From the Desk of Mikaela Boley

With 2018 at a close, all I can say is that I hope 2019 is a little drier! With 70+ inches of rain in 2018, we nearly doubled the average amount of rainfall per year. It’s an important reminder that adaptability plays an important role in our landscapes.

Before I go any further, I just want to give our Talbot County Master Gardeners a huge round of applause as they logged 2,176 hours of volunteer time in 2018. This is community service that they provide to the county and citizens, and I could not be more proud. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of the program, and I wouldn’t accomplish anything without them.

Did you know 2019 is the Year of the Allium? Alliums are onions, shallots, chives, garlic, and leeks. While not the most exciting to look at, they are flavorful vegetables that you will find in nearly every dish! The forgotten flowers of these plants are also extremely popular with pollinators. You can learn more about Alliums by watching HGIC’s videos here.

Cheers-

Mikaela Boley

Talbot County Master Gardener Newsletter

Winter 2019

IN THIS ISSUE: 2—3 Obsession with Mowing 4—5 Native Seeds 6— 2018 Reports 7— Ask Mikaela 10—11 Jan/Feb Calendar 12—13 Mar. Calendar & Training Flyer “Look deep into nature, and

then you will understand everything better.”

-Albert Einstein

Volume IX, Issue I

TALBOT COUNTY • 28577 MARY’S COURT, SUITE 1 • EASTON, MD 21601 • (410) 822-1244

Educating People to Help Themselves

Local Governments • U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating

The University of Maryland is equal opportunity. The University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources programs are open to all and will not discriminate against anyone be-cause of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or gender identity and expression. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990; or related legal requirements should be directed to the Director of Human Resources Management, Office of the Dean, College of Agriculture and Natural

Resources, Symons Hall, College Park, MD 20742.

IN THE GARDEN

Native witch hazel– Hamamelis virginiana Photo Credit: Matthew Beziat, MD Native

Plant Society Facebook Page

EXTENSION NEWSLETTER

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I P A G E 2

By Master Gardener Coordinator, Mikaela Boley

It is a well-documented fact that Americans love turf grass– it has become the largest

“crop” in the United States, surpassing the traditionally farmed corn and soybeans.1

Approximately 63,000 square miles (roughly the size of Texas) of America is lawn.2

While there are significant economic impacts to this figure, such as land care industry

and employment, there are also environmental consequences.

Even in areas without residential turf grass, we have become obsessed with mowing

and maintaining spaces like we would with a lawn. Aside from a desire to control

nature for human activity, there is no real explanation for this practice. In fact, to

establish and maintain a lawn with a contractor (including seeding, fertilizing, mowing,

and watering), the homeowner will spend an average of $5,167 the first year (property

size: 1/3 acre) For just a maintenance year, the cost is $3,500 per year. All combined,

a homeowner will spend a whopping $41,000 for contracted lawn maintenance over

the course of 10 years. The cost for a homeowner to maintain their own property is still

$23,300 over 10 years.3

Let that sink in.

There are spaces that necessitate lawn surfaces, such as sports fields and golf

courses. But the majority of turf will not be used for human activity. I’m not trying to

vilify turf grass, but I encourage everyone to consciously think about how we use and

construct our spaces. If they do not offer any benefits to people, how can we provide

more sustainable environments to wildlife and habitat?

Right: Instead of turf leading up to the water’s

edge, a living shoreline offers multiple ecological

benefits that will not obstruct the homeowner’s

view.

1 Diep, F. 2011. ‘Lawns vs. Crops in the Continental U.S.’

ScienceLine. Retrieved online from: https://

scienceline.org/2011/07/lawns-vs-crops-in-the-continental-

u-s/

2 Milesi, C., Elvidge, C.D., Dietz, J.B., Tuttle, B.T., Nemani, R.R. and Running, S.W. 2005. ‘A Strategy

for Mapping and Modeling the Ecological Effects of U.S. Lawns’. Environ Manage. 36(3): 426-38.

3 Zimmerman, Catherine. Urban & Suburban Meadows: Bringing Meadowscaping to Big and Small

Spaces. Silver Spring: Matrix Media Press. 2010. Print.

The Obsession with Mowing

P A G E 3

Here are some ideas to keep your property wildlife (and maintenance) friendly. These

are good projects to start thinking about this fall, and implement in the winter when you

have more time:

1. Plant a meadow or trees for reforestation. Take unused lawn out of

commission, and plant an ecosystem for wildlife habitat. Identify a grassed

location that is not often used, or would be suitable as a buffer.

2. Except for lawns and paths, mow once a year. Unless the area needs

invasive species control or becomes a visibility hazard to the road, there is no

need to mow so much. Keep your wild spaces, and see what sort of native

plants will appear.

3. Mowing is best done when plants are dormant and wildlife are not nesting.

Think early March, which is the best time to both mow and cut back any

perennials that are spent.

4. Create an unmown edge. An edge of tall grasses, flowers, and shrubs

provide an important transition area between lawn and trees. It also can serve

as a buffer, wind break, or privacy screen. Wildlife require this type of habitat,

particularly bird species.

5. Don’t cut back your perennials or annuals until spring. Like mowing, this is

best done in early March. Leave your grasses and seed heads in the winter,

which provide food and protection to critters.

Consult your local Extension office for advice on these projects, or schedule a

Bay-Wise visit to get a free consultation on sustainable landscape management.

410-822-1244 ext. 1002, or mboley@umd.edu.

Below left: A gray hairstreak butterfly is taking advantage of an aster that will provide late season nectar

source for pollinators.

Below right: A carpenter bee visits native spotted horsemint (Monarda punctata)

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I P A G E 4

By Master Gardener Janet Mackey

When faced with our cold weather, grey skies, and short days, do your thoughts jump ahead to spring? I have found an easy gardening activity for December or January that will reward you when the season is more welcoming for gardening. Sprinkle some seeds of native plants in little pots, set the pots outside for the winter, and let Mother Nature do her magic. By spring, some of those pots will be sporting a carpet of little green seedlings ready for you to pot up or plant out in your garden. They do the work outside while you may not want to. The seeds of many native plants require a period of moist cold weather to break down their seed coats so the seed can germinate – called stratification. By putting the seeds in pots outside now, they will go through the natural freeze/thaw cycles and will begin to germinate when they receive the right cues from the weather next spring. While you dream away with seed catalogs this winter, your seeds will be getting ready for spring.

I have been most successful with winter seeding when I start with clean pots. I wash

old pots and sterilize them with a weak bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water).

I fill the pots with moistened seed starting mix, not with garden soil. Although we know

that native plants naturally drop seeds that germinate in the soil, by providing a clean

environment, you are giving your seedlings a big head start. They can grow strong

roots and leaves before they confront any soil microbes that could do them in. There

are many soil-borne pathogens that can spell doom for a young seedling. You can help

them beat the odds.

Please note: if you only have a few dirty little pots to grab at this time of year, go ahead and use them with whatever potting mix or soil you have available. You just might be lucky anyway. Dirty pots have a better chance of producing healthy seedlings in the spring than seeds that stay inside in their seed packets!

I add a thin layer of coarse sand on top of the

potted seeds. This allows light and water to get

through, but it provides a bit of protection from rain

that can beat down on the pots and possibly

dislodge the seeds and wash them away. Make

sure you include a label! It’s pretty easy to forget

what seeds you planted come April, and many

types of little seedlings look a lot alike.

Left: Native seeds are sown with a layer of coarse sand.

Put Your Native Seeds to Work This Winter

P A G E 5

I put the prepared pots in a plastic mesh tray and top it with an upside-down mesh tray,

as shown below. I put a couple of stones or bricks on top to hold the tray in place. This

set-up serves as a barrier to inquisitive squirrels and other varmints that might take an

interest in the pots.

The freeze-thaw cycles will help the seeds break dormancy. Then when the temperatures are right in the spring, the seeds will germinate and sprout. The plants will be ready for you to transplant sometime in the spring or summer.

Winter sowing of native seeds is a really easy way to get a jump on spring. You can anticipate great rewards from a really small amount of effort on your part right now. Don’t let those seeds hang out inside for the winter. Put them to work!

Right: Prepared pots sit in a mesh tray with another tray over the top to protect sown seeds. Anchor with stones or bricks to make sure weather doesn’t blow the tops off, or curious critters can overturn.

Right, below: Even when temperatures drop, this process is natural to our native seed

types and may even be necessary to break the dormancy cycle. Leave them outdoors this winter to reap the benefits in spring.

Editor’s Note: Interested in trying to grow native plants from seed for the first time? We recommend some of these “easy-to-start” species that will (hopefully) be successful in your first attempts.

Wild columbine– Aquilegia Canadensis

Lyre leaf sage– Salvia lyrica

Blue star– Amsonia hubrichtii

Great blue lobelia– Lobelia siphilitica

Black-eyed Susan– Rudbeckia hirta

Saving and growing local seed is rewarding and beneficial for our environment. It’s also satisfying for the horticulturist’s curious mind! Here are some resources that may be helpful in getting you started:

Prairie Moon Nursery– has germination information about different native species. Wild Seed Project– While not indigenous to Maryland, this website has a lot of useful information. Growing and Propagating Wildflowers of the U.S. and Canada, by William Cullina. By far the most technical of resources, the book may be hard to come by. But the information is worth it for dedicated individuals.

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I

P A G E 6

Bay-wise and Poplar 2018 Report

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I

Poplar Island 2018 Reported by: Janis Trainor

96 Volunteer Hours 32 Master Gardeners & Interns 2018’s work involved cutting back dead shrubs and tree branches, spreading compost, weeding (of course), planting/transplanting “new” native plants (blue mistflower, switchgrass, black-eyed Susans), and general maintenance. The garden continues to transform, even season-to-season, bringing with it changes in plant material. Every visit looks different, but the area has matured beautifully. The demonstration garden is a true representation of low-maintenance, natural landscape that has embraced the adverse conditions of island life. We look forward to seeing you again in 2019.

Bay-Wise 2018 Reported by: Janet Mackey, Lisa Ghezzi, and Mikaela Boley

11 Consultations 2 Certifications 67.31 acres of property in Talbot County certified/evaluated 23 Active Members Among many accomplishments this year, we want to bring special attention to our Co-Chairs of the committee, who took lead on the following for our Talbot program: a new procedural notebook for Bay-Wise team leaders (standardized for conducting consultations), 3 major presentations for promotion of Bay-Wise practices and program, monthly trainings for continuing education, and a partnership planting with the local YMCA of the Chesapeake.

From left to right: Planting Natives at the Easton YMCA, Poplar Island crew, and Bay-Wise Certification

P A G E 7

Ask Your Horticulturist:

Mikaela Boley is the Horticulturist and Master Gardener Coordinator for University of Maryland Extension in Talbot County. The Extension Office often has questions from homeowners and members of the public regarding home gardening, soil testing, plant and insect identification, plus much more. Do you have a question that needs answering? Want to talk gardening or get advice for environmentally friendly practices in the residential landscape?

Contact me:

Home Horticulturist and Master Gardener Coordinator at (410) 822-1244 ext. 12, or by email mboley@umd.edu.

Dear Mikaela, This year I was inundated with water, much like everyone else. There are wet areas on my property that I just can’t grow grass on! What kind of plants would you recommend for these wet spots? -Drowning Dear Drowning- This is a topic I receive a lot of questions about– and rightly so. With spots that are really wet, you will not be able to successfully grow turf grass. However, we have a lot of native wetland plants that you might find attractive. The plants you choose will depend on the location. Are you looking for shorter plants? Flowering? Does the spot stay wet year-round, or only occasionally? These questions will drive your planting decisions. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)- for monarchs

and pollinators, flowers pink Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)- for shaded areas,

unique color Tussock sedge (Carex stricta)- tidy clumping, grass-like

plant for part shade Cut leaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)- tall flowering

plant best for ditches, will spread Below: Swamp milkweed supports both monarchs and other pollinators, and produces beautiful blooms.

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I

P A G E 8

Please contact Mikaela Boley, Master Gardener Coordinator with any question or to volunteer to help with a program at mboley@umd.edu or 410-822-1244.

You may unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time by contacting mboley@umd.edu, or by calling 410-822-1244.

Horticulture Therapy

Visits are every 2nd and 4th Thurs. of the month– visits are 30-45 minutes. Gatherings are at 2:30pm. Grab a partner and sign up for the following dates: January 24th

February 14th & 28th

March 14th & 28th

Bay-Wise Meetings Bay-wise Meetings occur on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 10:30 a.m.— 12:30 p.m starting in April 2019. Please RSVP for location

directions. To get on the Talbot Bay-wise email list, please contact mboley@umd.edu.

MASTER GARDENER EVENTS

Hometown Habitat: Stories of Bringing Nature Home Screening– January 9th

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required: please register on Eventbrite.

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I

You are invited by Talbot County’s University of Maryland Extension Master Gardeners to a free showing of Hometown Habitat – Stories of Bringing Nature Home at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 9 at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Van Lennep Auditorium in St. Michaels.

The Hometown Habitat film presentation will be followed by a “Kaffee Klatsch” with dessert and discussion, led by moderators from the Master Gardener program. For more information, email: Mikaela Boley, mboley@umd.edu or call 410-822-1244, ext. 1002

P A G E 9

Talbot County Free Seed Library: Check us out for 2019! We will be re-stocking seeds for the growing sea-son, and March/April is the perfect time to start your seeds for the garden. We also anticipate expanding our seed library to the St. Michael’s branch. Stay tuned on our Facebook page for more updates and news!

Follow us on our Facebook page: Talbot County Free Seed Library

ASK YOUR HORTICULTURIST: Is there a garden question that is bothering you? “Ask Mikaela” mboley@umd.edu

Find us on Facebook!

You can find us online at by clicking here. Or, search “Talbot County Master Gardeners” and follow our page! We include photos from recent activities, advice, and recent news items.

Remember to “Like” us!

Master Gardener Meetings: Located at the Talbot County Free Library, starting at 9:30 A.M. January 16th– Kerry Wixted, DNR Biolo-

gist and Outreach Educator February 20th– Agnes Kedmenecz,

UMD Woodland Stewardship Educator March 20th– TBD

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I

JANUARY 2019

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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27 28 29 30 31

The Pines– 2:30pm

The Pines– 2:30pm

New Year’s Day

Extension Office

CLOSED

P A G E 1 0

MG Monthly Meeting 9:30 am @TCFL

MLK Day

Extension Office

CLOSED

Hometown Habitat Film @ CBMM

2-4pm

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I

February 2019

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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The Pines– 2:30pm

P A G E 1 1

President’s Day

Extension Office

CLOSED

The Pines– 2:30pm

MG Monthly Meeting 9:30 am @TCFL

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 5:30-8:30pm

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 9am-12pm

MG Basic Training

5:30-8:30pm

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I

March 2019

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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P A G E 1 2

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The Pines– 2:30pm

The Pines– 2:30pm

MG Monthly Meeting 9:30 am @TCFL

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 5:30-8:30pm

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 9am-12pm

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 9am-12pm

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 5:30-8:30pm

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 9am-12pm

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 5:30-8:30pm

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 9am-12pm

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 5:30-8:30pm

MG Basic Training

@ESHEC 9am-12pm

V O L U M E I X I S S U E I

University of Maryland Extension 28577 Mary’s Court, Suite 1 Easton, MD 21601

Non-Profit US POSTAGE

PAID Easton,

Maryland Permit # 334

Current Resident Or:

If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener, call our University of Maryland Extension Office at 410-822-1244

You can also visit the Maryland Master Gardeners website at: http:/extension.umd.edu/mg and the Talbot County Extension website at: http:/extension.umd.edu/talbot-county

The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.