President’s Message
🌷I recently had the opportunity to meet some of our newest trainees, who will be starting their training this week. The energy and enthusiasm of the Class of 2024 are palpable as they embark on their learning journey.
As we welcome our trainees, I encourage our seasoned Master Gardeners to embrace the opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise. Look at the information below to attend lectures alongside our trainees, engage in discussions, and offer guidance as mentors. Your wisdom and encouragement will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the journey of our new members.
In addition to our training program, our focus is also turning towards the much-anticipated Benton County Master Gardener Plant Sale on Saturday, May 4, 2024. Activities are ramping up as we prepare for this annual event, and your participation and support are invaluable as we work to make it a resounding success.
BCMGA Membership Meeting - Monday March 25, 2024
🌷Co-Vice Presidents Lynn Trimpe and Michelle Brown welcome all BCMGA members to the next membership meeting for socialization and Continuing Education credits. Coffee and tea are provided and feel free to bring a treat. Raffle prizes for in-person attendees.
Location: Extension Building, Sunset Room
Use East side entrance (other doors locked at night)
Format: Hybrid meeting (in-person and via Zoom)
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., program starts at 7:00 p.m.
March Program, March 25, 2024 Topic: Introduction to OSU’s Solve Pest Problems Project, presented by Ebba Peterson, with the Oregon Integrated Pest Management Center. Solve Pest Problems is a user-friendly, online resource addressing pest issues around the home and garden. SPP has close to 200 peer-reviewed pages covering the management of problem weeds, household insects, mice, rats & other wildlife, as well as a number of plant pests and diseases. You can also find guides on how to use pesticides safely around your home and family. Learn more about SPP and how to manage pests around your home with reduced risk to people, pets, and the environment.
**If you have ideas about speakers/topics for our membership meetings, please contact Lynn Trimpe or Michelle Brown with your suggestions. trimpelynn@gmail.com michellegbrown88@gmail.com
2024 Linn and Benton County Master Gardener Training Program - Continuing Education
🌷 The Trainee Class of 2024 are starting their educational journey to become Certified Master Gardeners. Our Program Coordinator, Otillia Schreuder has been working diligently on the course for this year. Current Master Gardeners are invited to attend training lectures, which have been approved by OSU for Continuing Education.
Location: Central Electrical Training Center Auditorium
33309 OR-99E
Tangent, OR 97389
Format: 5:30-7:00 PM, In-Person only at this time. Trainees will have additional
activities to complete at the end of these lectures.
Dates: Thursday, March 7, 2024 Soils with James Cassidy
Thursday, March 14, 2024 Insects with Rich Little
Thursday, April 4, 2024 Water with Darren Morgan
Hope Grows Here - Volunteer Opportunity
🌷 Hope Grows Here is a gardening program for cancer survivors in partnership with the Moore Family Center in the College of Health, OSU Extension, and Samaritan Cancer Resource Centers. Master Gardener volunteers are encouraged to volunteer as mentors and educators for cancer survivors learning to grow home vegetable gardens in community gardens throughout Linn & Benton counties.
Garden Mentor: As a Garden Mentor, you are paired with participants in a 1:1 or small group setting. Mentors meet regularly throughout the summer gardening season from May to September for ½ hour each week. It is a time commitment of around 12 hours in total. This opportunity allows volunteers to directly work with individuals and provide impactful gardening opportunities!
Garden Educators: As Garden Educators, you will work directly with the Hope Grows Here study manager to develop and deliver four basic gardening classes during March and April. Classes will be delivered remotely, and recorded. It is a time commitment of around 12 hours in total. This opportunity allows volunteers to provide quality garden education to cancer survivors!
This project is approved for Master Gardener volunteer hours. More information about this project can be found here. If you are interested, please reach out to Candace Russo at candace.russo@oregonstate.edu. Thank you for helping provide quality gardening information to the local community!
BCMGA News
🌷 Demonstration Garden General Planning Meeting - Friday, February 23rd from 12:00 to 2:00 PM in the Sunset Conference room at OSU Extension. Everyone is invited, current committee members and future committee members, including trainees, to organize and plan the Benton County Demo Garden 2024 growing season.
The growing season for the demo garden starts in late April and continues into October. The regular meeting time is Wednesday morning, 9:30-11:30.
Some of the projects we've talked doing this year are dry bed farming, growing sweet potatoes and cantaloupe with solar heated water, building a big trellis with vegetables growing up and across, diversity beds, lots of tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, shade gardening, container gardening, simple hydroponic veggie culture and others.
Questions: Call or text Rosalind Hutton, 541-908-3991
🌷 2024 Benton County Master Gardener Plant Sale will be on Saturday, May 4th. This is BCMGA’s biggest fundraiser to support all our education programs. It takes many volunteers to make this event happen. Please mark your calendars to “save these dates” Friday, May 3: Loading/Unloading plants and sale set up, and Saturday May 4: Sale 9am - 3pm
🌷 Clinic Table at the Farmer’s Market BCMGA is looking for veteran Master Gardeners looking to staff the Saturday Market Clinic Table. If you have any interest please brenda.bye@gmail.com
🌷 Ask Extension is looking for Master Gardeners seeking additional insect training. This is a great opportunity for MGs looking to get more direct services hours from home on a flexible schedule. Reach out to Otillia Schreuder if you are interested.
Volunteer Opportunities
🌷 Veggie & Herb Propagation Workshops at the Philomath High School Greenhouse
It's time to start seeding veggies and herbs for the plant sale! Work may be indoors or out, so layers and rain gear are a good plan. Tools are provided. Please sign up for one slot only for now, as this is a popular activity. If you are a mentor, you are welcome to bring your trainee! This is a great opportunity to learn how to start veggies and prepare them for transplanting to the garden.
🌷 Public Seed Library is a collaborative project of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition and the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library with educational support from BCMGA. There are still several slots available for veteran Master Gardeners for upcoming events. See the Sign Up Genius for more information.
🌷 Master Gardener Desk (Office Plant Clinic): Winter hours are now in effect. The desk will operate on a Tuesday & Thursday schedule. A Signup Genius has been posted.
Alan Taylor, Mentor Coordinator, would like to let people know that certified MGs could come in at other times to work on voicemail or email submissions. To get refresher training on working at the desk contact Alan Taylor (alantaylor@alyrica.net ) to arrange for a trainer. Without an advertised “open desk” it should give some opportunities for quiet time to get these things done.
Find more opportunities on the Benton Volunteer Opportunities Page.
Continuing Education Opportunities -
Each program year current Master Gardener volunteers are asked to recertify by completing 10 hours of approved continuing education and 20 hours of volunteering. This ensures that your horticultural knowledge stays current. All the opportunities in this section count towards that goal. Try to get one hour of CE on a diversity, equity, or inclusion related topic.
🌷 Webinars. Opportunities from across the state are listed on the OSU Master Gardener Program’s event page. Record each as one hour of continuing education.
🌷 Gearing Up for Gardening - The final lecture of the popular gardening series is happening next week on February 27, 2024 at Noon at the Corvallis Benton Public Library. Our own Janet Magedanz’s lecture will be Last Surprise! Garden Myths.
🌷 Public Seed Library Lecture Series - Has been approved for Continuing Education by OSU Extension.
Starting Growing Tomatoes and Peppers
February 22, 2024 from 12:30 to 2:00PM at the Corvallis-Benton Public Library
Garden Guidance on Harvesting and Saving Seeds
March 5, 2024 from 12:30 to 2:00PM at the Corvallis-Benton Public Library
🌷 Wildlife and Water Friendly Gardening Series - Lectures put on by the Environmental Learning Center at Clackamas Community College. Thursdays, January 25th to March 7th from noon to 1 on Zoom. More information can be found here.
🌷 New OSU Publication. Gardens are for Everyone. Read and write a summary paragraph of how you will apply this as a Master Gardener volunteer for one hour of continuing education.
🌷 Anytime. Recordings of Zoom Master Gardener training from Curry County with guest lecturers from OSU and beyond, are available for any volunteer to take as continuing education. Trainees are also welcome to watch and supplement their classes. More links are being added weekly, see the current list log on to the attached website.
Extension News
Need help finding information from Extension? Here are some important links to access information.
Solve Pest Problems: A new tool from OSU Extension to help manage pests around your home and garden with reduced risk to people, pets, and the environment
Have a gardening question? Get help at:
Interested in gardening classes and events?
Want to partner with Master Gardeners? Please contact Otillia Schreuder to get connected: otillia.schreuder@oregonstate.edu
Current volunteers:
Need information about training, volunteering, or logging hours? First check the Volunteer Sourcebook and website https://blogs.oregonstate.edu/activebentonlinnmg/
Need a sign-up, promotions, or printing for an upcoming event?
First, use the Event Checklist to collect all needed information
Need to update your contact information? Need a badge?
Contact Otillia Schreuder otillia.schreuder@oregonstate.edu
Community Events - These Events are NOT Approved by Extension for Continuing Education
🌷 Grand Prairie Albany Gardening Club - First Quarter Talks
Meets on the second Thursday of the month at 1PM at the Albany Public Library
For more information contact Sheryl Casteen casteen@aol.com