you really do prefer to eat young and tender, and yes, you do have a choice here -- can be seeded as crops are completely harvested. You do not have to allow green and leafy crops to become almost mature enough to bloom. These greens can be consumed at any stage a gardener determines they are the best tasting, most tender, and best size or maturity for their use. Just because in the Demo Garden kale remains in place all winter into spring and we keep harvesting the bigger leaves does not mean that you must!

Alternatively, allowing some plants to mature and bloom will have interest and benefits all together different than eating. If you have one of the chicory (Chicorium ssp.)

crops planted, leaving a few at the back of the row to bloom offers a very architectural component to the spring or early summer garden, graced by some of the prettiest blue flowers you can grow! Broccoli, rappini, bolting bok choy or tatsoi can be allowed to bloom. They are pollen and nectar rich. Each gardener develops a gardening style as individual as he or she is!

Radish seed pods can be eaten when small and tender; yes, they still taste like radishes, but if you forgot to harvest one or two and they are making seed pods, then try them! If you find you like to eat them that way, grow the Rat Tail radish just for the seed pods!

Yes. You can still plant your tomato seeds. You can experiment with growing tomatoes from seed, but do it soon. Peppers and eggplants can be planted into the garden a few weeks later; you can start them later as well. But tomatoes could be done soon! For the best and most reliable crops, find tomatoes with roughly 80 days to maturity from transplanting. Use a seed starting mix, peat, perlite, vermiculite, perhaps some coconut coir. No, I repeat, no compost, soil, or other medium that might have lots of active microorganisms. When doing seed in controlled situations, it is best to limit the amount of microbial activity as seedlings are very tender and could be damaged by the same good guys we want active in our gardens. They can also be damaged by botrytis, or grey mold. Keep seedlings in a warm area; a heat mat is a good accessory for this project. Keep full spectrum lights within an inch or two of the soil surface, lifting it as plants grow. This helps keep seedlings from becoming leggy. You do not want a two to three-inch stem with seed leaves at the top. A quarter to half inch stem is your goal as the seed leaves open and true leaves follow. Remember warm is good; they are subtropical and mid-eighties is ideal without any great deviation at night. Water from the bottom to insure soil is moist all the way through the cells or pots. This encourages deeply rooted seedlings. Propagation is covered in the Master Gardener handbook. Seed catalogues also offer tutorials.

Locally, seed for 2016 is already on the shelves, but deals can be had online from catalogues as they are selling off 2015’s seed. New catalogues will be arriving soon. If you are in your favorite seed source website, check out the various gardening guides they offer. You can find some great videos on seeding and transplanting, indoor seed starting, harvesting, garden planning and layout, how to

http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/t-tips/dec.htm

http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/t-tips/dec.htm


figure yield and other wonderful information, all at the click of the mouse. Just remember to refer to the AZ1005 planting calendar for actual planting dates recommended for our low desert.

Fresh cut Christmas trees are a sustainable indulgence. Once you un-decorate them they can make great bird cover tucked away in a corner. Or perhaps it is best to take them to the recycle drop off for chipping. That product is used as mulch. They do not need to be stored in a dust free, temperature controlled location, and you support a farmer. Happy holidays — see you in the Demo Garden every Tuesday!

Lastly, Ampleharvest.org is a great website connecting farmers and gardeners with abundance to local food pantries and food banks. When you provide your zip code you get a list of places that will benefit those who do not have access to much in the way of fresh fruits and vegetables. Each and every one of us who offers just a few pounds of produce a season can make a difference to folks. Plant a row for the hungry and follow through by connecting to a local food pantry.

Diggings continued

LEAF MINERWritten by SUE HAKALA

A leaf miner is the larva of an insect like a moth, beetle, wasp and others that live in the leaf between layers of tissue, munching away. This incredible defense protects them from predators as they grow. Leaf miners only eat the layers of leaves with the least amount of cellulose and chemical deterrents put out by the plant to protect it.

They “mine” out nutrients leaving telltale signs of zigzagging trails behind them as they work their way around the leaves of plants such as Swiss chard, lettuce, beets, spinach or columbine and nasturtiums. If you hold the leaf up to the light, you will see the larva at the end of the pale colored trails. Squish it. To see one eating at 20 times magnification, go to Youtube.com and search for “leaf miner eating.” It will give you an idea of how quickly they can destroy a leaf.

Leaf miners are difficult to treat with insecticides as they are IN the leaf, not ON the leaf. Do not treat plants you are planning to eat. Your best defense is to cut out the infested leaves and throw them away, not in your compost heap.

To discourage a reoccurrence next growing season, get rid of all garden debris and till up the soil.

Login to MG Central to view the calendar of events.

Please submit any calendar events to Karen Sankman at [email protected].

http://Ampleharvest.org

http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/mgcentral/


Answering gardening and landscaping questions from the public is a major role for the Master Gardener (MG) volunteer. The mission of the Maricopa County Master Gardener program, “to teach people to select, place and care for plants in an environmentally responsible manner based on research specific to the low desert,” is specific and guides our goal of public response at MG supported events or where written answers are required. Educating the public via their questions and the MG’s answers is supported by resources from the University of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension (UACE) and represents the mission of using “research specific to the low desert.” MGs represent the UACE and thus have the responsibility to use the evidence of research-based science in support of their communication.

Several of the resources for references are found online or are from books published by the University of Arizona Master Gardener Press. Free gardening publications are found at http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/pubs.htm or the listing can be picked up at the Extension Office Help Desk. These publications cover 16 gardening and landscaping target areas and are updated when publications are revised or deleted. A link to search the entire UACE website is at http://extension.arizona.edu/pubs/ and a Monthly Gardening Guide at http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/t-tips/t-tips.htm provides Timely Tips for each month of the year. Several of the other UACE approved resources for MGs are from the Cooperative Extensions of nearby states such as California at its UC Davis websites http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/ and http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/.

Often as MGs we may have the desire to answer questions from the public based on anecdotal evidence such as using personal gardening outcomes rather than the researched, scientific evidence from UACE approved resources. The following common question illustrates the difference between communicating a scientific, researched and evidence based answer versus a subjective, personal and anecdotal response.

I have two orange trees that I just planted in July. They each get watered two times every day. The Valencia tree looks quite healthy but the mandarin has yellowing leaves that are falling off. Any suggestions?

UACE supported answer: It sounds like you are watering your trees way too much. Citrus need deep (to 3 feet) watering but infrequently. The University of Arizona recommends watering trees the size of yours with about 7 gallons of water once every 14 days this time of year. Too much water can cause soggy soils which squeeze the oxygen out and prevent the absorption of nutrients. This may be why your mandarin orange leaves are yellowing and dropping. AZ 1151 “Irrigating Citrus Trees” (found at the link below) will give you more information on watering citrus. Remember to protect your citrus trees on chilly nights that will be coming soon. Use cardboard or burlap to wrap trunks and fabric (never plastic) to cover the tree, if necessary. The University of Arizona has several additional publications on citrus that you might find useful at http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/pubs.htm including one on protecting citrus from the cold. (Answered by Cathy Rymer, Certified Arborist, Master Gardener Volunteer)

Anecdotal answer: It sounds like you are probably watering your citrus too much. A few years ago I planted the same two citruses but I only watered them about every 3 weeks and now they seem to be doing just fine. You can always try measuring the depth of the wetted soil. I think that around 2 – 3 feet is about right. The yellowing leaves on the mandarin that are falling off are also due to inappropriate watering. You might be able to Google and find some more information on this. And remember that in December we often get frost. Good Luck! (Answered by xxxxxxxx, Master Gardener Volunteer)

The differences in the answers are obvious. Be objective, use recommended resources, less anecdotal evidence and support the MG’s mission in your role of representing the University of Arizona.

ANSWERING QUESTIONSwritten by MICHAEL IWATA

http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/pubs.htm


http://extension.arizona.edu/pubs/

http://extension.arizona.edu/pubs/

http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/t-tips/t-tips.htm

http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/t-tips/t-tips.htm

http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/




The goal of the Volunteer of the Month program is to recognize the exemplary volunteers who carry the Master Gardener message to the community in which they live. These men and women are the heart and soul of the Master Gardener Program. This month the MG Volunteer of the Month is Christine Nimitz.

Christine Nimitz was looking for a new hobby after a career change a few years ago and found her way to the Master Gardener Program. As a photographer, Christine was drawn to the program by her interest in cacti and succulents, particularly as photographic subjects. She counts both the Desert Botanical Garden and the Boyce Thompson Arboretum as favorite haunts. And, in her own words, “Once I found out you could grow tomatoes here, well that was it!” Christine has been a Master Gardener since 2011.

Born in Safford, Arizona, Christine grew up in the northern panhandle of West Virginia, in a little steel town just west of Pittsburgh. She has been back in Arizona since 1992. “I drove here from Athens, GA, after graduating from UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine.” She is a small-animal veterinarian. In the past, she was an emergency director at a local, non-corporate 24-hour veterinary hospital and spent most of her career in emergency and critical care medicine. “I currently work as a relief vet and fill in at various clinics around the Valley when their vets need time off.”

Christine continued, “Photography is my main hobby... I teach private classes and small group classes for a company called Digital Photo Academy (http://www.Digitalphotoacademy.com). I also like to SCUBA dive and work on my underwater photography skills. It’s especially fun to travel internationally AND get to dive as well as play tourist on the surface.” See Christine’s photo site at http://fatCATfoto.zenfolio.com.

Christine heads up the Real Gardens for Real People (RGRP) Photography Committee. “I’m currently in charge of managing and organizing all of the RGRP garden photos taken both before the tour (as owners complete projects in their yards or school garden) and on the day of the tour,” she explained. As part of her duties, Christine ensures that people who need the photographs can access them. Christine added, “I’m also interested in trying to help the ‘computer-phobe’ become more familiar with needed software and internet usage for various MG projects. I think more classes would be beneficial for lots of MG’s who aren’t thrilled with their computer’s behavior.”

Among her favorite experiences as a Master Gardener volunteer are stints with Project WET, where she can be outside teaching schoolchildren about water usage and concepts at the Hassayampa River Preserve or at the Rio Salado Audubon Preserve. She also enjoys the various City Water Festivals in conjunction with Project WET. In the past, Christine enjoyed the Design Charrettes, but her schedule no longer allows it.

My favorite question to ask any Volunteer of the Month is this: Do you have any advice for new Master Gardeners who wish to stay involved in the Master Gardener Program? Christine’s answer is classic. “READ. THE. EMAILS. There are opportunities all the time. If you help out with a class, you get to learn about the subject, too...(and) Support your program. Publicize our special events to family and friends who aren’t Master Gardeners. Find a local community garden in your neighborhood. Ask questions. Go to the monthly Updates--you’ll meet lots of people and get some good food (PS—lots of MG events involve food!) while learning about that month’s topic. And, if you’re interested in photography for RGRP or just in general, contact me and we’ll set something up!”

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH:

CHRISTINE NIMITZwritten by LISA MORAST

In order to recognize exemplary Master Gardener (MG) volunteers, the heart and soul of the Master Gardener Program, the Peer Support Committee and the MG Advisory Board have instituted a Volunteer of the Month Program. Each month, members of the Advisory Board, along with event and program coordinators, will nominate several volunteers, each of whom demonstrates the following characteristics of excellence:

The Master Gardener: • keeps his/her commitments;• demonstrates enthusiasm;• demonstrates respect for others’

ideas and work;• demonstrates professionalism by:

– being approachable – having a helping demeanor – dressing appropriately for

the occasion – respecting diversity – being honest in all things; and

• contributes to the Mission of the Master Gardener Program.

From the group of nominees, one individual will be randomly selected to be Volunteer of the Month. That volunteer will then be featured in an article in the next issue of Roots and Shoots. This article is the second in a series.

http://www.Digitalphotoacademy.com

http://www.Digitalphotoacademy.com


The Budget and Finance Committee (BFC) -- the most exciting and fun committee on the Advisory Board! Okay, so I’m exaggerating a bit, but to those of us who enjoy math, budgets, reconciliation, and finances in general, serving on the Budget and Finance Committee actually IS fun!

Since 2014 the BFC has been hard at work gaining a thorough understanding of the Master Gardener Program finances and the University of Arizona’s financial records and reporting systems. For the first time, we have an accounting system capable of tracking our finances and our approved annual budget. Our fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. Yvonne Cooper bravely took on the task of learning and setting up the new QuickBooks accounting program. The learning curve persists, but real progress is being made, and we all agree the time investment in setup will benefit us tremendously in the future! Event revenues/expenses are being recorded, and Yvonne plans to input our budget into the system by the first of the year. When QuickBooks is fully set up and generating reports, the BFC will be able to accomplish its mission of reconciling with the University reporting system, providing quarterly financial reports to the board and MG community and beginning work on the budget for our next fiscal year.

We use an ”assumptions-based” budget model based on assumptions made using historical data. The more accurate the historical data the more accurate future budgets will be. Creating a detailed budget for our MG Program from scratch was a monumental task. Jan Baltzer did an amazing job! Writing future budgets will be far less daunting as the heavy lifting has already been done. Detailed budgets are now available for event coordinators. Helpful budget guidelines, processes and procedures are being developed. A method to capture data from in-kind donations is being designed so the value of those donations may be used in future expense budgeting. And we are creating user-friendly instructions for those of you who volunteer as cashiers. The MG Program does not have a bank account. Our revenues are deposited directly into University of Arizona accounts, and we are assessed an administrative service charge on those revenues. Reimbursement for approved budget expenses may be requested with appropriate receipts as backup. Obtaining funds ‘up front’ for expenses unfortunately isn’t an option.

I am honored and excited to assume the role of BFC Co-Chair (Board) and very pleased that Bill Felton joins me as Co-Chair. Great strides have been made since 2014, and a sound

foundation laid thanks to the leadership, dedication and hard work of Linda Thieken and Roylene Kielholtz. They have ensured a smooth transition for us.

To keep informed on BFC activities visit the MG Central website anytime to see what’s new. Click on the ‘Advisory Board’ tab and then the ‘Budget & Finance Committee’ tab. Quarterly reports, committee meeting agendas and minutes, policies and procedures, cashier instructions, and useful forms will be posted as they become available and are approved.

The BFC always welcomes volunteers to join in the fun. If you enjoy math, love reconciling your checkbook, and keep a detailed budget, then you might enjoy serving on the committee! Or you might enjoy volunteering as an event cashier! BFC members will be attending all MG events to support cashiers and help reconcile and secure cash boxes following the event. Watch your email for opportunities to volunteer through Sign-Up Genius.

Coming up on the calendar: • January 2016 - Citrus Clinic (East Valley)

• March 12 - Real Gardens for Real People Tour

• Desert Institute of Gardening (DIG) Spring Class Series (6 classes)

Finances aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but for those of us who truly enjoy it, we are happy to watch the MG program finances on your behalf.

The ‘BFC’ – Putting the FUN back in FUNdraising!!

GETTING TO KNOW THE MG ADVISORY BOARD:

BUDGET FINANCE COMMITTEEwritten by CHRIS GEORGE

WELCOMEThe Master Gardener Advisory Board welcomes Chris George and Bill Felton as the newly appointed Co-Chairs of the Budget and Finance Committee. A thank you goes to Linda Thieken, who has chaired this committee since its inception in September 2014 and who now serves as RGRP 2016 Co-Coordinator and garden owner. As Co-Chair, Chris George will also represent the Budget and Finance Committee as a member of the Advisory Board.


DESIGN CHARRETTEwritten by SUE LANKER

What is a Design Charrette...And How Can I Participate?A Design Charrette is a forum hosted by a Master Gardener to develop design ideas for a chosen landscape. As a Master Gardener, you can host a Charrette for your own property. This is a three-hour event that includes a tour of the grounds, potluck and design discussion. The number of attendees is usually limited to 12. Interns may host a charrette once they have attended one.

HOSTS: Receive the benefit of free design ideas. As the host, you will provide a tour of your property, which includes plant identification and information, researched or experimental. The host provides a letter of intent for the property that prioritizes goals, needs and problems to be solved. A simple drawing of the property must also be provided to the group to use in their landscape design. Lastly, the host provides cups, plates, utensils, napkins and water. Guests will bring the food.

GUESTS: No formal landscape design education is required. But we do require that you bring your imagination! Come; enjoy the garden tour, plant identification and the opportunity to learn from fellow Master Gardeners as we share our design ideas. Each guest will need to bring a potluck dish. Design Charrettes are held on Saturday mornings and the host and Design Charrette team determines the date.

Design Charrette Team: Sue Lanker, Suellen Seifert and Mitzi Maldonado

e-mail: [email protected]

Our December Design Charrette will be at the home of Judy Reid on December 5 from 9 a.m. to noon. Judy lives near 56th Street and Bell in northeast Phoenix.

Experience is not necessary, so if you would like to learn some things about garden design, please consider joining us. We pair the less experienced with the experienced, so it is a great learning opportunity and a nice way to help a fellow Master Gardener while earning three education hours. All you need to bring is your imagination, paper, pencil and a dish to pass for our potluck lunch.

Judy’s garden is on the Real Gardens for Real People tour this coming March. Judy says: “I have a garden that has desert adapted plants in the front yard and is more lush in the back. I’d like help in the front with placement of an additional tree. The back yard is the main focus. I’d like some advice to make it lusher and more colorful. I want to add plants around the pool and enhance the Secret Garden, which is a serene, west facing area and is mostly under the shade of two citrus trees. I’m also trying to rid my lawn area of mini sissou trees that are invading although I removed the original tree over a year ago. Suggestions for tree pruning are also welcome.”

Email us at [email protected] if you would like to reserve a spot in Judy’s Charrette. Attendance is typically limited to twelve participants divided into teams of three people each. Note that December 5 is just around the corner, so please sign up early.

Save the Date!Also our upcoming January Charrette is scheduled for January 23 at the home of Linda Cooper. She explains, “Since our lot is so big I am looking to do a lot of desert adapted planting in the outer reaches, and I’d like a lush look around the pool. I would love to find a good spot for a future vegetable garden.” More information will follow in the January Roots and Shoots.

If you are interested in getting design ideas for your garden and would like to put your garden on the schedule, please email us at [email protected]. We strongly recommend that you have previously attended a Charrette before you schedule your own.


Does your garden have a little frost in the fall? No worries if you are growing kale. A hardy cousin of wild cabbage, kale is a cool-season green that withstands lower temperatures. In fact, the slightly bitter flavor of kale becomes sweeter and more flavorful after the plant is exposed to frost. A nutrient-dense food, kale is rich in beta-carotene, calcium, fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, and K - at just 30 calories per serving.

Cultivated for over 2,000 years, kale was a staple of European cuisine until the end of the Middle Ages. During World War II, the culture of kale was encouraged as part of private victory gardens in the United Kingdom to supplement nutrients missing from a normal diet because of rationing.

There are different varieties of kale, including curly-leaved and plain-leaved, and one variety that is known as “Hungry Gap” because its harvest time occurs in the winter in cold climates, when other crops are not available. Many varieties of kale and cabbage are grown for their ornamental leaves, which are brilliant white, red, pink, lavender, blue, or violet. These colorful varieties are edible as well.

Whether eaten raw or cooked, the rib of the kale leaf should be removed; only the soft, leafy part is edible. When eaten raw, kale can be used in salads. After removing the ribs, cut the leaves into small pieces. Adding a little salt and then gently squeezing the kale pieces removes some of the bitterness. When eaten cooked, kale can be used like spinach. Store kale as you would any other leafy green; put it in a plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator. It should last about a week.

Growing in hardiness zones 6 to 11, kale requires full sun and well-draining, loamy soil. It does well in our valley, as it requires soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline in pH. In Maricopa County, kale can be planted from late August into December (AZ 1005). Kale does not like to be overwatered, but it does need regular watering. When leaves are about the size of your hand (60 to 90 days), pick one fistful per harvest, but leave the terminal bud – it allows the plant to continue growing. Kale is susceptible to cabbageworms, flea beetles, and aphids.

In Holland, kale is used in a traditional winter dish called stamppot, which is a mix of any variety of vegetables and mashed potatoes served with smoked sausage called rookworst. Growing up in a Dutch household, it was a favorite cool-weather meal of my family. This is the recipe for kale that appears with this article. Prepared the same way in Ireland in a dish called colcannon, kale is a part of various traditional dishes throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Boerenkool Stamppot (Farmer’s Cabbage Mash-pot)Enjoy this recipe for a hearty winter meal that uses nutritious kale. Makes 4 servings at 760 calories per serving. Time required: 20 minutes preparation time; 30 minutes cooking time. (My family prefers that I double the sausage quantity when I prepare it for them).

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lbs. potatoes• 2 onions• 1 lb. kale• 1 bay leaf• Salt

• 1 lb. smoked beef sausage• 1/2 C milk• 2 T butter• Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel and quarter potatoes.2. Peel and dice onions.3. Clean, trim and slice kale.4. Add the potatoes, onion, kale, a bay leaf, a pinch of salt and

just enough water to cover all in a 3-quart pot.5. Cover and boil gently for about 15 minutes.6. Place sausage on top of ingredients in pot and continue to

boil gently for about 10 minutes.7. Remove the sausage, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices.8. Remove the bay leaf, drain the vegetables, and mash them

just until potatoes are broken up.9. Stir in milk and butter.10. Stir in the hot, sliced smoked sausage, add salt and pepper

to taste and serve.

KALE:VEGETABLE OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER

written by NATALIE GAGNON

Photo and recipe by Natalie Gagnon


Soil is a product of the interaction between biological and geological processes. Hans Jenny (1941) defined soil as a function of time, climate, organism interactions, relief or topography, and parent material. Thinking about an inanimate object as having a parent seems unusual, but soil scientists refer to the original inorganic (mineral) matter that makes up a soil as parent material. Within the same climate regime and time for development, parent material can be one of the largest contributors to differences between soils. Where does this material come from? In short, it is the culmination of all past geologic events represented on the land surface. To be less cryptic, it primarily comes from two sources, residuum and sediment. Residuum is the product of rock weathering and decay that remains in place, while sediment involves transportation and deposition of weathered material.

Each rock and sedimentary unit has unique chemical and physical traits that some plants love and others hate. Figure 1a shows an example of an agricultural field in Surprise, Arizona within a bajada (intermingled dry stream beds coming from high elevation land forms). In this example we can see from the aerial photograph that the crop seems to be better adapted to the area outside of the historic stream paths (fig. 1a). This is likely because of the exceedingly high drainage potential, coarse soil texture, and salt content within the historic stream paths, factors that affect production for many row crops. In Figure 1b, the opposite case is true, where this crop seems to be well adapted to the historic Gila River channel branch, as indicated by the darker green coloring of the plants, but slightly less suited to the areas outside. This branch was likely a secondary path that was only active during high flows, resulting in deposition of nutrient rich silt and clay sediments with good potential for retention of moisture.

Blame it on their parents: A geological perspective on garden planning.

written by VICTORIA CASTER

At this point it may be clear that some geologic processes can affect plants, but what does this mean for your garden? To answer this question, we will look at a generalized map of parent material within Maricopa County and provide some tips on how to assess your soils potential for planting. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has provided a great and (most importantly) free resource for investigating soil characteristics, including parent material (geomorphic description) and many other attributes. Figure 2

presents data collected from the Maricopa County Soil Survey (websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/) color coded by geomorphic descriptions grouped into nine principal parent materials. While every soil at every location has different characteristics, especially at a county wide scale, there are some general assumptions that can be made that will help you in planning your garden. Table 1 provides a description and garden planning ideas for each of the nine parent materials in Figure 2.


Soils continued

Figure 2. Map of soil parent material of Maricopa County adapted from the National Resources Conservation Service digital soil data. Parent material designations are based on interpreted geomorphic descriptions available in the data table. No Data represents a designation where data was not present within the digital source complied for this map and does not signify that data may not be present in physical resources.

Table 1 (next page) provides some useful descriptions of the soil parent materials shown in the map (fig. 2) to help you determine in which zone your garden may be located. A description of the native plant distribution, determined from remote measurements of undeveloped areas within each parent zone on the map, is provided for reference to show the natural intensity of plant growth. Many areas within the Valley exhibit sparse plant spacing, which is a natural method for native plants to conserve soil nutrients. Similar methods can be accomplished for individual locations using historical aerial imagery, which is available through Google EarthTM and historicalaerials.com. Garden planning ideas based on the generic descriptions of soils are also provided for reference. In some cases, digging a test bed may be the best way to determine what your soil looks like, but checking recent and historic aerial photographs

may also aid in garden bed placement without stepping foot outside.

Sources: Figures 1 and 2 and table 1 were created by Master Gardener Associate Victoria Caster and her husband using ArcGIS and USDA soils data. Victoria is a physical geographer and her husband, Joshua Caster, is a geologist. References used for the article are: Jenny, H., Factors of Soil Formation: A System of Quantitative Pedology, McGraw-Hill Inc., New York (1941); National Cooperative Soil Survey, National Cooperative Soil Characterization Database, available online (accessed 9/03/2015); Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database for Maricopa County, available online (accessed 9/03/2015); Google EarthTM, Aerial Imagery of Maricopa County from March, 2015 (accessed 10/3/2015).


Soils continued

Table 1. Description of soil parent material zones with application to local garden development.


“The Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. (AFGC) offers a scholarship program to students studying in Agriculture Education, Horticulture (including Fruit Science/ Environmental/ Communications), Floriculture, Landscape Design, Botany, Biology, Plant Pathology/Science, Forestry, Agronomy, Environmental Concerns (Management: Environmental, Horticulture Resource/Environmental Behavior, etc.), Economics, Environmental Conservation (including Engineering, Law, etc.), City (Rural & Urban) Planning, Wildlife Science, Habitat or Forest/

Systems Ecology, Land Management and/or other related or allied subjects.” (AFGC website)

You may know someone, or know someone who knows someone, who would benefit from an AFGC scholarship. You may be interested. Help get the word out. We want to give away $3000 to qualified applicants. You can find details on the AFGC website, http://www.azgardenclubs.com/home/scholarship. The information is under the Home Tab/Scholarships. Please spread the word.

AFGC SCHOLARSHIPSwritten by LINDA LARSON, AFGC State Scholarship Chair

Attention Writers!Roots & Shoots is taking a hiatus until new volunteer leadership members come on board. Watch for an email with information about where to send your articles and photos for the next issue of Roots & Shoots.

R&S Volunteer Leadership ChangesDue to changes in our lives, Kirsten Carter and I have resigned as the Art Director and Editor for Roots & Shoots, and this issue is the last one for us. Meg Paterson and Karen Sankman will continue as Associate Editors when a new editor is named. I’ve very much appreciated Kirsten’s terrific talents as a graphic designer and her willingness to design a beautiful Roots & Shoots every month in addition to having a full-time job. And Meg and Karen have always done a great job of editing and proofreading the articles and alerting me when more information or clarification is needed. Working with Meg, Karen, and Kirsten has been the best part of being the R&S editor! Thank you, too, to the Master Gardeners who have written articles and supplied photos for Roots & Shoots; obviously, we couldn’t have produced R&S without you.

Roots & Shoots will be taking a hiatus until a new Editor and Art Director are found. If you’re interested in filling either position, please contact Jo Cook.

Jean Updike

http://www.azgardenclubs.com/home/scholarship

http://www.azgardenclubs.com/home/scholarship

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