Biweekly Update for May 12, 2026
- Brenda Bye
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
President’s Message
Greetings fellow Master Gardeners. Congratulations to everyone who put so much work into the BCMGA Plant Sale for 2026! I dropped in at the PHS greenhouse a few days before the sale to take a look at the veggie collection, and as I scanned the space--with the plants all primped and ready for transport to the fairgrounds, I was literally awestruck at just how beautiful and healthy everything looked.
Our plants are truly next level—they reflect the enormous amount of expertise, meticulousness, care, and training that go into raising them. Kudos to everyone involved in bringing them to fruition, and particularly to those who pour their hearts and souls into them, year after year.
On the weekend of the sale, close to 140 volunteers were on hand to help. There was a great feeling of camaraderie and cheerfulness throughout the day, and this year lots of volunteers stayed to the very end to help clean up.
This year’s turnout was also excellent—over 300 customers were waiting in line for the opening. In all, more than 1,200 customers shopped in the Solar Barn and 900 customers visited the Floral Courtyard, purchasing in total over 7,000 plants!BCMGA Master Gardeners addressed many more plant questions than previous years, possibly because the atmosphere this year seemed a bit more relaxed: Customers seemed to come and go all day, rather than mostly in the morning. So while the annual sale indeed functions as a fundraiser for the association, there is a whole lot of plant education going on too.
The team is already gearing up and figuring out new cultivars to grow for next year. You can sign up for Friday sessions on SignUp Genius. Meanwhile, there are lots more ways to lend your green thumb through the summer—I’ll talk more about CGET and school gardens in the coming months.
BCMGA President, Jill Lodwig
BCMGA Association News
🌿 BCMGA Membership Meeting Co-Vice Presidents, Laura Horsey and Christine Welsch welcome all BCMGA members, Master Gardeners and trainees to the next membership meeting. Wear your badge for an additional raffle ticket. Bring a treat to share to earn another raffle ticket.
Monday, May 18, 2026 at From Lawn to an Eco-Friendly Pollinator Habitat
Location: Extension Building, Sunset Room (Use East side entrance).
Format: Hybrid meeting (in-person and online via Zoom)
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., program starts at 7:00 p.m. Please arrive on time as doors will be locked during the meeting. If you are late please text the cell phone number posted by the doorbell
Dr. Alec Kowalewski, the OSU Grover Family Endowed Sustainable Urban Landscapes Specialist will share his research on lawn conversions. He and his colleagues at OSU study the challenges, hurdles and rewards of creating pollinator habitat from a home lawn.
🌿 Notice of Vote Regarding Amendments to the Articles of Association and Bylaws - During the meeting there will be a vote by the present members of the Benton County Master Gardeners Association regarding these updates. Please see your email to review these addendums prior to the meeting.
🌿 Pick up your BCMGA Hats While You are at the Meeting - If you haven’t bought a BCMGA hat yet, it’s not too late. They will be for sale during May’s Membership meeting. Just $20, what a bargain!
🌿 Mountain View School Garden Crew Recognized
The Master Gardeners and volunteers at Mountain View continue to work hard and engage their science minded elementary students.
Next school year, Mountain View will have students ranging from Kindergarten through 8th grade. The volunteers are working to expand the garden to reach as many students as possible. We are so proud of all of their hard work
🌿 Plant Desk is Missing Books from the Library - Our book collection is used to answer questions that come in to the desk. The books are an important part of our reference collection and not available for loans. If you happen to have any of the BCMGA Plant Desk books please return them to the desk at the Extension office. Thanks.
🌿 Expanded Greenhouse Partnership with Philomath High School - The BCMGA Board of Directors approved a new agreement with Philomath High School that grants our organization use of their second (east) greenhouse. Thanks to Jennifer Klammer for seeing this proposal through. We look forward to the expanded growing opportunities this partnership will bring!
Continuing Education
These are approved by OSU Extension for CE Credit.
Don’t forget about Benton County Master Gardener Youtube! There are many lectures available from past Membership meetings, Gearing Up for Gardening and the Public Seed library. Check it out at:
Volunteer Opportunities
These activities are approved by OSU Extension for volunteer hours
🌿 Adams School Garden Needs More Volunteers - The crew at Adams has done a great job revamping their space over the last couple of years with a core group of regular volunteers. They are looking for more Master Gardener help on Thursdays at 2:00 PM for their amazing after school garden party with 30 kids. The class moves to Tuesday mornings around 9:00 AM once school is out. The Adams School Garden was also approved for a special allocations project, that will help them make a sensory garden over the summer
If you are interested in joining the fun at Adams, please reach out to Nellie Oehler at oehlershrops@gmail.com.
🌿 Join CGET (Community Garden Education Team) in 2026 - CGET provides hands on garden education in our community and is a great place to share your passion about growing edible plants. There are spots for both trainees and certified MGs. Check out the CGET Signup Genius page for all of the opportunities available.
🌿Just a Couple of Volunteer Spots Left for the Public Seed Library - There are spots for leaders on 6/12 and 6/13 available. If you have questions please reach out to Jill Farrow at jillsfarrow@gmail.com
Pop-Up Veg Garden Clinic - Sign up here
Seed Rack Stocking - Sign up here
🌿 2026 Plant Desk Sign Up Is Picking Up With the Warmer Weather- Shifts at the plant desk are now available Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Answering questions at the Plant Desk is at the heart of our work as Master Gardeners and an invaluable resource for our community. Please sign up when you can! 2026 Signup Genius
🌿 Demonstration Garden Committee is at Work Again - MGs and trainees are welcome at the Demonstration Garden. Work parties are happening every Wednesday morning, rain or shine, from 9:30 to 11:30 at the Benton County Fairgrounds. You can drive through the north entrance by the gatehouse and park near the Floral Pavillion. Bring gloves and outerwear appropriate to the weather.
OMGA News
🌿 Joy of Gardening Registration is now open. This is the premier educational event put on annually by the OMGA. Join Master Gardeners throughout the state to complete your CME credits and learn about interesting horticultural topics. In honor of 50 years of Master Gardeners in Oregon, the early bird registration is only $50 until June 20th. Sign up now before your favorite classes fill up!
🌿 OSU Foundation Dam Proud Day has Record Breaking Year - This includes $17,000 raised for the Statewide Master Gardener Program.
Extension News
🌿 OSU Master Gardener Extension has Merchandise! If you are looking for OSU Master Gardener apparel, hats or accessories you can find it on the new online store. New items will be added throughout the year.
*Editor's Note - There are items that are included in the email version of the newsletter that are not included on this blog post. If you are a BCMGA Member please see your email for details.
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