Pike County Cooperative Extension - 2002 Annual Report Home and Consumer Horticulture

Master Gardener Program

To become a Pike County Master Gardener, participants receive 30 + hours of intensive training in horticulture in return for which they provide a minimum of 50 hours of volunteer service in their first year, followed by 8 additional hours of training and 20 hours of volunteer service in subsequent years.

Activity by 14 Pike County MGs represented several special achievements by providing over 705 hours of volunteer service and making 345 contacts. Jack DeGeus, Edward Haines, Elaine Haines, Carole Linkiewicz and Carol Padalino each contributed over 100 hours of volunteer service for the year. Awards this year for total time in service will include: 300 hour award – Carol Padalino; 100 hour award –Beverly Bensley, Edward Haines, Elaine Haines, Carole Linkiewicz; 50 hour award – Marguerite Rickett.

Backyard compost workshops, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) were conducted in Fall 2001 and Fall 2002 and each participant received a free compost bin for attending. Master Gardeners Jack DeGeus, Elaine Haines and Carole Linkiewicz coordinated and conducted 5 (2001) and 6 (2002) programs to distribute an additional 257 (2001) and 150 (2002) compost bins at the end of the 2001-02 and beginning of the 2002-03 program years. This program was awarded the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence in the education and outreach category.

The Gardener Select trial garden continued at Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) and was managed by MG’s Carol Padalino and Joan Schlegel. Plants were available for review 24 hours a day throughout the summer and early fall. Evaluations were conducted and will be forwarded to the PSU for statewide plant performance analysis and will also be reported in the Pocono Commercial Horticulture Newsletter. Elaine Haines, Edward Haines and Carole Linkiewicz assisted with the trial garden. Four trial garden seminars/presentations were provided to groups visiting PEEC.

Pike County Master Gardeners also…

Provided a Garden Answer Service by conveying on-site garden advice by phone or by personal contact at the Pike County Extension Office.

Participated in the Pocono Great Plant Fair, which is a multi-county initiative and joint effort between the Pocono MGs and 4-H. This program provides intergenerational gardening activities and information in a day-long program for adults and children.

Took part in PEEC Earth Day Program and included garden programs and information on composting, butterfly gardens, trial gardens and deer-resistant plants.

Helped design, promote, market and sell the 2003 Pocono Master Gardener Calendar of Gardening to retail garden centers, non-profit organizations and the general public.

Provided seven consumer garden programs that included: a soils program, gardening with native plants, gardening with children, drought resistant plants, gardening basics (2) and deer resistant plants.

Development of a native plant landscape/garden for Lacawac Learning Sanctuary.

Assisted with renovating the gardens and landscape for Grey Towers, National Historic Landmark.

Provided school garden planning assistance for the Dingman Delaware Elementary School.

Commercial Horticulture Programs

Four commercial horticulture seminars and workshops were held. They included the Northeast Region Landscape Seminar I -Establishing & Improving Plant Culture for Professionals in Horticulture; the NE Region Landscape Seminar II – Professionalism in Horticulture; the NE Region Grounds, Landscape & Athletic Field Maintenance Workshop & Seminar; and the NE Region Plant Identification Workshop. Overall these programs trained 211 participants, 148 of whom completed evaluations noting that they have increased their knowledge and skills related to profitably and sustainably operating their agricultural businesses.

In addition, a quarterly 8-page newsletter was written and distributed to commercial businesses and horticulture organizations in the area. Circulation reaches over 500 businesses and touches on topics of New Plants to Sell and Use; About Basics – Soils, Fertilizers and Water; Pesticide Applicator Information; IPM – Integrated Pest Management; Better Culture, Better Plants; Business Management & Market Overview; Community Beautification; Community Issues; and Information Available.