Feb 2011
In This Issue
Super Sleuth
February Mystery Plant
SFE Awards
Upper Midwest Conference
Congratulations
2015 Calendar Submissions
International MG Conf.
Organic Gardening Offer
Upcoming Events
Quick Links
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Febuary 2014     Volume 5     No. 2
Super Sleuth

Congratulations to our Super Sleuths for January:

Rosie Surber, Poweshiek County; Carolyn Magnani, Polk County; Priscilla White, Johnson County; and Jack Robertson, Poweshiek County, who all correctly identified the January Mystery plant as Cissus discolor, Rex begonia vine, also sometimes called tapestry vine. Although the silver-splashed foliage may be reminiscent of colorful Rex begonia, this tropical vine is more closely related to grape ivy, oakleaf ivy, and kangaroo vine. Give it bright indirect light and moderately warm temperatures to provide a colorful display of foliage year round.

Denny Schrock, State Master Gardener Coordinator

 
Featured Plant
from January

Rex begonia vine
February Mystery Plant
What am I?

After a rough winter such as this one has been, everyone is ready for the first blooms of spring. This crocus-like flowering bulb will be among those harbingers of spring because it will send out lilac-pink blooms at the same time as the earliest crocuses and snowdrops. It is hardy in Zones 3-8.

Send your response including both its common and botanical names in your reply to Denny.  
Search for Excellence Awards 2014

  

The application forms for the 2014 Iowa Master Gardener Search for Excellence Awards are now available online through the Search for Excellence link on the Master Gardener website.  

Does your Master Gardener group have an outstanding project or two in one or more of the Search for Excellence categories: Youth Programs, Demonstration Gardens, Workshop or Presentation, Community Service, Innovative Project, Special Needs Audience (Senior, Disabled or Horticultural Therapy) or Research (applied scientific methodology)? If so, we'd like to hear about it, and you may get some well-deserved recognition for the project. Application deadline is March 15, 2014. Download the application form and guidelines from the website. Submit completed forms along with a confirmation letter from your local coordinator to Denny Schrock at the state Master Gardener office.

Upper Midwest MG Conference

You won't want to miss the Upper Midwest Master Gardener Conference June 25-28, 2014 in Bettendorf at the Quad-Cities Isle Center and Waterfront Convention Center. Keynote speakers Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer-Ogden, authors of Plant-Driven Design and Passionate Gardening will both be speaking at the conference. Felder Rushing, author of Garden Hearts, Bottle Trees, and Slow Gardening is another of the keynote speakers. Melinda Myers, contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and author of more than 20 garden books will be a featured speaker as will LoriAnne Barnett the USA National Phenology Network Education Coordinator. See the full listing of classes, speakers, and tours on the conference web site at http://www.aep.iastate.edu/iowamg2014/. The registration form will soon be available there, too. Early registration deadline is April 30, after which the conference fee will increase by $50. 

 

Call 1-800-theisle (1-800-843-4753) and provide the group code WMG0618 for reservations or reserve your room at the Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf through the conference room reservation site (http://bettendorf.isleofcapricasinos.com/WMG0618.aspx) to receive the discounted conference room rates. The block of rooms will be held until June 1. 

You can also Like the Facebook page for the conference to follow developments.

Congratulations!

Thank you for completing your volunteer service hours records for 2013. I'm happy to report that the total numbers for the year came in at more than 105,000 volunteer hours from nearly 2400 active Master Gardeners in 90 counties. That's an increase of approximately 4.5% over 2012 and the equivalent of 50.6 full-time positions, which are valued at $2.3 million to the state of Iowa. Congratulations on a job well done! HGLS

2015 Garden Whimsy Calendar Submissions

Are you a photography buff? Each year the Iowa State University Extension & Outreach Calendar is based on a theme. For 2015 the theme will be garden whimsy. Think about seasonal decorations in the garden as well as garden art with a whimsical touch. The marching band pictured above is at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Museum in Grand Rapids, MI. Minimum quality standards for the photos are 300 dpi at 8� x 11 inches in landscape orientation. Images may be jpg or tiff format. Deadline for submission of images is March 1, 2014. That gives you plenty of time to find your fabulously fun garden art and decorative photos.

 

Please email your entries to either Denny or Cindy or mail a DVD or jump drive containing the high-res images to us at 106 Horticulture Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.  Photographers will be credited in the calendar, but there is no monetary compensation for selected images.

Volunteers Needed for International MG Conference

From September 22-25, 2015 Iowa and Nebraska will co-host the International Master Gardener Conference.

We're looking for volunteers to serve on numerous committees, including Decorations, Entertainment, Evaluation, Finance, Food, Goody Bags, Hospitality, Registration, Silent Auction, Speakers, Conference Tours, Post-Conference Tours, Trade Show, Volunteer Coordination, and
Communications. If you'd like more information about one of these committees, or would like to volunteer to be a part of the committee, please contact Denny. The official sign-up list will be available soon. Watch for updates on the conference website, and sign up to "Like" the conference on Facebook.

 

 

Organic Gardening Offer for Master Gardeners

The editor-in-chief and publisher of Organic Gardening magazine are extending a special offer to Iowa Master Gardeners. Order now and get 3 issues of Organic Gardening for $3. Visit

www.OrganicGardening.com/mastergardener to take advantage of this offer.
 
Upcoming Events
What: Henry County Master Gardener Spring Symposium

When: Saturday, March 1, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Where: First United Methodist Church, Mt. Pleasant

Who: Henry County Master Gardeners 

Price: $30; 319-385-8126

 

What: 36th Annual Garden Seminar

When: Saturday, March 1, 9:00 am - noon

Where: BioScience Building, Iowa Central Community College, Ft. Dodge

Who:  Bill Boon, ISU Prof. Emerit., Landscape Architecture

Price: Free and open to the public

 

What: Dubuque County Master Gardener Spring Seminar

When: Saturday, March 1

Where: Dubuque

Who: Dubuque County Master Gardeners 

Price: $20 in advance; $25 at the door; 563-583-6496

 

What: Learn on Saturdays - Tree & Garden Diseases to Watch for in  2014; The Good, the Bad & the Buggly

When: Saturday, March 1, 10:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m.

Where: Des Moines Botanical Garden

Who: Mark Gleason; Donald Lewis

Price: $5-10; dmbotanicalgarden.com

 

What: Mondays in March - Wanted: Shady Characters

When: Monday, March 3, 7:00 p.m.

Where: Our Savior Lutheran Church, 116 Guetzko Ct., Manchester

Who: Josh Spece

Price: $2; Delaware County Master Gardeners

 

What: Pruning 101

When: Saturday, March 8, 9:00 a.m.

Where: Brenton Arboretum, Dallas Center

Who: Andy Schmitz

Price: $5 (members free); thebrentonarboretum.org

 

What: Learn on Saturdays - Benefits of Composting; The Botany of Beer

When: Saturday, March 8, 10:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m.

Where: Des Moines Botanical Garden

Who: Mosa Shayan; Robert Wallace

Price: $5-10; dmbotanicalgarden.com

 

What: Top 10 Trees & Shrubs; Water-wise Gardening

When: Saturday, March 8, 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Where: Iowa Arboretum

Who: Joe McNally

Price: $10 members; $15 non-members

 

What: Mondays in March - Know Your Plants From the Ground Up

When: Monday, March 10, 7:00 p.m.

Where: Our Savior Lutheran Church, 116 Guetzko Ct., Manchester

Who: Keith Kovaric

Price: $2; Delaware County Master Gardeners

 

What: Sentinel Plant Network First Detector Training

When: Tuesday, March 11, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Where: Reiman Gardens

Who: Reiman Gardens Staff

Price: Free

 

What: Pruning Workshop

When: Thursday, March 13, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Where: Reiman Gardens

Who: Sarah Rummery

Price: $12 members; $15 nonmembers

 

What: Learn on Saturdays - Grow Wild: Plants for Wildlife; Rain Gardens

When: Saturday, March 15, 10:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m.

Where: Des Moines Botanical Garden

Who: James Baggett; Inger Lamb

Price: $5-10; dmbotanicalgarden.com

 

What: Art of Gardening

When: Saturday, March 15, 8:00 a.m.

Where: Muscatine Community College

Who: Cindy Kress

Price: $40 - deadline March 7; 1-800-351-4669

 

What: Mondays in March - Herbs in the Garden Plot & Cooking Pot

When: Monday, March 17, 7:00 p.m.

Where: Our Savior Lutheran Church, 116 Guetzko Ct., Manchester

Who: Sara Selchert, Betty Kruse

Price: $2; Delaware County Master Gardeners

 

What: Learn on Saturdays - Crazy About Conifers; Conifer Companions

When: Saturday, March 22, 10:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m.

Where: Des Moines Botanical Garden

Who: Paula Flynn; Gary Whittenbaugh

Price: $5-10; dmbotanicalgarden.com

 

What: Atlantic Spring Gardening Seminar

When: Saturday, March 22

Where: Atlantic High School

Who: Cass County Master Gardeners

Price: www.extension.iastate.edu/cass 

 

What: Mondays in March - Fairy Gardens with a Tinkerbell Touch

When: Monday, March 24, 7:00 p.m.

Where: Our Savior Lutheran Church, 116 Guetzko Ct., Manchester

Who: Heidi Tietz

Price: $2; Delaware County Master Gardeners

 

What: Learn on Saturdays - The Future of Education Programming; The Botanical Garden in 2014 and Beyond

When: Saturday, March 29, 10:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m.

Where: Des Moines Botanical Garden

Who: Whitney Bouma; Stephanie Jutila

Price: $5-10; dmbotanicalgarden.com

 

What: Siouxland Garden Show

When: Fri., Sat., Sun., March 27-29

Where: Sioux City Convention Center

Who: Woodbury County Master Gardeners

Price: Free; (712) 276-2157

 

What: Spring Gardening Conference

When: Saturday, March 29, 8:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m. 

Where: The Center, 714 S. Main, Council Bluffs

Who: West Pottawattamie County Master Gardeners

Price: $30 - by March 21, $40 thereafter; (712) 366-7070

 

What: Iowa Local Foods Conference

When: Tuesday, April 8, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Where: Quality Inn, Ames

Who: Iowa Food Systems Council

Price: $50 - by March 28, $65 thereafter; www.leopold.iastate.edu/2014-iowa-local-food-conference

 

What: Mondays in March - What's Up with Ash Trees & the Emerald Ash Borer?

When: Monday, March 31, 7:00 p.m.

Where: Our Savior Lutheran Church, 116 Guetzko Ct., Manchester

Who: Todd Fagan, Mark Shour, Doug Foley, Larry Schmidt

Price: Free; Delaware County Master Gardeners

 

What: Federated Garden Clubs Garden Study Course

When: Thurs.-Fri., April 3-4

Where: Iowa Arboretum

Who: Federated Garden Clubs

Price: $40-45 by March 31; call 515-232-0608

 

What: Spring Fever Symposium - Petite Gems for Your Iowa Garden; Nature Rocks!

When: Saturday, April 5, 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Where: Iowa Arboretum

Who: Panayoti Kelaidis, Denver Botanic Garden

Price: reduced rates until March 22; (515) 795-3216

 

What: 8th Annual Garden Extravaganza

When: Saturday, April 12, 2014, 9:00 AM-2:00 PM

Where: Expo Center in Pocahontas

Who: Educational presentations 9:15: Bees and 10:30: Vegetable Gardening

Price: $3; xpocahontas@iastate.edu 

 

Do you have other educational opportunities coming up? Email Cindy or Denny with details. Thanks. 
Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University
Header image credit: Dr. Cynthia Haynes, Department of Horticulture, ISU
Other
plant images credit: Dr. Denny Schrock, Department of Horticulture, ISU