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INSIDE: Local Master Gardener News - 2 Upcoming Events – 3 Bits and Pieces - 6
/ February 2008 August 2016
Chad Zutter Gave ECAMGA A Good Grounding In Ground Covers… by Nina Logan
On July19th, Chad Zutter, a fellow Master Gardener and owner of Elk Mound Seeds, gave a presentation on using cover crops in our gardens. He explained the benefits of several different products. For example, “soil buster radishes” not only prevent weed infestation but also provide better soil aeration to soil when their long taproots rot over the winter. This then allows moisture and nutrients to flow easily through the soil. Radishes also hold nitrogen, which releases into soil after the radish rots down or is plowed under. Ground covers can be nitrogen fixers or nitrogen accumulators. Fixers are legumes, which gather nitrogen from the air and deliver it to the soil. Accumulators can be grains or grasses or brassicas such as radish, turnip or canola. They hold nitrogen, which is then released to the soil after plow down. Elk Mound Seeds sells all these ground covers plus garden supplies, birdseeds and supplies, and native plant seeds. The presentation was very informative, giving gardeners a new approach to soil improvement and weed control. Door prizes were awarded and treats served. If you missed it plan to attend the August educational meeting, which will be held on August 30, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. at the UW-Extension Office and will feature Catherine Emmanuelle speaking on “Food Preservation 101.”
Picture by Jo-Ann Clark
Page 2 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener New August 2016
NOTE: The ECAMGA Board minutes no longer appears in the newsletter. You may access them by going to the website at
eauclairemastergardeners.weebly.com
Changing e-mail? Moving? If you do, please remember to notify the ECAMG and the newsletter editor of your new e-mail address and/or mailing address so you don’t miss any Eau Claire Area Master Gardener happenings! Email you’re new Information to Carol Cox at [email protected] Or notify her by snail mail at 1908 Hogeboom Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54701 (or call her at 715-861-4495).
ECAMGA BOARD MEMBER CONTACT INFO
NAME/TITLE E-mail address Phone number
Erin LaFaive [email protected] 715-839-4712
Mary Jane Griffin [email protected] 715-835-6979
Dick Lienhardt [email protected] 715-286-9917
Nancy Spak [email protected] 715-835-6546
Ede Strand [email protected] 715-8326775
Amy Boettcher [email protected] 715-577-9085
Carla Pelzl [email protected] 715-835-6628
Nina Logan [email protected] 715-878-4585
Deb Spickler [email protected] 715-577-8500
Lori Kempen [email protected] 715-832-8088
Bulletin Board Postings Stories and Opportunities!!!! Bulletin Board Postings
ECAMGA 2016
Calendar All meetings at UW-Extension Office unless otherwise noted
August 30, 2016: Canning & Preserving Harvested Food/Catherine Emmanuelle (note date change).
September 20, 2016: Permaculture with Fruit Trees and Companion Planting/Don Albrecht.
September 30: Volunteer hours due in.
October 18, 2016: Honey Bees – Kristina Beuning.
November 2016: Winter Bird Feeding – Larry Bennett.
December 2016: Annual Potluck, Christmas Party and Election of Board Members.
MGV
Alert!
August is upon us and it will soon be September so, as an ECAMGA volunteer be sure to:
1. CountupyourvolunteerandeducationalhoursandmakesuretohavethementeredintoyourrecordofhourssheetreadytosendinbySeptember30th(whichwillcomealltosoon).IfyouarelackinghourscontactErinforideasonhowtomakeupthosehours.
2. LookthroughyourphotosthatyouhavetakenofyourgardenorothergardensfortheOctober1,2015toSeptember30,2016timeframeandselectwhatyouwillenterintothephotocontest.ThedeadlinefortheentrytobesubmittedisOctober7,2016.Formoreinformationseepage6ofthisnewsletter.Ifyouhavefurtherquestionsonthecontest,contactCarolCox.
Local Master Gardener News
Be it deep or shallow, red or black, sand or
clay, the soil is the link between the rock core of the earth and the living things on its
surface. It is the foothold for the plants we grow. Therein lies the main reason for our
interest in soils. ~Roy Simonson,
USDA Yearbook of Agriculture, 1957
Page 3 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener August 2016
Upcoming Events
Monarch Butterflies by Nina Logan
On July 18th, Mikel Reise and Ellen Wynkoop gave a brief history of monarch reproduction. It was interesting to see tiny eggs the size of a pinpoint attached to the underside of milkweed leaves and then see the tiny-hatched caterpillars and some larger ones up to 2 inches long. They were all happily munching on milkweed leaves. We even got to see a large caterpillar making ready to enclose into a cocoon or chrysalis. It only took 5 minutes and he was entirely encapsulated. He will stay that way for about 12 or 15 days and will then emerge as an adult monarch butterfly. After drying his wings, he will fly off feeding only on flower nectar. He will live for only about 2 to 4 weeks. The last monarch hatchings for the summer will be bigger and stronger and will live for about 6 months, enough time to fly to Mexico for wintering. They will reproduce and those adults will begin the return north for the next year. After reaching Texas they will reproduce and those new monarchs will continue the journey north. Mikel and Ellen have rescued many eggs and caterpillars from under milkweed leaves during the past few years and has raised them to adulthood. Only 1 in 10 eggs will survive to adulthood in the wild. Destruction of habitat in Mexico and along the migration route has decreased monarch butterflies to the point of near extinction. As gardeners we can help increase population of the species by planting more native plants such as milkweed. Let those milkweed plants grow where they might land in your garden and don’t pull them as weeds. They are really a beautiful looking “weed”. And they may be hiding a tiny monarch egg which may grow into a beautiful butterfly we all love and cherish. For more information on Monarchs and other butterflies check out Beaver Creek Reserve.
Food Preservation 101
Learn the basics to get you started with canning in a 2-hour food preservation class. This class is perfect for the person who might have been intimidated by food preservation and wants a gentle way to learn more about how to preserve your food safely. We will use a boiling water canner, food dehydrator, and freezing techniques. At the end of the class, you will learn the skills that can help you preserve things like tomatoes, salsas, fruits, jams, jellies, vegetables, and more! The first hour (6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) will be teaching and demonstrations; the second hour (7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) will be general food preservation question and answer and time to have your dial-gauge pressure canner lid tested at no additional cost! These lids should be tested every year. The class will be taught by Catherine Emmanuelle, UW-Extension Trempealeau County Family Living Educator at the August 30th ECAMGA Meeting which will be held at the Eau Claire County UW-Extension Center in Altoona. Starting time will be 6:30 p.m. sharp. The event is open to the public, so bring a friend. Treats will be served and door prizes awarded.
Page 4 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener News August 2016
TPE Chippewa Savannas Chapter Events
The Chippewa Savannas Chapter will be hosting a free Dragonfly workshop on Sunday afternoon, August 7th in Colfax. The event starts at 1:00 p.m. at the Colfax Village Hall Auditorium with Ryan Chrouser giving a presentation about dragonflies and damselflies. Then we'll drive to Dobbs Landing to look at the real deal. So come prepared to walk outdoors and to have transportation to Dobbs. This would be a good event for enthusiasts and general public of all ages. For more information give me a call. Prairies are amazing. They don't wilt or sweat in this heat. Impressive. Best regards, Kathy Stahl TPE Chippewa Savannas Chapter Chair 715-962-4010
Classes:
Saturday, August 6th, 10:00 a.m.: Pruning & Shaping Your Trees & Shrubs Class: Take the mystery out of pruning and shaping your trees and shrubs by attending this class! We will be discussing what should be pruned
now and what should wait until winter or spring as well as how to prune specific plants. If you don’t know the names of your trees and shrubs, bring along a picture and our experts will be able to identify them for you. If weather permits, we will have an outdoor demonstration on how to prune properly. Saturday, August 20th, 10:00 a.m.: Bonsai Care Workshop: Bonsai pruned plants are a unique addition to any house plant collection that will live for a very long time if cared for properly. In this workshop, you’ll learn about the general care of your Bonsai plant as well as see demos of various pruning techniques and styling to keep your tree’s miniature size and shape. If you’re curious about how to care for Bonsai, this workshop is for you. Saturday, August 27th, 10:00 a.m.: Fall Porch Pot Workshop: Come and create your own fall porch pots to add great fall color to your home. We have a unique selection of fall plants that can handle the cold weather and will give you nice color for the whole season. Bring your own container or purchase one here. COST: Build your own; only pay for what you take home.
6025 Arndt Lane, Eau Claire, WI 54701
715-833-1234 or email [email protected] Website: http://www.downtoearth.com/index2.html
Page 5 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener News August 2016
Opportunities to Volunteer at BCR On Friday September 9th and Saturday the 10th will be this year's Celebrate the Lower Chippewa River Conference. Leading up to this event we could use some help with getting the word out! We've got flyers for you to distribute at your favorite local community boards, and are also looking for folks to hand out flyers at farmers markets in the weekends leading up to the event. Contact [email protected] if you're interested in helping promote this terrific conference. For those who might prefer lab work, the CSC needs your assistance. Volunteers can help sort through samples of Eurasian water-milfoil to look for weevils in their various life stages on and inside the plant. Adequate training and staff support will be provided. The hours will be during the weekdays when the CSC is open, but are flexible around your schedule during that time. There are a lot of samples to get through, and the work is available immediately to be completed ASAP. This project will not be suitable for everyone, but volunteers with patience and discerning eyes will find it rewarding. For further details and to join the fun, contact [email protected].
During the month of August there are also a few community outreach events that you can be involved with. The first is National Mustard Day on Thursday August 4th. Silver Spring Foods is hosting a big get-together at their Eau Claire headquarters to celebrate and BCR will have an outreach table present. With an expected attendance around 3000+ people, this should be a great event and terrific opportunity for
community exposure! The event will run from 9:30 am- 3 pm with flexibility to have a volunteer shift based around your availability. The second outreach event is on Saturday, August 6th, and is a part of PBS' statewide Get Up and Go! Day. The goal of the event is to promote the outdoors, physical activity, and healthy lifestyles in families. Beaver Creek will be a part of the Eau Claire event for this day at the L.E. Phillips Library. From 9:30-Noon you can come encourage families to be active.
Finally, on Friday August 26th and Saturday the 27th will be the Scheels Hunting Expo. Scheels is a big partner of ours and very supportive of our mission and goals. The hunting expo is an event that draws a lot of visitors. Events like these bring a lot of new visitors in to Beaver Creek for the first time, and your support makes that happen.
As always, if you would like to sign up for anything, want more information, or have questions: respond to this email or call 715-877-2212 and ask for AJ. You can also use your volunteer tracker account to sign up for these opportunities online at https://mission-tracker.com/app/beavercreekreserve/login AJ Leiden Volunteer Wisconsin AmeriCorps member serving Beaver Creek Reserve 715-877-2212 ext. 113
Beaver Creek Reserve S1 County Road K,
Fall Creek, WI 54742 [email protected]
Page 6 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener August 2016
Bits and Pieces
Twilight Garden Tour Spooner Agriculture Research Station
Teaching and Display Garden (N5364 Orchard Lane, Spooner, WI) August 16th, 2016 from 4:00 pm - 8:30 pm This event features the Teaching and Display Garden at the Spooner Agriculture Research Station at its peak including the award-winning All American Selections (AAS) display garden. There are guest speakers, demonstrations, displays, vegetable tastings, a silent auction, and live music. There will be a number of exhibits and experts attending to answer questions starting at 4:00 p.m. For more information see the website (http://spooner.ars.wisc.edu/) or call (715) 635-3735. Cost: Free and Open to the Public.
Fourth Annual ECAMGA Photo Contest Rules: 1. One entry per person/member accepted. 2. The photo subject (i.e., the main feature of the photo) must be garden related. 3. The contestant must be a member in good standing of the ECAMGA for the 2015/2016 membership year. 4. The photo must have been taken by the contestant between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016.
5. Each entry must be accompanied by a short description of the photo (the “What,” “Where,” “When,” etc. as applicable). 6. By entering the contestant gives consent for the ECAMGA to use the photo submitted for the ECAMGA Newsletter and/or ECAMGA promotional purposes. 7. First prize will be a $30 gift certificate; second prize a $25 gift certificate and third prize a $20 gift certificate. 8. A panel of judges selected by the ECAMGA Educational Committee will judge the contest and the panel’s decision is final. Winners will be announced in the November 2016 issue of the ECAMGA Newsletter. 9. Submit photos via email to Carol Cox at [email protected] by October 7, 2016. Please place “Photo Contest Entry” as the email subject.
Jo-Ann Clark took the above picture on a tour of Mikel Reise’s garden. The plant shown is Hoary Vervain (Verbena stricta), a native prairie plant that is an important source of nectar for butterflies. In addition, the seeds are important for many small birds and mammals. The plant is very drought resistant, non-aggressive and thrives on dry soils and well-drained loamy soils.
Page 7 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener News August 2016
This is an interesting website found via www.pinterest.com.
The artist makes garden art out of old tools. To see more of his
work go to: http://empressofdirt.net/garden-
art-made-from-old-tools/.
Have scrap lumber or want to make some birdhouses to house all those birds you have attracted to your garden by planting all those native plants? Check out this website: http://hubpages.com/art/three-wood-birdhouses.
Schlegelmilch House Hosts “Garden Party” Event for Five To Twelve Year-Olds On Wednesday, July 27th, the Schlegelmilch House was the site of a "Garden Party" event for five to twelve year-olds. The event was sponsored by the Chippewa Valley Museum (CVM) and several of our Master Gardeners took the students, in two groups, on a guided tour of the garden and explained lots of things about the garden on the way. The Master Gardeners involved in the event were Rhonda Cooke, Jill Barland, Ashlie Wallo, Sue Glenz, and Ann Haywood. Pictured below are some of the activities on the tour.
Ann explains about the seasons of Some plants get to be lunch The children help with dead-heading bloom for the perennials. for bunnies and beetles. the marigolds.
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What Do I Do With All This Old Junk????? Tis the season when the harvest begins to come in. The sweet corn ripens and the tomatoes…yes, those tomatoes. What a culinary delight, especially this year when we have had rain even through July. In any case, here is a website (found on Pinterest) with a lot of information on tomatoes including how to prune them. Go to: http://www.alltomato.com/pruning-tomato-plants.html.
Page 8 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener Newsletter August 2016
EAU CLAIRE AREA MASTER GARDENER NEWSLETTER A newsletter for the Eau Claire Area Master Gardener Association members.
For more Eau Claire County UW Cooperative Extension information
go to our website: www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/eauclaire
Phone: 715-839-4712 Fax: 715-839-6277
M-F 8AM-5PM
Unless otherwise noted, articles for this newsletter are submitted and/or written by ECAMGA members or the newsletter editor, Carol W. Cox. Unless otherwise noted, graphics are from clipart. Newsletter layout by Carol W. Cox
The University of Wisconsin Extension provides affirmative action and equal opportunity in education, programming and employment for all qualified persons regardless of race, color, gender/sex, creed, disability, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital or parental, arrest or conviction record or veteran status.” If you need an interpreter, materials in alternate formats or other accommodations to access this program, activity or service, please contact Erin LaFaive at 715-839-4712 as soon as possible preceding the scheduled event so that proper arrangements can be made in a timely fashion Eau Claire County
Extension Office
227 First Street West
Altoona, WI 54720
Another picture by Jo-Ann Clark of Mikel Reise’s beautiful gardens.
“By the time one is eighty, it is said, there is no longer a tug of war in the garden with the May flowers hauling like mad
against the claims of the other months. All is at last in balance and all is serene.
The gardener is usually dead, of course.” –Henry Mitchell,
The Essential Earthman, 1981
