Delivering the freshest news and updates for Mason County WSU Master Gardeners

January 25, 2019 Off to a Great Start! by Jeannine Polaski, MG Program Coordinator, jeannine.polaski@wsu.edu

The Master Gardener Volunteer training started two weeks ago with ten very enthusiastic trainees! We are looking forward to another great class. Stop in one of the training sessions and introduce yourself. If you stay for one of the many presentations or activities, it counts towards your ten continuing education hours.

If you have not yet submitted your reapplication please do so by January 31. The form can be found on the website. Even if you have decided not to continue, please fill out a form stating so and whether you wish to continue to be included in the directory as an “Alumnus.”

Thanks to all who are helping out with the Through the Garden Gate programs. A special thanks to Mary Dessel, Erika Stewart, and Jinx Cromwell for taking on the task! Our first session was excellent and I look forward to tomorrow hearing about Perennials We Know and Love! Thanks to all for the setup and cleanup, good treats, and door prizes as well!

2019 application forms and 2018

hours due by next ThursdayFor those who did not turn their 2019 application forms in at the Foundation meeting in December, they are available on the Mason County Master Gardener website and at the office. Please turn yours in to Jeannine Polaski by January 31. Also, remember to get your volunteer and continuing education hours for 2018 posted by the end of January.

Seedlings for WSU by Jeannine Polaski, MG Program Coordinator, jeannine.polaski@wsu.edu

The WSU Mason County Extension office is looking for fir seedlings for the Moral Reconation Program (MRT). A seedling is given to each graduate of the program as a symbol of a new beginning, goals set, and a reflection of how far he or she has come. If you happen to find fir seedlings that you would like to donate, please bring them to Lisa DeWall at the Extension office. She will care for them until they are given to a graduate. If you have any questions, contact Lisa at LisaD@co.mason.wa.us or 360.427.9670 ext 680.

www.facebook.com/masoncountymastergardeners/

Jeannine Polaski, MG Program Coordinator

Office Hours: Monday, 9 am to 1 pm

Tuesday, 10 am to 2 pm Contact Info: 360.427.9670, Ext 688

jeannine.polaski@wsu.edu

2018 MG volunteer hours to date:

5,682 hours from 48 volunteers

2017 total volunteer hours:

5,324 hours from 45 volunteers

https://volunteers.cahnrs.wsu.edu/logon.aspx

Jan 25 ------ MG Training Class #2, Public Works

Building, 9:30 am

Jan 26 ------ TTGG Workshop #2, “Perennials We

Know and Love,” 9 to noon, Public Works Building

Jan 28 ------ MG Clinic, 12 to 3 pm, Extension Office—

Brooke Fuller, Sharon B

Feb 2 -------- Greenhouse planting of annuals, Catalyst

Garden, 10 am

Feb 4 -------- Board Meeting, 10 to noon, Extension

Office

Feb 4 -------- MG Clinic, 12 to 3 pm, Extension Office—

Jack Smith, Diana Sparby

Feb 7 -------- Plant Sale Meeting, 1:00 to 3:00 pm,

Veteran’s Memorial Hall

Feb 8 -------- MG Training Class #3, Public Works

Building, 9:30 am (see schedule on page 3)

Feb 9 -------- TTGG Workshop #3, “Can Your

Landscape Take the Heat?,” 9 to noon, Public Works Building

Feb 11 ------ Foundation Meeting, 10:15 am, Shelton

Timberland Library

Feb 11 ------ Education Committee Meeting, following

Foundation meeting, Extension Office

Feb 11 ------ MG Clinic, 12 to 3 pm, Extension Office—

Bonnie Day, Sherry Clemmens

Feb 19 ------ MG Clinic, 12 to 3 pm, Extension Office—

Dee Ann Kline (note: this is a Tuesday)

Feb 20 ------ Catalyst Steering Committee Meeting,

1 pm, Shelton Timberland Library

Feb 22 ------ MG Training Class #4, Public Works

Building, 9:30 am

Feb 23 ------ TTGG Workshop #4, “Septic and Lawn

Landscaping,” 9 to noon, Public Works Building

Feb 25 ------ MG Clinic, 12 to 3 pm, Extension Office—

Vicky Lauber

Mar 1 ------- Potting of Natives, 10 am, Bonnie Day’s

Mar 20 ----- Catalyst Steering Committee Meeting,

1 pm, Shelton Timberland Library

Apr 17 ------ Catalyst Steering Committee Meeting,

3 pm, Shelton Timberland Library (note time change)

May 15 ----- Catalyst Steering Committee Meeting,

3 pm, Shelton Timberland Library

Jun 19 ------ Catalyst Steering Committee Meeting,

3 pm, Shelton Timberland Library

Master Gardeners Foundation of Mason County Friday Fresh January 25, 2019 2

Xerces Society resource by Jeanne Kinney

http://campaign

Here’s a link to the Xerces Society Jan 2019 Enewsletter. The first article is about the decline of Monarch butterflies. I don’t think Western Washington gets many monarchs, unfortunately, but the site also has lists of pollinator plants for the maritime NW. We are starting to order seeds and dream of spring, so it might be a good time to plan for pollinators.

Community garden bed applications Catalyst Steering Committee

Starting Monday, the Catalyst steering committee is accepting applications to rent raised beds for the 2019 growing season at Catalyst Park. The beds range in size from 4x8 feet ($15) to 4x12 feet ($20). Applications are due by Feb 25 at the Extension Office. Gardeners are provided with water, soil, compost, tools, and a monthly gardening workshop from March to October. There is a mandatory orientation on March 16 from 10 to noon. There are 24 beds available to the community on a first-come basis. Please spread the word to friends and neighbors who might be interested in renting one or more of the beds. If beds are still available following the application deadline, they can be rented by Master Gardeners.

Winter garden on Lake Isabella photos: Karen Shephard

Cooperating agencies: Washington State Univer-sity, US Department of Agriculture, and Mason County. Extension Programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension Office.

Friday Fresh is a weekly publication of the Master Gardeners Foundation of Mason County. It is currently produced by John and Dorothy Skans. Provide articles, event dates, questions, and comments to jskans@gmail.com by 8 am each Thursday.

You can access archived Friday Fresh issues at http://extension.wsu.edu/mason/master-gardener/master-gardener/8

Find us and like us on Facebook: Mason County WSU Master Gardeners

MGFMC CONTACTS

President—Kitty Lundeen-Ness

360.490.5356, klundeen@hctc.com

Secretary/Publicity—Dorothy Skans

360.462.6088, dskans@gmail.com

MG Clinic Signup—Pat Carpenter

360.426.9845, patandlexi@gmail.com

Education Committee/TTGG—Mary Dessel

360.584.4779, marycdessel@gmail.com

Oops!

40

Link to the Winter edition of The Acorn (serving the South Sound Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society): http://southsoundchapterwnps.org/newsletters/newsletter-Winter2019.pdf The February 2019 Monthly Update follows this issue of Friday Fresh.

Master Gardeners Foundation of Mason County

MCMG Calendar Jan 25 MG Training Class #2, Public Works Building, 9:30 am

Jan 26 TTGG Workshop #2, “Perennials We Know and Love,” 9 to noon, Public Works Building

Jan 28 MG Clinic, 12 to 3 pm, Extension Office—Brooke Fuller, Sharon B

Feb 2 Greenhouse planting of annuals, Catalyst Garden, 10 am

Feb 4 Board Meeting, 10 to noon, Extension Office

Feb 4 MG Clinic, 12 to 3 pm, Extension Office— Jack Smith, Diana Sparby

Feb 7 Plant Sale Meeting, 1:00 to 3:00 pm, Veteran’s Memorial Hall

Feb 8 MG Training Class #3, Public Works Building, 9:30 am (see schedule below)

Feb 9 TTGG Workshop #3, “Can Your Landscape Take the Heat?,” 9 to noon, Public Works Building

Feb 11 Foundation Meeting, 10:15 am, Shelton Timberland Library

Feb 11 Education Committee Meeting, following Foundation meeting, Extension Office

Feb 11 MG Clinic, 12 to 3 pm, Extension Office—Bonnie Day, Sherry Clemmens

Feb 19 MG Clinic, 12 to 3 pm, Extension Office—Dee Ann Kline (note: this is a Tuesday)

Feb 22 MG Training Class #4, Public Works Building, 9:30 am

Feb 23 TTGG Workshop #4, “Septic and Lawn Landscaping,” 9 to noon, Public Works Building

Feb 25 MG Clinic, 12 to 3 pm, Extension Office—Vicky Lauber

Mar 1 Potting of natives for Plant Sale, 10 am, Bonnie Day’s

2019 Plant Sale Festival needs Berry plants (Pat Carpenter) Old wood chairs (Connie Zellweger) Tomato cartons (Bonnie Day) Gallon milk jugs with lids (Bonnie Day) House plants (Erika Stewart and Vicky Lauber) Garden store items (Connie Zellweger) Perennials (Norma Kirmmsee-Borden) Vendors (Christy Rowe)

Through the Garden Gate Workshops 9 am to noon, Public Works Building

Jan 26 Perennials We Know and Love—Carla Lortz, Ginny Nelson, Beatrix Blackerby, Christy Rowe, and Jack Smith

Heaths and heathers, dahlias, roses, lavender, peonies

Feb 9 Can Your Landscape Take the Heat?—Bonnie Day-Orr, Sam Maupin, Collin Orr Fire-wise landscaping, plant choices for a warmer future, DIY drip irrigation

Feb 23 Septic and Lawn Landscaping—Teri King Septic system landscaping, lawns and lawn alternatives

Mar 9 You CAN Grow Vegetables!—Terry Conley, Shawna Oien, Nancy Dillon, Anderson Spratt, and Tess Fleener

Guide to vegetable gardening—start to finish

Mar 23 The Art of Pruning and Grafting—Francesca Ritson, Lowell Cordis, and Pat Carpenter

Pruning and grafting by experts, including hands-on apple-tree grafting workshop

February 8 Training Class Schedule: 9:30, Right Plant Right Place

noon, Native Plants 2:30, Volunteer Database

Start collecting for Plant Sale Festival

Contact Sherry at gardenofweedun@yahoo.com for storage, if needed.

Remember:

Each of these

is worth

3 hours of

continuing

education!

Need 40 more

jugs—keep saving

them for Bonnie.

(Printed sheet and envelope are 100% post-consumer recycled paper)

Washington Native Plant Society South Sound Chapter February 2019 Monthly Update Editor: Bill Brookreson

newsletterediting@southsoundchapterwnps.org / Cell: 253-292-8570

February Programs: Come and join us for two outstanding programs in February. On Monday, February 11,

in Olympia, Donovan Tracy will join us again to share some of his outstanding photography in a program,

“The Mopheads of Mount Rainier: A Photographic Study of Anemone occidentalis.” Donovan is the

coauthor of the wildflower guide, Alpine Flowers of Mt Rainier. He developed and maintains the website

Flowers of Rainier (www.flowersofrainier.com) with over 250 species and 10 wildflower hikes. On

Wednesday, February 13, in Tacoma, Dr. Gary Chastagner, WSU Plant Pathologist will join us to talk about

“Turkish Delights: The Search for the Perfect Christmas Tree” detailing his world wide search. Join us and

bring a friend.

February Message from Chapter Chair, Gail Trotter. The other day I was in the waiting room of the

doctor’s office and saw an interesting article in one of the waiting room magazines about turning your “home

into a refuge of healthy habitat.” This made me think what kind of pantry I have to offer to the wildlife.

There were four simple tips I could turn into a checklist to inventory my yard.

1. What kind of snacks like seeds, nuts and berries do I offer in my yard year round? What about the

flower nectar or the insects that that use the nectar?

2. How are these offerings grouped? Are they scattered wide in the yard so a lot of time is spent getting to

them or are they clustered so the food is in high density?

3. How about a little less of the manicured and more of the messy? Do I have native wild grasses that can

go to seed that are preferred food? Is there brush shelter?

4. What kind of native plants do I have that attracts bugs to this pantry? The birds seem to be poking

through the leaves I left on the ground last fall. Hopefully that is adding to the pantry too.

After the inventory I am sure pantry organization will be needed along with buying healthy choices of native

plants to fill the gaps and make my yard a refuge all year round. What kind of inventory do you have and do

you have plans for improving your yard pantry? Let me know.

Twanoh State Park Hike, Sunday, February 17, 11 am to 1 pm. Join Cyndy Dillon to explore the plants of

Twanoh State Park in Union, WA. Twanoh State Park (Mason County) is a 182-acre marine, camping park with

3,167 feet of saltwater shoreline on Hood Canal. We will explore some of the 2.5 mile hiking trails, often along

Twahnoh Creek, to expand our native plant list, including many mosses and lichens. This should be a good

opportunity for winter twig id. We will probably also find some spring mushrooms and may see winter

waterfowl in Hood Canal. Discovery Pass for the state park is required. Bring a sack lunch if desired.

Water and cookies will be provided.

Meet at the Twanoh parking area. Sturdy walking shoes and rain gear are recommended. For more information,

contact Cyndy at cpdillongh@comcast.net or 253 225-9284.

(Printed sheet and envelope are 100% post-consumer recycled paper)

Directions to Twanoh State Park, 12190 E. State Route 106 in Union, WA (8 miles west of Belfair). From

Olympia: From I-5, take Route 101N for 26 miles to E. Brookdale Rd. Turn east (right) and then north (left),

then east (right) onto E. McReavy Rd which joins Route 106 that continues to the park. From Tacoma: Take

Route 16 north to Purdy exit and at light cross Purdy Bridge onto Route 302 going down Key Peninsula, then

turning north (right) at light toward Belfair. When 302 ends at Route 3, turn north (right) toward Belfair and

soon turn west (left) onto Route 106 that continues to park.

Plant Sale: Bill Brookreson is looking for volunteers to help with purchases for the Spring Native Plant Sale

which comes up on April 20. If you are willing to help, contact Bill at 253-292-8570 or

b.brookreson@comcast.net.

Volunteer Opportunities for February 2019:

Tacoma Nature Center - Join Cyndy Dillon on Friday, February 1 and 15), to continue removal of invasives,

and maintaining plantings in the Tacoma Nature Center. Work parties are from 9am until noon. Snacks are

provided. Contact: Cyndy at fieldtrips@southsoundchapterwnps.org.

Lord Mansion, Native Plant Garden – Join Bill Brookreson to continue our maintenance work at the Lord

Mansion Native Plant Garden on Thursday, February 21, 9 am until noon. Bring your favorite weeding tool.

Water and snack provided.

Ryan’s Park Work Party (Tacoma). Join Luis Yanez, Habitat Steward for Friends of Ryan's Park on February

2 for the regular first Saturday of the month work party. For more information, contact Luis at

luis_cia@yahoo.com.

China Lake Natural Area. Join Gail Sklar for the China Lake Natural Area work party, Saturday, February 2.

The work party will be 9-12. Bring gloves. Some tools and cookies will.be furnished. For more information,

contact Gail at gjsklar@gmail.com.

Wapato Lake Park. On the 4th Saturday of the month, February 23, 9-11 am, join Park Steward Chris Beale

removing invasives in the Wapato Lake natural area. Tools are furnished. For more information, contact Chris

at 253-320-5623 or restorewapato@gmail.com.

South Sound Prairie Restoration. Join the Center for Natural Lands Management at Glacial Heritage Preserve

to help enhance the South Puget Sound Prairies. Help in a variety of activities Work parties for Monthly are

every Tuesday, from 9 am to 3 pm and the second Saturday, from 10 am to 3 pm. Contact

ssvolunteers@cnlm.org for more information.