North Carolina Master Gardener Volunteer Association FALL 2009 Helping North Carolina Grow Calasuja River near Franklin, NC

From the Editor: means of getting the Master Gardener what isn't, and how we make it work From the Editor: Endowment up to the level ($15,000) better. To the folks who don’t see a A Case for the NCMGVA where funds can begin to be disbursed benefit in an Association, I’d ask: to help the program. What would persuade you that it's A while back I got an email from a Closer to home, NCMGVA is the worth $10 a year?” Bob Kellam Master Gardener who wrote: "Bob, I primary sponsor of the annual state might as well confess that I do not plan MG conference. We provide bridge NCMGVA Signs MOU to rejoin the NCMGVA come March 1. A loans to the host counties, financially with NCCES group of us had a heartfelt conversation underwrite and provide liability recently about incentives for joining insurance for the conference, and help NCMGVA. Except for receiving the with logistics, attracting donors and The NCMGVA and the North newsletter -- which we can receive free vendors, and staffing the hospitality Carolina Cooperative Extension Ser- via e-mail -- we didn't understand or suite. Membership in the Association vice (NCCES) have signed a memoran- realize any benefits of membership, other does entitles you to a $20 discount on dum of understanding clarifying their perhaps than being on the mailing list to the conference registration, which respective roles in the annual state receive notices about the annual more than pays your annual dues. Master Gardener conference and other conventions." I wrote back, as much to related educational and training ac- clarify for myself why I thought As we noted in a recent issue of tivities. The MOU provides that membership was worth ten dollars a the newsletter, the Board has adopted NCMGVA year, as to persuade her to reconsider: a pilot to sponsor competitive grants will continue to Master Gardener programs with "Unfortunately, you are not to have prin- ongoing or planned projects. To apply alone. We've had something of a cipal respon- for a grant, you must be a member of difficult time articulating the benefits sibility, along the Association. This is in addition to of membership in the Association. If I with the host the Landscape Garden Competition were trying to persuade someone to counties, for which we have hosted for the past 2 join, I would say that the most the annual years and which has led 16 counties to NCMGVA President Shirley important contribution NCMGVA conference. compete for $1,250 in cash prizes. We Waggoner-Eisenman and makes to the MG program statewide is Cooperative also host the annual Outstanding NCCES Director Jon Ort sign- the advocacy role. It's my Extension ing the MOU August 5 Master Gardener Awards. understanding that the Association will actively was instrumental in the 90's in getting We've worked on both our website support NCMGVA in the planning and the State Coordinator position at and newsletter to make them better conduct of the conference through at- NCSU created. We believe this clearinghouses for information. But I tendance at planning meetings, en- position is critical to the program, and think there's still a lot more we could couragement of Cooperative Extension with Erv Evans' retirement, we've be doing. We should be exploring the staff attendance, and assistance in the been lobbying NCSU to backfill. idea of mini-conferences and symposia dissemination of information about We have also been working with around the state in partnership with the conference. The memorandum Cooperative Extension on a county programs. We need to promote will be subject to automatic renewal memorandum of understanding on the the updating of the Master Gardener each year unless one of the parties roles of the Association and Extension training materials. And we need to indicates a need for changes. The text on the annual conferences, including expand our partnership with both of the MOU is posted to the NCMGVA the possibility of offering training for NCSU and the District and County website: www.ncmastergardeners.org. new agents in how best to manage Cooperative Extension Directors and the State Advisory Council. In this issue: Page 1 - A Case for NCMGVA, volunteers. In addition we are NCMGVA Signs MOU with NCCES; Page 2 - Slate partnering with them on several Another idea we've been of Officers for 2009-11, Identifying Twining Vines; fundraising options including a discussing is a statewide survey of Page 3 - President’s Report; Pages 4-11 District Master Gardener license plate, as a Master Gardeners: what's working, Reports; Page 12 - NCMGVA Application Newsletter Staff Board Approves Nominations for Editor: Bob Kellam (interim) Wake County MG NCMGVA Officer Slate for 2009 -2011 Ph: 919-231-2827 By Aloma Lemasters, Iredell County [email protected] District Reporters: At its August 11 meeting, the NCMGVA Board unanimously approved the recom- mendation of the Nominating Committee for the slate of officers to be presented to the West District: membership for consideration at the October 6, 2009 annual business meeting. The Betty Lockwood nominations are: Henderson County MG [email protected] m For President: Bob Kellam, Wake County Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Cherokee For President-Elect: Aloma Lemasters, Iredell County Resv., Clay, Graham, Haywood, Hen- For Vice-President: George Quigley, Cumberland County derson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Swain, Tran- For Treasurer: Barbara Walters, Onslow County sylvania, Watauga, Yancey For Recording Secretary: Carroll Gaissert, Iredell County

West Central District: For Corresponding Secretary: Carmen San Juan, Iredell County Lynn Lawton For Nominating Committee: Anne Pierce, Nash County Iredell County MG Brian Wheat, Onslow County [email protected] Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Burke, Nominations will also be accepted from the floor at the business meeting. Upon Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davie, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, election, the officers will serve a two-year term, as provided in the Association by-laws. Rowan, Rutherford, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin Identification of Twining Vines North Central District: By A.J. Bullard, DDS, and Hughen Nourse 1 Vacant Editor’s Note: This is the first of what we hope will be a regular series of articles on garden-

ing topics. If you have one you’d like to submit, please send it in via your District Reporter. Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, David- son, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Gran- ville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Vines use a number of strategies to achieve their goal of Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Vance, climbing to reach sunlight. Some vines twine, some employ Wake, War ren tendrils, some use aerial roots, some use recurved (turned South Central District: backward) prickles or thorns, while a few use twisting of the Sandy Ritter leaf petiole to engage a substrate (such as a structure or an- Cumberland County MG other plant) for climbing. Seldom does a vine use more than Ph: 910-875-2706 one method of climbing and hence, vines may be identified [email protected] by which particular method they use. Anson, Bladen, Cabarrus, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Mont- For this paper we will choose gomery, Moore, Richmond, Robeson, twining vines and take advan- Scotland, Stanly, Union tage of the fact that each spe- Northeast District: cies is genetically programmed Ruth Uecker to twine in a certain direction Gelsemium Pasquotank County MG and their direction (either Ph: 252-331-1495 clockwise of counter-clockwise) [email protected] never varies. Usually the spe- Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, cific direction is constant Currituck, Dare, Edgecombe, Gates, within families, genera and Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, species, but occasionally one Northampton, Pasquotank, Perqui- mans, Pitt, Tyrell, Washington species will differ from the other species in the genus. Southeast District: Black-eyed Susan Such examples are found Carol Wilson (Thunbergia alata) within the Wisterias and the Brunswick County MG Dioscorea genera. [email protected] Let’s take a minute to learn the approach to follow in de- Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, New termining which way a vine twines and then couple this with Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, the names of twining vines, so that identification can be Wisteria Sampson, Wayne, Wilson

PAGE 2 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION President’s Report by Shirley Waggoner -Eisenman I would like to thank Iredell County for hosting the August Board of Directors Meeting. Two new dele- gates have joined the Board - Lynn Roll from Macon County and Elizabeth Allen from Haywood County. We also announced at the August 11 meeting that the MOU with North Carolina Cooperative Extension has been signed (see the article elsewhere in this issue). I hope that you are planning to attend this year’s conference and have sent in your registration. The dead- line for avoiding the late registration fee is September 1. And, as an NCMGVA member or associate member (including Cooperative Extension staff) you are entitled to a $20 discount on the full conference registration. The agenda for this year’s conference has something to interest everyone, from a variety of tours, speakers and workshops, to a dinner cruise on Lake Norman and a visit to the NASCAR museum and track. Information can be found on the NCMGVA web site www.ncmastergardeners.org Just a reminder: now is the time to consider renewing your Association membership and the conference registration form makes it easy. Since this is my last report I would like to take this opportunity to thank the officers, delegates, committee's and reporters who have volunteered their time to NCMGVA. See you at the conference in October. -Shirley

Twining Vines (continued from Page 2) aided or accomplished outright in the absence of leaves, flowers or fruits in many cases.

First, please discard the idea of looking upward or downward on a twining vine! That is the surest way to get confused. The easiest way is to look laterally (from the side) at such a vine, as if strolling past it. If the vine twines from your left and ascends upward to your right, it is by definition a clockwise turner. If the converse is true – twining from your right across the substrate or host plant to your left, then the vine is a counter-clockwise twiner.

The following tables show a partial list of twining vines and the direction of twine. Note that the direction of twine does not change when the equator is crossed. About 85% of twin- ing vines do twine clockwise, thus identification of a counter-clockwise twiner becomes easier. Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) So now commit to memory some of these names coupled with the direction they twine, and you will surely improve your vine identification skills. Clockwise Twiners Counter-clockwise Twiners Carolina Jessamine = Gelsemium sempervirens Honeysuckles = Lonicera japonica and Lonicera sempervirens

Gelsemium rankinii Hop vine = Humulus lupulus Morning Glories and members of the Convolvulaceae Alabama supplejack = Berchemia scandens family American bittersweet = Celastrus scandens Magnolia vine = Schisandra glabra Black-eyed Susan vine = Thunbergia alata Firecracker vine = Manettia cordifolia

Sky flower or clock vine= Thunbergia grandiflora

Oriental bittersweet = Celastrus orbiculatus Vegetable paederia = Paederia scandens Peas, Beans, Kudzu and other twining members of Climbing buckwheats= Polygonum scandens and P. convolvulus the Fabaceae family Chinese and American Wisteria

Ground-nut = Apios americana

Cinnamon vine = Dioscorea oppositifolia Wild yam = Dioscorea villosa

1 Dr. Bullard is a retired dentist who teaches plant taxonomy at Mt. Olive College and volunteers as a teaching assistant in the Botany department. He also assists the extension agents in Onslow and Sampson Counties in Master Gardener training. Hughen Nourse is a Master Gardener in Wake County and a frequent contributor to the county MG newsletter “Dirt”.

WWW.NCMASTERGARDENERS.ORG PAGE 3 The County Line: West District Report Betty Lockwood, District Reporter

Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Cherokee Reservation, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Yancey

Henderson County - Submitted by Betty Lockwood It hardly seems possible that it is only a few months since our new class of Master Gardeners finished their class- room work and plunged into their various volunteer assignments. They are a great group of people, with so many talents to offer our program. One of the big successes of our program this year has been the Bountiful Harvest Community Garden, under the tire- less leadership of MGV Janet Gardner. It is hard to believe that in early March this was a derelict piece of ground, sur- rounded by straggly bushes and weeds. Today there are 25 plots, bursting with ripening veggies and flowers; the paths between the plots mulched and most of the perimeter fenced to keep out invaders – be they two or four footed! We only have the front section awaiting the installation of split rail fence. Next year MGV Alan Mizeras and the Plant Rescue crew will be donating rescued rose bushes to beautify this fence. Meantime we are now able to donate 20 lbs or more of organic vegetables each week to a local food pantry. This is indeed a community of gardeners. We have MGVs, first-time gardeners, senior citizens and young children. We have people from various ethnic backgrounds and income levels – all taking great pride in their gardens. A sure sign that, even as we enjoy high summer, fall cannot far behind, is the kickoff of our fall series of Master Your Garden Lectures, which will run through late October at the Bullington Center. This year’s program, coordinated by MGV Barbara Beck is as follows: 08/10/09 Organic & Companion Gardening – a panel discussion with Janet Gardner, Barbara Beck and Jim Smith 08/24/09 Winter Blooming Plants with MGV Becky Armstrong 09/14/09 Beauty from Bulbs with MGV Pierre Hart 09/28/09 Frugal Garden Design with MGV Tamsin Allpress 10/12/09 Japanese Gardening with MGV Rosemarie Howard 10/26/09 Turning Your Bed in for Winter with MGV Barbara Beck Work continues each week with a group of MGVs involved in a variety of tasks at both the Bullington Center and the Flat Rock Playhouse. After a very successful showing at Hendersonville’s Garden Jubilee in May, we are making plans under the leadership of MGV Betty Lockwood to set up our tent for three days of the annual Apple Festival in early Sep- tember, and under the leadership of MGV Becky Armstrong to set up at Farm City Day in early October. MGV Marion Donovan continues to arrange a variety of outings for our group, including Biltmore Estate, Clemson University and Daniel Stowe. We also continue to meet twice a month for evening socials and garden tours in various homes. We keep in touch better this year, with not only our monthly “Garden Scoop” newsletter, edited and proofed by MGVs Diane Fitzgerald and Kathy Connors, but also a weekly email with schedule highlights from MGV Joellen Johnson. Then there is the Intranet, which enables us to schedule ourselves and keep track of our hours so much more efficiently. Thanks to MGV’s Susan Pfeiffer and Joellen Johnson and our tireless Extension Agent Diane Turner for guiding us through the learning curve on this new tool.

Transylvania County - Submitted by Susan Quillman

Keeping the 4 th of July tradition and joining in our community’s festivities, MGVs once again hosted a booth at the Downtown Brevard celebration. Many MGVs shared their time and worked at our booth. Several members brought flowers to decorate our exhibit and we used some new signage to promote the purpose of the Master Gardener program. Volunteers were: Ed Marchini, Nancy Henderson, Linda Hauschild, Loretta Robinson, Karen Koelling, Norah Davis, Elizabeth Reshower, Denise Nelson, Kathleen Barnes, Shirley Tesh, Sara Boggs, Ann Hubbard, Jeannie Falknor, and Annie Martin. MGVs Elaine Deppe, Nancy Iha and Susan Quillman attended the Focus on Flowers seminar at the NC Arboretum on July 18, and came home with some wonderful new ideas. The MGV Advisory Board has agreed to pay for the subscriptions to four gardening magazines at the Transylvania (continued on Page 5)

PAGE 4 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION Transylvania County (continued from Page 4) County Library to help them in these times of budget cuts. Some of these were in danger of being discontinued. Our Board has been paying for Organic Gardening for some years. In addition, they will be paying for Fine Gardening, Caro- lina Gardener and Horticulture for the next year. For our program on August 11 we will meet at Silvermont Park to tour the demonstration gardens and also the new garden along Hwy 276. We hope to spark renewed interest among our members in caring for the demonstration gardens.

The County Line: West Central District

Lynn Lawton, District Reporter Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davie, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Rutherford, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin

Iredell County - Submitted by Brenda Bernhardt

Iredell County Master Gardeners have been very busy planning the 2009 NCMGVA Conference to be held in Moores- ville, NC, at the Charles Mack Center. The conference will be held October 4-7. Hopefully, gardeners from around the state and surrounding states will enjoy the tours, speakers, events, and vendors that the conference planning committee has in store. Fun is to be had by all. Learning will abound! On July 11, 2009, the Master Gardeners helped Ken Vaugh, County Extension Direc- tor, as the county honored Don Breedlove for his 30 plus years in Extension Service. Delicious food, entertaining music and beautiful floral designs greeted all the attendees. Don retired as of July 1. Don had truly been a friend and educator for his Iredell Master Gardeners. It is through his guidance that the Master Gardener Association has grown and developed. The Iredell County Master Gardeners Association was pleased to place a permanent plaque in the Iredell County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden show- ing that the garden is named in honor of Don Breedlove. The Iredell Association presented public programs at the Lowes’ Corporate Center Dr. Deborah Crandall, District Extension Director, presents answering gardening questions. They directed a Girl Scout program held at Iredell Don Breedlove with a plaque County Demonstration Gardens where the girls went from station to station encounter- from Governor Perdue. ing different gardening problems and situations. Association members also met the pub- lic at the local Southern States facility; answering questions and helping the public solve their garden problems. During the upcoming months, the Iredell Master Gardener Association will continue to meet and assist the county where and when they can. Hopefully, a new Horticultural Agent will be in place soon.

Mecklenburg County – Submitted by Debbie Moore Clark

Youth Education Committee. Habitat Gardens at the Villa Heights Academic Center are becoming a wonderful real- ity, thanks to the Youth Education Committee, chaired by Sue Riley. The children are very excited to see their efforts come to fruition! The vegetables have been a great success with Radish, Onion, Kale and Mustard “tastings.” The Herb Garden and the Butterfly Garden have been full of pollinators. Habitat Steward, Rosalie Holzinger, along with Susan Cook assisted students in the gardens on every workday from April until the end of school. Potluck Get-togethers . Monthly Potluck Get-togethers, organized by Beverly Pearson, have been enjoyable, delicious and a great ways to build spirit de corps among Mecklenburg County EMGs each month in 2009—plus, a great opportu- nity to visit and stroll the potluck host’s garden. Education . Education is the star that guides us. Every month, Mecklenburg County EMGs add to their own knowl- edge base by listening to speakers and attending workshops. We then use the accumulated knowledge to educate Meck- lenburg County residents in the fine art of responsible gardening practices. A few of the community events so far this year have included our information booth at the Southern Spring Show where hundreds of people gathered for the five- day event; two EMG Spring Plant Sales (with two more coming this fall) where garden culture and design tips were shared; our green booth at Charlotte Clean and Green: an Earth Day Celebration; and the continual creation, updating and presentation of our “canned” educational PowerPoint programs, which we call To Go Programs.

WWW.NCMASTERGARDENERS.ORG PAGE 5 The County Line: North Central District

District Reporter

Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Vance, Wake, Warren

Davidson County - Submitted by Julie Dayvault

On February 26, a retirement reception was held for Robert Lopp, Davidson County Extension Director, who was with Davidson County Extension for 31 years. The Robert Lopp Building to Endowment Fund was established in his honor with the College of Agricultural and Life Science Foundation at NC State University.

Our annual Recognition Dinner for Master Gardeners was held on March 16 at Yarborough’s Restaurant, with ten members recognized as five-year Master Gardeners and five members recognized for performing 500 or more volunteer hours in the community.

Twenty-one persons were accepted as Master Gardener Interns in April, and new officers were elected for the 2009-2010 year: Doug Pearson, President; Joan Wright, Vice President; Julie Dayvault, Secretary; Frankie Mef- ford, Treasurer; and Sarah Draper, Historian. On July 3, a memorial service was held for George Wetherill, who died after a brief illness. George was one of our most avid Master Gardeners and community volunteers. Davidson County Master Gardeners are looking forward to upcoming activities:

• Vegetable Gardening workshops by Scott Welborn, the new Davidson County Extension Agent, and a Propagation Workshop for Master Gardeners.

• A Crepe Myrtle Pruning Demonstration and a Tool Maintenance Workshop by Master Gardener Jona- than Wright.

• A plant sale to raise funds for the local Pastor’s Pantry.

• Developing community gardens at the Davidson County Cooperative Extension Center, the American Children’s Home in Lexington, and the Meadowlands Subdivision in Wallburg. These gardens offer teaching opportunities for our Master Gardeners.

• Providing monthly presentations at the Master Gardeners’ booth at both the Thomasville and Lexing- ton Farmers’ Markets.

• Participating at Spring Daze in Thomasville, with the Extension Council Association in making herb gardens, in planting tomatoes with third graders at Wallburg Elementary School, at the Charles Eng- land Elementary School’s Environmental Day, and with the Junior Master Gardeners’ Camp. Wake County – Submitted by Bob Kellam The Wake County Master Gardeners have accepted 34 trainees for their 2009 Class. Training will begin on September 10.

The County Line: South Central District Sandy Ritter, District Reporter

Anson, Bladen, Cabarrus, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Robeson, Scotland, Stanly, Union Cumberland County - Submitted by Sandy Ritter The MGV intern class of 2009 adopted the demonstration garden at the Extension office as their entire class project. The garden has been divided into several gardens now being maintained by other Cooperative Extension agents, making it much easier to maintain that large area. They have weeded, pruned, planted, and learned un- der the tutelage of Shauna Haslem, horticulture agent.

PAGE 6 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION Debbie Nepstad, Leslie Yarbrough and Cheryl Garret presented to MGVs a detailed program on Vermiculture at the July monthly update meeting. This is a popular program in schools. Other MGVs have presented the program at several elementary schools to approximately 100 students this spring. For several years the Cumberland County Master Gardener Association has presented a scholarship of $500 to a deserving student in Horticulture at Fayette- ville Technical Community College. This year the amount has been increased to $750 and a new scholarship in the same amount is in the planning stages for a high school graduate who will major in Horticulture at any North Carolina college. Cumberland interns at work restoring an abandoned garden The Master Gardeners presented a check for $1200 to Cape Fear Botanical Gardens for maintenance and $2000 for the building fund there. The Heritage Garden has been redesigned by the staff and work done to change the garden according to the plans has been done by Master Gardener Volunteers. Lee County - Submitted by Phil Griffin

The Lee County Master Gardeners have been holding plant clinics at the Farmers’ Market once a month. The next clinic will be at Big Bloomers Plant Farm to coincide with “Hummingbird Day.” In the spring Master Gardeners assisted 4-H director Bill Stone with the “Eat Smart - Growing Healthy Kids” pro- gram. They led fifth graders in growing their own vegetables, which the children later consumed prior to the end of the school year. MGs have also helped with the community garden that ten families planted at the Extension Center. This was a combined effort between Master Gardeners and the 4-H Advisory Committee. The participants are now reaping the benefits of their hard work. Some may begin selling produce at the local Farmers’ Market. At the four spring gardening classes conducted by Stephanie Romelczyk, the Horticultural Agent, interested atten- dees signed up to receive horticultural information via email. MGs collected the names and addresses for the agent as well as assisting with the classes. The group is now working on preparations for the educational booth at the Lee County Fair to be held in September. Moore County -

Lee Ivy, landscape instructor at Sandhills Community College, was guest speaker at the July MGV meeting were he presented information on the new facility being built there with a State-of-the-Art green roof. Many MGs are involved at various xeriscaping projects in the area, especially gardens at the Senior Center and the Courthouse. Master Gardeners plan to build several gardens at schools in addition to others already in existence. Union County - Submitted by Mary Anne Ferrigan

Greetings from Union County! As the recession continues, interest in Master Gardening has grown. Under the lead- ership of current president Linda Kirkpatrick, we are now able to tackle a wide assortment of projects. One major project is the implementation of the Teaching Garden adjacent to the Union County Ag Center. Driven by a vision by Jeff Rieves, our Horticulture Extension Agent, the Master Gardener volunteers secured , stored, and then installed a 25’ x 80’ greenhouse adjacent to the Ag Center. The greenhouse will promote sustainable horticulture through education and demonstration. The Master Gardeners have pledged to support the Teaching Garden which will be a multi-year project. The Teaching Garden will be centered by the greenhouse which will teach propagation and provide research project space for agents and MG’s. The greenhouse will also have ongoing demonstration areas that will explain and teach composting; irrigation; mulching; lawns and alternatives to turfgrass; stormwater/rainwater management ; houseplants; beekeeping; and Natural Pest Controls. Outside the greenhouse will be a Woodland garden; a rainwater harvest demonstration; and a CPP plants collection. This CPP collection will allow area landscape workers to study for their Certified Plant Professional exam. We staff a telephone Growline which responds to community questions. This keeps us on our toes about blossom end rot, Japanese beetles, and other seasonal concerns. Our annual Tree Sale and Plant Sale were financial successes and wonderful ways for the whole group to work together. We have our own Ning site for keeping in touch on gardening issues and have recently joined the world on Facebook.

WWW.NCMASTERGARDENERS.ORG PAGE 7 The County Line: Northeast District Ruth Uecker, District Reporter

Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Edgecombe, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrell, Washington Chowan, Gates, Perquimans Counties - Submitted by Joy Caron We've had fun, we've learned, and we've worked hard this spring and summer. Our annual garden party, held at one of our members' lovely home, was highlighted by a plant swap. Just what we needed -- more plants! We also enjoyed a field trip to the Norfolk, Virginia, Botanical Garden. And, while it was work, we enjoyed the fruits of our labor partici- pating in a tomato research project. Programs presented by members included Vermiculture, Roses (with a tour of a local rose garden), Rain Barrel Dem- onstrations at the Green Energy Fair, 4-H workshops on "How Does Your Garden Grow," and WINGS. We continue to "get our hands dirty" at the Newbold White House and Cupola House. We had a member highlighted as a Master Gardener Volunteer in a local "Helping Hands" newspaper column. This article also promoted our new MGV class which will start in September. We continue to provide answers to local residents on our Hotline. We have a big plant sale/education booth scheduled for 26 September, which will benefit a new elementary school Junior Master Gardener Volunteer Program, co-founded by 4-H and our MGV's.

Currituck County - Submitted by Jan Perry-Weber

Eastern Carolina’s Currituck County is a unique “Coast to Sound” community that has strong agricultural roots. What was a laid-back rural atmosphere has become a bustling coastal tourist destination and idyllic residential area. It is a charming mix of long-term residents and new arrivals which has brought together a great sense of community in the mutual love of nature and the land. The Curri- tuck Master Gardeners stem from these multidimensional roots. These Master Gardeners are a highly active and motivated group that have a strong vision of developing educational gardens to benefit residents and visitors alike. These gardeners are in the initial stages of development with the construc- The new greenhouse at the Currituck tion of their own greenhouse, a 20’ x 90’ structure used to propagate and grow flow- Cooperative Extension ers, shrubs, trees, vegetables, and herbs. It is a learning tool for the Master Gar- deners which will allow them to fine tune their own skills in gardening as well as develop skills they can pass on to the community. The educational gardens have been defined and will cover a number of acres provided by Currituck County. Gardens will include those usually found in arboretums, but will also spotlight creative venues such as raised beds for the young and physically challenged. The area around the Currituck Cooperative Extension building is incorporated into the teach- ing gardens so there will be easy access for all visitors. These gardens are supported by the major fund raisers conducted by the Currituck Master Gardeners. The Spring Flower, Home, and Garden Show attracts hundreds of visitors who come to see the garden exhibits, attend garden- related seminars, shop with over 100 vendors, and purchase plants and vegetables. Each September the Master Gardeners hold a major sale of plants of which the majority have been propagated and grown by the Currituck MGVs, both in the new greenhouse and by individual plant “foster parents.” The first plantings are now being designed for the fall, the project will be ongoing over the years, and is fully supported by the Currituck County Commissioners. FMI: Contact Jan Perry-Weber at [email protected]

Dare County - Submitted by Julie Hamilton

The Dare Master Gardener Volunteers had a successful Coastal Gardening Festival in mid-May. Despite an early morning rain, attendance was good and the vendors were happy! Work continues in The Outer Banks Arboretum and Teaching Garden with new emphasis on the Native Plant Gar- den. As the garden grows and duties expand, more efficient ways of handling routine tasks of raking, weeding, and

PAGE 8 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION planting are being explored. The Arboretum will be divided into sections and work teams will be assigned to each sec- tion. Plans are underway for the installation of a totem-style sculpture by artist, Gary Colson. The sculpture will be installed in the Dune Garden area of the Arboretum. It was made possible, in part, by a grant from the Percy W. and Elizabeth G. Meekins Charitable Trust. Beginning in August, Mr. Colson and his crew will come from Culpepper, Virginia, to begin the installation. A public unveiling is planned for 15 October 2009. This beautiful lime- stone sculpture will depict fauna and flora unique to the Outer Banks. The Colson totem sculpture If any of you are planning a trip to the Outer Banks this fall, please stop by to see the Work begins on the sculpture base new addition to the Arboretum and Teaching Garden, located adjacent to the Thomas at the Outer Banks Arboretum A. Baum Senior Center on Mustin Street in Kill Devil Hills. FMI: Contact the Dare County Center of the NC Cooperative Extension at 252-473-4290. Pasquotank County - Submitted by Ruth V. Uecker

Each August the local business of Swimme and Son holds an “Open House” event to show-case community activities. For the past three years, the Pasquotank County MGV’s have been invited to participate by providing education/ information “talks” relating to horticulture and gardening. This year, three of our Pasquotank County MGV’s have vol- unteered. Jan Hepworth will discuss herbs and herb gardening, Duane McSmith will demonstrate container gardening, and Don Pierce will explain and display techniques used in the beautiful art of Bonsai gardens. The “Open House” is always well-attended, and provides an opportunity for our members to meet the general public as well as promote the Pasquotank County MGV Program. At the July business meeting our speaker was Mr. Bill Jowers, MGV member from the Chowan-Gates-Perquimans County group. The subject of Bill’s presentation was Vermiculture and Vermicomposting. The power-point program em- phasized the science, the incredible benefits, and the effects of vermiculture on plants and soil health. Although ver- miculture has been around for ages and is presently being used in all parts of the world, many people have not been fully informed about its full potential.

The County Line: Southeast District Carol Wilson, District Reporter

Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Sampson, Wayne, Wilson

Brunswick County - Submitted by Carol Wilson

Brunswick County Master Gardeners were honored on August 3rd by the Brunswick Commissioners for their contributions to the County. The resolution of appreciation recognized both the program’s positive financial impact ($400,000 in donations of time, miles, and direct cash), as well as their work with the Juve- nile Restitution and Life on the Farm Programs. Brunswick MG’s are also sharing their knowledge of horticultural skills with inmates at the Brunswick County Jail. In a program named TILS, which stands for Teaching Inmates Life Skills, and designed by BCMGV Lynn Schwartzkopf, inmates will learn about soils, fertilizers, propagation, food, nutrition and money management. Participants will attend a series of eight lectures given by Master Charlie Spenser, Shirley Waggoner-Eisenman, Gardeners. To utilize their new skills inmates tend a large garden on the grounds and Lynn Schwarzkopf receive the resolution of the Brunswick County jail. The food they harvest will be used in the jail honoring the Brunswick Master Gardeners from County Commissioner Marty Cooke .

WWW.NCMASTERGARDENERS.ORG PAGE 9 Brunswick County (continued from Page 9) cafeteria and the excess will be sent to a local food bank. The Southport WalMart donated the seeds and money from the sher- iff's office and a donation from the BCMGVA were used to purchase the lumber for building the planter boxes. The goal of this program is to provide inmates with skills which will enable them to get a job when they are released and, hopefully, prevent re-incarceration.

Our Recognition Lunch awarded pins and certificates to The program also graduated it’s 2009 Extension Master Gardener class MG’s with service spanning 16 years (1993 - present). this summer.

Carteret County - Submitted by Carolyn Hoss

On a beautiful summer morning of the eleventh of June, many Carteret Master Gardeners gathered at the Morehead City home of Linda and Jerry Kern to begin a delightful tour of three Master Gardener properties. All gardeners are in- dividuals with their own personalities, and it is the same with their gardens - each one is different, reflecting their owner’s ideas of beauty and landscaping. Each of the three gardens we toured that morning were as different as their owners. Jerry and Linda have created a garden that amazed and delighted us. Packed with an incredible variety of shrubs, perennials and vines, shaded by large trees with grassy pathways to follow, the Kern’s garden invited us to spend the whole day just looking at its infinite variety. But, surely, the star of their property was the pergola Jerry built to shade the many raised beds full of a great variety of thriving vegetables. The intensity of our coastal summer sun is almost too much for many vegetables and the Kerns have solved this problem with their very attractive pergola offering filtered shade.

Our next garden was at the home of Donna Lynk and her Under the pergola at Linda and Jerry Kern’s. husband, Howard. Donna explained to us that she “gardens for her bees.” Her hives are located in a quiet back corner of her property. Her home is hidden from the street behind a lovely hedge of Eleagnus, Vitex, Gardenia, Ligustrum and a raintree (Koelreuteria). Behind this hedge, a grassy expanse leads to a perfectly clipped hedge of Eleagnus and an archway invites the visitor to enter an area where Donna’s beautifully tended raised beds are located. Donna did a great deal of research to create these beds, filling them with a special soil mix she learned of from a documentary about a fertile area in the Amazon. The soil there is still fertile today although it was created centuries ago by the indigenous people that lived there. Judging from Donna’s healthy vegetables, this soil is working very well for her. Our third garden was at the home of Jane and Howard Weinrich. Here was a place of beauty and Beehives compliment relaxation, cool and inviting. Jane has created islands of flowering shrubs and perennials accented Donna Lynk’s garden. by a sweeping green lawn with many quiet places to sit and enjoy the peaceful view. She has placed amusing and attractive sculptures and garden art throughout. Her varieties of hydrangeas - all of which she propagated herself - were in full bloom and stealing the show. One plant that attracted much interest was a lovely small variegated Chinaberry tree. Lingering here to talk and wander among the beds of flowers was very enticing, but we had one more place to visit. Our annual end of year picnic and awards presentation was held at the home of Myrna and Darden Eure . Located on the bluffs overlooking Bogue Sound in Morehead City, this was a perfect spot for us to sit under the huge old live oak trees with plates piled high with foods prepared by all of us Carteret MGs, many of which featured vegetables coming from our own gardens. Our County agent, Anne Edwards, presented awards for the many hours of volunteering we have put in at our demonstration gardens and many other projects. The top One of the many “quiet” places two workers were Dick Knowles with 156 hours and Jane Weinrich with an astounding 190 to sit in the Weinrich garden hours. Dick, by the way, is our new president, Myrna Eure is Vice President, Lynn Harris is Treasurer and Marie Roberts is Secretary. Our past officers, Carol Zmirak, Lynn Brugnolotti, Kit Williamson and Jane Weinrich led our group diligently for 4 years and we thanked them profusely for their very hard work. Anne presented them with small gifts of appreciation . The last presentation of this full day was the announcement of the two recipients for our scholarships. Both Forrest

PAGE 10 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION Kraus and Corey Wade were present to accept their checks for $1000.00 each which will help them with their college careers in botany or horticulture. Both will be attending NCSU. In summer we take a brief respite from regular meetings, but the work we do at our demonstration gardens contin- ues. These gardens are constantly in the public eye and we try to keep them beautiful and educational. The Beaufort Historical Association hosts two Master Gardener sites - a Colonial vegetable garden next to the 18 th century Leffers cottage and a Victorian herb garden situated behind the nineteenth century Apothecary shop. At the Core Sound Heri- tage and Waterfowl Museum on Harkers Island, the CCMGs have created a butterfly path leading to the front entrance. There is also a camellia and a fig collection. The NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores hosts a bog garden created and tended by CCMGs, and the Curb Market garden in Morehead City demonstrates to the public how to grow drought toler- ant plants.

Craven County – Submitted by ML Hynes Summer is buzzing along in Craven County and our Master Gardener Volunteers are in the middle of a swarm of activities. The redesign of the demonstration gardens in front of the Craven County Agriculture building is complete and the blank spots in the map are being filled in and every living thing is getting a new identification tag. With the summer’s rainfall in the ‘normal’ range the veggie garden crew has been harvesting hundreds of pounds of tomatoes, squash, eggplants and every imaginable type of pepper. The soup kitchen and shut-ins who benefit from the abundance are enjoying the healthy meals. Soon the rows will be covered with black plastic to prepare them for the win- ter collards, greens, cabbage and onions. Betty Rovins and her committee continue their planning for the 2010 NCMGVA conference in New Bern in conjunc- tion with the city’s 300 th Anniversary. The planning for the event has led to several serendipitous woodland walks led by Tom Glasgow, Extension Director, for CCMGVA members. Fall is Craven County Fair time and this year the Master Gardener Volunteers will be playing a bigger role as they fill staffing gaps left by funding cuts for the annual event. Fall also brings our only fund raising event - our annual Bulb Sale at the New Bern Farmers’ Market. This year bulb sale patrons will be able to print an order form on line at the Bulb Sale website www.MasterGardenerBulbSale.com . We welcome orders from any Master Gardeners in other counties who will be in the area after we pack the orders October 15 th . Just an email to [email protected] as to when you will be in the area and we’ll arrange a pickup time and location. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the 2009 NC Master Gardener Volunteer conference!

Wayne County - Submitted by Jessie Norris Summer seems to be a very busy time for many. Our N.C. heat, humidity & storm season dictate how we tend to our gardens. We’re presently very busy working in both our fairground and Wayne Center gardens. I can say; "We are just about there!" Our fairground gardens most impres- sive plants would be a Giant Pumpkin Vine, our Bottle Tree encircled with a lovely Trumpet Vine, and a most impressive Banana Tree for fun, eye catching interests. We’ve been truly blessed to have our newly wed Extension Agent Karen Bussy Blaydow and new secretary Diane Lynch. We keep them busy, for sure! A Cape Fear Botanical Gardens June trip and a local, private "walk about" in the gardens of our very own Mr. Gene Mercer of Mt. Olive was great fun. Rachel Rawls and I have enjoyed representing Wayne Co., being on the 2010 NCMGVA County Conference Commitee. Wayne County will be in charge of the Silent Auction and Door Prizes. My husband Frank has been kind to make and donate very nice, home made Birdhouse Planters. Our local WCMGVA training class will be held from Aug. 28 – Nov. 13. We are hoping for a good turn out and many more to join our fun bunch ! Again, we thank Karen and Diane for all there efforts and patience! Everyone have a great, safe summer!!

PAGE 11 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION the NCMGVA Newsletter c/o 731 N. Rogers Lane Raleigh, NC 27610

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