No matter the weather--humidity, high temperatures, or rain--our dedicated Master Gardeners continue  maintaining their project sites. Take a look at their work.

​County 76 Advanced Master Gardener Training
Water and Plants
Advanced Training Program is Sponsored by County 76
Class is Hosted by Craighead County MG Program

Date/Time: September 29, 2018 
Location: Bono Church of Christ, 101 Craftsbury, Bono, AR
Class Limit: 70
Deadline: September 15, 2018. No refunds will be given after this date. Registration may be 
transferred to another MG but that person must submit a separate registration form and 
you must notify us.
Cost: $65.00 includes training materials & lunch

Purpose of Class: To address some of the common problems associated with water in the garden with solutions available to overcome them, as well as the introduction, propagation and care of underutilized plant materials to use with water issues.

Agenda

Mail Registration to: Craighead County Extension Office
                                     Advanced MG Training Registrar
                                     Address: 611 E. Washington St.
                                     Jonesboro, AR 72401


For more information contact: Mimi Cox at 870-219-0898 or [email protected]
________________________________________________________________________________
Reminders:
1.       Advanced Master Gardener classes are offered to Master Gardeners who have been in good standing in their county program for at least three (3) years (Since 2015).
2.       Participants must attend the entire class and personally receive their certificate of completion at the end of the session to receive advanced training credit.
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Other documents
1.       Registration form
2.       Agenda
3.       Speakers & Session Summaries
4.       Hotel List, Plant sources and Area Attractions
5.       Invitation to the Friday night event, "Picnic and Petals"


Go to the MG only portion of our website that is password protected to view the registration form,  lodging, area information, speaker bios and Friday night event "Petals in the Park".  

For more information contact: 
Mimi Cox at 870-219-0898 or [email protected]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Arkansas Master Gardener Program
www.uaex.edu

​Carzalia Sweet Cobbler 

Ingredients:
1 cup sliced Carzalia Sweet Onions
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
                                                                     1 tsp ground cinnamon
                                                                     4 cups fresh sliced peaches
                                                                     2 unbaked pie crusts

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, saute onion, butter, and cinnamon until onion is tender. Add peaches and sugar to saucepan. Cook until peaches are soft. Line cobbler dish with pie crust. Pour filling into unbaked crust. Cut top crust into strips, then lay them in lattice or criss-cross across top of filling. Bake in pre-heated oven at 425 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.

From: Carzalia Valley Produce (www.carzaliavalley.com).

HATCHERY OUTDOOR ADVENTURE Volunteers

We still need help with the 2018 Hatchery Outdoor Adventure Day which will be held on Saturday, 09/08/18, from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm.  The planned project this year is called Garden in a Glove.  The kids will be placing flower and/or vegetable seeds and cotton balls into the fingers of clear vinyl gloves,  marking the fingers with seed type, tying them closed, and placing them in a warm sunny location at their home.  The seeds germinate in the glove, and when needed are moved from the glove into pots or outdoor locations. . 
 
We have some great volunteers already signed up, but we still need help and are looking for additional volunteers to help with this.  You can either work all day, in the morning shift from 8:00 to 11:30, or in the afternoon portion from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm.  Lunch is provided by Friends of the Hatchery group, and we will have lots of water and refreshments available.  Once again we are anticipating between 400 to 500 kids attending our booth. 
 
We appreciate any and all help.  If you have already let me know by email, or by signing the signup sheets that you're helping then there is no need to reply again.  But if you haven't and now want to help then please contact Darrell Stewart.

​BAXTER COUNTY FAIR HORTICULTURAL EXHIBIT Volunteers

Baxter County Master Gardeners manage the exhibit listings for the horticulture section of the Baxter County Fair Book. We oversee the horticulture room, including the Junior and Senior Horticulture Exhibits at the Baxter County Fair. Coordinators recruit and train other Master Gardeners to register exhibits and to staff the horticulture room at fair time. An exhibit grooming table is also available to exhibitors, staffed by Master Gardeners during the fair registration hours to assist with final entry preparations.  Contact Rick Gatewood if you are interested in helping September 11th-15th.

SPRING SEMINAR Chairperson
We need a chairperson for our annual Spring Seminar. Jane Druff, who has chaired this event for the last two years, has a great committee, many of whom will continue to work on this event.  Jane will also lend guidance and ideas to help the new chair.  The church has already been reserved for March 9, 2019, but it will soon be time to start planning.  Either Jane or myself would be happy to sit down with you and answer any questions or concerns you may have about taking over this job.  And I can promise the Board supports this event and the chair.

So, if you think you 'might' be willing to become Seminar Chair, please get in touch with Ceil Gasiecki; and we'll make sure we deal with any concerns.  Many thanks for all your help and support.

​Whether you’re planning a festive summer party or just looking to get creative on cocktail night, floral ice cubes are sure to impress your guests. Putting flowers in ice is not only easy but is a lovely detail that will make your party goers take notice. Read on to learn more about using flower ice cubes.

What are Floral Ice Cubes?

As the name suggests, floral ice cubes are made by freezing various types of edible flowers inside the cubes. This results in a stunning and colorful addition to drinks. Ice cube flowers can also add visual interest to ice buckets.

What flowers can I use, you ask? The most important aspect of making these gorgeous ice cubes is to harvest only flowers which are edible.  Flowers like pansies, nasturtiums, and rose petals are all excellent options. Be sure to research the type of flower you plan to use ahead of time, as many types of flowers are toxic. Safety first!

Tasting the edible flowers before use is a great way to determine which types work best. Some edible flowers have a very mild taste, while others may have very distinct flavors.

How to Make Floral Ice Cubes

Freezing flowers in ice is extremely easy, and it only requires a few items. For best results, consider using a large, flexible silicone ice tray. Larger trays will not only make it easier to remove the cubes after being frozen but will also enable you to add larger flowers.

Always use edible flowers which have been specifically grown for consumption. Avoid picking flowers that have been exposed to chemicals. Choose flowers at their peak bloom. Avoid any that are wilting or show signs of insect damage. Additionally, be sure to gently rinse the flowers before use to remove any dirt or debris.

Fill ice trays half full with water (Hint: Ice often becomes somewhat cloudy as it freezes. For extra clear cubes, try using water that has been boiled (and then let cool) to fill the trays.). Place flowers into tray face down, and then freeze.
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After the cubes have frozen, add additional water to fill the tray. Freeze, again. By freezing the cubes in layers, you ensure that the flower remains in the center of the cube and does not float to the top.
Remove from trays and enjoy!

Article from Gardening Know How: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/fgen/making-flower-petal-ice-cubes.htm (Accessed 8/22/2018).

The following is a garden checklist for September:
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• Horticulture entries are sought for the Baxter County Fair (September 11-15). Entries range from all types of vegetables, fruits, flowers, plants, and field crops. The Baxter County Fair is held in Mountain Home with entries accepted Tuesday, September 11 from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. You can go to www.baxtercountyfair.org for complete details.
• Applications are being taken for the upcoming Master Gardener training to be held on October 17, 24, 31, November 7 and 14 in Mtn. Home. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Cost of the program is $100. For more information call 425-2335.
• Homeowners should check their lawns for fall armyworms. Heavy populations are capable of causing damage to lawns which resembles scalping with a mower. To check areas for armyworms, use a soap flush (2 tablespoons of lemon-scented dishwashing soap in a gallon of water) to bring larvae to the top of the sod. Insecticides labeled to control armyworms in lawns are Sevin, bifenthrin, trichlorfon, spinosad, cyfluthrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin, azadirachtin, chlorantraniliprole, halofenozide, indoxacarb and Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.). Following application, wait 1-3 days before mowing.
• September is the beginning of the cool-season lawn establishment period. Turf type tall fescues are best established from September to mid-October with late February through March as a poor second choice. Late seeded lawns will not be strong enough to survive the first summer. Prepare a good seed bed by tilling and bring a pint of soil to the Extension office to determine nutrient needs. Sow 8 to 10 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet for establishment. If you just need to thicken up your fescue lawn, overseed with 4-5 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
• To get the most out of a pre-emergent herbicide program for winter annual weed control, make the application now or at least by September 15. Applications made in late September or thereafter often miss the beginning of germination of winter annual grasses and broadleaves. Remember after applying the pre-emergent herbicide, it needs to be watered in within a few days to activate it. Don’t apply a pre-emergent to a lawn to be overseeded or a newly seeded lawn.
• Don’t fertilize or severely prune shrubs now because this will encourage rapid regrowth, and the new growth won’t have time to harden off before cold weather arrives.
• Now’s a good time to collect soil samples for your lawn, gardens, and shrubs and have them analyzed by the University of Arkansas. Your soil sample report should be back within two weeks. If the report calls for lime to reduce soil acidity, apply it in the fall. The lime will have several months to work before spring growth begins.
• Dig and divide spring blooming perennials.
• Save seeds from annuals and perennials for next year’s planting.
• Replenish mulch around trees and shrubs.
• Twig girdler insects should be making their appearance this month. Small branches of pecan, hickory, or elm are uniformly girdled from the tree and fall to the ground. The fallen twigs have eggs deposited in them so dispose of them immediately, to control the twig girdler. This will reduce next year’s problem.
• This month bring life back to your landscape by planting pansies, ornamental cabbage or kale, snapdragons, dusty miller and dianthus as the temperatures begin to cool. Pansies planted by mid-October survive winters best and will put on a tremendous show this fall.
• Chrysanthemums are setting flower buds. Fertilize lightly now and water consistently to ensure a good show beginning this month. Garden Centers have mums to add to your collection.
• Prepare your compost unit for the influx of fall cleanup which is just a few short weeks away. Clean out units and store compost in trash cans for fall gardening. If you are just starting to compost, come by the Extension office for information on composting or go to www.uaex.edu.
• Leaves should be collected as they fall. You don’t want a heavy covering of leaves entering the winter months. A dense layer can actually smother a lawn. People often leave leaves on the lawn until it turns cold and then rake them. If you have a covering of leaves on your lawn prior to the first frost, the leaves may prevent your lawn from going dormant. When you finally do rake up the leaves, you’ll expose actively growing grass to cold weather. Your lawn could suffer winter injury.
• Start acclimating your house plants for the trip back inside for the winter. Move plants to a less sunny area and then in a couple of weeks move them again to a location that simulates light conditions indoors. All this moving to lesser light outdoors will reduce plant shock when they are moved indoors next month.
• Christmas cactus initiate flower buds by being exposed to cool night temperatures similar to our outside night temperature beginning in September. Moving your cactus outdoors in an area with plenty of indirect sunlight and giving it one more feeding of houseplant fertilizer later this month will cause your cactus to bloom late fall to early winter. While outdoors, limiting water will encourage flowerbuds to open at the same time. Naturally, you will bring the cactus indoors when danger of frost is predicted and place in a well-lit area until buds are about to pop.

For more information on any of the above points, contact the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.

The Baxter County Master Gardeners are a fun group of folks who enjoy sharing their love of gardening with any visitor.

At our meetings we have speakers, refreshments, & fun.

Come join us!


Next Meeting Date:
September 6th from 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Meeting Place:
The First Presbyterian Church
1106 Spring Street
Mountain Home, AR

September Speakers:
Vicki Garner, "Herbs of the Bible"
Vicki Lindsey Garner, a native Arkansan, was born in Helena and raised in Little Rock. She has a BA of Psychology from U. of Arkansas, and a masters degree in counseling, from Oklahoma University.
She moved to Mountain Home in 1976, is married to Phil, and has 7 grandchildren.

Vicki opened Plants Alive in 1978, a lawn and garden business that also leased plants to banks and doctor's offices and landscaped several local bank grounds.
​
After closing the shop in 1986, Vicki worked as a counselor in 5 counties for the Dept of Human Services, and later became the first social worker for the Mountain Home School District.  Upon retiring from the school system, Vicki has been the host of the KTLO FM “Gardening in the Ozarks” program.

Horticulture Table: James Lovelace, "Drying Flowers and Herbs"
 
​Master Gardeners Monthly Radio Program:
Mountain Talk Radio September 19th on 97.1   7:15 a.m. - 8:am.
Master Gardener Hosts this month are Tommy Hagan and Ceil Gasiecki

Directions:
From Mountain Home
Take US Hwy. 62B East through Mountain Home until you come to Cardinal Street. Cardinal Street is the intersection just past Harp's Grocery.  Turn right onto Cardinal Street and travel South until you come to the first stop sign which should be Spring Street. Turn left onto Spring Street and go down the hill past the bridge and the First Presbyterian Church will be on your right hand side. 

From Gassville:
Take Hwy. 62/412 towards Mountain Home. Once you get to Mountain Home continue on into Mountain Home on US 62B. This will take you through town till you get to Harp's Grocery and you come to Cardinal Street. Cardinal Street is the intersection just past Harp's Grocery.  Turn right onto Cardinal Street and travel South until you come to the first stop sign which should be Spring Street. Turn left onto Spring Street and go down the hill past the bridge and the First Presbyterian Church will be on your right hand side.