APPROVED MASTER GARDENER SITES

Congratulations to the Provisional Sites of 2023-2025 that have become Master Gardener Approved Sites. Here's a photo above from one of them: the Butterfly Garden at Swezy House, Yaphank Historical Society.

Kudos to MGs Pat McGuigan and Deb Hryvniak who have recreated this space and the area around the Hawkins House.

Other newly Approved site photos are found below. These include the garden in Comeswogue where MG Mary Richardson has volunteered with other Master Gardeners and community members to build a successful garden adjacent to a local school. Nissequogue State Park is where MG Carolyn Gee and other Master gardeners volunteer with Hort Technicians Michelle Doran-Leute and Emma Haliday growing thousands of native and other plants for New York state parks. The LIRR station in Greenlawn, proposed by MG Susan Matthews, who with other Master Gardeners, civic organizations and a local garden club maintain the site.

Let me take this opportunity to thank the Master Gardener Advisory Committee for all of their efforts, including the ongoing review of provisional sites. MGs Karen Brenner, Linda Carlson, Chris DeSantis, Deb Kimmelman, Hope Kranidis, Susan Leonetti, Kathy Murphy and Kathy Readington served in advisory role meeting with MGs at the provisional sites to guide them through the application process. These 8 MGs have also identified sites which no longer engage Master Gardeners and these have been removed from the Approved List. Thanks for a job well done.

Reaching CHILDREN & TEENS

MG Carolyn Gee recently dropped me a note about the importance of reaching children and teens. As she put it, … “ it is the next generation that we can inspire most to start thinking beyond traditional lawns and gardening to help our pollinators and the environment.” 

With that in mind, we looked at four of our library programs that could be adapted for a younger audience, including an activity or two. These were Winter Seed Sowing, The Mighty Oak, Pollinators and The Art of Seed Saving.

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Gee wants to encourage Master Gardeners to help develop these or other library programs for a younger audience. Any interest in working with Carolyn? Any other good ideas? Please drop Carolyn a note at dgfamily@msn.com    .

SAVE THE DATE

Wednesday, DECEMBER 3, 11am-1pm

MG HOLIDAY POT LUCK LUNCH & GUEST SPEAKER

Master Gardener Doreen Monteleone will delight us with her program on FIGS

423 Griffing Avenue, Riverhead, 1st floor Conference

BRING a favorite dish. Label ingredients if you can. I have small dishes for all, but no cutlery. Please bring your own from home.

Coffee, hot chocolate, tea and cake will be provided.

Continuing Education Opportunities

Continuing education enriches your gardening expertise. Continuing education is also another way to earn MGV hours. Here a few offerings to consider.

PLANT PROPAGATION

Participants can take one, two, or all three modules: Sexual (Seed) Propagation, Vegetative Propagation, Plant Micropropagation. 

Each module is $150 or $400 for all three modules.

Live lectures online Tuesdays & Thursdays, November 4-December 9, 2025 from 2-4pm (EST). Details at https://blogs.cornell.edu/plantpropagation.

Registration: https://plantpropagation.securepayments.cardpointe.com/pay

For more information, contact Dr. Mark Bridgen, mpb27@cornell.edu or 631-921-4941



MASTER RAIN GARDENER or MASTER COMPOSTER

These two FREE courses are aligned with potential MG outreach. Consider either or both of these courses. Next spring we can explore field experiences to give you recognition as a "MASTER" in these garden specialty areas.

Rain Gardener course (7 modules, 4-6 hours to complete, online, no schedule, no cost) offered by the University of Connecticut. Start here for details.

https://clear.uconn.edu/training/uconn-clear-training-courses/rain-garden-design-installation-and-maintenance-course/

Master Composter (8 topics, 8-10 hours to complete, no schedule, no course fee) offered by Michigan State University. Start here for more details.  

https://www.canr.msu.edu/courses/master-composter-online-course

HARVEST NY SOIL TEST

Last call before the ground freezes. Harvest NY is making soil tests available. Tests will be free until their funds are EXHAUSTED.

Read the rules/guidelines here. Then complete the application. Direct any questions to Karen Guzman kg578@cornell.edu.   

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Here's a grant opportunity for up to $50,000 for those who meet the criteria. This includes education and outreach.

Please note. The deadline is NOVEMBER 15. See the application details here.

Congratulations to Master Gardeners Corrine McMahon, Eileen Walsh and Robin Obey for completing their first 125 volunteer hours.

Remember. You’re responsible for tracking volunteer hours: 1) the number of hours since January of this calendar year and 2) the LEGACY number of hours prior to this calendar year since you became a Master Gardener.

Please contact me directly when the first 125 volunteer hours are satisfied. Keep your record (where & when) of the first 125 hours as documentation is required when requesting a return of the $125 fee.

The Master Gardener reporting volunteers hours survey is linked here. https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aiagRHzCO3z8smO

Here's the MG Approved Site List.

This list is revisited by the Master Gardener Advisory Committee each year

Remember to leave the leaves. Use your mulch mower to shred the leaves on the lawn on a dry day.

This newsletter is posted on our MG webpage linked here.https://ccesuffolk.org/gardening/master-gardener-volunteers

If you have photos or news to share in the newsletter, you can email me at rz378@cornell.edu

Or...

Post photos, events and news on our Master Gardener facebook page.

Here's the facebook link. https://www.facebook.com/groups/106946829922350/

Happy Gardening!

Roxanne Zimmer

 423 Griffing Avenue, Suite 100, Riverhead, NY 11901-3071

631-727-7850

Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Cornell Cooperative Extension is funded in part by Suffolk County through the office of the County Executive, and the County Legislature.