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Welcome!
Welcome!
Delaware County Master Gardeners are avid about horticulture and eager learners. This site is one way we share these passions and provide "environmentally sound, research-based gardening practices" with our communities.
Learning opportunities:
Learning opportunities:
Recorded webinars on a wide range of gardening related topics...
Dig into a Book! Master Gardeners review their recent reading
Ask a Master Gardener Volunteer
Ask a Master Gardener Volunteer
Answering the public's questions about gardening using science-based information is an important objective of the Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer program. Submit your landscape, yard, and garden questions here.
DCMGA News and Events ...
DCMGA News and Events ...
This Year Was No Exception…
This Year Was No Exception…
Our 19th Annual DCMGA Plant Sale, and largest fundraiser, was held on July 19-20 at the beautiful Delaware County Fairgrounds. The barn was jam-packed with all manner of perennials, annuals, native plants, trees, and shrubs. The Friday before the sale was filled with set up, primping, and watering. Everything looked beautiful and it was clear that a lot of work had gone into growing, preparing, and showing the plants before the public even arrived!
Once everything was set up, it was time for the main event. Saturday was bustling! A long line wound out the front door filled with eager buyers well before our official opening time. It had seemed like the day was going to be a rainy one but it turned sunny and warm – perfect for plant buying! After regrouping, Sunday opened with an equal amount of success. There were lots of questions about the different plants and the MGVs were eager to share their knowledge and help people pick their plants. The raffle events this year were really fun with baskets that ranged from a Columbus Blue Jackets signed photo to a basket for young gardeners and nature enthusiasts. There was even Plinko for those who wanted to win a quick prize! As the sale began to wrap up, flash sales started and happy customers loaded wagons with mounds of plants.
These events could never be done without fantastic partners. We want to give a huge shoutout and THANK YOU to this year’s partners: 1st Impressions Landscape & Garden Center; Ach Nursery; Baker’s Village Garden Center & Gift Shoppe; Champion Feed and Pet Supply; Columbus Blue Jackets; Dannaher Nursery; E&H Ace Hardware Delaware; graf-x-cape; Groovy Plants Ranch; Leaves for Wildlife Native Plant Nursery; Lettuce Work Nursery; Millcreek Gardens; Miller’s Country Gardens; Natives in Harmony; Oakland Nursery; Old Bag of Nails; Price Farms Organics, Ltd.; Renders by Randy; Sambuca’s Country Market and Greenhouse; Scioto Gardens; Singing Springs Nursery; Strader’s G Ben’s Landscaping and Outdoor Services, LLC; Stratford Ecological Center; Thorsen’s Greenhouse; and Topgolf. Our partners’ incredible contributions helped to make this event dynamic and amazing. If you missed the plant sale and want more information about any of our great partners, please visit our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/delcomastergardener) for a list and links.
In addition to the sales, it was wonderful to connect to the public about plants and nature. There were a lot of excited people searching for plants and they had wonderful and difficult questions. We would not be able to provide answers, guidance, and friendly faces without a fantastic group of people working so hard and caring so much about our mission. We appreciate everyone helping this year and there is no way we could have done it without you. Thank you!
Now let’s get ready for next year!
Connie Emerson's Garden Tour
July 2025
Delaware County Master Gardeners ended the 2025 Garden Tour year at Connie Emerson's lovely gardens in Westerville. Connie specializes in container gardens, but clearly has lots of skills in creating in-ground gardens as well.
Connie provided education on gardening in containers and how she winterizes her containers (she simply removes all the spent flowers and potting mix from the container, places the container upside down, and covers the drainage hole with a clay-pot shard or something else that will stay in place during the winter. The old flowers are composted and the used potting mix is added to in-ground gardens).
View a video of Connie's garden below.
ConnieEmersonGardenB4C0AADE-1E3B-46C9-8826-2A8B9F4714DC.MP4Therapeutic Gardening
July 2025
The Therapeutic Horticulture program entertained the beautiful residents at The Avalon of Lewis Center on Monday, July 14 with a day devoted to one of our favorite pollinators….the Butterfly!
It was a most fitting activity for this amazing community. I looked up what the Butterfly symbolizes. Isn’t it incredibly significant that butterflies are symbols of transformation, rebirth, and personal growth? I know that each and every time I work with this wonderful group of friends at The Avalon I see each of them and each of the MG’s there transforming each other. We are giving rebirth to these residents, and in return they are giving each of us transforming, personal growth. It is not a coincidence. It is a wonderfully intentional mission that the Therapeutic Horticultural offers to this community.
Butterflies also symbolize freedom, lightness, and joy. This particular day, we were able to see these traits embodied in a wonderful way. Vanessa Bartos led the Butterfly program that day. In addition to our regular MG volunteers, we had the pleasure of meeting and working with 2 of Vanessa’s 4 children as we explored and learned about butterflies. Watching these caring youths, Sophia and Sinjin, work so patiently with the residents provided us with lightness, joy, personal growth, and a convincing rebirth. Witnessing them working so lovingly and joyfully with our special friends at The Avalon brought such positiveness in a world that increasingly depicts negativity towards the young people of today’s society. Afterwards, they both shared with their mom how happy they were to have joined our activities for the day!
During the Butterfly Program, we watched a short 60 Minutes video on Anderson Cooper visiting the mountain where the Monarch Butterflies migrate for the winter. Such an amazing learning tool for all of us that morning! Vanessa and other MG’s provided several fresh floral examples of the plants that our winged pollinator friends enjoy the most.
Sadly, many of our days at The Avalon this season have been rainy. This day was no exception and luckily we were prepared for an indoor butterfly craft which was a great hit with everyone. Stephany Merick headed up our butterfly craft, which had the residents painting dried bowtie pasta with brightly colored paints creating their own personal renditions of butterflies. The residents glued the butterflies to canvas paint boards that they had also painted with pollinating flowers.
And no function with the MG “Garden Goddesses” would be complete without a special themed treat. This day’s treat was a snack mix served in the shape of a butterfly with the help of a clear plastic bag, a pipe cleaner, and a painted clothes pin.
The day ended with the incredibly special release of a Painted Lady Butterfly into our gardens at The Avalon. I wish the video that captured the butterfly release could be seen on these pages. The smiles of our friends, Cookie and Joanne, as they witnessed our winged friend’s release truly symbolized freedom, lightness, and pure joy.
DCMGA Adult Public Education Committee
August 2025
Thank you to all who volunteered for the adult public education events over the past few months! We will be looking for volunteers on Sign Up Genius for some of our future activities including the Pollinator Festival, ArborFest and Liberty Library Plant Swap Ask a Master Gardener.
Upcoming Events:
Life on a Leaf with Nora Hiland, Donna Reynolds, Terri Litchfield and Carol Champa at Shale Hollow Park Nature Center from 10 am – 1 pm on 8/9/2025
Pollinator Festival at Deer Haven Park on 8/23/2025
Rain Gardens with Nora Hiland at Source Point on 9/1/2025 at 1 pm
ArborFest at Alum Creek Park in Westerville on 9/20/2025 from 10 am – 2 pm
Seed Saving with Cathy Pickrel at Marion County Public Library on 9/24/2025 at 6 pm as an introduction to their new Seed Library.
Liberty Library's annual Plant Swap on 9/20/2025 at 2 pm will have speakers Nora Hiland, discussing the Removal of Invasive Plants, and Cynthia Buettner, presenting Garden Design Using Ohio Native Plants: Sustainable and Beautiful Landscapes. In conjunction with the Plant Swap, on those Saturday afternoons, DCMGA assistance has been requested in hosting Ask A Master Gardener for attendees.
Educational Series
Educational Series
Upcoming Education Events
Upcoming Education Events
All programs in this series will be held starting at 6:15 pm at the Byxbe Campus,1610 State Rte 521, Delaware, OH 43015, and will last for one hour.
September 9 (MG Members Only)
Natives Program for 2026. Terri Litchfield will introduce the 2026 Expert Level training on natives.
October 14 (Open to General Public)
TBD
Previous Educational Events
April 8 ( MG Members Only)
GAP Training (Good Agricultural Practices). This training aims to educate growers and gardeners on best management practices to minimize food safety risks and address pre- and post-harvest practices.
May 13, 2025 (Open to General Public)
Drought: How do I repair my lawn after last year’s drought? Dr. Tyler Carr, Asst. Professor of Turfgrass Science, The Ohio State University. Dr. Carr will take us through what inputs you need to safeguard against future drought situations?
July 8, 2025 (Open to General Public)
Produce Preservation. Megan Taylor, FCS/4-H Educator - Union County, will share various techniques to prevent spoilage, extend shelf life, and maintain quality of fresh produce
August 12 (Open to General Public)
Invasive Plants. Carrie Brown, ANR Educator - Fairfield County, will introduce us to non-native plants in Ohio’s natural habitats with discussions on spread, control and alternative plants.
Follow-Up Information from Dr. Carr
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