The Prez Sez:

As we begin the New Year, I would like to wish you good health, happiness and a

beautiful garden in 2019! We had a very busy 2018 as 88 EMGs took advantage of the

85.5 CEU opportunities for a total of 1,349 hours. The CEU committee has scheduled

62.5 CEUs for 2019 and there may be more lectures or field trips scheduled as the year

proceeds. Also, our amazing volunteers recorded 4,409 volunteer hours in 15

committees in 2018. Way to Go!

For those of you who were not at the Annual Meeting on January 13, Jamie told us of

several changes that will occur this year.

• Due to reorganization of Cardinal Hill and the transitioning to a for-profit

institution, EMGs will no longer volunteer at the Cardinal Hill garden in 2019.

• Master Gardeners will not maintain the Demonstration Vegetable garden at the

Arboretum in 2019. The Extension Backyard Vegetable Garden will be expanded

this summer.

• The Demonstration Herb Garden will remain in the Arboretum throughout 2019,

but will also relocate to Extension adjacent to the Backyard Garden in 2020.

• Two new committees are being launched this spring, Mobile Gardening and

Toolbox Class Help.

There is still time to sign up for committees, toolbox classes and CEU’s.

Please be sure to welcome and involve our enthusiastic new group of Master Gardener

apprentices who worked very hard to successfully complete their class work last

November. In closing, I would like to thank you for your support and help as your new

president.

Nancy Davis

2019 Association Dues

Dues for the current year

were due on Feb. 28th.

Please send your $20 check

made payable to FCMGA as

soon as possible to:

Kay Fisher 1905 Port Royal Ct. Lexington, KY 40504

Newsletter Spring 2019

Newsletter Committee

Susan Miller, Chair Mary Miller, Co-Chair Sarah Lee Barbara Kemp Susan Umberger Debbie Johnson Ronald Kayser Graham Rowles Donna Jackson

Spring is Nature’s way of

saying “let’s party.”

Robin Williams

WE WANT TO SEE YOUR GARDEN

Starting with the summer newsletter issue, we plan to feature photos and a short write-up of a member’s

garden. We know there are many lovely gardens out there – hidden away in backyards where very few people get to

see them. (There are more than 100 Master Gardeners, so can you imagine what we’re missing?)

Your garden can be small or large, or simply a pretty garden area. We will use your photos or we will come

and photograph it for you. This feature is on a volunteer basis, so please think about sharing with us. And if you would

like to suggest another member’s garden, please do so. We will either interview you or you may do a write up on the

garden that the Newsletter Committee members will edit in consultation with you.

Contact Susan Miller - gourmetgoats@msn.com or Mary Miller - marykrautt@gmail.com if you would like to talk about it

and volunteer.

A preview of the delights of our featured garden for the Summer issue!

FCMGA 2019 Executive Committee

Seated Left to Right: Kay Fisher, Natalie Gray, Mary Miller, Debbie Johnson, Susan Umberger

Standing Left to Right: Susan Miller, Brenda Owen, Nancy Davis, Nancy Kolacz, Tina Godby, Mary Hicks

I Became an Orchidnut

by Susan Umberger

On the last sunny day we had in January, before the polar vortex came smashing through, I decided to be

virtuous and repot an orchid that had not been repotted in many years. Before it was over, I had a bow saw, a Hori-

Hori knife, scissors, a hammer and box cutters on my potting bench. I was sweating, cursing, and literally jumping up

and down on the plastic pot. Let me back up…

I’ve been growing orchids for about 20 years, give or take. (Who can pinpoint the moment they fell in love

with a plant? Not me, I do well to remember my wedding anniversary. Just ask my husband…) I currently have about

90 orchids in the greenhouse. They vary widely by species, but one kernel of information I can give you about growing

orchids is to know your plant. Just as you would not plant a palm tree in your Kentucky backyard and expect it to

prosper, you need to do a little bit of research about your plant and find out where it grows naturally. That will give

you information as to the basic requirements of light, water, temperature, and air movement.

When most people say they can make an orchid live but not bloom, my first reaction is that the plant is not

getting enough light. What is enough light? It’s light that comes very close to burning the leaves. Orchid leaves

should be a nice light green color, not deep dark green. Orchids enjoy breezes, just like you do. If you grow them

indoors, try a small fan around your plants. The moving air discourages fungal disease and distributes humidity.

Research your plant; if it comes from high in the Andes mountains, are you going to be able to keep it cool enough in

the summer? A big common problem is overwatering. If your orchid is puny looking, pull it out of the pot! It’s no

different than any other plant. Look at the roots. Are they mushy, stringy, and flat? You’d better trim off the dead

stuff and repot it in a small tight pot and hope for the best.

Which brings me to the first part of the story. Orchids should be repotted every

two to three years. My beastly plant had not been repotted in about six years. Sure, it was

a specimen size plant, and easily a prize winner. But I’ve had many plants reach large size

and then start to decline, about the time I really notice them. So, I decided to be a Master

Gardener and be proactive! Well, the deed was done, but not until I had used every tool

and all the strength I had to pull and pry that plant out of its pot. Moral of the story - take

good care of your plants, no matter what, and they will reward you!

New 2019 MG Committees

At the January 13th Annual Meeting, Jamie announced two new EMG committees for 2019:

Mobile Gardening

In an effort to reach more of the community, Mobile Gardening is a new committee under

development in 2019. Opportunities to lend help to community groups and schools during the gardening

season will be identified. “Pop up” gardening sessions will be scheduled for committee members to

participate in on a project-by-project basis.

Toolbox Class Help

Volunteers will assist the chair with Toolbox class preparation and class registration throughout the

year. Responsibilities will include sorting and preparing giveaways of seeds, bulbs, and plants prior to classes.

Occasional help will be needed with registration which includes arriving early to sign in class attendees,

distributing handouts and giveaways, and assisting participants as needed. Time will be recorded as

volunteer hours and not Toolbox or CEU credits.

UPCOMING CEU OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2019

3/26 9 am to 12 Pesticide Safety for Homeowners, Training by Ric Bessin (3 CEUs)

6 pm Favorite Flowers for Cutting, Val Schirmer, Three Toads Farm (Toolbox Class, 1 CEU) 4/23 2 pm Chicago Botanic Garden’s Plant Trial Program, Richard Hawke (Toolbox Class, 1 CEU) 6 pm Top Performing Perennials from the Chicago Botanic Garden Trials, Richard Hawke (Toolbox Class, 1 CEU)

Master Gardener Scholarship

A scholarship in the amount of $500.00 per semester may be made available to an active Fayette County

Extension Master Gardener Association member who is enrolled in an institution of higher learning and actively

pursuing a degree in a horticultural, agricultural, or environmental related field. Applicants must submit an

application and satisfy certain restrictions to receive and retain the scholarship. Scholarship details and

requirements can be requested by contacting the Chair of the Continuing Education Committee Brenda Owen at

brendapowen@yahoo.com. The deadline for application(s) is April 10 for summer term, July 10 for fall term, and

October 10 for spring term.

Arboretum Appreciation Awards January 26, 2019

On behalf of the Arboretum Demonstration Herb Garden and the Arboretum Demonstration Vegetable Garden committees, master gardeners were honored to accept Volunteer Appreciation Awards for many years of service from Molly Davis, Director of the Arboretum.

Pictured L-R are Nancy Davis, Susan Umberger, Pat Petro, Kathy Heineman, Debbie Johnson, Erwin Jones, and Faith Fiene

. The Arboretum’s Party For The Planet

by Nancy Meng

The Arboretum is having a party, and this year’s theme is Spreading Roots. Weekly workshops for adults and children during April culminate in the Arbor Day celebration on the afternoon of Saturday, April 27. Planting of the Arbor Day tree, the Japanese lilac, will take place in the children’s garden. Besides children’s activities on that day, there will be educational exhibits, including an MG program. Plant giveaways include hazelnut trees, coffee trees, and possibly, witch hazel, sumac or serviceberry plants. MGs participate as volunteers, along with other supporters. If you’re not volunteering, bring your family and join the party!

For information about activities visit www.arboretum.ca.uky.edu

Arbor Day, 2018, Sandy Fitz and Catherine Jaubert

Master Gardeners recognized for volunteering more than 100 hours in 2018.

Pictured: Debbie Johnson, Ann Henry, Nancy Davis, Cheri Fouts, Jeanna Jordan Not Pictured: Betsy Adler, Sharon Bennett, Jane Aaron