The Compost

Inside this issue:

MG Coordinator

Comments

2

Note from the

Editor

2

Perennial of the

Year

2

Articles 3-4

2016 at a Glance 5-15

Box.com 16

Calendar 17

Winter 2017

2017 CCMG Steering Committee Chairperson - Terry Shelton Thir

Vice-chairperson - Rose Markham Recording secretary - Marlene Smith

Record Keeper - Pauline Spurlock Treasurer - Neal Johnson

Bay-Wise Program 2016 Highlights Bay-Wise is a landscape education program that focuses on water quality and

conservation practices in protecting Maryland Waterways and the Chesapeake

Bay. One tool used to educate homeowners and businesses is the Bay-Wise

yardstick. The yardstick provides best practices that the homeowner/business

can follow. Once 36 inches of best practices are reached, Bay-Wise Master

Gardeners can certify the property. There are 28 active Master Gardeners that

participate in the program. Highlights for 2016 include:

* April and May we provided Bay-Wise training to Master Gardeners from Charles,

St. Mary's,Calvert, and Anne Arundel counties.

* April, May, and August we gave four “Sustainable Landscapes” presentations to

the community at the public libraries.

* May and October we participated with a display and information booth at the

county's Shred It event and compost and rain barrel workshops.

*In September we participated with a display and information booth at the Charles

County fair.

*In October we participated in Monarch Mania on Cobb Island with a display and

information booth. We also conducted “Who Polluted the Potomac” exercise with

children and adults.

* In December we conducted “Who Polluted the Potomac” exercise with K kids at

Higdon Elementary: 38 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades participated in the exercise.

* We certified four Master Gardener landscapes and two non-MG landscapes for

a total of six new certifications. Article by MG Janet McGrane

The Compost Page 2

Coordinator

Comments

Looking back at last year, Charles County Master Gardeners put in over 3,802 volunteer

hours and logged 833 hours of continuing education. Thank you for all you do to educate

and inspire gardeners, students and the community!

As we look ahead to 2017 projects and activities, I wanted to remind you to check out the

newly organized files on Box.com. If you haven’t already, you will need to create a free

account using your email address on file. Once logged in, you can access files including

presentations, forms, the directory and more. Please let Elizabeth or myself know if you

have any questions about using Box.

The 2017 Master Gardener Basic Training starts up February 2 and finishes with

graduation on Thursday, April 6. I always look forward to working with another enthusiastic

class of Master Gardener Trainees! Thanks to those who will be helping out with the class in various ways. If

you are a project leader, please put March 30 down on your calendar as Project Night. I encourage you all to

reach out to the new class this season as we welcome them aboard!

Here’s to a successful 2017! Article by Luke Gustafson, CCMG Coordinator

Coordinator

Comments

Due to family circumstances, I’ve asked to go on hiatus, so this

is my last edition of the Compost as editor. Coming from a

military background, I’ve found that changing positions and

getting new ideas on how to do things is a great way to

improve, and as I’ve been the editor for over 3 years now, this

is a good time to transition to someone else. We are very lucky

that Tina Bailem has volunteered to take over as editor, and I

am sure she will only enhance and improve the newsletter…

Welcome, Tina! Deborah

Read more at the Perennial Plant Organization

website:

http://www.perennialplant.org/index.php/component/

k2/item/190-2017-perennial-plant-of-the-year

Submitted by MG Terry Shelton Thir

Asclepias tuberosa - butterfly weed

2017 Perennial Plant of the Year

The Compost Page 3

I have often heard it stated that being a parent is one of the most difficult jobs you will ever love. While I am

not sure that I believe that parenting is a job, I do believe that it carries great responsibility; and that

responsibility becomes even greater when the child is born with special needs.

At age four my son was diagnosed with Pervasion Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, which is

a fancy way of saying Autism. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined by the Autism Society of America

as a complex developmental disability which typically appears during early childhood and affects a person’s

ability to communicate and interact with others. For my son, ASD affected his speech and social skills. It also

created sensory issues that affected his taste and impaired his eating habits (he was a very finicky eater).

However, over a period of time and through various therapies he overcame the majority of these issues; with

the exception of eating.

My son’s eating habits did not change until we created our first garden. We grew tomatoes, lettuce,

cucumbers, zucchini and several herbs. On a daily basis, as I tended to our garden, my son would be by my

side, often playing in the dirt. However, at harvest time he sampled everything. Gardening helped to change

my son’s life, thereby changing ours.

Today, the lives of many children with ASD are also being changed through gardening related activities such

as Horticultural Therapy (HT). In Natasha Etherington’s book, Gardening for Children with Autism

Spectrum Disorders and Special Educational Needs, she states that HT seeks to improve the cognitive,

physical, social and emotional wellbeing. She also explained that the benefits of HT do not need to be

derived from a large garden. A small wooden box like a sand box, window boxes or planters can provide the

same therapeutic benefits of gardening. For my family it was a few simple raised beds that were made of

pine wood that changed our son’s life. Thank God for Gardening!

Gardening, Autism and Horticultural Therapy (HT)

Article by MG Wanda K. Jones

References (Links):

1. Autism Society of American, 2016: http://www.autism-society.org/what-is/

2. Kids Companion, 2016: http://kidcompanions.com/benefits-of-gardening-for-children-with-autismand-special-ed-

needs/

3. American Horticultural Therapy Association: http://ahta.org/horticultural-therapy

The Compost Page 4

Winter is the time of year for pruning of trees and shrubs. Instead of tossing the wood that you prune out, why

not make more plants instead? A number of fruit-producing plants can be readily propagated by hardwood

(dormant) cuttings. Fig, elderberry and currant all root easily. Although not required for these species, rooting

compound can increase the percentage of successful rooting with harder to root plants. For a list of other

trees and shrubs that can be readily propagated from cuttings, see the publication by NC State Extension.

Dr. Michael Dirr’s Manual of Woody Landscape Plants is a great reference book for plant propagation. Note

that patented varieties cannot be propagated without a license. See the North Carolina State University

Libraries website for more information. Below are photos and basic steps to propagate elderberry cuttings.

1) Select healthy-looking plants during the dormant season (December – February in Southern

Maryland). Take pencil diameter or larger cuttings from the parent plant. Each cutting should have

at least two sets of buds and are typically about 6-8” long. Make a straight cut at the top and an

angled cut at the bottom. This helps prevent planting the cutting upside down. Cuttings can be

stored for months in the refrigerator inside a plastic zippered bag and wrapped in slightly

dampened paper towel.

2) Select containers with drainage holes and fill with a fine potting. Insert each cutting so about half of

the length is buried in the rooting media.

3) Water the containers and place them in a location out of direct sunlight. Keep the potting mix moist.

Most cuttings will develop roots within 2-4 weeks and can be transplanted once the weather warms

in the spring or potted up into a larger container.

Winter Pruning and Propagating by Hardwood Cuttings

Article and Photos by Luke Gustafson, CCMG Coordinator

Elderberry Hardwood

Cuttings

Potted Elderberry Cuttings

One year old currant

plants grown from hardwood cuttings in 1

gallon containers

The Compost Page 5

January and February are quiet months in the garden. Many Master Gardeners are looking

through seed catalogs and preparing for the upcoming gardening season.

MG Mary

Sims making

seed bombs

with the

K-Kids at

Higdon

Elementary.

Photo provided by MG Rosemary Ewing

Winter—Early Spring in Southern Maryland

The Compost Page 6

MGs Rosemary Ewing, Kathy Jenkins, Anne Gillespie, Janet McGrane, Jane Tyson, Marlene

Smith, Rose Markham, Lowell Hayes at 2016 Bay-Wise training. Twelve people attended the class

of which 4 were from Charles County. Photo provided by MG Rosemary Ewing

April/May activities included Bay-Wise Training, the Port Tobacco Project, the Waldorf West

Library Exhibit, our annual plant sale, start of our plant clinics and educational presentations at Charles

County libraries, a Rain Barrel and Compost Bin Workshop, a Needs of Seeds youth activity, and

MG annual training.

Waldorf West Library. Signage at the Library identifying native plants and implemented Bay-Wise principles.

The library is Bay-Wise certified.

Photos provided by MG Terry Shelton Thir

MG's held our

annual plant sale

in Waldorf and

La Plata Farmers

Market raising over

$1800 in profits.

Pictured (l-r) Brent

Burdock, Linda Ivko, Sally Hopps.

(Waldorf plant sale)

May 14, 2016.

Photo provided by

MG Terry Shelton

Thir

The Compost Page 7

June/July activities included plant clinics, educational presentations at Charles County libraries, a What is

Soil youth activity, a Needs of Seeds youth activity, Cobb Island Day, planting a butterfly garden at the

Charles County Fairgrounds, and the Charles County Detention Center Garden.

Needs of Seeds

kids activity at

Waldorf West

Library, June, 28.

MG Steve

Berberich

teaches kids

about

germination and

growing green

beans.

Photo by MG Intern

Kim Poindexter

The Charles County Fairground Butterfly Garden. The CCMG Fairgrounds Beautification Team,

led by MG Tracy Musto, designed and planted a butterfly garden. Thanks to efforts of the team, the

garden plants thrived and the butterflies came.

Photos provided

by

MG Rose Markham

The Compost Page 8

The calls have come in to continue the demonstration garden at the Detention Center. The original

purpose of the program worked so well that we lost our students to a life without the detention center.

The program began in 2008 with landscape and horticultural instructions for about 10 to 15 students.

By 2010, we broke ground for the vegetable garden. For the past 2 years it has been a demonstration

garden with produce going to charities in Charles County. We usually have 6 to 10 Master Gardeners

each Tuesday interacting with learning and teaching as we work. Much information is shared, as well as

a degree of satisfaction.

Season Long Activity

Charles County Detention Center

Article by MG Gale Kladitis

Photos provided by MG Sally Hopp

Photo 1) MGs Jane Groat, Gale

Kladitis and MG Intern Laverne

Madison

Photo 2) MG Gale Kladitis

inspecting the daily harvest

Photo 3) LP sheriff with MGs Gale

Kladitis and Rose Markham

Photos 4-5) Produce picked at the

CC Detention Center

1

2 3

4 5

The Compost Page 9

In addition to on-going activities, MGs participated in a

Discover Quest scavenger hunt youth activity and

creating a meditation garden at Christ Church.

CCMGs donated their time to Christ Church to

help plant a meditation garden along with other

church members on August 31. MGs Martha

Eldredge, project leader, Rose Markham, Jan

Lakey-Waters, Terry Thir, Luke Gustafson,

and MG intern Michele Montgomery participated

in this community based event.

Photo provided by MG Terry Shelton Thir

Potomac Library Sustainable Landscapes

presentation by MG Rose Markham.

Photo provided by MG Janet McGrane

August Gardens are enjoying

Southern Maryland sunshine, hot

temperatures, and high humidity!

AUGUST

The Compost Page 10

Cast: (l-r) Butterflies - Rose Markham and Pam

Sarvis; Bumblebee - Jackie Jenkins; Ladybug -

Karla Costello; Mother Rabbit -Sally Matts; Peter

Rabbit - Diane Shisler; Japanese Beetle - Sherrie

Zimmer; Praying Mantis - Anne Gillespie (not

pictured) Farmer McGregor; Donovan Padgett;

Ripley Rat - Terry Thir and moderator - Jim

Corbey (back row).

The CCMG's performed at the Charles County

Fair on September 16&17.

Photo provided by MG Terry Shelton Thir

September is a busy month with lots of additional

activities: Bug Day and our Hot Dog Social, as well

as the Charles County Fair which includes several

exhibits and a Peter Rabbit Puppet Show

performance.

CCMG’s First-Place and Educational Excellence Winning Display.

Photo provided by MG Bob Peregoy

MGs Janet McGrane and Rose Markham at the

Bay-Wise exhibit at the Charles County fair.

Photo provided by MG Terry Shelton Thir

Misadventures of Peter Rabbit and Farmer McGregor Puppet Show

The Compost Page 11

Photos below provided by MG

Rose Markham

MG Neal Johnson

Pictured (l-r) MGs Sally Hopp, Diane

Shisler, Sherrie Zimmer, Intern Laverne

Madison and spouse.

MG Brent Burdick

MGs and their guests getting ready to share

a meal together!!

Photo provided by MG Terry Shelton Thir

CCMG held Bug Day and a hot dog social at

Tilghman Lake on September 21, 2016.

Dr. Faustine and Luke Gustafson led the bug

walk.

The Compost Page 12

Compost Workshop, Saturday, October 1.

Luke Gustafson and MG Donna Stewart-

Greene discuss composting techniques with

attendees.

Monarch Mania,

Saturday October

8. MG Intern

Amanda

Tellechea teaches

attendees how to

make a caterpillar

by wrapping pipe

cleaner around a

pencil. Mary Sims

and Anne

Gillespie staff the

Bay-Wise table.

Photo by Luke Gustafson,

CCMG Coordinator

La Plata Fall Festival Sunday, October 9th. A cold

and very windy day could not keep MG Interns

Amanda Tellechea, Nick Fugate, and MG Marguerita

Harding away. I don't know who had more fun, the

kids or the Master Gardeners.

Photo provided by MG Rose Markham

MGs Janet McGrane

and Anne Gillespie at

the October Shred

Event.

Photo provided by

MG Janet McGrane.

Photo by MG Kathy Jenkins

The Compost Page 13

Dr Mudd Green Team: On November 1, MGs Terry Thir and Sally Matts instructed

kids from Dr. Mudd Elementary School on how to transplant and plant new plants

into containers.

Photos provided by MG Terry Shelton Thir

The Compost Page 14

MG volunteers decorated the old historic McConkee one room school house built in 1922 at the

Charles County fairgrounds. Handmade wreaths of fresh greenery were made and hung and fresh

popcorn and paper garland draped the trees and entrance. CCMGs volunteered to decorate the school

house as part of the Kris Kringle event that was held Dec 9 & 10.

Pictured Left Photo: front row (l-r) MGs Mary Gaskins and Terry Thir. Backrow: MGs Rose Markham,

Carol Teets and Jan Lakey-Waters.

Center Picture: Tree decorated by handmade ornaments, oyster shells and other special ornaments.

Pictured Right Photo: MG Terry Shelton Thir with holiday garland made by her grandkids.

Photos provided by MG Terry Shelton Thir

The Compost Page 15

Christ Church Meditation Garden, December,

2016. Recently installed educational sign

highlights conservation landscaping.

Photo provided by

Luke Gustafson, CCMG Coordinator

On Dec. 1, CCMGs held their Annual Holiday Party. This year's event was held at Dorchester Community

Center in Waldorf, MD. Left photo: MGs and guests enjoying the festivities.

Right photo: Kerry Wixted, DNR Naturalist provided advanced training on "Wildscaping Your Backyard."

Photos provided by MG Terry Shelton Thir

The Compost Page 16

Box.com - Archive for Files

Elizabeth has recently uploaded a number of files to a Box.com folder. The goal is to

have a central location for files from administrative items, meeting minutes, volunteer

logs, MG directory, MG presentations, resources and more. A few of you have used

the CCMG AGNR Groups site in the past. That size was difficult to use. Box.com is

much easier to navigate & use.

Some of you have used one of the folders here to share library presentations last

spring. I also used the site to organize and share files for the 2016 basic training

class, and the feedback was, overall, very positive. When you get a chance, please

check it out and browse through the folders. If you upload photos or make a

suggestion you may win a packet of seeds from the office. See instructions below to

register for your free account to access Box.

Instructions

1.) Click "Accept Invite" link on the Box.com invite email (if you haven't seen one, try

searching "box.com" in your spam folder). My name should be listed as sender and

the subject line should be "Luke Gustafson has invited you to collaborate on Box."

Click “Accept Invite.”

2.) Create a Box.com account. If you already have a Box.com account with that

email, you may skip this and simply login. The “Individual Plans” are completely free.

Enter in your information and click “Continue”.

3.) Next, click “FOR PERSONAL USE” and then “Next.” Again, this is completely

free, and you DO NOT need to enter payment information to complete registration.

4.) It will ask if you want to invite others. Click “Skip this and go straight to Box.”

5.) Click “Charles County Master Gardener Files” and you will see the different

folders. From there, you may click on any of the folders and navigate to any of the

sub-folders. You may use the search bar at the top of the screen to look for files by

name.

6.) Browse around and check out the different folders. If you have photos you would

like to share, upload them to the “Photos to Share” folder. If you have any questions,

suggestions or comments, let Elizabeth (esolismc@umd.edu, 301-934-5404) and me

know. We want this to be a useful, central location for files!

What Stays the Same: We will still have public information (MG Scholarship, The

Compost, public events, etc) on the county Extension website under the "Home

Gardening" tab (http://extension.umd.edu/char les-county/home-gardening). The MG

Calendar will still be on the county website. Elizabeth maintains this using info

from The Compost calendar and periodic updates.

BOX.COM From email by Luke Gustafson, CCMG Coordinator

Page 17 The Compost

Calendar Training Highlighted in Bold

february 2-28 6-9pm; Master Gardener Basic Training, Thomas Stone High School, Waldorf,

cost $175, contact Luke Gustafson

7 10-3pm; Meadow Making:Sowing Seeds, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800

Greenbelt Rd, Greenbelt, cost $25, information and registration

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meadow-making-sowing-seeds-registration-30855348177

28 10am; Membership Meeting, Extension Office

march

2-30 6-9pm; Master Gardener Basic Training, Thomas Stone High School, Waldorf

4 9am-12pm; Small Fruits Pruning, Westminster, cost $25, information and registrati

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/small-fruits-pruning-registration-30462814097

4,11 9:30-3:30pm; Bay-Wise Training, Anne Arundel UME, 97 Dairy Lane, Gambrills,

cost $50 contact Christie Germuth, for more information go to

http://extension.umd.edu/baywise/how-participate/2017-bay-wise-advanced-training-sessions

28

april

25

29

May 1,3,5 9:30-4:00pm; Landscape Design for Water Management, Frederick County UME, 330

Montevue Rd, Frederick, cost $50, information and registration

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/landscape-design-for-water-management-registration-31031987510

6 9:30-3:30pm; Bay-Wise Training, Queen Anne's UME, continuation of April 29 training

23 10am; Membership Meeting, Extension Office

25 Annual Training Conference, University of MD, information and registration available

in March

10am; Membership Meeting, Extension Office

6-7:30 pm; Project Night for MG Class - project leaders introduce class

6-8 pm; MG Graduation & Awards potluck dinner, Soil Conservation District Office (4200 Gardiner Rd, Waldorf, MD)

6pm; Membership Meeting, location TBA

9:30-3:30pm; Bay-Wise Training, Queen Anne's UME, 97 505 Railroad Ave, Centreville cost $50 contact Sheila Shorter, for more information go to http://extension.umd.edu/baywise/how-participate/2017-bay-wise-advanced-training-sessions

6

30

We’re on the Web!!

http://extension.umd.edu/charles-county/home-gardening

Submit articles, photos, reports, events, and other items for publication to Tina Bailem at CompostSubmissions@yahoo.com by April 15, 2017 for the

Spring 2017 newsletter. If you send a photo, please include a brief description of the activity and names of persons included in the photo, as well as the

photographer’s name. If you send a photo of a plant, please include the scientific name, if known.

The University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural

Resources programs are open to all and will not discriminate

against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual

orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or

national origin, marital status, genetic information, political

affiliation, or gender identity and expression.

Published Quarterly by the Charles County Master Gardeners, University of Maryland Extension, Charles County Office, 9375 Chesapeake Street, Suite 119,

La Plata, MD 20646 Phone 301-934-5403 or 301-753-8195

Luke Gustafson, Charles County Master Gardener Coordinator

Terry Shelton Thir, Steering Committee Deborah Determan, Compost Editor Janet McGrane, Compost Calendar

Cindi Barnhart, Compost Advisor