Zanesville, OH–OSU Extension Muskingum County will offer a Master Gardener Volunteer Training Class in 2024. The basic premise of the Master Gardener Volunteer program is to provide training in horticulture to interested volunteers in exchange for 50 hours of horticulture service back to the community. Training will begin on February 15, 2024, from 1:00 to 4:30 pm with conventional classroom instruction. Program cost is $125. Applications will be available online at muskingum.osu.edu/mgv or at the Muskingum County Extension Office, 225 Underwood St, Zanesville. Applications are due Dec 15.
Plants
Applications due January 13 for Master Gardener Volunteer Training Class
Zanesville, OH–Registration is currently open for anyone interested in becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer in Muskingum County. OSU Extension Muskingum County will be conducting the training course which is offered in two formats: conventional classroom style or online web-based classroom. Participants may choose whichever format best fits their learning goals. The basic premise of the Master Gardener Volunteer program is to provide training in horticulture to interested volunteers in exchange for 50 hours of horticulture service back to the community. Training will begin on February 9, 2023, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm for conventional classroom instruction and on the same day for online classroom instruction. Program cost is $115. Applications are available online at muskingum.osu.edu/mgv or at the Muskingum County Extension Office, 225 Underwood St, Zanesville. For more information, contact Clifton Martin at martin.2422@osu.edu or 740-454-0144. The Master Gardener Volunteer program in Ohio has existed since the late 1970’s and has had a presence in Muskingum County since 1996.
Master Gardener Volunteer Training in 2023
Zanesville, OH–Registration is currently open for anyone interested in becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer in Muskingum County. OSU Extension Muskingum County will be conducting the training course which is offered in two formats: conventional classroom style or online web-based classroom. Participants may choose whichever format best fits their learning goals. The basic premise of the Master Gardener Volunteer program is to provide training in horticulture to interested volunteers in exchange for 50 hours of horticulture service back to the community. Training will begin on February 9, 2023, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm for conventional classroom instruction and on the same day for online classroom instruction. Program cost is $115. Applications are available online at muskingum.osu.edu/mgv or at the Muskingum County Extension Office, 225 Underwood St, Zanesville. For more information, contact Clifton Martin at martin.2422@osu.edu or 740-454-0144. The Master Gardener Volunteer program in Ohio has existed since the late 1970’s and has had a presence in Muskingum County since 1996.
Pruning Resources For Your Landscape
Basic Principles of Pruning Backyard Grapevines | Ohioline
Pruning Erect Blackberries in the Home Garden | Ohioline
Pruning Blueberry Bushes in the Home Garden | Ohioline
Raspberries for the Home Fruit Planting | Ohioline
Growing Apples in the Home Orchard | Ohioline
Growing Peaches and Nectarines in the Home Landscape | Ohioline
Pruning trees and shrubs | UMN Extension
Youth Education Seed Starting Kits
The Muskingum County Master Gardener Volunteer Program is offering a spring project for teachers or youth leaders with an interest in horticulture. This year (2022), teachers and youth leaders in Muskingum County may apply for a seed starting kit by completing the attached application. We expect that they will be used in conjunction with instruction about seed germination, pollination, and growing food as appropriate.
Twenty kits will be available. If more applications than that are received by the deadline of March 16, 2022, awards will be made in order of date submitted. Kits include labels, growing media, seeds, and three 24-cell self-watering seed starting tray systems. We hope these can aid in in providing an enjoyable experience for you in your classroom.
The application is available here: go.osu.edu/mgvedgrant
Home and Landscape Topics
Buckeye? Horse Chestnut? Which One is Which? | BYGL
Viburnum Leaf Beetle Activity Becoming Obvious in NW Ohio | BYGL
Plant of the Week – White Fringe Tree | BYGL
An Oak-Apple Gall Ex Expert | BYGL
Branch component identification for better pruning cuts – Purdue Landscape Report
Tick Control in the Yard and Landscape | Horticulture and Home Pest News
Late Season Forage Harvest Management
Are you making a decision about cutting alfalfa in September? Consider reviewing these pointers from Marc Sulc, OSU Extension Forage Specialist:
Complete Article: Late Season Forage Harvest Management
Fall cutting risk can be reduced but not eliminated. Nature bats last and alfalfa stand health and survival will suffer more from fall cutting when when have early freezes, open and very cold winters, early springs with ice, and/or extreme rainfall and temperature variations. If at all possible, we urge producers to observe the fall rest period for forage legumes. And if you do harvest during the fall rest period, leave some strips of uncut forage to compare to. You might learn something useful!
From: https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-28/late-season-forage-harvest-management
Controlling Non-Native Invasive Plants in Ohio Forests: Ailanthus
This is yet another activity to add to your fall management and clean up activities: work on eliminating those tree-of-heaven infestations. To understand your options, we have a great resource available here: Controlling Non-Native Invasive Plants in Ohio Forests: Ailanthus
Ailanthus (Ailanthus altissima), also known as tree-of-heaven, is a moderate sized (60 to 80 feet in height), deciduous tree first introduced into the United States from Asia in the late 1700s for use as an urban landscape tree and in strip mine reclamation in the Eastern United States. In many ways ailanthus is an ideal invasive—it grows rapidly (sprouts can attain a height of 6 to 12 feet the first year and grow 3 feet or more per year), is a prolific seeder, a persistent stump and root sprouter, and an aggressive competitor that thrives in full sunlight. It also produces an allelopathic compound that suppresses the growth of many native woody and herbaceous species. It will grow in relatively infertile, shallow soils of varying pH, and is highly tolerant of poor air quality.
Fall Weed Control
The best time of year to manage biennial and perennial weeds is in the fall. Hemp dogbane, ailanthus, poison hemlock are just the tip of the iceberg on the list of weeds effectively controlled now. If you need a refresher, or need to dive in to start learning, here are some resources to get you started in the right direction:
Plants of Concern to Livestock in Summer | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter
Biennial and Perennial Weed Control is Best in the Fall | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter
Get After the Weeds Yet This Fall | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter
Pasture and Forage Weed Control; Mow or Spray? | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter
Scout now for cressleaf groundsel in hayfields, or pay the price in May | Agronomic Crops Network
2020 Ohio Weed Control Guide (PDF)
2020 Ohio Weed Control Guide (Bound Book)
Mistaken Identity? Invasive Plants and their Native Look-a-likes.
Usefull color photos and descriptions. http://www.nybg.org/files/scientists/rnaczi/Mistaken_Identity_Final.pdf