National Volunteer Week is celebrated next month- April 21-27, 2024, and we love showing off Master Gardeners on social media!

If you would like to be featured, please send Kaitlyn a photo of yourself (if you have one in your MG gear, even better!) and a short sentence about your favorite project and what being a Master Gardener means to you.

The 2023 Annual Report from our state office and Home and Garden Information Center is out. Our program contributed 11,904 pounds of produce last year in addition to 101,251 hours of volunteer service valued at $3.42 million! We could not make these incredible impacts without you.

To help Marylanders find plant clinics and publicly accessibly demonstration gardens, we created a custom, interactive Google map. Feel free to share this at your events and on social media by downloading the QR code below. If you have photos of your demonstration garden to include in the description, please send them to Kaitlyn. Click on the map image to check it out.

We're trying something new for Ask A MG Plant Clinic training this year. We'll have monthly updates on the first Wednesday of the month (except in July, then it's the 2nd Wednesday) at 12pm from April through October. These will all be conducted virtually.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this webinar, please contact Stephanie Pully at least 2 weeks prior to the webinar at (410) 531-1754 or pully@umd.edu.

Are native cultivars as valuable in pollinator habitat gardens as valuable as straight native species? Native plants are generally recommended for supporting pollinators, but the growing demand for native plants, coupled with the horticulture industry’s desire for plants with unique characteristics, has led to the increased breeding and availability of native cultivars or “nativars”. Annie White was one of the first researchers in the country to evaluate native cultivars based on their ecological value instead of just their garden performance.

Informed by both years of rigorous field research and real-world landscape design experience, Annie’s talk will discuss both the benefits and challenges of using native species and their cultivars in the landscape.

This webinar will take place on Friday, April 12th at 12:00 PM and will be recorded. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or 410-531-1754 by March 29th.

Join us for an insightful webinar on integrating conservation landscaping practices to promote environmental sustainability and resilience in areas surrounding septic systems and flood-prone zones. Discover practical strategies and innovative approaches to design and maintain landscapes that mitigate risks associated with flooding while supporting the health and functionality of septic systems. From native plant selection to stormwater management techniques, this webinar equips homeowners, landscapers, and environmental enthusiasts with the knowledge needed to create beautiful, resilient landscapes that protect both property and the environment.

This webinar will take place on Friday, May 10th at 12:00 PM and will be recorded. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Stephanie Pully at pully@umd.edu or 410-531-1754 by April 26th.

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.

Join the U.S. National Arboretum for seven engaging presentations concerning both native plant gardens and native ecosystems. Learn about soil health management, destructive pests, forest restoration, current research on seed conservation, and the best native trees for your garden.

Meander through FONA’s Native Plant Sale before the symposium starts, or during the lunch hour. The sale is held from 8 AM to 1 PM, but plants can sell out quickly. Click here to learn more about the Native Plant Sale.

When: Saturday, March 23rd, 9:00 am- 4:00 pm

Location: U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue Northeast Washington, DC 20002

Winter Weeds Creep up on Gardeners

By Annette Cormany, Principal Agent Associate and Master Gardener Coordinator, Washington County, University of Maryland Extension

A Little-Known Group of Pollinators: Beetles!

By Anahí Espíndola, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park

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.