October 2015 Turnip News Master Gardeners Prince William Editors: Rebecca Arvin-Colón Maria Stewart Inside this issue: MG President’s Message Upcoming Events and MGPW s many of you know by reading Nancy Berlin’s announce- Meetings - At a Glance 3 ment, Bill Willis has stepped down as President of Master News from the Gardeners of Prince William, Inc. (MGPW). I am a Past 4 A Education Committee - Orchids President of MGPW and agreed to step forward to fill the President slot. I have appreciated Bill’s help as I begin the task of President. I Master Gardener College Review 5 look forward to working with you as MGPW President and look Reaching Out - Library Bulletin forward to meeting more of our wonderful Master Gardeners. Boards 6 Bill worked very hard at moving our organization forward and has Living with Slugs and Snails 7-8 left the Board with many important issues to think about and work Upcoming Events and MGPW on before the important January 26th Recertification meeting (see p. 9-10 Meetings 10). At Recertification, we will approve the 2016 Budget, approve Celebrate Urban Agriculture changes to the Bylaws, vote on the MGPW slate of officers, as well Month 11 as address other items. Community Shredding 12 We continue the work on the 501(c)(3) nonprofit application, the Bylaws, and the 2016 budget. Our board meetings are open to the Get to Know a Critter 13 general membership and you are invited and encouraged to attend PUZZLER 14 the board meetings. Our next Board of Directors meeting will be October 8th at 5:30 p.m. in the McCoy Room at Sudley North Government Building (p. 9). Turnip News If you would like to serve on the Board of Directors for 2016-2017, please let me know which position interests you. President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Member-at-Large are up for election. All of the members stepping down from the Board would be happy to help you settle into your new position. Our next education program will be on October 6th, an Orchid class featuring Jennifer Graham, Jean Bennett, and Susan Bruns as speakers. Thank you Jamie Nick for tapping into the resources of our MGs to bring us this exciting program (p. 4). The Memorial Brick Dedication to honor Louise Black and Ed Rishell will be October 10th at 2:00 p.m. at the Teaching Garden. Light refreshments will be served (p. 9). The final touches are being made on the new compost area to honor Ed Rishell. Last but not least, have you heard the exciting news? Jennifer Graham is in the new MG training class! Welcome Jennifer to the Master Gardeners of Prince William County! September 23rd was the first day of autumn! Let’s get outdoors and enjoy our gardens and all that nature has to offer. -Jane Wyman, President Master Gardeners of Prince William, Inc. [email protected] Don’t forget to check in at MGPW.org http://www.mgpw.org/ 2 Upcoming Events and MGPW Meetings - At a Glance October SATURDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY 3 6 7 8 Teaching Garden Orchids Celebrate Urban MGPW Board of Work Day Agriculture Month Directors Meeting SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY 10 24 31 Saturday in the Teaching Garden Community Garden, Work Day & Work Day Shredding Memorial Brick Dedication November December January SATURDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 7 14 26 Teaching Garden Master Gardener Master Gardener Work Day Class Graduation Recertification February SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY 6 13 20 27 Sustainable Sustainable Basics of Basics of Vegetable Gardening Vegetable Gardening Gardening Gardening March SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY 5 12 19 26 Sustainable Vegetable Basics of SNOW DATE: SNOW DATE: Gardening / Gardening Basics of Sustainable Pruning Class Gardening Vegetable Gardening 3 Turnip News News from the Education Committee Jamie Nick Orchids is open to the public, so invite your family, neighbors, and friends! 4 Turnip News Master Gardener College Review by Harriet Carter (photos by Harriet Carter) t the September 9th Master Gardener College Review, a small, but very enthused group of Mas- A ter Gardeners shared their impressions about MG College programs. They were asked to describe the programs, what especially impressed them, and what they learned. MG College attendees discussed some of the highlights such as the very informative general sessions which At MG College: Amye Foelsch, Jannell earned high praise by all. Jannell Bryant gave a very Bryant, Sherrie Bishop, Jean Meink, interesting summary of a parasitic plant course that Leslie Paulson, Paul Gibson included some fascinating information on germination through smoke. Tree stewards were also among the group: Janene Cullen, Susan Bruns, Brenda Hallam and Harriet Carter. They attended an additional full-day program at MG College which included cours- es especially designed for tree steward education. Janene outlined the mission of tree stewards and important gen- eral tree ID information. She explained that trees are important to our environment, and “every open field in Virginia is a forest At MG College: Susan Bruns, waiting to happen.” Susan talked about what keeps a tree Harriet Carter, Brenda Hallam healthy. Brenda, Susan and Harriet, coincidentally, had a tree steward assignment after returning from MG College, and shared the visit and results with the re- view attendees. Harriet gave a short overview of a course on tree risk assessment and the importance of the form that is used for this purpose. Leslie Paulson wrapped up the Master Gardener College Review with a summary on edible plant products. Overall, Master Gardener College was a positive experience. Jannell Bryant: “Attending MG college is a must experience for any Master Gardener.” Harriet Carter: “The whole MG college experience reaffirmed my belief in the MG program.” Susan Bruns: “It is a privilege to meet other Master Gardeners from around the MG College Review: State and learn from them. We have more in Jannell Bryant common than we thought.” Don Peschka: “This was my fourth time I attended and I did not regret it. You learn continually from others. The camaraderie among the participants makes it all worthwhile.” The most important take-away by all: Master Gardener College is a valuable continuing education opportunity. It is a chance to share ideas with other people and to listen to dynamic speakers. MG College 5 Turnip News Reaching Out - Library Bulletin Boards Vernelle Boykin leads the Master Gardener team responsible for designing, creating and updating library bulletin boards in order to reach out to the Prince William County Community. Each bulletin board is artfully arranged and jam-packed with important information. Check out the bulletin board team’s hard work the next time you’re at the library - and encourage friends and neighbors to do the same! Bulletin Board and informational binder at Bull Run Regional Library Bulletin Board with timely information at Central Community Library The MG Bulletin Board team members include: Betty Günter, Phyllis Putnam, Judy Schneider, Tim McCleerey, Brenda Hallam, Teresa Blecksmith, Kathleen Caruso, Donna Seckar. Photos by Maria Stewart 6 Turnip News Living with Slugs and Snails by Abbie and Vincent Panettiere n conversation with my sister-in-law, who source described slugs as, basically, “...a stomach lives in Santa Barbara, California, I on one large foot.” (http://goo.gl/oub3q6). The I happened to mention that I was considering foot on either slug or snail secretes a mucus sub- writing about slugs and snails and asked her if stance, which helps them move. When it dries, she has any problems with them. She replied the mucus substance forms a slime trail that she hadn’t had problems with slugs and she shows us that one of them has been by and helps never sees snails “…unless there's been a fair the slug or snail find a source of food again. amount of watering or rain. I was wondering Slugs have an advantage in not needing soil how long they can ‘hibernate’ in their secret with good calcium content, whereas snails need places without water. If we lose a lot due to this to help build and repair their shells. drought, t'would be a good thing. They are imports to California. I used to enjoy putting on Slugs and snails are both hermaphrodites and my rubber galoshes and go out and stomp them each of them can lay eggs. As an example, brown after a rain.” garden snails (a pest) lay, on average, 80 eggs per clutch up to six times per year. The snails This murderous reaction to snails and slugs take two years to mature. Slugs lay anywhere seems to prevail among gardeners in general. from three to 40 eggs per clutch and take three After considering the damage that the unlovely to six months to mature. slugs did to my plants, I was hoping to find out what good they do for gardeners, reasoning that Both slugs and snails need areas of moisture, all creatures must have good points. It turns out shade, and vegetation to provide cover. They are that they do have a useful role as detritivores nocturnal predators, also functioning on cloudy (decomposers). Earthworms are also detritivores or foggy days. Conditions of heat and drought or and function in a similar fashion. Their function cold cause them to seek cover. When it is too cold is to recycle leaves and other dead plant for them, they will hibernate in topsoil. During material, animal droppings, and moss and turn either condition, snails form a membrane that them into soil humus. resembles parchment and attach themselves to tree trunks, fences, or walls. My sister-in-law also informed me of another im- portant job that one species of native slug per- Slugs and snails are capable of doing a great forms in California.