Seeds For Thought

January 2004

by: R.. Jeanne Rehwaldt

A plant sale meeting was held at the Extension Office last week and a number of interns and a few veterans were in attendance. Dena Wagner has agreed to co-chair the plant sale as an intern, but we are still in search of a veteran to work with her. If you are interested in working with this energetic group of people, please call Jeanne.

Included in this newsletter are the names of people signed up to work on various projects. I have included the veterans that have returned their reapplication forms, but I am missing many. Karen Paxson will be calling you to find out if you plan to continue as a Mason County Master Gardener. Please do! We have many exciting projects this year as well as the enthusiasm of the new class graduates. They need the guidance of the veterans to lead them though all the community education projects we have planned for the year.

Seeds need to be planted now for the plant sale. Greenhouse space is available at Hood Canal School and at the fairgrounds. Soil is going to be ordered and delivered to the greenhouses for planting work parties. We need someone with a pickup that could pick up the soil from Creation Organics at Kamilche and deliver the bags to the greenhouses. Please contact Pamela Oquist at gardenbee22@aol.com.

The demonstration garden at the fairgrounds now has two people heading up the project. Pamela Oquist and Maureen Beckstead are co-chairs. They will be making a proposal of what should be done to demonstrate gardening practices to the public. Expect calls from them to set up future work parties.

If you haven’t returned your volunteer time sheet for the last quarter of 2003, please get that in the mail as soon as possible. I need to get the final numbers to WSU immediately.

Training for new Master Gardeners is currently being conducted in nearby counties. This newsletter has the dates and classes that are being offered. If you would like to attend a class, please notify the county and ask if there is room. They welcome MGs from other counties to their trainings.

As January comes to an end, things are really picking up for the Master Gardeners of Mason County. Read this newsletter and contact the chairs of the projects you would like to be involved in. The most urgent thing for February is to get our seeds into pots and under lights to grow lush plants for our plant sale in May.

Stay warm and dream of spring gardening!

Gardening for Everyone

February 28, 2004 - 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Centralia College - Ehret Hall

(Directions: From I-5 take Exit 82 and go east on Harrison, following signs for City Center. Turn right onto Washington Ave. and go one block.  Ehret Hall is at the corner of Washington and Locust Street.)

9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Pruning Fruit Trees                                                                       Room 113

Increase your fruit harvest with proper pruning. Learn basic techniques of pruning fruit trees to improve health and productivity. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions about your specific trees. Presented by Master Gardener Bob Rucker.

Hobby Greenhouses                                                                   Room 106

Master Gardener and owner of Blueberry Hill Nursery, Thelma Hauge, will present a program on hobby greenhouses.   What should you know before you buy a hobby greenhouse and what should you know after you set up your greenhouse.   Thelma operates and maintains several greenhouses for her nursery and has many years of practical experience to share.

10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Summer Annuals for the Garden                                             Room 113

Why bother with planting annuals in the flower garden each year when you only have to plant perennials once?  Master Gardener, Barbara Eastman, will give you lots of reasons why annuals are easy to grow and will add flower power to last throughout the summer instead of a few weeks.

Year-Round Vegetables                                                               Room 106

With proper planning and seed selection, gardeners in the Pacific Northwest, can grow fresh vegetables year round.  Master Gardener Mike Stedham will provide information to help you plan now for fresh vegetables next winter.

12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Bentwood & Rustic Garden Structures                                        Room 113

Jim Longmire of Primitive Country will discuss choosing the best species of wood and techniques used in building bentwood twig garden structures.  He will demonstrate how to make a rustic planter.

Nutrition Boosters for Home Grown Produce                           Room 106

One of the reasons for growing vegetables in the home garden is the higher nutritional quality.  Master Gardener, Sharron Owen, will provide vegetable gardening tips and techniques to ensure the highest nutritional quality from your home-grown vegetables. You can grow your own lycopene, lutein, carotene, etc.

Congratulations Mason County Master Gardeners

Congratulations to the Master Gardener Foundation of King County regarding their recent write-up in the "WSU Foundation Honor Roll of Donors 2002-2003" brochure. There is a very nice article on page 19 with some great quotes from Mary Robson and Elaine Anderson.

Well done for being the first Master Gardener group in the history of WSU and of the MG Program to become a recognized major donor ( $100,000 or more) to Washington State University. I'm pleased to report that the Master Gardener Foundation of Mason County was also listed among the corporations, foundations and associations that support the teaching, research and public outreach of WSU.  Many thanks to the treasured volunteers who made these gifts possible and to those who support this great program in nearly every county of our state!

Rod Tinnemore
State Coordinator, WSU Master Gardener Program
Washington State University

Great Job Master Gardeners!!!

Kris Bailey

On behalf of the Extension office staff I would like to thank:  Marilyn Durand, Kathie Adams, Julie Kelleher, Julie Kessler, Glenda Ledford, Marianne Norton, Kim Penski, and Dave Shephard, for all of their hard work on the Extension Office’s Native Garden at the January 17^th work party.  They did a wonderful job beautifying the garden, weeding, pruning, and spreading bark.  Gardens never look that good in the winter, and we’ve already received many compliments on it.  Great job!

TITLE:  THESE INSECTS THRIVE IN COLD WEATHER!

Question:    Last week the temperature at our house near Oakville dropped into the low teens.  Imagine our surprise to find a branch covered with live caterpillars on our fir tree as the snow began to melt.  What are these?  Should we spray them with something?

Answer:  Based on your description, more than likely the caterpillars on your fir tree are the larvae of the Silver Spotted Tiger Moth.  I usually refer to these small, furry, rusty brown or blackish caterpillars as the "polar bears" of the insect world since cold temperatures do not affect them.  Although they usually hibernate during the winter months in the dense webs they spin, it is not unusual to find them feeding on warmer January days.   Feeding is restricted to the needles at the ends of the lateral branches.  Whole branches are often stripped of their leaves, making individual trees appear quite unsightly at times.  Cases of total defoliation are rare.  Damage is most often limited to one or a few limbs of a tree.  Since the buds are not harmed, the new growth will cover the damaged area by early summer.

In general, this caterpillar is not considered to be a serious pest.  They are generally reduced by the same parasitic Trachnid flies that attack tent caterpillars and these parasites keep populations under control.  Another option is to simply prune out the infested branch and dispose of the caterpillars.

Question:  Every year our Blue Spruce tree looks just awful in the spring.  A lot of the needles turn yellow, while others turn completely brown and eventually fall off.   I am to the point of thinking we should have the tree removed. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer:   Based on the symptoms you are describing, there is no question that the damage to the needles is due to feeding by the Spruce Aphid.  What these little monsters lack in size, they make up for in large numbers.  What makes them unusual is that they are feeding now, during the coldest time of the year.  The Spruce Aphid is often referred to as the "Winter Aphid" because its number peak during the winter months and it literally vanishes during the summer months.  Populations start to build as early as October and then peak in February and early March.  There are several generations annually.  An interesting fact about the Spruce Aphid is that all of them here are females. They reproduce by a phenomenon called parthenogenesis, which basically results in a clone of the female.

Right now, while you are within the warm, cozy environment of your home, the Spruce Aphids may well be sucking the life right out of your spruce tree.  Soon after feeding the needles become a discolored yellow or brown.  Since they are light intolerant, these aphids are found on the lower end branches in toward the trunk and are usually concentrated low on the tree. High infestations however,  can occur everywhere in the tree.  Affected needles die back and eventually drop off the twig.

Unfortunately, the damage really doesn't become noticeable until about June and by then the aphids are long gone. The best method for attacking this pest is to begin examining your spruce tree now to see if aphids are present. Get a sheet of clean, white paper and a hand lens.  Brush two branches together over the paper and look carefully using the hand lens. If aphids are present, they will have shaken onto the paper.

For the home gardener, with just a tree or two, the simplest control option, is to simply hose the aphids off the branches with a high-pressured stream of water.  This will knock them off the branch onto the ground where they will not re-infest the tree.  You should continue to check the tree weekly to see if aphids are present.  Another option recommended by WSU entomologists, is to spray the tree with an insecticidal soap when aphids are present.  Repeat applications may be necessary since this material has no residual activity.

THINGS TO DO IN THE GARDEN

FEBRUARY

·        Early February often brings deep cold. Don't uncover roses, prune or plant when temperatures drop below freezing.
·        On mild days, plant bare-root roses and fruit trees.
·        Mid-month, pull mulch partly away from emerging bulbs and perennials; hunt hidden slugs.
·        Bring pots of hardy bulbs into warmth and light for early bloom.

Veggies year-round:

·        Start broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower indoors under a fluorescent shop light.
·        At month's end, move starts into a cold frame or sheltered outdoor location to toughen.

Lawn care:

·        Starlings pecking at turf help remove soil grubs such as crane fly.
·        Check lawn for standing puddles. Correct drainage, or replace lawn with better adapted ground covers.

Choosing Vegetable Seeds

by Holly S. Kennell, Cooperative Extension Agent

There is nothing to compare to the sweetness and flavor of steamed peas from your own garden, unless it’s a sun-warmed tomato straight from the vine. I consider home-grown produce one of life’s simple pleasures. If this is the year you are going to start a vegetable garden, here are some things to remember as you choose your vegetable seeds.

Some vegetables are easy; some are usually successful, if you know a thing or two; and some are a challenge, even if you know all the tricks. Among the easiest are beets, bush beans, collards, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, radishes, peas, summer squash and Swiss chard. The more difficult ones include cauliflower, celery, eggplant, limas, melons, and peppers.

In the Puget Sound area we have a long, frost-free growing season, often around 225 days. Compared to the majority of the country, however, our summers are very cool. Hot days are rare; cool, overcast days are frequent; and evenings usually cool off, even on warm days.

Some vegetables need a certain amount of accumulated heat to mature. This is reflected in the "days to maturity" numbers in the seed catalogs. National seed catalogs assume our days are warmer than they are, so these numbers aren't accurate for us. To get a realistic number, you usually must add 20-30% more days for heat-loving crops like tomatoes, peppers, sweet corn, squash, etc.

The silver lining to this climate story is that we can grow cool-weather crops through much of the year. In most parts of the country, spinach, lettuce, mustard greens, choys, etc. can be grown only during a very short period between winter frosts and summer heat. We can even winter over many hardy crops like kale, chard, and certain varieties of broccoli, cabbage, onions, etc.

Choose varieties marked "early" or "fast-maturing”.  Another strategy is to order from local seed companies or ones that specialize in seed adapted to cold or short seasons. If you buy from seed racks or purchase transplants, you need to know your varieties. People assume that, if a particular cultivar is offered locally, it must be locally adapted. Unfortunately, that isn't always true. It is another instance of "let the buyer beware."

Here are a few specific hints that may be useful:

·        Choose pea varieties with resistance to the widespread disease, enation mosaic virus.
·        Most soils in our region heat up slowly in the spring. Seeds that need warmth to germinate may just rot -- especially beans and the "super sweet" corn varieties. Raised beds will help, as will clear plastic over the soil several weeks prior to planting.
·        Some gardeners pre-sprout their seed or grow transplants to avoid germination problems. Make sure your transplants are timed right. Our last spring frost is between late March (Seattle and favored locations near the Sound) and late April (inland and higher elevations). Seedlings of tomatoes, peppers, basil, squash and other heat lovers shouldn't go out until mid to late May, unless protected by cold frames or row covers.

Project Volunteers as of January 29, 2004

MG 4-H Auction
Jolean Graham 
Glenda Ledford
Valerie VanCleve        

Community Clinics

Kathleen Esterly -  Pat Andrews  - Maureen Beckstead  -  Carol Brooks -Sherry Clemmens  -Clareda Deskins - Allen Donaldson - Betty Grindle - Charles Grisim  - Jeri Haymore - Edd Jentzsch -Tom Kelleher    - Julie Kessler  - Glenda Ledford - Jim Milward  - Marianne Norton - Leslie Simpson - Betty Swift  - Kim Wheeler  - Beth Williams - Valerie VanCleve - Dena Wagner - Kimberly Wheeler - Joni Wilson                  

Compost Bin Construction

Tom Kelleher              

Education Volunteers

Pat Andrews  - Maureen Beckstead  - Clareda Deskins  - Allen Donaldson - Jolean Graham - Melodie Keely  - Tom Kelleher - Julie Kessler - DeeAnn Kline - Pat Lewallen - Jim Milward - Marianne Norton - Robert Steinbrugge  - Valerie VanCleve  - Dena Wagner - Joni Wilson                  

Event Planning/Photography

Beth Williams              

Fairgrounds Demo Garden

Co-chairs: Pamela Oquist - Maureen Beckstead     

Peg Ryan - Pat Andrews  - Carol Brooks - Sherry Clemmens - Arlene Dean - Betty Grindle - Charles Grisim - Jeri Haymore - Melody Keely - Tom Kelleher - Julie Kessler - DeeAnn Kline - Glenda Ledford - Jim Milward - Eleanor Morris - Michael Noonan - Marianne Norton - Dave Shephard - Leslie Simpson - Robert Steinbrugge - Betty Swift - Dena Wagner - Kim Wheeler - Joni Wilson                  

Home and Garden Show

Chairperson: Pamela Oquist

Michelle Headding - Dick Parrett - Kathleen Esterly - Joe Kropf  - Marilyn Durand - Pat Lewallen - Eleanor Morris - Dave Shephard - Beth Williams - Joni Wilson                  

Hope Island Pruning

Chairperson:  Lynn Lane                 

Jerry Headding - Marilyn Durand - Esther Novak - Pat Andrews - Arlene Dean - Allen Donaldson - Charles Grisim - Jeri Haymore - Edd Jentzsch - Melodie Keely - Tom Kelleher - Julie Kessler - Jim Milward -  Eleanor Morris - Michael Noonan - Dave Shephard - Leslie Simpson - Robert Steinbrugge - Betty Swift -  Valerie VanCleve - Kim Wheeler - Beth Williams - Joni Wilson - Ben Trowbridge     

Native Plant Garden at Ext. Office

Chairperson: Kris Bailey, 427-9670 X396

Marilyn Durand - Kathie Adams -  Pat Andrews - Carol Brooks - Sherry Clemmens - Arlene Dean -  Clareda Deskins - Allen Donaldson - Betty Grindle - Charles Grisim - Melodie Keely - Julie Kessler - Glenda Ledford - Pat Lewallen - Jim Milward - Eleanor Morris - Michael Noonan - Marianne Norton - Kim Penski - Dave Shephard - Leslie Simpson - Betty Swift - Valerie VanCleve - Kim Wheeler - Beth Williams -  Joni Wilson                  

Office Clinic

Chairperson: Patricia Smith

Ben Trowbridge - Dick Parrett - Joe Kropf  - Lynn Lane - Kathie Adams - Pat Andrews - Maureen Beckstead - Carol Brooks - Marilyn Chase - Sherry Clemmens - Clareda Deskins - Allen Donaldson - Charles Grisim - Jeri Haymore - Melodie Keely - Tom Kelleher - DeeAnn Kline - Glenda Ledford - Jim Milward - Eleanor Morris - Marianne Norton - Kim Penski - Leslie Simpson - Robert Steinbrugge -Betty Swift - Kim Wheeler - Beth Williams              

Office Support

Pat Andrews  - Marilyn Chase

Potato Trials

    

Chairman: Steve Edmondson

Melodie Keely - Jolean Graham - Michael Noonan - Robert Steinbrugge -  Betty Swift                  

Publicity

Chairperson: Diana Holmlund       

E-mail is best: holmlund@tscnet.com

Maureen Beckstead - Marilyn Chase - Edd Jentzsch - Melodie Keely - Marianne Norton - Dena Wagner -    Kim Wheeler               

Theler Center

Chairperson: Arp Masley               

Co-chair when Arp is away: Ben Trowbridge    

Marilyn Durand - Kathie Adams - Pat Andrews - Carol Brooks - Marilyn Chase - Sherry Clemmens - Allen Donaldson - Jolean Graham - Betty Grindle - Edd Jentzsch - Melody Keely - Julie Kessler - DeeAnn Kline -    Glenda Ledford - Pat Lewallen - Jim Milward - Eleanor Morris - Marianne Norton - Kim Wheeler - Beth Williams - Joni Wilson                  

Youth Gardening

Contact: Jeanne Rehwaldt            427-9670 X396

Jr. MG

Ben Trowbridge - Debby Bell - Jolean Graham - Pat Lewallen - Jeri Riffe - Dena Wagner                       

Vegie Trials

Allen Donaldson       

Hood Canal Greenhouse

Allen Donaldson - Jolean Graham - Jim Milward - Marianne Norton - Robert Steinbrugge - KimberlyWheeler        

Forestry Program

Betty Grindle - Melody Keely - DeeAnn Kline - Valerie Van Cleve                   

Pioneer Greenhouse

Dick Parrett - Edd Jentzsch - Tom Kelleher - Jim Milward - Michael Noonan - Marianne Norton        

Garden Gate Radio Show

Chairperson: Steve Edmondson    

Jeri Haymore - Melodie Keely - Dena Wagner - Kathie Adams             

Phone Tree

Dena Wagner - Leslie Simpson - Julie Kessler - Clareda Deskins - Eleanor Morris - Johanna Cates

Garden Tour

Chairs: Jerry and Michelle Headding - 427-8991

Dick Parrett - Dolores Parrett - Joe Kropf - Kathie Adams - Pat Andrews -  Maureen Beckstead - Sherry Clemmens - Allen Donaldson - Betty Grindle - Edd Jentzsch - Tom Kelleher - Julie Kessler -Glenda Ledford - Jim Milward - Marianne Norton - Kim Penski - Leslie Simpson - Betty Swift - Valerie VanCleve -Kimberly Wheeler - Debby Bell                  

Plant Sale

Veteran co-chair needed

Intern co-chair: Dena Wagner          
Craft/Vendor Chair: Dick Parrett
Plant Descriptions:Clareda Deskins
Transplant instructions:Kim Wheeler             

Dolores Parrett - Kathleen Esterly -  Larry Knudsen - Marilyn Durand - Maureen Beckstead - Carol Brooks - Sherry Clemmons - Arlene Dean - Clareda Deskins - Allen Donaldson - Jolean Graham - Betty Grindle -  Jeri Haymore  - Edd Jentzsch - Melodie Keely - Tom Kelleher - Julie Kessler - DeeAnn Kline - Glenda Ledford - Pat Lewallen - Jim Milward - Eleanor Morris - Michael Noonan - Kim Penski  - Dave Shephard - Leslie Simpson - Robert Steinbrugge - Betty Swift - Valerie VanCleve - Dena Wagner - Kim Wheeler - Beth Williams - Joni Wilson - Ben Trowbridge - Debby Bell