MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM

Deck the Halls! Create Your Own Victorian Holiday Kissing Ball!
 
The holiday season is approaching so why not start thinking about decorating your home with a charming Victorian decoration for your doorway. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County’s Master Gardener Program will provide the evergreen boughs and know-how at this hands-on workshop on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at their Extension Education Center, located at 10 Westbrook Lane in Kingston.

Learn the secrets to making an old fashioned kissing ball. They’re fragrant, beautiful... and not as hard to create as they look. Please bring pruning shears and wire clippers if you have them, all other supplies will be provided. The fee is $25 per person.

Winter hours of service are now 9:00am to 12:00pm on Fridays only from November 1, 2009 through March 1, 2010. The Hotline number is 845-340-DIRT. Messages can be left at anytime but will only be returned on Fridays from 9:00am to 12:00pm.
 
The Master Gardener hotline provides the public with free gardening advice. Other services offered are pH soil testing and Insect/Disease Identification.

Winter Lectures for Home Gardeners Returns in 2010

Master Gardener Program will once again offer a series of workshops during February and March to help the avid home gardener get prepared for spring.
Classes will be held on Thursdays February 11, February 25, Wednesday, March 10 and Thursday, March 25. All classes will be from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at Ulster County BOCES located at 175 Rt. 32 in New Paltz. Participants may choose the class or classes they are most interested in or sign up for the entire series. The fee for individual classes is $15 or $50 for all four. Class sizes are limited. Pre-registration is required five days prior to each class.

For more information call Dona Crawford at 845-340-3990. Click here for printable registration form.

Thursday, February 11 ‑ Your Site’s a Fright – Let’s Plan It Right!
Speaker: Master Gardener, Barbara Darbin, is a former Art Teacher for Kingston City Schools and a certified landscape and garden designer. She received her training from the Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY; and is an avid Master Gardener. Her many themed gardens are her tribute to her long-time business Petals N Porcelain as well as her love for design.

Description: This class takes the do-it-yourself gardener on a step-by-step journey through the basics of developing a successful garden design. Learn the importance of site assessment as well as the basic elements of design. Through observation and site assessment you will get the tools you need to create a well planned all season garden that’s right for you.

Thursday, February 25 ‑ Get Compliments on Your Complementary Garden:   
Speaker: Kris Perry has been a Master Gardener for two years and still considers her self an apprentice. Using companion gardening guidelines, she planted her first vegetable garden this year as part of the food pantry at her church.

Description: Discover a garden of delights when planning your next garden. Complementary or companion planting can be described as a practical approach that matches two or more plants, that when grown together, result in some cultural benefit such as pest control or nutrient uptake. This lecture will guide you through basic design elements of color, shape and texture, and plant selection with an emphasis on color, fragrance or bloom time.

Wednesday, March 10 ‑ Dirt Cheap: Tricks for the Thrifty Gardener
Speaker: Cecily Frazier, a dedicated cheapskate and devoted Master Gardener, can be seen along the highway, stopping to scoop up pine needles, gravel and lots of free grass clippings. If you carry a shovel and some buckets in the car, just in case, this class is for you.

Description: Learn new (and share your own) tricks for being thrifty in the garden.  Topics include making soil and mulch, getting plants, watering, finding tools and containers -- all on a shoestring. Totally practical and lots of fun!

Thursday, March 25 ‑ Let It Rain: 
Speakers: Dona Crawford, Community Horticulture Coordinator, Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster Co. is responsible for all aspects of the Master Gardener program that brings residents of Ulster County ecologically sound, science-based practices. Barbara Bravo is a Master Gardener, Garden Coach and potter. She is a frequent speaker at Garden Day events and has gardened at her home and studio for more than 20 years.

Part 1: Learn to manage storm water run-off before it runs off with your soil and other pollutants. Rain gardens are shallow depressions that are landscaped with native plants, and are designed to intercept, treat and infiltrate storm water at the source. Learn why and how to create your own.

Part 2: Choosing the right plants for your rain garden is your key to success. These plants are chosen for their ability to standup to drench and drought conditions. In this session we will take a look at shrubs, perennials and garden design considerations to pull it altogether for a beautiful garden.