Annual Plant and Seed Swap - May 9

Have you had an unexpectedly good crop of pepper seedlings?

Were there more monarda seeds in that packet than you could use in 10 years?

Come share your excess with your fellow master gardeners, and be surprised by some new goodie you’ve never known before!  The event will be held at the Community Garden shed on Tuesday, May 9 from 12:30 to 3:30 pm.

Because jumping worms have become a sad reality of gardening in Rock County, and it’s almost impossible to tell if you’re digging up the worm eggs along with that perennial you need to divide, we’re asking everyone to limit plants for the swap to those grown in potting mix from seeds, cuttings or divisions--any that have never been planted in the ground outside--and houseplants. All kinds of seeds are also welcome.

We’ll talk a little about why jumping worms are such a hazard, and general practices to limit the spread of all kinds of pests. And we’ll share information about what we’ve brought. Please come learn a little even if you don’t have anything to bring. We have free herb and milkweed seeds, plus milkweed seedlings, to give away. You won’t go home empty handed.

The community garden is located just east of the Sheriff’s office in Janesville, near the intersection of Highways 14 and 51. This is an approved MGV Continuing Education program.  You will receive 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) per hour of participation.

We had a great day Earth Day at Rotary Botanical Gardens.

Thanks to Deb Grams, Ruth Flescher, Bev Drew, Mary Kay Thompson, and Nancy Moskal for staffing the booth.

According to RBG staff there were between 1500 and 2000 visitors.

We gave away a lot of herb seeds and milkweed seeds and taught a lot of children how to build pollinator hotels using recycled tin can, paper drinking straws and hand-rolled tubes made of pulp paper.

Thanks to Scott Schilling and Ethan Lee of the Janesville Urban Forest Alliance for helping us when needed.  Good tent neighbors.  And thanks to the staff at Rotary for helping us get set up.  

Mary Thompson and Ruth Flescher ready to greet guests.

Guests learning about pollinators.

Mary Thompson teaching a young guest how to build a pollinator hotel.  

Arbor Day Planting Rain Date

We have set a rain date for the Arbor Day tree planting on Highway F. The event is still scheduled for this Friday at 11 am.  However, IF it rains we'll push the date back to Tuesday, May 2 at 11 am.

Thanks to Deb Grams for thinking of this!

MKT

Grinnell Hall in Beloit is having a Plant Sale Fundraiser on Thursday and Friday, May 11 and 12. Coordinator Paula Schutt would like to have a Master Gardener Volunteer on hand both mornings to educate people on the plants and their care.   Hours will be determined by the MGV's availability.

Paula is working on her newsletter and would like to be able to publish that she does have MGVs coming.  That means she would need commitments by 10 am this Monday.

If you can work please contact Paula either by phone or by email at the number or email address listed below.

This is an approved MGV project and will earn you one Continuing Education Unit (CEU) per hour for your participation.

If you wish to participate contact:
Paula Schutt, Coordinator
Grinnell Hall Senior Center
631 Bluff Street
Beloit, WI 53511
608-364-2875
schuttp@beloitwi.gov

UPDATE:  We have a volunteer for Friday.  We still need a volunteer for Thursday!

Thanks!

Volunteer Opportunity - Earth Day at Rotary Botanical Gardens

RPMGA will be hosting a space at Rotary Botanical Gardens Earth Day Celebration, "Earth Day Around the World."  The event runs from 10 am to 3 pm.on Saturday, April 22.

We'll be making pollinator houses all day long.  We'll have directions to give away on how to make pollinator houses. We'll give away a handout called Pollinators 101.  We will give away herb seeds and information on the importance of pollinators. We'll stamp hand with pictures of pollinators.  We're bringing a diorama that will show the process of composting.

We'll be outside, under a tent.

We're looking for volunteers to help with set-up the morning of the event, and tear-down at the end, at least 2 each.  We also need shift volunteers.  We'll be breaking the day into two 2 1/2 hour shifts, and we'll need 2 volunteers for each shift.  Set-up will be as early at 7 am the morning of the event.  Tear-down will begin a soon as the event closes at 3 pm.

Master Gardener Volunteers will earn one (1) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) per hour for participation.

Contact Mary Kay Thompson at 608-322-4800 if you wish to volunteer.  We need your help!!  Thanks!!

For more information about the event click on the link below.

Earth Day Around the World - at Rotary Botanical Gardens

Identifying Winter Trees program will be held at Riverside Park in Janesville

REMINDER: April 6 continuing education program - Identifying Winter Trees

Hello, everyone.

Just a reminder that the Identifying Winter Trees will be held at Riverside Park in Janesville on Thursday afternoon, April 6 at 4:00 pm.  We'll meet on the north end of the park near the North Pavilion.  Dress for the weather, bring writing materials, and wear moisture proof shoes.

We're hoping to have a good turnout.

Ethan Lee will present the program and he'll have handouts for us.  Photos below show some of the techniques we'll learn in identifying and even measuring trees.

Using a Biltmore Stick to measure a tree.

Black Locust seed pods.

Cherry buds.

Using a Clinometer to measure tree height.

Maple buds.

Sycamore buds