COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL May 11, 2016
Got a gardening
problem? Call an OSU
master gardener
B OND BACKERS BASK AT B OHEMIA
BY KYM POKORNY
OSU Extension Service
W
Rally for Harrison bond draws a crowd
photo by Jon Stinnett
Supporters of Bond Measure 20-240, which seeks to replace Harrison Elementary
School in Cottage Grove and make security and technology upgrades throughout
South Lane School District, gathered under sunny skies at Bohemia Park Satur-
day afternoon. The event featured games for kids, free hot dogs and hamburgers
provided by Keller Williams Realty and root beer fl oats provided by State Farm.
Speakers included Superintendent Krista Parent and teacher Debbie Taie, who
encouraged those in attendance to vote in favor of the bond and let others know
they had done so. Pictured above are SLSD Communications Coordinator Gar-
rett Bridgens, Parent, Harrison Principal Ali Nice and School Board Chair Tammy
Hodgkinson serving lunch. The deadline for voting in Oregon's primary is Tuesday,
May 17 at 8 p.m.
hen you’ve got a
gardening
ques-
tion, try tapping out a local
phone number for a cus-
tomized answer instead of
delving into the impersonal
Internet.
The one-to-one contact
could mean the difference
between success and fail-
ure.
At the other end of the
phone line in 28 counties
sit Oregon State University
Extension Service Master
Gardeners poised to solve
your gardening problems
– or help keep them from
happening in the fi rst place.
More than 3,000 volun-
teers have graduated from 66
hours of intensive training in
topics from insect identifi cation
to vegetable gardening. They
pick up phones prepared to lis-
ten, investigate and furnish in-
formation that’s been scientifi -
cally vetted, according to Gail
Langellotto, statewide master
gardener coordinator.
“Our tagline is ‘reliable,
reachable, relevant,’” she said.
“We get to know your garden-
ing situation and provide cus-
tomized advice based on your
location, your preferences and
your goals.”
Going to the Internet to iden-
tify a plant or insect can be
problematic, Langellotto noted.
A gardener may notice an in-
sect that’s red and black, search
those parameters and come up
with a different insect.
“You may not be able to dis-
tinguish differences in the shape
of the wing or type of antenna,”
she said. “If the insect is mis-
identifi ed, it could lead to ap-
plying a pesticide on something
that’s not a pest. Or you may
kill something benefi cial for the
garden. You need the correct ID
to solve your problem.”
Wading through plant descrip-
tions online can be onerous,
too, said Brooke Edmunds, an
Extension horticulturist. Web-
sites sometimes contradict each
other, and some offer only the
most basic or vague informa-
tion. Growing a plant correctly
depends on knowing its needs.
Does it do best in sun or shade,
moist soil or dry? How much
fertilizer does it need? How and
when should you prune it? Will
it grow too big for the planned
space or send out roots to dis-
turb the sidewalk? What about
cold and heat hardiness? There
are so many questions.
By calling Extension master
gardeners and horticulturists
like Edmunds, you’ll get per-
sonalized information based on
your particular problems and
needs, all answered with a one-
on-one phone call instead of
time-consuming visits to mul-
tiple websites.
“In my mind, that’s a really
important place master garden-
ers come into play,” she said.
“They stop and really fi gure out
the situation.”
Edmunds pointed out that the
research-based information is
appropriate for all gardeners’
viewpoints, whether they want
to follow organic tenants, prefer
to use synthetic products
or fall somewhere in be-
tween.
“All options are pre-
sented,” she said. “We’re
showing everything that
works. People can choose
what fi ts best into how
they like to garden.”
That those options are
based on science means
you’ll get data specifi c to
Oregon, Edmunds stressed.
The problems that arise
and plants that grow here
can differ widely from
other states, even from one
part of the state to another.
Local master gardeners are
familiar with regional gar-
dening, answer thousands
of questions each year and
quickly get timely, accu-
rate answers to your questions.
“A lot of times people call
wanting verifi cation of some-
thing they’ve looked up on the
Internet,” Langellotto said. “We
use that as a jumping off point
for a conversation. We make
sure a person knows the ques-
tions to ask to get the answers
they need.”
Master gardeners also work
directly with the public at farm-
er’s markets, plant sales, garden
shows, county fairs, demonstra-
tion gardens, schools and cor-
rectional facilities. Most coun-
ties offer a seasonal slate of
classes, too.
“There’s nothing like a hands-
on class,” Edmunds said. “Say
you’re new to composting. You
can read a lot about it and fi nd a
lot of advice online, but it’s dif-
ferent than going to a class and
seeing what ‘wet but not drip-
ping’ compost looks like and
feels like and take that informa-
tion away.”
Check with your county Ex-
tension offi ce or call your lo-
cal Master Gardener hotline for
information on classes in your
area.
From Baby to Graduate
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