MORGAN COUNTY

Morgan County

Master Gardeners Association

FEBRUARY MEETING

The February MCMGA meeting will be on Wednesday, February 24th at 9 am at the Morgan County Extension Service Center in Hartselle. The program will be Sandy Blackard on "Roses".

AMGA 2010 STATE CONFERENCE

For information, schedule and registration form:

http://209.133.251.124/state_conference.asp

DUES AND HOURS

Your 2010 dues ($15 - $10 local and $5 state) should be sent to Stan Addyman, 4414 Willow Bend Road, SE, Decatur 35603.

2009 Volunteer Hours and CEUs should be sent to Kathy Gray, 253 Cedar Creek Road, Hartselle 35640.

Volunteer Hours Report form -- *Word*

GREENHOUSE

On the Wanted List for our Greenhouse:

Pots -- 4" up, but prefer square quarts or 1 or 2 gallon pots

Plants -- If you are cleaning up your flower beds and need to divide some perennials, please donate to the greenhouse so they can be ready for our plant sale next spring. Mark with as much detail as possible.

Blinds -- old vinyl venetian blinds make wonderful plant markers. Cut into 6" strips.

Stakes -- bamboo or others for small vines

Workers -- more workers are needed. The regulars usually meet on Wednesday morning, but if you are only available another day, arrangements may be made to have someone there with you.

2009 MCMGA Plant Sale

Photos Courtesy, Marie Cook

Thanks to those who spent many hours all year round in the greenhouse and to those who volunteered their time (and their plants) for our annual plant sale

Some virtual garden tour websites for you to try:

www.mooseyscountrygarden.com (from New Zealand)

www.smith.edu/gardens/kidscorner/index.htm (for kids)

www.usbg.gov/virtual-tour/index.cfm (US Botanical Garden)

www.rbgkew.org.uk/places/kew/index.html (Royal Botanical Garden, Kew, UK)

www.hamptoncourt.org.uk (Henry VIII’s gardens in UK)

www.nnlm.gov/pnr/uwmhg (Univ. of Washington’s herbal gardens)

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The revised Constitution & ByLaws and Policies & Procedures

ByLaws Policies & Procedures

WHAT DO MASTER GARDENERS DO?

Scroll down below the Calendar for the answer

To record your hours online: Go to www.aces.edu/mg On the left side of the page, click "Volunteer Area". On that page, click "Volunteers Service Report". The first time you use it you will have to create an account and you will use "MGA04" for the password to establish it. After filling out a short questionaire, you will have your own password for the next time. Be sure and write your username (probably your email address) and your password down somewhere, unless your memory is better than mine. Keep a hard copy of your hours and CEUs for to turn in at the end of the year to Kathy Gray.

The Tri-County Master Gardener class -- If you know someone who might be interested in taking the next Master Gardener class, encourage them to contact Ken Creel at the Huntsville Extension office to get their name on the list. They can download the applications (thanks to Jim Markestadt of Limestone County): http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1155/ The next class will be an evening class and start in August

2010 CALENDAR:

Wednesday mornings except meeting days -- 9:30 am --

Work Sessions in Greenhouse and Flower Bed

February 24 -- MCMGA meeting, Wednesday, 9 am at the Morgan County Extension Service Center, west of Hartselle on Hwy 36, Program "Roses" - Sandy Blackard

February 27 -- Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast -- Decatur High School, 6 am - 5? pm;

March 1 -- Taste of the Valley, Holiday Inn, 6 - 8 pm Tickets $20, Sponsored by the Volunteer Center of Morgan County

March 13 - 20 -- Azalea Bloom-Out, Bellingrath Gardens, Mobile www.bellingrath.org

March 18 - 20 -- Alabama Master Gardeners State Conference, Montgomery

March 22 -- MCMGA meeting, Monday, 6 pm at Fort Decatur, 610 4th Ave., SE, Program: Tom Braunshausen, "Vermiculture"

March 26 - 28 -- Master Gardeners of North Alabama Spring Trip, Mobile

March 28 - April 30 -- Spring Festival of Flowers, Huntsville Botanical Garden

April 3 -- Cullman Native Plant Sale, Sportsman Lake Park (Free), Guided garden tours available; 8 am - 2 pm 256 723-4281

April 9 - 10 -- Spring Governor's Mansion tours Free tickets can be picked up across the street at the gift shop. Call to confirm times 334 834-3022

April 10 - 11 -- Chicken and Egg Festival, Moulton www.chickenandeggfestival.com for information and schedule

April 16 - 18 -- Spring Plant Sale, Huntsville Botanical Garden www.hsvbg.org

April 17 -- Athens Dogwood Festival (free) downtown Athens 9 am - 3 pm www.keepathensbeautiful.com

April 17 - 18 -- Mobile Rose Society's 55th Annual Rose Show; Bellingrath Gardens Sat 1 - 5 pm; Sun 11- 3 pm www.bellingrath.org

April 21 -- MCMGA meeting, Wednesday, 9 am, Morgan County Fairgrounds, set up for annual Plant Sale

April 21 - 24 -- Racking Horse Spring Celebration, Celebration Arena, Priceville, 6 pm

April 23 - 25 -- Panoply Arts Festival, Huntsville www.panoply.org

April 25 -- MCMGA Annual Plant Sale, -- am to -- pm, Morgan County Fairgrounds

April 25 - August 31 -- Wings, Warts and Wonder Summer Festival, Huntsville Botanical Garden Butterfly House

April 30 - May 1 -- Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ -- Huntsville Depot www.rocketcitybbq.com

April 30 - May 2 -- Moulton Antique and Strawberry Festival -- www.lawrencealabama.com 9 am - 5 pm daily

May 1 -- Wildflower Saturday at DeSoto State Park www.desotostatepark.com (free), Fort Payne

May 1 - 2 -- Huntsville Pilgrimage Historic Homes and Gardens Tour www.huntsvillepilgrimage.org 10 am - 4 pm

May 1 -- Scottsboro Fly-In & Air Show www.jacksoncountychamber.com (Free) 9 am - 4:30 pm

May 2 -- Decatur Historic District Garden Tour www.decaturcvb.org 1 - 5 pm

May 26 -- MCMGA meeting, Wednesday, 9 am at the Morgan County Extension Service Center, west of Hartselle on Hwy 36

June 28 -- MCMGA Picnic, Monday 6 pm, at Rhodes Ferry Park large pavilion

July 28 -- MCMGA meeting, Wednesday, Morgan Country Extension Service Center

August 25 -- MCMGA meeting, Wednesday, 9 am at the Morgan County Extension Service Center, west of Hartselle on Hwy 36

September 27 -- MCMGA meeting, Monday, 6 pm, Fort Decatur, 610 4th Ave., SE, County Fair; Jim Allen & Kathy Gray

October 27-- MCMGA meeting, Wednesday, 9 am at the Morgan County Extension Service Center, west of Hartselle on Hwy 36

TBA -- MCMGA Christmas Party

Link to the Tri-County Master Gardener Calendar:

http://calendar.yahoo.com/tricountycalendar

What do Master Gardeners do?

Beginning a list of just what Morgan County Master Gardeners are doing.

Hope you will let me add your activities to it if you are a member of MCMGA -- send them to the email address below:

Working in the MCMGA greenhouse:

This is a year round project that includes all facets of plant care. In addition to our annual plant sale,

these plants are used for nursing homes, get-well and farewell gifts, etc.

A dozen or so plants are taken each month to Hospice of the Valley to be given to the patients.

Master Gardener Flower Bed:

MCMGA is responsible for flower beds at the Morgan County Extension Service Center. This involves planting,

dividing, transplanting, weeding, mulching, pruning, irrigation and lots of elbow grease and loving care.

Call Mabel Smartt if you can help out.

Annual Plant Sale:

Plants from the greenhouse and donated from members' yards are offered for sale each spring.

The sale not only means selling the plants, but answering questions about those plants and others

the customer may already have or is interested in.

Horticulture Exhibit, Morgan County Fair:

Volunteers check in plants, arrange them by category, set up the educational project and answer horticulture

questions from the fairgoers.

Helping Senior Citizens:

Working with neighbors who can no longer do it themselves. Planting some annuals, pruning and answering

questions about indoor and outdoor plants means a lot to those friends.

Working with the Tri-County Master Gardener Classes:

Twice a year, 12 week Master Gardener classes are conducted. Each of the counties is expected to do its

part and volunteers are needed to help with registration, testing, administrative duties and food.

This is a good way not only to get required hours, but to refresh your knowledge and get some of the required CEUs.

Delano Park Rose Garden:

One of our members works in the newly revamped Rose Garden at Delano Park twice a week in

spring and fall, helping to keep the roses in showcase condition.

Plant Care at Hospice of the Valley:

One of our members has taken on the care and feeding of the houseplants and memory garden at

Hospice. She spends about 170 hours per year on her project. The staff thinks she must have been sent

from heaven and all the plants are thriving because of her involvement.

Plant Care at Church:

First Presbyterian Church is fortunate to have one of our members who waters

all their plants each week and fertilizes them when needed. Takes about an hour a week of her loving care.

Programs for Club Meetings:

Several of our MGs are especially knowledgeable on certain subjects and are regularly

asked to speak at garden or other club meetings.

The Tree Lady:

This individual's project has been ongoing since 1999. She teaches kindergarten and first graders

n the Decatur school district about trees - what they do and provide for us and what we can do for them

and she's dressed like a tree. The program is also given at Education Day at the County Fair

and other appropriate functions.

Docents for Huntsville Botanical Garden:

These individuals are trained to conduct tours of the garden, answer questions and act as hosts to visitors.

Scholarship for Wallace State Horticulture Student

MCMGA uses some of its resources from the annual plant sale to fund a scholarship for a second year horticulture student. The scholarship is administered by the college

Tell me about YOUR projects

Volunteer Opportunities

If you can fill any of these needs or if you have others to list, please email me at morgancountymastergardeners@yahoo.com ,

or contact the person in charge of the project.

Morgan County Extension Service Center -- We will have Work Sessions every Wednesday morning

except meeting days at 9:30 am to work in Greenhouse and in the Center's Flower Beds. We need your help! Interns are welcomed with open arms.

For work in the center, call 773-2549. There are work opportunities of all kinds.

Currently, organizing 4H materials is a prime concern.

The Delano Park Rose Garden needs volunteers to help maintain its newfound beauty.

If you're interested, call Barbara Kelly, 355-2758 or Nell Standridge, 350-6836 (9-08)

Huntsville Botanical Garden- There are always opportunities for your time.

Call Jana Payne at 256 430-3572 ext. 238 or jpayne@hsvbg.org Opportunities include: Gift Shop,

Greenhouses/Horticulture, Galaxy of Lights, Docents (tour guides), Education Assistants, Luncheon Hostesses,

Administrative, Plant Sale, Special Event Assistants, Spring Festival of Flowers and Tea Room. (12-06)

ONGOING PROJECTS:

MCMGA Greenhouse-- Contact Floyd Mims or Brenda Close

MCMGA Flower beds -- Contact Mable Smartt or Helen DeButy

MCMGA Rose bed -- Sandy Blackard or Tom Braunshausen

2010 Officers and Chairs

President Barbara Meyer	Special Projects:
Vice President: Darryle Waldron	Greenhouse Plants/Plant Sale Brenda Close 751-2022
Secretary: Tom Braunshausen	Greenhouse Facility Floyd Mims 778-8097
Treasurer: Stan Addyman	County Fair
Advisory Council: Stan Addyman	Volunteer Hours: Kathy Gray
Hospitality: Linda Russell 355-7828	MG Bed Mable Smart 353-4246
Parliamentarian:	Rose Garden Sandy Blackard 350-3034
Programs:
Public Relations Jan Hooper 351-8685	Website/Email: Rita Baker 353-6783