Volunteer Opp's Bulletin
February 2019 || Volume 5 Issue 1
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In This Month's Edition of Vol Opp's:
- Activity Spotlights:
- Baldwin County Arbor Day
- 2018 MGA Highlights
- Dale Co Trees Saved from CrapeMurder
- Morgan Co Arc Project
- Chilton Co Preping for 2019 MG Classes
- CAMGA Training New Trainers
- Harvest for Health Volunteers Needed - See Announcement Below
- Lab update: Beneficial Insects
- Parasitic Wasps
- Ground Beetles
- Lunch And Learn Schedule
- Upcoming Events and Announcements
- All Bugs Good and Bad 2019 Webinar Series
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Baldwin Co. Arbor Day
"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."
Baldwin County Master Gardeners are getting ready for their first outreach event of 2019: Arbor Day.
They chose to hold this event in February annually because February is climatically the best time to plant a tree in that area. The BCMGs will distribute trees and planting information in seven different locations in their region. Each location has a slightly different way of celebrating Arbor Day, but their festivities typically include sharing the history of Arbor Day and giving trees to residents of the area. Across the county, approximately 3,500 trees will be given away.
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Dale Co Trees Rescued from CrapeMurder!
At the Dale County Government Building, a horrendous case of Crape Murder was avoided thanks to the knowledge and actions of the MGs in that area. Thanks to these volunteers, the Crape Myrtles there continue to grow into beautiful, healthy trees.
However, many Crape Myrtles across the nation are brutally maimed each year due to incorrect pruning practices. If you're wondering how to properly prune your crape myrtles, refer to this video from ACES: How to Properly Prune Your Crapemyrtle
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CAMGA Training New Trainers
Members of the Central AL MGA often receive requests from community members to offer floral design presentations. After a training session from REA, Mallory Kelley, MG Charlotte Hall held an additional training for fellow MG's. Everyone gained confidence to share tips about using natural materials in their own floral arrangements.
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Volunteers Needed to Mentor Harvest for Health Participants
Master Gardeners are needed to mentor in Harvest for Health, a joint program between the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Alabama Extension’s Home Grounds Team. We pair MGs with cancer survivors in order to study the health and healing benefits of gardening. Mentors are expected to visit the participant twice monthly, with one garden visit and a phone call. Build new friendships and share a hobby you love with others! Contact Renee Thompson, ACES-Harvest for Health Outreach Coordinator, at 334-826-1590 or thomprw@auburn.edu.
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A message from Renee Thompson:
"We are so excited to see Harvest for Health gardens popping up all over our state! We are still in need of wonderful, caring MGs to be mentors in the following counties:
Cullman, 5 mentors needed
Jefferson, 22 mentors needed
Shelby, 8 mentors needed
Autauga, 3 mentors needed
Mobile, 1 mentor needed
Etowah, 4 mentor needed
Cherokee, 3 mentors needed
Lauderdale, 2 mentors needed
Limestone, 3 mentors needed
Madison, 25 mentors needed
Marshall, 4 mentors needed
Lee, 15 mentors needed
Tallapoosa, 2 mentors needed
Elmore, 5 mentors needed
Coffee, 2 mentors needed
Covington, 1 mentor needed
Dale, 3 mentors needed
Houston, 6 mentors needed
Montgomery, 12 mentors needed
Blount, 1-4 mentors needed
Calhoun, 3 mentors needed
St. Clair, 1-3 mentors needed
Tuscaloosa, 3 mentors needed
Walker, 1-2 mentors needed
DeKalb, 1-2 mentors needed
Jackson, 1 mentor needed
Morgan, 1-3 mentors needed
Colbert, 1-2 mentors needed
I'll leave you with a fun thought: 'One is nearer to God's heart in a garden than in anywhere else on Earth' -Dorthy Frances Gurney."
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Do you have a cool story or project you'd like to share? We'd love to hear what your MG association is doing in your community. Send your stories to Kerry Smith at smithkp@auburn.edu.
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February's Insects to Scout For:
Winter will be over before you know it and your garden will be buzzing with insects again! Did you know that the majority of insects in your garden are not "pests" at all? In fact, 97% of the insects you find in and around your garden are beneficial! That being said, be careful when choosing what insecticides you use. Many products are broad-spectrum killers that can deplete populations of innocent insects that are just trying to help out.
Here are a couple of our favorite beneficial insects and how they help out your garden:
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Parasitic Wasps
Parasitic wasps are "natural pesticides" that kill damage-causing bugs. These wasp "sting" aphids, white flies, horn worms, scale, and other pests and lay eggs inside of their bodies. As the wasp eggs hatch, the wasp larvae eats the insect they were laid inside, leaving behind a shell of the pest.
Photo credit: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University
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Ground Beetles
Ground Beetles may not be the most attractive things to find crawling through your garden, but if you see one it should put a smile on your face! These guys guard your plants' roots. They feast on slugs, snails, cutworms, and other soil-born pest. Fun fact: ground beetles can eat the equivalent of their body weight daily.
Photo credit: Joseph Berger
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February Lunch and Learn Schedule
(Events start at 12:00pm and participants are encouraged to bring a sack lunch)
- Feb 5, MG's of North AL
- Herbs Gone Wild: Flavoring w/out Salt; Dublin Park Conference Center
- Feb 6, Montgomery:
- Native Plants: Bring On The Pollinators; Armory Learning Arts Center
- Feb 7, Autauga
- Alabama Butterflies; Trinity United Methodist Church
- Feb 12, MG's of North AL
- Backyard Vegetable Gardening; Dublin Park Conference Center
- Feb12, Elmore
- Growing Camellias; First Presbyterian Church, Wetumpka
- Feb 19, MG's of North AL
- Garden Tools; Dublin Park Conference Ceter
- Feb 20, St. Clair
- Do's and Don'ts pf Pruning; St Clair Co. Extension Office
- Feb 26, MG's of North AL
- Container Gardening; Dublin Park Conference Center
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All Bugs Good And Bad 2019 Webinar Series
Throughout the year, Extension teams from Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Texas will partner together to offer a free webinar series. These Webinars will take place on the first Friday of every month at 1:00pm Central Time.
Some upcoming topics include: The Ins and Outs of Termite Treatments, GMOS and the Effect on Insect Populations, Red Imported Fire Ants in the Landscape, and many other interesting topics!
For more information about the topic schedule and how to tune in, visit https://articles.extension.org/pages/74786/2019-all-bugs-good-and-bad-webinar-series |
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