This page is arranged by county or MG chapter to make it easier for you to see what’s been goin’ on in your community.

Chapters are encouraged to post their own news or email to your faithful webmaster (photos can be emailed, too. Please ID chapter, event, dates and people.) for posting. If you don’t blow your own horn, ain’t nobody else gonna!

Entries below are copyright their respective authors.

2013 – 2013 – 2013

GMGA 2013 Annual Conference photos (Thank you Charlie Miller, GMGA Photographer Extraordinaire!) right here

SOWEGA MG’s (SouthWest Georgia MG chapter includes Clay, Randolph, Terrell, Dougherty, Mitchell, Baker, Lee and Schley Co.’s)

A series written by SOWEGA MG’s is being published by the Albany Herald. (Photos used with their kind permission.)

Linda Harris has the gardening feature for April. See her tips for container gardening in the Southview section of today’s paper.  Read all about it here.

Phyl Strawbridge, immediate past president of the SOWEGA MG Chapter, writes about hummers for the March installment. Read her column right here.

Jere Brands is the writer of the February column, available here for you reading pleasure.

Ron Wolfe wrote about camellias in January, 2013. Read it here. (Ron was DD foe SW1 for 8 years! Thanks, Ron.)

2012-2012-2012

Central Fulton MG’s

Central Fulton MG’s are committed to helping Atlanta Habitat for Humanity. In the next three months,  they will be working at ten houses – including their 100th!

MG Rich Sussman handles the scheduling and sponsors include All Saints Catholic Church,  The Home Depot Foundation, Independent High Schools – The Lovett School / Marist School / Pace Academy / Westminster Schools / Woodward Academy, NW Interfaith Build – St. Anne’s Episcopal Church / Wieuca Road Baptist Church / North Springs UMC / Northside Drive Baptist Church / Trinity Presbyterian Church / All Saints Church / First Congregational UCC / Greater Springfield Baptist Church, Agakhan Council of the SE USA / Central Presbyterian Church / David Gambrell / Endowment Fund / Episcopal Church of the Epiphany / Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta / Hindu Temple of Atlanta/ Oakhurst Baptist Church / Shrine of the Immaculate Conception / St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church / Temple Sinai, Post HOPE Foundation, Inc.  / INVISTA / Woodcock Washburn / University of Georgia – Terry College of Business Professional MBA Programs / Citi Financial  / PowerPlan, Inc. / spinifexIT, Atlanta Board of Realtors, Wells Fargo Housing Foundation, Bank of America and more.
posted 13 Oct. 2012, TC

Cobb Co.

We have received a GMGA Grant for signage. The MGVOCC Plant A Row project is a stakeholder , along with Kennesaw State University, and Historic Kennesaw Community Garden, of Fountain Gate Gardens. Fountain Gate Gardens is being developed by Fountain Gate Counseling Services on a 3 acre piece of land near downtown Kennesaw, GA.  Photos copyright Ken Johnson. More pics right here.

Harris County – Oakhurst Farm Education Center

Harris Co. MG’s recently completed a GMGA Grant. Read all about it here.

Hart Co. – Hart County Botanical Garden – Georgia Gold Medal Plants Signage

Since 2009, the Hart County MG’s have worked on the Sun Perennial Garden at the Hart County Botanical Garden. This year’s grant was for complete signage to identify Georgia Gold Medal Plants and to expand the educational material within the garden. The full report is right here. For more info on the GGMP program, please visit their site here.

McIntosh Trail MG’s (McIntosh Trail MG chapter includes Butts, Lamar, Monroe, Pike, Spalding and Upson Co.’s)

McIntosh Trail Master Gardeners is composed of about 20 members who each live in one of these 6 counties:  Butts, Lamar, Monroe, Pike, Spalding and Upson.

While our number is small, we make up for that in enthusiasm shown in our projects. Each year to celebrate Arbor Day in February, we plant a tree in a public location in one of our counties. The location rotates each year, and our members select the location, purchase the tree and arrange for the planting. We have a ceremony at the time of planting and request coverage from the local news media.

Our other project involves Mother’s Day in May. Some of our members make contact with an elementary school teacher in their county (usually a second grade class), and we help the class members plant a flower to take home for Mother’s Day. The members take all the supplies needed for this project, and we have a discussion about how plants grow. The Mother’s Day project coincides with lessons the children have been learning about growing plants so they are very knowledgeable about how the process works.

Submitted by Carol Gillespie.

SOWEGA MG’s (SouthWest Georgia MG chapter includes Clay, Randolph, Terrell, Dougherty, Mitchell, Baker, Lee and Schley Co.’s)

The SOWEGA MG’s have close ties with Radium Springs Gardens, one of Georgia’s 7 Wonders. Working with Dougherty County and Albany Technical College and assisted by a GMGA grant, a Pollinators Garden at Radium Springs was recently dedicated. The Albany Herald covered the dedication here; WALB has an article about it here; WFXL has posted a youtube vid here and another with more info about pollinators here. And it even made the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources Georgia Wild October 31 newsletter, which you can read online here.
UPDATE March, 2013 – the Radium Springs Gardens – Monarch Butterfly Pollinator Garden in Albany, GA has been chosen as the Outstanding Pollinator Habitat of the Year 2012 and will be recognized at this year’s EEA Conference Awards Luncheon. The Annual EEA Conference is being held at The Classic Center in Athens, GA on Friday and Saturday, March 22-23, 2013. Registration and details about the conference are available at this link https://eeag.memberclicks.net/annual-conference. The Awards Luncheon is scheduled at noon on Saturday, March 23, 2013.

SOWEGA MG’s (SouthWest Georgia MG chapter includes Clay, Randolph, Terrell, Dougherty, Mitchell, Baker, Lee and Schley Co.’s)

A series written by SOWEGA MG’s is being published by the Albany Herald.

Nealy Stapleton offered some suggestions for December to-do’s. Get some ideas here

Joe W. Clift wrote one May 30th 2011 and you can read the online version here.

Norris Wootton wrote the next in the series and you can read the online version of  June 30th ‘s article right here.

Shirley Tyner’s article is hot off the press July 28th. Read it here.

Suzanna Macintosh on Butterfly Gardening 2 Sept. Read the article here.

Kay Snipes wrote about Fall gardening for October and her article is here.

Purviben K. Trived-Ziemba writes about Fall being the ideal prep time for a Spring garden in the October installment here.

(photos by Joe Bellacomo and used with the gracious permission of The Albany Herald)

SOWEGA MG’s (SouthWest Georgia MG chapter includes Clay, Randolph, Terrell, Dougherty, Mitchell, Baker, Lee and Schley Co.’s)

SOWEGA MG’s also put out a terrific and  informative newsletter, edited by Suzanna Mcintosh.

Read the October-November, 2012 issue here

SOWEGA MG’s (SouthWest Georgia MG chapter includes Clay, Randolph, Terrell, Dougherty, Mitchell, Baker, Lee and Schley Co.’s)

SPRING, 2012 – Away We Grow!, Georgia Master Gardener Day at Albany Mall, offered educational displays and activities for young and old. For the second year, SOWEGA Master Gardeners set up right in the very busy mall aisle attracting many dozens of visitors. There were tables for butterfly gardening, bonsai, plant education, squash planting and honeybees. Daylilies, tomatoes and eggplants were offered for sale and the daylilies sold out early.

Children enjoyed planting their own squash seeds in a take-home cup. The Master Gardeners provided a care instructions handout to go with the cups of soil and seeds.

For the second time, the Master Gardeners were joined by the SOWEGA Beekeepers Club. This year they brought a demonstration hive of live bees which attracted lots of attention.

Working in an eight county area in Southwest Georgia, Master Gardener Extension Volunteers donated seven hundred fifteen hours in public education, community garden work and help to Cooperative Extension.

Photos are here.
Submitted by Norris Wootton

Valley MG’s (Columbus Co.)

The Valley MG’s put out a terrific newsletter, edited by Gayle Dean, that is full of gardening info that will be valuable to all as well as news of Chapter projects.

Valley MG’s September, 2012 newsletter is here

The July, 2012 issue from Valley MG’s  is right here

Who knew there was such a creature as a Gopher Tortoise? Read about ‘em in the Spring 2012 issue right here.

Read the Winter issue here.

2011-2011-2011

Coweta County M G’s  -

Bonsai at the Backyard Association

FALL, 2011- Bonsai enthusiast Marianne Thomasson talked about miniature trees at the Backyard Association’s meeting Tuesday, August 9 at the Coweta County Fairgrounds. “While a tiny tree might look 100 years old, it’s probably not,” Thomasson said. “There are things to do to create the illusion of age.” These techniques were demonstrated and specimens were available for attendees to inspect.

“There are ‘rules’ in creating bonsai, but it’s okay to break them as long as you know them. It is rare that a tree adheres to all of the rules.” She said, “For example, one rule is that the top of the front of the tree should ‘bow’ to the viewer. That’s because the artist bows to the tree as it is being worked on.” Bonsai trees are about 95 percent horticulture and 5 percent art, she added.

The Backyard Association is an educational program sponsored by the Coweta County Extension Master Gardeners. The presentations are free to the public and are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Coweta County Fairgrounds’ Exhibit Building
located at 275 Pine Road, Newnan. Please call the Extension Office at (770) 254-2620 for reservations and to register for door prizes.
Submitted by Lana Jones, UGA Cooperative Extension

Fulton County MG’s -

Alpharetta Community Gardens at Wills Park

FALL, 2011 – This season has been a challenge with the heat of the summer bringing the gardeners out daily to water and harvest the yummy vegetables they have grown. The compost bins that NFMG contributed to with a grant two years ago are producing usable compost daily and the gardeners take an active role in turning, watering, and adding to the bins to create crumbly black compost that they add to their garden plots. Along the perimeter of the gardens are community areas planted with potatoes, corn, sunflowers, raspberries and blueberries. The herb garden is flourishing, and the pollinator plants are bringing the beneficial insects in droves. The birds
play among the beds, creating a lively ecosystem.

The gardeners generously donate vegetables to North Fulton Community Charities, and at any time the donation bin is filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and more. There is now a Facebook page for the Gardens where participants share their questions on fertilizing; how to distract critters; identifying insect or disease damage; and when someone needs help with harvesting or watering, they are able to contact a fellow gardener.

As the summer harvest comes to an end, folks are busy planning their fall gardens with dreams of cooler days. There was a Fall Gardening class on August 13 and a Composting class is scheduled for October 8. This group of dedicated Gardeners is a tribute to the Community Garden concept, and they have created a wonderful example of how to make it happen! If you have any questions or would like more information about these Gardens: contact Jan Waters, NFMG: janwaters@bellsouth.net  Link to pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/JMW2125/AlpharettaCommunityGardens2011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKKMo8KBtKWtzQE&feat=directlink

Northeast Georgia MG’s

Barrow-Jackson-Walton -

Plant-a-Row Garden at the William Harris Homestead

FALL, 2011 – We are the The Three County Master Gardeners (Barrow-Jackson-Walton) and we’ve had a long, hot summer, but a very fruitful one.  From having classes for the Boys and Girls Club in
Social Circle to helping fund a student field trip to the William Harris Homestead, where incidentally they had a plant-a-row for the hungry.   “Every garden has an extra row” is the concept behind “Plant-A-Row,” a worldwide program to help feed the hungry.  According to Three County Master Gardener Ed Novak, local coordinator for the “Plant-A-Row” effort this year, the idea that “you can keep one row to give,” has blossomed locally into a 10-row plot
of 70-foot rows full of delicious, soon-to-be-donated veggies at The William Harris Homestead.

Winder Master Gardener John Gladney, also a Three County Master Gardener, started the local effort five years ago on a much smaller plot off Double Bridges Road. The idea is to plant a garden, schedule Master Gardeners to tend it through the growing season, and as the vegetables ripen, give them to local shelters and food pantries.

“We donated over 10,000 pounds of food over three years, from our first “Plant-A-Row” garden,” Gladney said.  When Dottie Zazworsky, one of William Harris’ great granddaughters and a curator of the Harris Homestead, contacted the Master Gardeners about possibly moving their “Plant-A-Row” garden to the homestead, Novak said the group was excited. “We had no idea she was going to give us a whole field,” he said. “We all laughed when she asked us if it was big enough. It’s the biggest garden we’ve ever had.”

Homeport Farm Mart, in Winder, donated the seeds and fertilizer. “Very generously donated!” Novak adds, and the William Harris Estate bought the tomato and pepper plants.

Novak and Gladney harvested the first tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers and yellow squash from the garden on June 18 and, they agreed, the fruit of their “Plant-A-Row” garden will only become more bountiful as the long summer days unfold. To date we have harvested and donated over 700 pounds to the needy.
Submitted by Lorin Sinn-Clark, Barrow County Journal

Northeast Georgia MG’s:

Nannie’s Children’s Garden: Growing for the Community, Braselton, Georgia

FALL, 2011 – The new Nannie’s Children’s Garden in the heart of Braselton, Georgia, had a successful first season of growing vegetables for the local community as the Braselton Junior Master Gardener class planted and harvested a variety of vegetables within the foundation of the hundred year-old mule barn located there.

A project of the Hall County Master Gardeners and Keep Jackson County Beautiful, with active support of the nearby Braselton West Jackson Library, this was the first year that a garden had been planted there. The JMG group began last March, and continued classes and gardening through mid-July. As the vegetables were ready for harvest, the students, ranging in age from 8 to 13, would display and sell the vegetables on the front porch of the library every Monday and Friday. The students raised several hundred dollars for their efforts.
These funds will be used to expand the gardens beyond the foundation walls with perennial beds, trees, shrubs, and pathways.   Grants to support the garden have been received
from the Georgia Master Gardener Association, the Hall County Master Gardeners, and the Keep America Beautiful foundation, as well as from several private citizens.

Several adult volunteers have assisted in maintaining the garden and/or conducting the JMG
classes. A new class will begin this fall, beginning in September. A Youtube video of the JMG activities is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=4evL2WBSAfI.

The garden is named in honor of the late Ottis Blanche McDonald Braselton.

Submitted by Dave Rusk, Hall County Master Gardeners

Northeast Georgia Master Gardeners And More!

Barrow-Jackson-Walton Counties

FALL, 2011 – The Master Gardeners were instrumental in organizing a community garden for the Barrow County housing Authority.

In Jackson County, the Master Gardeners took on a project for the West Jackson Primary School to do some preliminary planning to remake and transform a school courtyard into a garden and play area for the children.
Submitted by Ed Novak, Three County Master Gardeners