May 2026 UME Master Gardener
State Office Announcements
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May 2026 has been declared Maryland Native Plant Month! Our Maryland Native Plants Program has an exciting development just in time for this which you can read about below.
Our newsletter this month includes a call for volunteers for Ask Extension, new continuing education, and more!
| | | Join the Ask Extnesion Team | | |
There's still a chance to join the Ask Extension team to assist answering horticulture questions sent in by the public. All of the questions are answered through a website, so you can be located anywhere in the state to participate.
This opportunity requires a moderate to high level of knowledge and experience (such as working plant clinics) as there will not be much time for one-on-one coaching.
Please contact Miri Talabac if interested.
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There's still several Master Gardener plant sales and swaps happening around the state this month:
- May 14- Talbot County Extension Office Open House and Native Plant Sale, 2:00 pm-6:00 pm
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May 16- Cecil County Master Gardener Plant Swap
- May 16- Charles County Master Gardener Plant Sale, 8:00am - 2:00pm, LaPlata Farmers Market Talbot parking lot
- May 16- Carroll County Plant Sale, 8:00 am- noon, Carroll County Ag Center, cash or checks only
| | Our Maryland Native Plants Program has been working with UMD students on developing a native plant finder for our Extension website. Start by clicking on your ecoregion. | | This will bring up all the plants appropriate for that ecoregion which you can then filter for your growing conditions. Lisa is asking for feedback on the plant finder which you can provide by clicking the feedback button as seen below. | | Bats, Boards, and Better Habitats: Hands-on Workshop | |
May 28th | 9:45 AM - 2:30 PM
Maryland 4-H Education and Camping Center
243 4 H Camp Rd, Swanton, MD 21561
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Join University of Maryland Extension for a hands-on educational day to learn about bats and creating healthier habitats in your backyard. Topics include mosquito management techniques, bats that you may see in Western MD, & tour the Maryland 4-H Education and Camping Center. Lastly, help build bat houses for the facilty. Guest speakers from DNR, UME, and other organizations.
Limited availability! (about 10 spots left) Register by May 15th.
| | Statewide Meetings and Continuing Education | | Monthly Plant Clinic Updates | | |
Second Wednesday of the month, April-October, 12:00 – 1:00pm, Zoom
Join us for monthly updates from our UME experts on what questions or hot topics you might encounter at your upcoming Ask A Master Gardener Plant Clinics!
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact Stephanie Pully on or before 2 weeks prior to the webinar at pully@umd.edu or (301) 226-7616.
| | Adaptive Gardening Training Workshop | | |
Wednesday, May 27th, 10:00am – 2:00pm, Central Maryland Research and Education Center (Ellicott City, MD)
Learn how to program for adaptive gardening through an engaging presentation and interactive pollinator lesson!
Calling all MGs who volunteer with therapeutic horticulture programs! Join us for a dynamic, hands-on workshop exploring adaptive gardening-an inclusive approach to gardening that ensures people of all abilities can participate, learn, and thrive.
Please register by May 20, 2026 so we can order lunch.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully on or before 2 weeks prior to the session date at pully@umd.edu or (301) 226-7616.
| | Project GNBee (Ground-Nesting Bees) | | |
Monday, June 8th, 12:00 – 1:30 pm, Zoom
Join Dr. Jordan Kueneman from Cornell University to learn about Project GNBee (Ground-Nesting Bees)! Project GNBee works with community scientists to better understand where native bees nest across the landscape and which environmental and management conditions support their populations over time
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or (301) 226-7616 by May 25, 2026.
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We are inviting land managers and community members to report areas where they observe small holes in the ground with bees actively coming and going. By sharing simple observations—ideally with photos—participants can help document nesting sites, identify the bee species present on their properties, and contribute to research that improves conservation and management guidance for farms and orchards.
Participation is easy, non-invasive, and fully compatible with ongoing agricultural activities. To make observations, participants will need to make an iNaturalist account, join the project, and tag the project in their observation. It is a quick process and will open the door to additional understanding about the biology in their landscape.
| | Catch Up on Continuing Education | | |
Did you miss any of our continuing education webinars last year?
Check out the recordings below! You can always see both upcoming continuing education opportunities and recorded webinars on the State MG Continuing Education webpage.
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Diverse and Climate Resilient Crops for Maryland Gardeners
Join Jon Traunfeld, Extension Specialist in Home and Community Food Production, for a deep dive into crops that stand up to Maryland’s changing climate while honoring culturally important foods. This session will highlight resilient vegetables and growing strategies that support diverse communities and sustainable gardening practices.
| | | Lunch & Learn: Natives at Noon | | |
Lisa Kuder, Native Plants & Landscapes Specialist, is launching a new Natives at Noon webinar series in 2026!
Comping up next month: June 3rd—Non-native Earthworms and Their Effects on the Soil Ecosystem
You can find the schedule of webinars for the whole year at the button below:
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April Mulching
Hey Listener,
In this month's episode, we’re talking all about that beloved springtime chore, mulching. We play a round of 'Mulch True or False" before discussing the various types of organic and inorganic mulches. We like some more than the others.
| | | Home and Garden Information Center | | Enjoy some photos from Dominica! | | If you made it all the way to the end, here's some photos from Kaitlyn's recent trip to the southern Caribbean. At our stop in Dominica, we toured their botanical garden in the capital city and drove up into the rainforest. | | | | Neem tree (yes, where the oil comes from!) | | |
Stephanie Pully
UME Master Gardner State Coordinator
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Kaitlyn Baligush
Program Management Specialist
| | 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. | | | | |
