In the
Garden Patch

We want to extend our thanks to Lauryn Manuel and Finella Agbahovbe, both of Olentangy High School, for their assistance at the Silent Auction tables.  They made the process much more seamless!  Lauryn has been accepted to The Ohio State University and will be in the pre-law program.  Finella is still a junior but plans to attend the University of Kentucky to begin her studies to become a neurosurgeon.  We wish them both great success!      

We finally were able to chat with fellow MGVs - and what a hullabaloo there was!  You'd have thought we hadn't seen one another for years instead of months.  Our fellowship and enjoyment of one another was very evident!

Pam Foster, chair of the Banquet Committee, welcomed all to the evening and introduced the Committee members:  Cindi Flinn, Mary Sandberg, Sandy Schaadt, Susie Snow, Andy Zakrajsek, Sherry Jones, Sue Rouda, and Renata Snyder.  Next our president, Linda Shepard, stood (on a footstool) at the podium and reviewed all of our accomplishments of 2024 (and what a list there was!).  Kenzie Johnston, assisted by Kathy Blevins, then introduced 15 of the 22 Interns from the class of 2024 and gave them their MGV certificates and name badges.  We are so happy to have these people join us and look forward to getting to know each one of them better!  Kenzie then thanked all the MGVs for their work and support and for making her job such a delight.

The Banquet Committee did an excellent job and I'm sure all those who attended would like to extend their appreciation to them for such a grand evening!  

Our next speakers were Karen Jensen and Karen Lewis, Franklin County Master Gardener Volunteers, who provided a brief overview of the Grange Insurance Audubon Center and about their AMGS-OH Trees project, which was titled "Good Trees for Birds."  This project focused on the trees at the Audubon Center that provide food and nesting materials for birds.  Signs were hung next to seven or eight trees that provide details on the trees and how they benefit birds.  The class took time to walk around the Center to see the signs and the newest garden developed by Franklin County MGVs, which is a sensory garden that addresses four of the five senses (taste was not Included).

Next Gretta Kumpf and Susan DeVol, Delaware County MGVs, demonstrated how to measure the height of a tree with a triangle and a measuring tape.  The class then had fun measuring trees.

Our final speaker was Elizabeth Mintun, a Columbus-based therapist who is trained in shinrin-yoku (forest bathing).  Forest bathing was developed in Japan in the 1970s.  Numerous benefits have been Identified through studies Including lowering cortisol and adrenaline, calming the sympathetic nervous system (for flight/flight/freeze), enhancing the parasympathetic nervous system (for rest and recovery), lowering blood pressure, and reducing anxiety, depression, anger, confusion, and fatigue after just 2 hours in the forest.  Other studies found that people Improve their problem-solving and creativity abilities by 50% and ability to remember by 20%.

We then went outdoors and practiced shinrin-yoku.  Many of us found it to be a very pleasant, calming, and contemplative experience (an engineer among us had to strain a bit to get into the mind-set).

As this was our last of the ten classes, we had a wonderful certification celebration.  All but one of the 60 participants chose to become certified as an Ohio tree specialist and provide education on Ohio trees in their home counties.  The celebration included a catered meal from Freedom ala Cart, a Columbus-based catering service that also provides life-changing employment and supportive services for survivors of human trafficking.

Each certified person was presented with a certificate of certification, a wooden book-mark with AMGS-OH Trees 2024 on it, and a ribbon imprinted with Tree Specialist that they can attach to their Master Gardener name badges.  Photos of all the attendees from each county were taken.   

Nancy Reynolds added to the fun by giving each person a hand-made bar of soap.  The varieties included eucalyptus, cherry blossom, fir needle, cedarwood, juniper berry, and sandalwood.   She also brought in a drink made of sassafras concentrate and club soda.  Our donut guru, Joe Lansing of Franklin County, brought donuts for all, as he has for most of the classes (he was always joyfully welcomed!).  And Jenny Hayes, also of Franklin County, brought Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies for everyone.   As usual, we had others sharing items from their gardens.

The AMGS-OH Trees committee is wrapping up all the loose ends, which includes reviewing the participants' evaluations, sending each county's MGV coordinator a copy of the PDF that details all the projects as well as a copy of the county's attendees, and developing a final report for OSUE.

Benefits include recognition of specified levels of professional practice; milestones, benchmarks, and models for further levels of achievement; exert leadership and influence by serving as a model; earn distinction in your professional and local communities (helps with gaining grant funds); identify opportunities for collaboration.

Jim Wilson of the Bexley Tree Commission joined us next to speak on the purpose and benefit of making Bexley an arboretum.   Bexley Is the first municipal arboretum In the US.  In 1998, the city established a Tree and Public Garden Commission and eventually formalized stree tree requirements and species selection and became an advocate for planting in other public spaces.  In 2013, Bexley became certified as an arboretum by the Morton Register of Arboreta.

Jim said that administration Is easier If your city code supports your work as an arboretum, and includes street tree selection and replacement authority, planting and maintenance plans, stump grinding, and a mulch volcano ordinance (cheers erupted from the class when this was announced).  

Our next speaker was Todd  Hutchinson of the USDA's Northern Research Station in Delaware, who spoke on Ohio's oak forests.  Most of the oak forests are In southeastern Ohio and are usually second and third growth forests.  Todd spoke of "witness trees" which were used in surveying land and identifying property distinctions.  The land deed would describe the species and diameter of two witness trees and their distance to a post.

An Ohio land survey conducted in 2019 by Todd and a fellow USDA employee located a number of the witness trees used in old deeds.  Most of these were white oak.

Oaks are important as they are keystone species and so support other species.  Thjey are monoecious (both male and female flowers) and flowering begins at age 15 to 25 years; the annual flower crops are typically In May.  Pollen Is dispersed by wind over a two to three day period and weather conditions are critical.

Acorn enlargement and embryo development occurs In mid-summer and the white oak (WO) acorn will sprout in the ground the first year while the red oak (RO) acorn must over-winter in the ground and then sprout in the second year.    

Next up was Chad Hoff of the Columbus Parks and Recreation,  Chad spoke on Columbus' Urban Friendly Master Plan, whose purpose is to increase the overall canopy to 40% from its current 22%.    They only have authority over trees In city parks, roadways,  and other public lands.  They are prioritizing on areas with less tree canopy.

Our final speaker was Trenner Wile of ODNR, who talked about trees as hosts.  The class was amazed at the photos he showed of many types of fungi growing on trees, both saprophytic, that lives on dead or dying trees; parasitic, that forms a relationship with trees, usually through the roots but will actively harm the tree; and mycorrhizal, that forms a symbiotic relationship with the tree and Is found In 80% of plants and, without which, most trees would die.

Cindy Howe of Franklin County won a copy of The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohllenben.  Nancy Reynolds topped off our lunch with her  Maple-Apple Bars (yum!).

It takes a blueberry bush about seven years to mature when grown in the ground, but only 3 to 4 years when grown in a container.  

Next Dr. Rafiq Islam provided great Information on climate-smart agriculture, specialty crops, food quality, and public health.   By 2050, global food security needs to be doubled, which will make existing farming practices oncreasingly dependent on more chemicals, water, and energy inputs.  According to Dr. Islam, agriculture must be transformed to "C-based system", for which C stands for Conservation or Carbon agriculture.  

Research indicates that salicylic acid, which Is the active Ingredient in aspirin,  is a plant's natural remedy when attached by Insects, drought, underfed and Imbalanced fertilizers.  Three low-dose aspirins crushed with a pinch of baking soda and added to one gallon of water will improve a plant's immune system.

Dr. Islam also spoke about the antioxidant Lycopene, which helps lower LDL (the bad cholesterol), blood pressure, and so reduces the risk of hearth disease.  Flavonoid will reduce Inflammation and risk of hearth disease and cancer.   Anthocyanin will reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and improve cognitive function.  All of these are found  In many vegetables and colored fruits.  

We next boarded the tractor-pulled wagon and toured the experimental growing areas.  We taste-tested the difference between raspberries grown under a row cover to those that were not and verified that the shaded raspberries were significantly sweeter.  There were a number of other test sites that we viewed, but unfortunately were not able to test.

We were then  given a tour of the laboratories and the greenhouses.

As If all this weren't enough, we were gifted a pint of fresh raspberries (from the shaded bushes) and a raspberry plant!  All agreed that the trip was well worth it!

When purchasing a tree in a five-gallon pot, you should prune 2" around the entire root ball, then tickle the remaining roots so they grow out into the soil and not around the root ball.   After that, prune dead, dying, and diseased branches any time during the year, but never prune more than 20% of the tree.  If you prune suckers, more will probably reappear.  Too much pruning can produce water sprouts.

Peter said that a tree can be "limbed-up" with no problem but it’s important to perform the pruning during the late fall, winter, or very early spring.  It is strongly recommended that you remove any stakes in the opposite season. If you staked the tree in spring, remove them in the fall; if you staked in the fall, remove them the following spring as it is important to allow the tree to develop the ability to sway with the wind.  You should remove all staking after 1 1/2 years.  Peter then took us on a 60-minute tour of the arboretum and talked about many of the trees and identifying characteristics.

Terri Litchfield provided a presentation on her class project, “Classification of 100_ Common Ohio Trees”.

Next Holly Latteman, Science and Conservation Manager at Dawes, spoke on “Ohio Natives We Can't Live Without”.

Peter Lowe returned to discuss “The Truth about Leaf Waste”.  Leaf waste is a great alternative to commercial mulch but should be shredded with a lawn mower or other process before applying to the garden.  Only one inch of leaf waste will kill grass, as the grass won't be able to photosynthesize.  Leaf litter should be coupled with other organic mulches.  Mice, rats, and ticks love a good pile of leaf litter, but the population is reduced when the leaves are shredded.  Peter suggests you put shredded leaf litter around woody plants and use other compost on your perennials.    

Nancy Reynolds treat for the class was walnut coffee cake, which she remembers her grandmother making for holidays.  

The giveaway was The Nature of Oaks by Douglas W Tallamy and was won by Shirley Kindrick of Madison County.  

A few tricks to make it easier to differentiate the conifers are:

• pines have needles arranged in bundles of 2 (Austrian, Scotch, Red, and Jack), 3 (Ponderosa and Loblolly), or 5 (White and Timber);  

• Fir has flat, soft, two-sided needles that grow on the underside of the stem and curve around to the top side (think Fir = Flat); 

• (most) Spruce has sharp, square needles (think Spruce = Sharp and Square);

• Hemlock has needles ranked in twos that give the branch a flat look and have two parallel, white lines on the underside of the needles (as does the balsam fir  - go figure!);

•  Douglas fir (which Is not a fir but a Pseudotsuga, aka false hemlock) has single, flat and soft needles attached to the  stem;  

• Junipers or red-cedar has two distinct needle structures:  awls or scales; and  

• Arborvitae or white cedar have flattened, scale-like needles.  

Tim and Matt then discussed a number of common pests and diseases that affect our conifers.

For more information on identifying conifers, check out:  https://www.portland.gov/sites/default/files/2022/deciduous-conifers-cheatsheet-updated.pdf

Class concluded with a presentation on bonsai by Mark Passerrello, president of the Columbus Bonsai Society.  Mark brought a number of his bonsai as inspiration for the class.   Bonsai is derived from the root words "bon" which means container and "sai" which means planting.

Any shrub, tree, or vine can be pruned into a bonsai, and those plants that plants that can produce roots from a cutting or have small leaves are good candidates for bonsai.  The end result is to create an impression of a tree that looks natural and old.  Topiary does not meet this criteria.

You should select plants that are either 1) hardy and can  grow in the same or a similar climate as you and can be outside all year long; 2) tropical, which can only be taken outdoors during warm weather; 3) semi-hardy, which must be moved indoors during Ohio winters but are not considered tropical plants (crepe myrtle Is a good example) but can overwinter in a cold greenhouse or unheated garage.   

Bonsai need repotted annually and the roots need to be pruned at that time.  The bonsai soiless mix will provide good drainage and gas exchange but you need to water the entire interior of the pot.  You can use LED lights to promote growth.

The class was given a bonsai pot, soilless mix, and a beginning bonsai tree (ficus) to begin their journey as bonsaists (is that even a term?!?).  We concluded with a tour of the Franklin Park Conservatory's bonsai collection.  During our roaming, we spied the Titan Arum.   The plant is commonly known as the corpse plant for It horrendous odor when It blooms.   Thankfully, It only blooms about once every four years.

The winner of a lovely wooden plaque about trees  was Shaunessy Everett.  The plaque had been donated by Karen Edgington, a Wayne County MGV who was, unfortunately, unable to attend the classes. 

Nancy Reynolds' class treat was a little sugar bomb made with pine nuts, a pignoli cookie.  Quite tasty, even if the photo doesn't do it justice.

Habitat heterogeneity is the number of different habitats within an environment or ecosystem.   Forests have both horizontal and vertical habitats.  From top to bottom is the canopy, the understory, shrubs, herbs, and then the ground itself.  A stream can add a second habitat.  The more habitats there are, the more niches are available for different species.

A few of the many interesting facts Dr Perry shared were that the forested land cover in Ohio has increased over the last century, that nothing feeds on multiflora rose, and that leaf-litter and soil layer provide the highest non-plant diversity and support plants and animal diversity in all other layers of the forest through decomposition.

Our final speaker was Paul Snyder from Secrest Arboretum.  Paul spoke on Tree ID and brought a multitude of tree and shrub limbs and leaves for us to see the different identifiers, such as alternate, opposite, sub-opposite, or whorled branching; the different leaf margins; and the variety of venation.  His presentation was concluded by a walk in the Arboretum discussing the traits seen in several of their trees.

Upon return to the classroom, we played a Tree bingo game that Nancy Reynolds had.  She challenged our class to develop a bingo game of the trees that are native to Ohio. Her black walnut cookie was a family recipe that she recalls eating every holiday.

The book giveaway, Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast, by Michael Wojtech and Tom Wessels, was won by Charlotte Niceswanger.

We concluded the class with close to 40 classmates reporting on their class project.  It was amazing that there didn't seem to be a duplicated project in the bunch!  Our respective counties are really going to benefit from the knowledge we are gaining in this class!

Our next speaker was Chris Ahlum, president of Ahlum and Arbor Tree Preservation Company.  Chris spoke to the why, when and how of tree pruning.  It's Important to prune to ensure the tree is structurally sound, aesthetically pleasing, healthy,  does not create an unsafe environment, and to improve flower or fruit production.   With trees that flower on current season wood, prune during the dormant season or just before growth will occur In the spring.  For trees that flower on last season's wood, prune just after the bloom.  Only prune oaks between October and March to prevent oak wilt.  

Pruning should only occur next to the collar, as the callus tissue that heals the wound comes from collar.  Use a three-cut method but first cutting under the branch one to two feet from the trunk (this will prevent the bark from peeling), then cut from the top just slightly beyond the first cut, and finally cut at the collar.

For conifers, the best pruning technique is to pinch off the candles (new growth).  

Our final speaker of the day was Laura Deeter of Chadwick Arboretum, who spoke on identifying trees and basic care.  Laura began by reminding us why it is important to know the botanical name:  the common name for a plant can and will change from one area to another and, regardless of what language you speak, the botanical name remains the same.  

Laura also shared  that an 80 year old oak is the equivalent of a 13 year-old child; In the 1800s In Austria, they excavated tree roots and found them to be up to 30 feet beyond the drip line; you can water a tree a night If you water from the ground; and that dyed mulches are often from pallets and you have no idea what had been stored on that pallet.

Laura then led us on a trek around the Secrest's rear parking lots to identify numerous trees and answer questions.      

Nancy Reynolds baked Mulberry muffins as our tree taste-treat for the day.  And Chris Ahlum brought a number of copies of his book, The Guide to Ohio Trees:  Forty Trees, Forty Years, and generously donated four copies that were won by  Marlene Dorko of Madison County, Karen Jensen of Franklin County, Karen Lewis of Franklin County, and Christy Pearl of Madison County.   Emma Barth-Elias of Summit County won the Sibley Field ID book and flashcards. 

Next Connor Clark of Davey Tree Service provided an in-depth presentation on i-Tree (https://www.itreetools.org), the app they helped develop with USDA, Arbor Day Foundation, Urban and Community Forestry Society, International Society of Arboriculture, Casey Trees, and SUNY College of Environmental Services and Forestry.    Most of the tools are only available online but MyTree, which is the best tool for homeowners,  can be downloaded and used on a smart phone.   The data you enter in the apps help to calculate the impact trees have on heating and cooling, air supply (that factors In volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide), and the carbon and water savings.    Another tool on the app for the homeowner is I-Tree Species that provides a list of trees for you to consider based on the criteria you enter. 

Connor mentioned that the US Forest Service has a free, online booklet titled Field Guide to Native Oak Species of Eastern North America that Is his go-to for Identifying oaks.  It can be downloaded from this website:  https://urbanforestrysouth.org/resources/library/ttresources/field-guide-to-native-oak-species-of-eastern-north-america-1.   

Our day ended with Kathy Smith, OSU Extension, who talked about different tree species' growth behavior, such as the difference between a leaf and a leaflet; the fact that honey locust has both bi-pinnately and pinnately compound leaves; terminal buds are always in a cluster but leaf buds are either alternate, opposite or whorled;  all maple trees produce a seed called a samara, usually in a pair and usually only one of them is viable;  an oak usually won't produce an acorn until it is 18 to 20 years old;  the Ohio Buckeye is one of the first trees to leaf out; and redbuds are the only tree that flowers anywhere on the tree and not just on the branches.  

Because of the rainy weather, we were not able to go outside to practice using the book Leaf Identification Key to Eighty-Eight Ohio Trees that Kathy co-authored.

Nancy Reynolds introduced her class project:  making foods from trees!  She baked cookies for the class using chestnut flour, which were well-received.  William Reiser's class project of creating quizzes on Kahoot, an audience participation app, to tests participants' ability to do tree ID would have been great - had the Internet only been able to manage 70 log-ins!  Finally, the committee raffled off the  book  "Identifying Trees of the East" by Michael D Williams, which was won by Judy Rodgers of Franklin County. 

Next Stephanie Downs, Cooperative Forest Management Administrator for the Ohio Division of Forestry in the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).    Stephanie related how our national and state forests came about, after being almost wiped out by the early 1910, when only 10% of our nation was still forested compared to the 95% Native Americans managed prior to the arrival of Europeans.    This year Ohio has re-opened a tree nursery that will grow trees to restore land mining sites.  It is expected, in the future, to produce 1 to 2 million native tree seedlings, at which time it is hoped they will be able to sell seedlings to the public.

The day ended in an hour and a half walk around the woods, guided by Jeremy Scherf and three others from ODNR plus Carrie Brown.  We broke up into five groups and learned to identify many of the trees found In Stratford's woods. 

Our wonderful members donated so many great items for the raffle and auction that the tables groaned from the weight!    In addition, local businesses showed their appreciation of our volunteer time with their generosity.  These businesses were  Amato's, COSI, Fresh Start Bakery, Groovy Plants Ranch, Oakland Nursery, Paul Pfeiffer of Northpoint Financial Services, Powerhouse Junk Removal, Price Farms Organics, Seasons Home and Kids, and Son of Thurman.  Next time you visit one of these businesses, tell them you are an MGV and appreciate their support!

It should be noted that Susie Snow is on the hunt for some people who won at one of the raffle tables but failed to pick up their goodies.  Thankfully the silent auction didn't have that bother.  

Our dear president, Margo Hick, was not able to attend, so our 1st VP, Linda Shepard, stepped up to share memories of what we accomplished in 2023.  Kenzie Johnston took the podium next and introduced the 2023 Interns who are now officially certified MGVs.  Congratulations to them and their hard work.   Kenzie then shared with the group how much she appreciates their willingness to work together on our common goals.  

The Banquet Committee was pleased that their many hours of organizing ensured that their fellow MGVs had a wonderful evening.  The Committee was comprised of Diana Dierkes, Suzan Nobis, Mary Sandberg, Sandy Schaadt, Susie Snow, Susan Vetter, Steve Walton, Sandy Workman, Andy Zakrajsek, and co-chairs Pam Foster and Susan DeVol.

April’s program was “My Back Yard Garden” – fresh ideas from designing and planting containers to fun gardening ideas to native plants and pollinators.   Master Gardeners Connie Emerson, Jeanne Engelking and Gayle O’Sullivan packed 90 minutes with a bounty of information and handouts.  Gayle’s colorful slides covered Windowsill Microgreens to Runner Bean Teepees, but it was the “Winter Seed Starting in Milk Jugs” idea that won the coveted “this idea covers the cost of the program!” award by the Blooms members.  Jeanne gave an overview of “What are Native Plants and Their Importance”, “What are Pollinators”, and “Ways to Get Native Plants and Pollinators into your Landscape”.   Connie got to have some real fun as she got down and dirty by planting a container and demonstrating the design principles of a cohesive planter. Looking for “instant gratification”, she combined fillers, thrillers and spillers in a beautiful arrangement that I wish had made its way to my car.

So many “Bloomers” came up to thank us and tell us how much they enjoyed this and the previous months’ presentations. We wish our Bloomers happy planting, continued cheerful camaraderie and beautiful blooms, and remember that your Master Gardener Volunteers are here if you have any question.

Nancy Reynolds, Chair, welcomed attendees and opened the event with program details.  John Cardina, professor of Agronomy at The Ohio State University, presented An Overview of Weeds that included information found In his book Lives of Weeds.   Each participant received a copy of the book.  Dr Cardina was actually a speaker at the very first AMG-Weeds sponsored by OSUE-Wooster twenty years ago!  We were very pleased when he agreed to travel from his home In Pennsylvania to be part of this kick-off!  

To conclude our first day, we had Debra Knapke, well-known Ohio author and authority on all things horticultural.  Deb spoke on the Botany of Weeds and clearly explained a complex subject.  Deb also participated in and helped organize the AMG-Herbs specialization that DCMGA hosted last year.

Our next class will be March 9 and speakers will include focus on herbicides, organic pesticides, and organic weed control.

The AMG-Weeds program will run through November 2023.  Master Gardeners who haven’t enrolled in the program may opt to attend an individual class or a group of four classes (either April through July or May through August).  For more Information, please contact AdvancedMGWeedSpecialization@gmail.com.  

Liz led us behind the “Danger Velociraptor” sign to the potting sheds and the rooting/warming tables to see where the magic begins. Here was the birthplace of Jared’s “Canary Wings” begonia, which won the Retailer's Choice Award at the Cultivate 2018 trade show.  She led us through the rare plant greenhouse that is definitely a “no touch” zone, complete with security cameras and a $500 variegated Monstera or Swiss cheese plant.  There was a houseplant house, succulent house, tropical house, perennial house, and more that I know I am missing.  

There were bromeliads, cacti (Cereus forbesii spiralis for $100 anyone?), succulents galore, even a “bundle of sticks” plant – which truly looked like a dry bundle of sticks.  So many plants, so little time. And to make it even more of a Sisyphean task, we had to choose a planter from shelves and rows and sheds of colorful containers.

Liz gave us helpful suggestions of which plants played well together and we gathered our treasures and completed our projects in the Potting Shed. It was a fun, educational hour or two on a lazy Saturday afternoon.  

Thank you Liz for inviting us into your whimsical oasis of groovy plants. We will definitely be back! 

P.S.  For those of us old enough to remember, in 2011 Jared was the DCMGA’s 1st scholarship recipient while he was working on his Bachelor of Science degree at the OSU.  We are so very proud of all that you have done Jared and Liz!